Fruits Worthy of Repentance

Text: Luke 3:1–14
Reading: Isaiah 40:1–5
Series: Sermons 2001 Rewritten
Date:
Speaker: Ed Rangel
Location: Waupaca Church of Christ
Bible Version: NASB 1995
Sermon Type: Expository

Learning Objectives

1. Explain John the Baptist’s role as the forerunner promised by Isaiah and Malachi.
2. Show how John prepared the way of the Lord by preaching repentance.
3. Define repentance as a change of mind that produces a changed life.
4. Identify what “fruits worthy of repentance” looked like for the crowds, tax collectors, and soldiers.
5. Apply John’s message to sinners and Christians today through gospel repentance and obedience.

Thesis

Repentance is not empty sorrow, religious talk, or family heritage; it is a changed heart that produces visible fruit before God.

Introduction.

1. The Old Testament promised the coming of the Messiah. a. God did not send Christ without preparation. b. The prophets pointed forward to Him. c. The people were supposed to be watching and ready.
2. The prophets also promised a forerunner. a. Isaiah spoke of a voice crying in the wilderness. b. Malachi spoke of one coming in the spirit and power of Elijah. c. Luke identifies John the Baptist as that man.
3. John was not soft. a. He was rugged. b. He was direct. c. He had fire in his words because souls were at stake.
4. His work was preparation. a. Prepare the way of the Lord. b. Make His paths straight. c. Call Israel to repentance before the Messiah appeared openly.
5. His message was not “feel sorry.” a. It was not “claim Abraham.” b. It was not “come be baptized while staying the same.” c. It was “bring forth fruits in keeping with repentance.”
6. That message still cuts today. a. Many people want forgiveness without change. b. Many people want salvation without repentance. c. Many people want baptism without fruit. d. John’s preaching will not allow that.

I. John Came as the Promised Forerunner to Prepare the Way of the Lord.

A. Isaiah promised a voice in the wilderness.

1. Isaiah 40:3 says, “Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness.” a. The picture is royal preparation. b. A king is coming. c. The road must be made ready.
2. Luke 3:4–6 applies this to John. a. “The voice of one crying in the wilderness.” b. “Make ready the way of the Lord.” c. “Make His paths straight.”
3. John’s preaching was road work for the soul. a. He did not fill literal ravines with dirt. b. He did not lower literal hills with shovels. c. He confronted the moral obstacles that kept men from receiving Christ.

B. Malachi promised one coming in Elijah’s spirit and power.

1. Malachi 4:5–6 promised Elijah before the great and terrible day of the LORD. a. This did not mean Elijah reincarnated. b. It meant a prophet like Elijah. c. A man with Elijah’s courage, separation, and sharpness.
2. Luke 1:17 says John would come in the spirit and power of Elijah. a. He would turn hearts. b. He would turn the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous. c. He would make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
3. John’s mission was spiritual preparation. a. Not entertainment. b. Not political revolution. c. Not denominational recruitment. d. Repentance before the King.

C. John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins.

1. Luke 3:3 says John preached a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. a. This was before the cross. b. This was tied to John’s preparatory ministry. c. It prepared Israel for Christ.
2. John’s baptism was not Christian baptism after Pentecost. a. Acts 19 shows some later had only known John’s baptism. b. They had to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. c. John’s baptism belonged to its preparatory moment.
3. But John’s demand for repentance still teaches us. a. God never accepted fake repentance. b. God never accepted religious heritage as a substitute for obedience. c. God never accepted claims that produced no fruit.

II. John Prepared the Way by Bringing Down Pride and Straightening Crooked Lives.

A. Valleys had to be filled.

1. Luke 3:5 says every ravine would be filled up. a. The low places would be raised. b. The path would be made fit for the King. c. The way would be prepared for the salvation of God.
2. Spiritually, the humble and lowly would be lifted. a. The poor could receive the message. b. The oppressed could find hope. c. The broken could be made ready for the Lord.
3. The gospel does not despise the lowly. a. Christ came preaching good news. b. John prepared common people for Him. c. No man is too low for repentance and mercy.

B. Mountains and hills had to be brought low.

1. Luke 3:5 says every mountain and hill would be brought low. a. High places had to be leveled. b. Pride had to come down. c. Arrogance had to be humbled.
2. Israel had many mountains of pride. a. National pride. b. Religious pride. c. Abrahamic pride. d. Temple pride. e. Law pride.
3. John attacked that pride directly. a. “Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father.’” b. Family heritage could not save them. c. God could raise up children to Abraham from stones.

