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Got Fruit?
Mt 3:7-10
Got Fruit?
In this passage, John tells the Pharisees & Sadducees to bear fruit
worthy of repentance.
Got Fruit? John spoke of “bearing fruit in keeping with
repentance,” for his entire ministry was about repentance.
Got Fruit? John spoke of “bearing fruit in keeping with
repentance,” for his entire ministry was about repentance. “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the
wilderness of Judea, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand'” (Mt 3:1-2, ESV).
Got Fruit? John spoke of “bearing fruit in keeping with
repentance,” for his entire ministry was about repentance. “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the
wilderness of Judea, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand'” (Mt 3:1-2, ESV).
“I baptize you with water for repentance” (Mt 3:11, ESV).
Got Fruit? John spoke of “bearing fruit in keeping with
repentance,” for his entire ministry was about repentance. “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the
wilderness of Judea, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand'” (Mt 3:1-2, ESV).
“I baptize you with water for repentance” (Mt 3:11, ESV).
John urged the Pharisees & Sadducees to bear fruit “in keeping with repentance,” for they came to be baptized without apparent repentance.
Got Fruit? Apparently, John, like Jesus, could see someone’s
heart.
Got Fruit? Apparently, John, like Jesus, could see someone’s
heart. John’s preaching likely caused an uproar.
Got Fruit? Apparently, John, like Jesus, could see someone’s
heart. John’s preaching likely caused an uproar. Preaching
about repentance almost always causes an uproar.
Got Fruit? Sometimes the uproar is quite positive.
Got Fruit? Sometimes the uproar is quite positive.
Jonah preached in Nineveh.
Got Fruit? Sometimes the uproar is quite positive.
Jonah preached in Nineveh. “The people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a
fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them” (Jon 3:5, ESV).
Got Fruit? Sometimes the uproar is quite positive.
Jonah preached in Nineveh. “The people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a
fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them” (Jon 3:5, ESV).
Sometimes the uproar is quite negative.
Got Fruit? Sometimes the uproar is quite positive.
Jonah preached in Nineveh. “The people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a
fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them” (Jon 3:5, ESV).
Sometimes the uproar is quite negative. John experienced that negative uproar.
Got Fruit? Sometimes the uproar is quite positive.
Jonah preached in Nineveh. “The people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a
fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them” (Jon 3:5, ESV).
Sometimes the uproar is quite negative. John experienced that negative uproar.
He preached to Herod: “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife” (Mk 6:18, ESV).
Got Fruit? Sometimes the uproar is quite positive.
Jonah preached in Nineveh. “The people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a
fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them” (Jon 3:5, ESV).
Sometimes the uproar is quite negative. John experienced that negative uproar.
He preached to Herod: “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife” (Mk 6:18, ESV).
John was, therefore, thrown into prison.
Got Fruit? Sometimes the uproar is quite positive.
Jonah preached in Nineveh. “The people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a
fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them” (Jon 3:5, ESV).
Sometimes the uproar is quite negative. John experienced that negative uproar.
He preached to Herod: “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife” (Mk 6:18, ESV).
John was, therefore, thrown into prison. When Herodias saw an opportunity, she had Herod
behead John.
Got Fruit? Repentance causes an uproar, for repentance is
difficult.
Got Fruit? Repentance causes an uproar, for repentance is
difficult. “Even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not
regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting” (2 Cor 7:8-9, ESV).
Got Fruit? Repentance causes an uproar, for repentance is
difficult. “Even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not
regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting” (2 Cor 7:8-9, ESV).
Because of our egos, it isn’t easy to hear that we need to change.
Got Fruit? Repentance causes an uproar, for repentance is
difficult. “Even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not
regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting” (2 Cor 7:8-9, ESV).
Because of our egos, it isn’t easy to hear that we need to change.
But, sometimes we need to be called upon to repent.
Got Fruit? We want to ask the question: “Got Fruit?”
Got Fruit? We want to ask the question: “Got Fruit?” We need:
A RUNNING FRUIT. A REPENTING FRUIT. A RESPONSIBLE FRUIT.
Got Fruit?
A Running Fruitvv 7, 10
Got Fruit? We need a running fruit—a fruit that runs from the
wrath to come.
Got Fruit? We need a running fruit—a fruit that runs from the
wrath to come. “When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees
coming to his baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?,’” (v 7, ESV).
Got Fruit? Many of the Pharisees & Sadducees were coming to
John’s baptism.
Got Fruit? Many of the Pharisees & Sadducees were coming to
John’s baptism. It’s obvious that they had no intentions of repenting.
Got Fruit? Many of the Pharisees & Sadducees were coming to
John’s baptism. It’s obvious that they had no intentions of repenting. Because they come with the wrong motives, John says
to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”
Got Fruit? Many of the Pharisees & Sadducees were coming to
John’s baptism. It’s obvious that they had no intentions of repenting. Because they come with the wrong motives, John says
to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”
“Brood of vipers” was a major insult.
