1.The TV is my shepherd, My spiritual growth shall want;
It makes me to sit down and do nothing for His Name’s sake.
2. It requires all my spare time; It keeps me from doing my Christian duty. It produces so many good shows that I must see; It restores my knowledge of the world.
3. It keeps me from the study of God’s Word. It leads me in the path of failing to attend worship and doing nothing for the kingdom of God.
4. Yea, though I live to be a hundred years old I shall view my TV as long as it works. It seems to be my closest companion; Its sounds and pictures they comfort me.
5. It provides entertainment for me and keeps me from doing important things with my family. It fills my head with ideas which differ from God’s will.
6. Surely, because of all the wasted hours there will be a lack of rewards at the Bema; Yet, because of His goodness and mercy, I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
I think that this is a very fitting illustration as we go into the message today. Repent!
Read Luke Chapter three verses 2b-6
Luke 3:7-14 7 Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, h“Brood 2of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits iworthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 9 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore jevery tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10 So the people asked him, saying, k“What shall we do then?”
11 He answered and said to them, l“He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, mlet him do likewise.”
12 Then ntax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”
13 And he said to them, o“Collect no more than what is appointed for you.”
14 Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?”
So he said to them, “Do not 3intimidate anyone por accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.”
CPT: John the Baptist called for genuine repentance.
CPS: God calls for genuine repentance.
PSS: I want you to be genuinely repentant.
Genuine repentance calls for a genuine message. Verse 7
Ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ have forgotten who it is that they preach. Jesus Christ is the one true God. He is the “GREAT I AM!” I have heard of churches where the pastor was forced to leave because he dared to mention hell in his sermons. Others have been asked to leave because they call sin sin. I can imagine the look on the faces of the leaders at one of today’s mega churches when a Pastor looked out into the congregation that was overflowing with visitors and yelled out “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” Not only would the deacons and the personnel committee call an emergency meeting to discuss the fastest way to remove the Pastor but many of the faithful Church members would swear they would never return because the Pastor was to judgmental. We see in the verses just prior to this that John had been traveling all over the area telling people to repent. The fact that he was preaching repentance tells us that he was preaching to sinners. So why would he insult the very people that he was trying to reach when they showed up to hear him? We find the answer in verse eight.
We must realize our need for repentance. Verse 8
There were people who showed up to hear John because they had heard of his preaching and they were curious but they did not fully understand what is was that was required of them. John probably recognized this because of a couple different reasons. First he had not personally told this group of people that he was speaking to about their need for repentance. When he asks them in verse seven who warned them to flee this question carries with it the idea that he was not the one who had told them. Also form his statement in verse eight it would seem that maybe he heard some of them boasting about the fact that they were Jews the sons of Abraham, as if they had no need of repentance. Many people across our country show up to church here about repentance and think to themselves ‘I have no need of repentance. My mother and father helped build this church.’ Or; ‘I have been reading the Bible for longer than that preacher has been alive.’
A man who lived near a large dam woke up one night to the sound of rushing water. He jumped out of his bed and ran to the window. When he opened the curtain all he could see was a fifty foot wall of water rushing toward him. He was afraid so he ran to his living room and grabbed his Bible off of the coffee table just as the water crushed his house. The next thing he knew he was standing at the gates of heaven. St. Peter noticed that the surprised man was gripping a soaking wet Bible tight. “Why are you holding that Bible” St. Peter asked. “Well my grandmother used to tell me every day that this book could save me if I would let it. So when I saw that great wall of water coming at me I ran to grab this book. But just like I thought she was wrong and now I am dead.” St. Peter shook his head and said; “Your Grandmother is just beyond these gates full of life and because you refused to look into that book and find the free life that it offers you will suffer eternal death. You will be no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
John does not want to hear any of it. He says do not give me your excuses give me your lives. God can take the rocks that our outside this Church and create Children of the parents who built it. He can create people out of those rocks who have read their Bibles all their lives. In verse nine he explains why these things are not good enough.
We must repent before it is too late. Verse 9
Jesus Christ is coming! There will be no more room for those who believe that their heritage can save them. John tells the crowd that this family tree is about to be cut down and everyone who is found clinging to it will be thrown in the fire. If God will cast the children of His chosen nation into the fire for their sins how much more will He judge those who live in sin and deny that He is God? You will die one day and on that day if you are found to be a tree which does not bear good fruit you will be cast into the fire.
The people who were listening to John that day did not make excuses. Verse 10
When they realized that they were in danger of being thrown into the fire they asked Him “…What shall we do then?” How pastors with a heart for the lost today wish for a time when people feared God and asked questions such as this one. I once read that the greatest lie Satan has ever told man is that he is not real. Once man began to believe that Satan was not real it was not long before he decided that God was not real. If you tell a man that he is going to go to never land when he dies he is as likely to believe you as he is if you tell him he is going to hell. The unfortunate result of this is that many men die and go to hell for eternity. Thank God for the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. Without God the Spirit it is unlikely that anyone in our culture would receive Christ. Still God has chosen to give all human kind a free will. Man has used this free will to turn away from God every since the beginning of time. Adam disobeyed God’s command even though he was in a perfect place and he was able to personally fellowship with God one on one. Because of the evil world that has resulted from that fall we live in a time when men will reject the Holy Spirit of God as just an emotional experience that has no place in a rational mans mind.
Spurgeon once told a story of a man who went to his minister because he was convicted of sin. The minister apologized to him and said that he did not mean to say anything that made the man uncomfortable. The man said; “But you said we must be born again.” “Oh that” the minister said; “Well that was taken care of at Baptism.” The man said; “You said we must experience regeneration.” “Well I am sorry if I have upset you.” “I do not understand what it is you’re asking because I was never born again myself.” The man went to a Baptist minister, according to Spurgeon, and is now a Baptist minister himself. Jesus Christ is real, Sin is real, Hell is real, and TRUE Salvation is REAL!
We must allow God to use us where we are. Verses 11-14
I have shared before that true repentance is to turn to God. There is a lot of truth in that statement, but it is actually not the proper definition of the word. The correct definition is a change of mind. Not a change of mind like I wanted Burger King now I want McDonalds, but A change of mind more like I wanted to live for myself now I must live for Jesus Christ. The idea of turning to God still remains true but it carries with it the idea of turning your mind toward God so that it is forever changed. In verse eleven we see a person who has more that he needs changing his mind so that he shares with those in need instead of getting as much as he can for himself. In verse twelve and thirteen we see people who were dishonest changing their mind and becoming honest. In verse fourteen we see people abusing their authority in such a way as to cause others harm change their mind and become good stewards of their powers. This is true Christianity. There is no salvation apart from repentance. There is no repentance apart from a changed mind.
John the Baptist was given an awesome responsibility. He was to prepare the way for the Lord Jesus Christ. He did not choose to ask people for money to throw a party. He did not choose to ask people to cook a big meal. He did not choose to tell people that Jesus is coming and everything is going to be ok. He served his purpose even to the point of death. He told people to repent of their sins.
Have you experienced genuine repentance or a change of mind in your life?
Have you realized your need for repentance?
We are all at one time a brood of vipers.
If you were to die today what would you carry with you to get into Heaven?
We must be ready to go with empty hands trusting in Christ alone.
Are you still making excuses?
Satan is REAL!
Are you willing to allow God to use you where you are?
Becoming a Christian does not mean you leave your position in life it does mean that you use your position in life to serve Christ.