C. Crooked ways had to become straight.

1. Luke 3:5 says the crooked would become straight. a. Dishonesty had to be corrected. b. Corruption had to be corrected. c. Sinful paths had to be straightened.
2. John did not preach repentance in vague generalities. a. He named the problem. b. He demanded visible change. c. He pressed the people to ask, “What shall we do?”
3. That is still needed. a. A drunk must stop drinking. b. A thief must stop stealing. c. A liar must stop lying. d. An adulterer must stop adultery. e. A false teacher must stop teaching error. f. A religious man must abandon human tradition for God’s word.

D. Rough roads had to be made smooth.

1. Luke 3:5 says the rough roads would become smooth. a. Hindrances had to be removed. b. Obstacles had to be cleared. c. The way had to be prepared.
2. Sin makes the road rough. a. Pride trips the soul. b. Lust bends the path. c. Greed blocks obedience. d. Hypocrisy keeps men from Christ.
3. Repentance clears what sin has cluttered. a. Not by pretending sin was not there. b. Not by talking around it. c. By turning from it and bearing fruit.

III. John Demanded Fruits Worthy of Repentance.

A. John refused empty religious confidence.

1. Luke 3:7 begins with a hard rebuke. a. “You brood of vipers.” b. “Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” c. That is not soft preaching.
2. John knew many wanted escape without repentance. a. They wanted baptism. b. They wanted safety. c. They did not necessarily want change.
3. Luke 3:8 gives the command. a. “Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance.” b. Do not hide behind Abraham. c. Do not claim safety by ancestry. d. Produce fruit that matches repentance.

B. The axe was already laid at the root.

1. Luke 3:9 says the axe was already laid at the root of the trees. a. Judgment was near. b. The warning was serious. c. Time was not unlimited.
2. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down. a. Not every tree that says it is sorry. b. Not every tree that claims Abraham. c. Every tree that bears good fruit.
3. The fruitless tree is thrown into the fire. a. God does not accept barren profession. b. God does not bless religious camouflage. c. Judgment comes upon repentance-less religion.

C. Repentance is more than apology.

1. A man who stole a cow does not prove repentance by saying sorry while eating the stolen beef. a. Give it back. b. Make it right. c. Stop stealing.
2. Repentance has visible consequences. a. The mind changes. b. The will turns. c. The conduct follows.
3. Second Corinthians 7:10–11 shows this kind of repentance. a. Godly sorrow produces repentance. b. Repentance leads to salvation. c. Earnestness, vindication, fear, longing, zeal, and correction follow.

IV. John Showed Specific Fruit for Specific People.

A. The crowds were told to practice compassion and generosity.

1. Luke 3:10 says the crowds asked, “Then what shall we do?” a. That is the right question. b. Real preaching brings men to action. c. Repentance asks what must change.
2. Luke 3:11 says the one with two tunics must share with him who has none. a. The one with food must do likewise. b. Selfishness had to be corrected. c. Compassion had to become visible.
3. This agrees with later judgment teaching. a. Matthew 25 speaks of feeding the hungry. b. Clothing the naked. c. Visiting the sick and imprisoned. d. Failure to show mercy exposed a condemned heart.

B. The tax collectors were told to stop stealing.

1. Luke 3:12 says tax collectors came to be baptized. a. They were despised. b. They were often corrupt. c. They were not beyond repentance.
2. Luke 3:13 says, “Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.” a. John did not tell them merely to feel bad. b. He did not tell them to quit working necessarily. c. He told them to stop abusing the position.
3. Their fruit had to match their sin. a. If greed was the sin, honesty had to be the fruit. b. If extortion was the sin, justice had to be the fruit. c. If theft was the sin, restitution and reform had to follow.

C. The soldiers were told to stop violence, false accusation, and discontentment.

1. Luke 3:14 says soldiers asked, “And what about us, what shall we do?” a. John answered their real situation. b. He did not flatter them. c. He did not excuse them.
2. He told them not to take money by force. a. No intimidation. b. No abuse of power. c. No using strength to steal.
3. He told them not to accuse anyone falsely. a. No lying charges. b. No manipulation. c. No corrupt use of authority.
4. He told them to be content with their wages. a. Discontentment feeds corruption. b. Greed creates injustice. c. Repentance changes how a man handles power and money.

