BIBLE STUDY FOR TEXAS: Both God's power & love can lead to repentance

February 19, 2001

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March 11 Lesson

Both God's power & love can lead to repentance
___Matthew 3:1-17
___¹In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea ²and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." ³This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight paths for him.'"
___⁴John's clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. ⁶Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
___⁷But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. ⁹And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. ¹⁰The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
___¹¹"I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. ¹²His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
___¹³Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. ¹⁴But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"
___¹⁵Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper fo us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented.
___¹⁶As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. ¹⁷And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; and with him I am well pleased."

___By Don Searles
___"Not a bad try," he said, hardly glancing from his work. The leathered creases around his eyes smiled at my attempt to say Tlingit. "Let me help you."
___His dark eyes twinkled. I struggled to say it correctly. "Your people?" I asked.
___"I'm Athabascan." It pleased him to explain the difference. To him, "Athabascan" meant he identified with many peoples who spoke similar language. It was important to relate to people.
___That started a long conversation. If time is money, "James" gave me a treasure.
___"James, you have an interesting name."
___"James is my Christian name. When missionaries came to our village, they could not pronounce our names, so they changed them. Proudly he spoke his original name. It had great meaning to him.
___We practiced until I said it right. It was a name I can't remember now and couldn't spell if I did. But I got it that afternoon, and used it as we talked of education and art, politics and faith.
___At last it was time for me to go. I thanked him for good conversation and for teaching me much.
___"Thank you for saying my name!"
___John came preaching ...
___John the Baptist appears suddenly. Were it not for Luke, we would have little idea of his origin. The son of a priest, he should have become a priest. Perhaps the corruption in Jerusalem was too much for him. So John fled to the wilderness to hear God's will.
___John's assignment was to prepare the way for a Messiah he never fully understood. Not when he baptized Jesus. Not as John waited in prison. John and Jesus both announced the kingdom of heaven, but with different emphases.
___John did not have to fully understand Jesus to identify with him.
___John's moments on stage were brief. He understood his assignment. "He must become greater; I must become less" (John 3:30). No one was ever more faithful to his charge than John. Of him Jesus said "there is no one greater" (Luke 7:28).
___John was there for a short time. He arrived before we were ready and left before we were through. We can't get him out of our minds.
___It was not just his unusual way or appearance. John the Baptist was neither the first nor the last preacher to get attention by being dramatic. It was his words. People had waited long for John's announcement and his faithfulness to God's plan.
___The kingdom of heaven is near ...
___Did you hear what John said? The kingdom of heaven is near! Repent! Change your ways. Get ready.
___I want that kingdom. I need that kingdom. But what did John mean?
___A word about the expression. Matthew is unique in using the declaration, "kingdom of heaven." He uses it at least 33 times. Mark and Luke prefer "kingdom of God," an affirmation that Matthew used only four times. Matthew probably felt that "kingdom of heaven" was more acceptable to his Jewish readers.
___The two expressions have the same meaning. The kingdom of heaven (or God) is wherever and whenever people make obedience to God's will their first priority. I suggested that last week.
___John and Jesus used the same words. "The kingdom of heaven is near" (Matthew 3:2, 4:17). I prefer the more common translation, "the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
___There is a difference in their emphasis. John's preaching emphasized judgment. Read verses 7-10. Because God's kingdom is near, repent. Change your ways.
___Jesus stressed love and acceptance. "Love your neighbor. ... Love your enemies ... pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:43-44).
___Which is correct? Both. Judgment must not be dismissed, even with Jesus' greater emphasis on love. There is judgment in making choice, and judgment is a consequence of decision. Love and acceptance are, in themselves, a kind of judgment. So is rejection.
___John's preaching reminded us that God's kingdom does include judgment.
___Jesus showed that kingdom involves much more.
___A voice crying ...
___Matthew made extensive use of Old Testament Scripture. It was the text for his Gospel.
___John the Baptist knew his Scripture well, especially the prophets. He knew the passages about God's holiness and justice. John expected the arrival of God's kingdom would be a wrathful time, bringing both God's judgment and justice.
___John said that God has had enough of those who misuse truth. People who claimed to be God's children, yet abused their brothers. People who enjoyed God's protection, but produced no fruit.
