October 10, 2012
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 3:7-12
OBSERVATIONS
1. The religious people (Pharisees were the conservatives, Sadducees the liberals) go to John like they go to church, for the performance or for the appearance. They are not there out of deep conviction or desire to change, but to once again show how good (religious) they are. John calls them on it.
2. God is looking for heart change and life change, a genuine sorrow for sin and selfishness and a sincere determination to become what God wants people to be. The fruit in keeping with repentance is more than tears, it is a tenacious effort to change with God’s mercy and help.
3. Heart and life change are impossible without the Spirit and fire. Water (a religious ceremony of cleansing) will not change us. We need divine power (God’s Spirit) purging the inner me, pruning away the heart-deceivers and life-destroyers. It is not enough for me to fight the inner struggle, I need God’s help to succeed. He needs to help me crucify the old me and resurrect the new me. Religious ritual and ceremony will not transform me, it will require intense spiritual warfare. Ask any alcoholic about what it takes to find forgiveness and freedom.
What do you notice in this passage?
APPLICATION
1. Continued from yesterday, how deep is my repentance. I cannot use my religious performance to impress God (I am a minister,I go to church weekly, I read the bible and pray daily, I was born and raised in the church). God knows my heart, He sees through my performance to the real me, where sin and selfishness remain.
2. What would it look like for me to produce fruit in keeping with repentance? What attitudes or actions would demonstrate my seriousness or sincerity? Or back up a step, am I serious and sincere about changing? Do I really hate my sin, am I genuinely eager to become all that God wants me to be.
3. I recall singing ‘Refiner’s Fire’, and older chorus that begs God to purge all that is sinful from my life. But fire burns, and pruning cuts. Do I really want to submit to the pain of transformation? Today I hear God challenging me to get real with Him, to face what really lives in my heart. Because He loves me, He wants to help me to be all that He made me to be… but He cannot help me if I am not willing to go there.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
I see two themes coming out in these verses. One is of producing fruit or wheat, and the other is of destroying that which does not produce with fire. And this is not just any fire, this is an unquenchable fire? Why unquenchable, when a quenchable one would do?? And not all of this fire is set out to destroy. John talks about being baptized with the Spirit and with fire. What about the fire in this case?
The Pharisees and Sadducees came out to the desert to see what all the talk was about. This was the church of the day, and the Pharisees believed that they were alright because they believed in the letter of the law. They also were born into the right family (They could trace their roots to Abraham). It certainly looked like they had this “fruit” that John was talking about.
I pray that I will have a proper reverence for Jesus, (John said he was not fit to carry his sandals, and he was his cousin). I also pray that I am able to produce the good fruit that God wants in my life.
Observations:
Outward traditions, being ‘holy men’ because of positions, or clothing worn cannot save but good fruit does.
Two groups of religious leaders totally different came together to see their competition – why the people were following Jesus.
Family lines or heritage cannot save.
The good fruit – not fruits – reminds me of the fruit of the Spirit. And these religious men certainly did not produce that fruit.
Chaff is blown away by whatever wind but the wheat – the good fruit – God will gather unto Himself.
God’s Spirit is the driving force and He will purify the ‘product’ with fire – a refiner’s fire – to make it (w)holy His.
Application:
One again I am reminded that it is not what my hands do that save me. It is not my work that identifies me. It is my relationship with my Saviour that give my identity of who I am.
Because I belong o Him I am able to bear ‘good fruit’ – the fruit of the Spirit – so that others may see that I am His and He is mine by my love for God and my love for others.
There are no outward privileges of position or rank or occupation or . . .but life is only a possibility in Him through the working of he Spirit.
Prayer:
Today God Is First – so I can be GodStrong in all I do and say. Help me this day Lord to do Your will. Lead me and guide me in all I do and say this day as I live for Jesus. Help me to produce good fruit.
Not what my hands have done
Can save my guilty soul;
Not what my toiling flesh has borne
Can make my spirit whole.
Not what I feel or do
Can give me peace with God;
Not all my prayers and sighs and tears
Can bear my awful load.
Thy work alone, O Christ,
Can ease this weight of sin;
Thy blood alone, O Lamb of God,
Can give me peace within.
Thy love to me, O God,
Not mine, O Lord to thee,
Can rid me of this dark unrest
And set my spirit free.
Thy grace alone, O God,
To me can pardon speak;
Thy pow’r alone, O Son of God,
Can this sore bondage break.
No other work, save thine,
No other blood will do;
No strength, save that which is divine,
Can bear me safely through.
I bless the Christ of God;
I rest on love divine;
And with unfalt’ring lip and heart
I call this Saviour mine.
This cross dispels each doubt;
I bury in his tomb
Each thought of unbelief and fear,
Each ling’ring shade of gloom.
I praise the God of grace;
I trust his truth and might;
He calls me his, I call him mine,
My God, my joy, my light.
‘Tis he who saveth me,
And freely pardon gives;
I love because he loveth me,
I live because he lives.