Bear Fruits

Matt 3:1-12 Bear Fruits

• I talk about repentance a lot because I believe its central to the Gospel- I want you to be able to understand it and explain it
• This is what happens when you go through a book of the Bible and if its repetitive- good- we should be able to articulate it, appreciate it and defend it.
• Some of the greatest problems in the church are because there are tons of people who have never repented- they have just agreed to a set of beliefs.
• People think that joining a church or getting baptized is what makes someone saved- its not- Jesus saves through repentance. No repentance- no salvation.
• What is repentance
• Hebrew word nacham which means to turn around or change the mind and sub which return, seek, restore
• Metanio- to change the mind to think differently about something- changing your mind. Thinking one way then thinking the other way- I hate vegetables to I like vegetables
• Repent simply means to turn around- to change your direction- you are going one way- and you go a different way
  Away from God towards God- direction change- this is tied to belief- You didn’t believe in Christ- and then you did believe in Christ- you have repented- you have turned- from no to Yes
• From in sin- to forgiveness- turnaround
• You need to change direction in your mind and actions- belief and repent are sides of the same coin you cant have one without the other- you cant believe without turning and you can’t turn unless you believe
• Repenting is not cleaning yourself up. Its not changing your habits, improving yourself, it’s a simultaneous change of belief and direction at the same time

1. Repentance is central to the Gospel
2. If you don’t understand the repentance- you don’t understand the Gospel because repentance is central to the Gospel- You must turn towards God. You must turn from your sin
3. You can’t be in New York and say you are on your way to LA. It doesn’t work that way
4. You can’t be living in your sin- and consider it repentance- (Guy at JCNW saved by TV)
5. He repented- he took a life change- He did something different.
6. The first word of John the Baptist was Repent Matt 3:2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
7. The first word of Jesus Gospel was Repent  Mark 1:15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
8. The first word of the Disciples was Repent Mark 6:12 So they went out and preached that people should repent.
9. The first word of instruction that jesus gave after his resurrection Luke 24: 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations,
10. The first word of the first Christian sermon was repent Acts 2:38  Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
11. The first word of the Apostle paul  was repent Acts 26:20 but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.
12. To repent is simply to change your mind towards the things of God- Turn from Sin to Grace
13. And its central to our faith- When you talk to people who say they are “good” or say “I’m a Christian” or “I was raised in the church” that’s often code for “I never repented”
14. The gift of repentance is that you know there has been a direction change- you know
15. Don’t be prideful- repentance is a way of living- I repent on the daily. Keep on the path

• Repentance has fruit
• READ v 4- 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,
• We know that based on the Bible and our own experience- that you can see fruit
• And when you see no fruit- you got to check the root- because the root of fruit is repentance
• Acts 26:20  but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.
• And there’s a nuance to this. I’m not trying to encourage you to go out and judge someones fruit- but I’m more trying to explain to you to ‘examine yourselves’ and check your own fruit
• Because if there’s no fruit- that’s a concern. No bible reading, no worship, no fellowship, no serving, giving, joy, peace, patience kindness, gentleness or self control you got ask
• Galatians 5:22-23  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
• That’s the internal gauge of fruit that should manifest itself externally
• Used to be in sales- Sales is simple- work hard- ask people to buy. Typically if you’re not selling its because you aren’t working. Sales is not a skill issue it’s a heart issue-
• When I had a failing rep I would say things like “What you’re telling me isn’t what you’re showing me” because what you say doesn’t matter compared to what you do
• People will SAY they are a Christian or SAY that have repented- but there isn’t any fruit
• There’s just words- mere words.
• v10 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
• This is a statement that John is saying to Jewish leaders about their lack of fruit
• It’s a pretty strong statement isn’t it? No fruit you’re going in the fire.
• And yes- some would say that’s judgmental and works based, but its not- its what we all do
• Anyone anywhere anytime with anything- watches for movement on anything to see if its going in the direction that you hope or intend- Weight loss, finances, cars, agriculture, kids, relationships, jobs, cleaning house, it doesn’t matter- if nothing is happening- its not happening- its just words
• Matthew 21:28-32 READ Jesus is explaining the actionable direction change of a individual who is responding to truth
• No movement- no truth or belief. V 32 and when you saw it, you did not afterward [f]relent and believe him.