D. Each group had different fruit because each had different sins and responsibilities.

1. The crowd needed generosity. a. Their fruit involved mercy. b. Their repentance touched possessions. c. Their neighbor could not remain invisible.
2. Tax collectors needed honesty. a. Their repentance touched business. b. Their fruit touched money. c. Their conversion had to show up in the ledger.
3. Soldiers needed justice and contentment. a. Their repentance touched authority. b. Their fruit touched treatment of others. c. Their power had to come under God.

V. John’s Message Still Applies Because the Gospel Still Demands Repentance.

A. The apostles preached repentance after the resurrection.

1. Luke 24:46–47 says repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in Christ’s name. a. To all nations. b. Beginning from Jerusalem. c. Grounded in the death and resurrection of Christ.
2. Repentance was not an old-fashioned John-only message. a. Christ commanded it. b. The apostles preached it. c. The gospel still requires it.
3. Acts 2:38 begins the Pentecost answer with repentance. a. “Repent.” b. “Be baptized.” c. “For the forgiveness of your sins.”

B. Paul preached repentance and deeds appropriate to repentance.

1. Acts 26:20 says Paul preached that men should repent and turn to God. a. Damascus. b. Jerusalem. c. Judea. d. Gentiles.
2. Paul also preached deeds appropriate to repentance. a. Not faith only. b. Not sorrow only. c. Deeds that show the turn is real.
3. The gospel of grace does not remove the fruit of repentance. a. Grace forgives. b. Grace teaches. c. Grace transforms. d. Grace does not bless continued rebellion.

C. God wants all to come to repentance.

1. Second Peter 3:9 says the Lord is patient. a. He is not wishing for any to perish. b. He wants all to come to repentance. c. Delay is mercy, not indifference.
2. Patience should not be abused. a. God’s patience is not permission. b. God’s delay is not approval. c. God’s mercy is calling sinners to turn.
3. Judgment still comes. a. John spoke of fire. b. Christ spoke of judgment. c. Revelation speaks of the lake of fire. d. Repentance is urgent.

Application.

1. For the sinner. a. Do not ask for forgiveness while planning to keep sin. b. Repent and obey the gospel. c. Be baptized for the forgiveness of sins.
2. For the Christian in sin. a. Do not hide behind church membership. b. Do not hide behind family reputation. c. Bear fruit that shows repentance is real.
3. For the religious traditionalist. a. Abraham did not save unrepentant Jews. b. Your family religion will not save you either. c. Submit to Christ’s word.
4. For the preacher. a. Preach repentance plainly. b. Do not soften John’s message. c. The axe, fruit, and fire are still needed warnings.
5. For the church. a. Do not accept claims without fruit. b. Do not mistake tears for repentance. c. Help people turn, but do not pretend no turn is necessary.

Conclusion.

1. John came to prepare the way of the Lord. a. He was the voice in the wilderness. b. He came in the spirit and power of Elijah. c. He preached repentance before the Messiah.
2. His message was plain. a. Make the paths straight. b. Bring down pride. c. Straighten crooked lives. d. Bear fruits worthy of repentance.
3. The people asked the right question. a. “What shall we do?” b. That question still matters. c. Real repentance asks what must change.
4. John’s answer was specific. a. The selfish must share. b. The corrupt must stop stealing. c. The violent must stop abusing power. d. The discontent must learn contentment.
5. The gospel still demands repentance. a. Christ commanded it. b. The apostles preached it. c. God desires it. d. Judgment requires it.
6. Do not merely say you are sorry. a. Show it. b. Turn. c. Obey. d. Bring forth fruit.

Invitation.

1. Hear the word. a. Romans 10:17 says faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
2. Believe Christ. a. John 8:24 warns that unless you believe that Jesus is He, you will die in your sins.
3. Repent. a. Acts 17:30 says God commands all people everywhere to repent.
4. Confess Christ. a. Romans 10:9–10 teaches confession with the mouth and belief in the heart.
5. Be baptized for the remission of sins. a. Acts 2:38 commands repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins.
6. Live faithfully. a. Revelation 2:10 calls the Christian to be faithful until death.
7. Bring fruit worthy of repentance. a. Not excuses. b. Not family claims. c. Not empty sorrow. d. A changed life under Christ.

Word Study.

Scripture Interlock Table.