Got Fruit? Many of the Pharisees & Sadducees were coming to
John’s baptism. It’s obvious that they had no intentions of repenting. Because they come with the wrong motives, John says
to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”
“Brood of vipers” was a major insult. In the ancient world, people believed that vipers were born by
killing their mothers.
Got Fruit? Many of the Pharisees & Sadducees were coming to
John’s baptism. It’s obvious that they had no intentions of repenting. Because they come with the wrong motives, John says
to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”
“Brood of vipers” was a major insult. In the ancient world, people believed that vipers were born by
killing their mothers. John says that fathers of the Pharisees & Sadducees were vipers
also.
Got Fruit? John asks them, “Who warned you to flee from the
wrath to come?”
Got Fruit? John asks them, “Who warned you to flee from the
wrath to come?” We dare not lose sight of two important points:
(a) There is a coming wrath; & (b) it is possible to escape that wrath.
Got Fruit? John asks them, “Who warned you to flee from the
wrath to come?” We dare not lose sight of two important points:
(a) There is a coming wrath; & (b) it is possible to escape that wrath.
“Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire,” (v 10, ESV).
Got Fruit? Throughout the OT, prophets use trees in parables of
God’s judgment.
Got Fruit? Throughout the OT, prophets use trees in parables of
God’s judgment. The axe is at the root of the trees—it’s ready to swing.
Got Fruit? Throughout the OT, prophets use trees in parables of
God’s judgment. The axe is at the root of the trees—it’s ready to swing. Every tree not bearing fruit is thrown into the fire.
Got Fruit? Throughout the OT, prophets use trees in parables of
God’s judgment. The axe is at the root of the trees—it’s ready to swing. Every tree not bearing fruit is thrown into the fire.
A tree bearing good fruit escapes that fire.
Got Fruit? Throughout the OT, prophets use trees in parables of
God’s judgment. The axe is at the root of the trees—it’s ready to swing. Every tree not bearing fruit is thrown into the fire.
A tree bearing good fruit escapes that fire. A truly repentant person successfully runs from God’s
wrath.
Got Fruit?
God’s wrath is coming on the world.
Got Fruit? “Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a
voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, ‘Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.’ So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of mankind” (Rv 9:13-15, ESV).
Got Fruit? “Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a
voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, ‘Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.’ So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of mankind” (Rv 9:13-15, ESV).
God’s wrath was ready before it was unleashed.
Got Fruit? God’s great wrath will one day be unleashed.
Got Fruit? God’s great wrath will one day be unleashed.
“For those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek” (Rm 2:8-9, ESV).
Got Fruit? God’s great wrath will one day be unleashed.
“For those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek” (Rm 2:8-9, ESV).
Jesus Christ will be “revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess 1:7-8, ESV).
Got Fruit?
Those who have repented shall escape God’s wrath.
Got Fruit? To the house of Israel, the LORD says, “I have no
pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live” (Ezek 18:32, ESV).
Got Fruit? To the house of Israel, the LORD says, “I have no
pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live” (Ezek 18:32, ESV). If one turns, he shall live.
Got Fruit? To the house of Israel, the LORD says, “I have no
pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live” (Ezek 18:32, ESV). If one turns, he shall live.
“Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent” (Rv 2:5, ESV).
Got Fruit?
Do you need A RUNNING FRUIT to escape God’s wrath?
Got Fruit?
A REPENTING FRUIT
v 8
Got Fruit? “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.”
Got Fruit? “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” John tells them to “bear fruit in keeping with
repentance” instead of repenting.
Got Fruit? True repentance is neither godly grief or a change in
life.
Got Fruit? True repentance is neither godly grief or a change in
life. It is the decision to change one’s life.
Got Fruit? True repentance is neither godly grief or a change in
life. It is the decision to change one’s life. Remorse leads one to repentance.
Got Fruit? True repentance is neither godly grief or a change in
life. It is the decision to change one’s life. Remorse leads one to repentance: “I rejoice, not
because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. . . . Godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret”(2 Cor 7:9-10, ESV).
Got Fruit? True repentance is neither godly grief or a change in
life. It is the decision to change one’s life. Remorse leads one to repentance: “I rejoice, not
because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. . . . Godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret”(2 Cor 7:9-10, ESV).
It’s not the change in life.
Got Fruit? True repentance is neither godly grief or a change in
life. It is the decision to change one’s life. Remorse leads one to repentance: “I rejoice, not
because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. . . . Godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret”(2 Cor 7:9-10, ESV).
It’s not the change in life: John here tells the Pharisees and Sadducees to bear fruit “worthy of repentance.”
Got Fruit? Best illustration—the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Lk
15:14-20).
Got Fruit? Best illustration—the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Lk
15:14-20). The son had great grief: a famine grew so fierce that he
desired to eat pigs’ food.