• Repentance is required
• This is a strong statement that some theologians would disagree with- some say there’s nothing we have to do- or say or believe. Even believing is action. Its repentance. You have to do something or it would be universalism. Even if you never speak- your metanoia has to change
• John the Baptist is refuting these religious leaders and says V 9-10
• What he is basically saying is that Your blood line will not get you into heaven.
• It doesn’t matter if you are the seed of Abraham. That’s not the ticket- you must repent
• You must accept Jesus as messiah as Lord as the chosen one.
• This is a concept that flows throughout the bible- Change your direction!
• Jer 26:13  Now therefore, amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God; then the Lord will relent concerning the doom that He has pronounced against you.
• Isaiah 1:16-17  “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, 17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.
• And again- people will challenge and say I’m putting a yoke of bondage on people and discrediting the Grace of God- but I’m not- Asking someone to NOT doing something isn’t works. Repentance isn’t work- its receiving, resting, releasing.
• Its accepting that you CANT earn Gods love or acceptance- Its giving up everything TO HIM
• This is the direction change that Jesus required of those whom he interacted with  in Sin
• Man at the pool John 5:14  Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.”
• Woman caught in adultery
• John 8:11  She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go [a]and sin no more.”
• GO and SIN NO MORE- Don’t keep doing what you were doing. Don’t keep being how you were being- The biggest change is to simply stop being who you were- You’re forgiven act like it

• Repentance isn’t the end
• READ v 11-12 He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit [a]and fire
• Even John knew the limitations of Repentance- Repentance isn’t the end it’s the beginning
• It brings you into relationship with God but God has so much more for you
• John promised, in this statement that Jesus would come, in the power of the HS and baptize the believers with power from on high- The power that can only come from God himself.
• Matthew 28:19  Go [a]therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
• Baptism of the father is the baptism of repentance
• Baptism of the Son is the baptism of faith unto salvation
• Baptism of the HS is the baptism of fire and indwelling spirit of God within for POWER
• Acts 19:2 he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
• So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”
• You must receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit to be able to make it in this life
• Repentance will get you right with God- the HS will help you stay right with God
• Acts 1:8  But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
• You can’t even witness without the HS. You can’t even live this life without it
• Those of you who walk in the power of the HS will find yourself living a different life
• Romans 15:19  in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
• Acts 1:5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
• Jesus wanted this baptism for his people! The indwelling of God himself
• The HS is not separate- the HS is God in spiritual form inside of you
• John 3:5-8 READ
• Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
• That’s what we need- and that’s what we want the boldness to be able to witness and the power to be able to live this life-
• John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another [e]Helper, that He may abide with you forever—
• John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.

• Here are some promises from the Holy spirit
• TRUTH John 15:26 “But when the [a]Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
• In a world that has lost its mind, you will not be able to navigate truth and error without the HS- it just wont work
• The Bible, the news, people, everything you cant discern without the HS- you need it
• You can tell good from bad. Safe from danger.
• FEAR AND COMFORT Acts 9:31 Then the [a]churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified.[b] And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.
• Are you fearful of God or this world? Do you have the comfort of the HS?
• If you have the comfort of the HS you wont walk in any fear except the fear of the LORD
• And THEN
• JOY PEACE HOPE Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
• That’s the life we all want- to be able to live above this earth.
• Joy around the desperate. Peace among the warring. Hope around the Hopeless
• And when we have that, and live that. And walk in that we see God move
• Desire the HS- Ask for it- receive it and walk in it- repent and believe! Acts 2:38!

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