___John's preaching was not all harsh--it carried promise of mercy, hope, a different kind of kingdom--for those who confessed and repented of sin, who really changed. It promised Messiah, yet even Messiah would be concerned with burning chaff.
___Because those people memorized Scripture the way we do hymns, a short quote could trigger awareness of an entire passage.
___John quoted Isaiah 40:3. Here Isaiah spoke clearly of a servant Messiah. To really get John's message, read all of Isaiah 40. This Messiah is enthroned, yet a gentle shepherd (Isaiah 40:11). Those who hope in him "will renew strength ... soar on wings like eagles ... run and not grow weary ... walk and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31).
___Repent and be baptized!
___The voice of a prophet was heard in Israel for the first time in hundreds of years.
___John's voice brought revival. His preaching was direct and simple. "Your time is about up," John said. "Change your ways while there is still time!"
___John's preaching was effective. People were drawn from all walks of life, from every part of the country. Many were moved to repent, asking what God expected of them.
___Luke 3:10-14 fleshes out John's message. John's expectations were like those of his predecessor-prophets. Share generously with those who have less. Be fair. Be honest. Overcome greed with love and kindness.
___This was God's fresh movement. As a sign of their change, the people were called to be baptized.
___What are you doing in a place like this?
___I wish I could have seen the expression on John's face. Right in the middle of a good "you den of snakes" sermon, Jesus stepped up to be baptized--out from among the sinners!?
___What are you doing in a place like this? John tried to deter him, but Jesus insisted upon baptism.
___Poor John. Like us, he wondered "why?" A dove landed on Jesus' shoulder. A dove? John would have preferred a lion of Judah. Or at least a lamb of God. But a dove??
___Thunder. "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
___The Father's words echo Psalm 2:7, Isaiah 42:1 and 44:2. A psalm sung in the temple at the coronation of a king in David's line. Isaiah passages that foretold a servant Messiah.
___Together the passages outlined conflicting ideas about Messiah. Is Messiah king or servant? God said both. Will Messiah establish a political kingdom or a spiritual one? How should Messiah use his power, his unique relationship with the Father?
___What are you doing in a place like this? John's words, Jesus' thoughts. Will Jesus use his divinity in ways that neutralize his humanity?
___A wilderness of temptation elaborated upon the conflict. How would Jesus establish his kingdom? Could he live in human flesh and be divine? To what extent would Jesus be the Messiah John expected? That the world wanted? That God intended?
___The temptations were a continuation of Jesus' baptism experience. They mirrored a contest in Eden, when Adam and Eve lost to Satan.
___What are you doing in a place like this? Jesus would not compromise. He did not take an easy road. His kingdom was not built upon bread or presumption upon God. It was not established by magic or by nationalism.
___Its method was sacrifice, its resource love. Its character was selflessness, its goal reconciliation. The cost was his blood.
___His crown was thorns. His throne a cross. His cabinet? Humble followers who never quite caught on.
___Jesus! What are you doing in a place like this?___
___Emmanuel!
___Why was Jesus baptized? John knew Jesus had no need to be baptized as a sign of repentance. Yet right in the middle of altar call, out stepped Jesus. Out from among the sinners.
___Jesus said it was the right thing to do. Why?
___Go back to Joseph's dream in our last lesson. What did the angel say? "They will call him 'Emmanuel'--which means 'God with us.'"
___The prophet and the angel promised it. Here he is. Identifying with God's action in the world. Identifying with us! God with sinners.
___Want to find God? We've been looking for love in all the wrong places!
___God's Son is a king, but not in a palace. Removed and unavailable.
___God's Son is a priest, but not in the Temple. Back turned and doing religious duty.
___God's Son is wise, a sage, but he speaks with us, not over our heads.
___God's Son is prophet, but he doesn't stand apart and berate us for our sin.
___In the old kingdom, God's man seemed separate, apart, removed. In the new kingdom, God's Son is among us!
___Jesus didn't have to be baptized. He chose to identify with repentant sinners. He is Emmanuel.
___I think he knows my name.

For thought and discussion
___ James was a committed Christian, but felt he lost something when they changed his name. What are some barriers that may keep us from seeing others as persons?
___ Just as the pastor started the invitation, there was a scream from the back of the room. Old Harvey leaped the pew in front of him and ran down the aisle. Harvey hugged the pastor, tearfully confessing his sin with language that still needed conversion. Later Harvey ran from the baptistery soaking wet to witness to a friend in the congregation. Some people thought he was disruptive. How long has it been since something totally unexpected happened in your services?
___
___ Both John and Jesus announced that God's kingdom is here. List ways the kingdom of God is a present reality in your life? How is it a future promise?

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