Got Fruit? Best illustration—the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Lk
15:14-20). The son had great grief: a famine grew so fierce that he
desired to eat pigs’ food. Then he decided to go back to his father.
Got Fruit? Best illustration—the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Lk
15:14-20). The son had great grief: a famine grew so fierce that he
desired to eat pigs’ food. Then he decided to go back to his father. Then, he arose & went to his father.
Got Fruit? Our lives need to demonstrate a change in life.
Got Fruit? Our lives need to demonstrate a change in life.
“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal 5:24, ESV).
Got Fruit? Our lives need to demonstrate a change in life.
“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal 5:24, ESV).
“You have learned about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of our minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph 4:21-24, ESV).
Got Fruit?
Do we have a repenting fruit?
Got Fruit?
A ROLLING FRUITv 9
Got Fruit? The fruit we are to bear is A ROLLING FRUIT—we
have a role in our own salvation.
Got Fruit? John says, “'Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We
have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children from Abraham” (v 9, ESV).
Got Fruit? John says, “'Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We
have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children from Abraham” (v 9, ESV). The Jews took great pride in their ancestry.
Got Fruit? John says, “'Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We
have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children from Abraham” (v 9, ESV). The Jews took great pride in their ancestry: after Jesus
had said that the truth would set the Jews free, they “answered him, 'We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone” (Jn 8:33, ESV).
Got Fruit? John says, “'Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We
have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children from Abraham” (v 9, ESV). The Jews took great pride in their ancestry: after Jesus
had said that the truth would set the Jews free, they “answered him, 'We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone” (Jn 8:33, ESV).
The Jews also believed they would escape wrath because of their ancestry.
Got Fruit? God could turn stones into Abraham’s children.
Got Fruit? God could turn stones into Abraham’s children.
Such a statement probably sounded much like pagan mythology.
Got Fruit? God could turn stones into Abraham’s children.
Such a statement probably sounded much like pagan mythology.
But, the God who made man from dust could have made Jews from stones.
Got Fruit? God could turn stones into Abraham’s children.
Such a statement probably sounded much like pagan mythology.
But, the God who made man from dust could have made Jews from stones.
The point is that Jewish ancestry wasn’t all that special.
Got Fruit? God could turn stones into Abraham’s children.
Such a statement probably sounded much like pagan mythology.
But, the God who made man from dust could have made Jews from stones.
The point is that Jewish ancestry wasn’t all that special.
The Jews couldn’t claim salvation on the basis of their ancestry.
Got Fruit? Righteousness has never been based on Mommy &
Daddy.
Got Fruit? Righteousness has never been based on Mommy &
Daddy. “The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father,
nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself” (Ezek 18:20, ESV).
Got Fruit? Righteousness has never been based on Mommy &
Daddy. “The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father,
nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself” (Ezek 18:20, ESV).
“Each of us will give an account of himself to God” (Rm 14:12, ESV).
Got Fruit?
How many people believe they will be saved on the basis of ancestry?
Got Fruit? Jesus was deeply concerned that we have A ROLLING
FRUIT.
Got Fruit? Jesus was deeply concerned that we have A ROLLING
FRUIT. “I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of
the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:20, ESV).
Got Fruit? Jesus was deeply concerned that we have A ROLLING
FRUIT. “I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of
the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:20, ESV).
“Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Mt 6:33, ESV).
Got Fruit?
Do you have A ROLLING FRUIT?
Got Fruit? We’ve had just a scant mention of baptism this
morning.
Got Fruit? We’ve had just a scant mention of baptism this
morning. But, this text makes scant mention of baptism.
Got Fruit? We’ve had just a scant mention of baptism this
morning. But, this text makes scant mention of baptism. And, true repentance always involves baptism.
Got Fruit? We’ve had just a scant mention of baptism this
morning. But, this text makes scant mention of baptism. And, true repentance always involves baptism.
John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance.
Got Fruit? We’ve had just a scant mention of baptism this
morning. But, this text makes scant mention of baptism. And, true repentance always involves baptism.
John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. Both are connected in Christianity.
Got Fruit? We’ve had just a scant mention of baptism this
morning. But, this text makes scant mention of baptism. And, true repentance always involves baptism.
John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. Both are connected in Christianity: “Repent and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38, ESV).
Got Fruit? We’ve had just a scant mention of baptism this
morning. But, this text makes scant mention of baptism. And, true repentance always involves baptism.
John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. Both are connected in Christianity: “Repent and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38, ESV).
When I repent of sins, I’ll do whatever God requires.
Got Fruit? We’ve had just a scant mention of baptism this
morning. But, this text makes scant mention of baptism. And, true repentance always involves baptism.
John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. Both are connected in Christianity: “Repent and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38, ESV).
When I repent of sins, I’ll do whatever God requires. Have you repented & done what God requires?
