MPC 22nd December 2019.December 22 - Matthew 3:1-17 - "The King Arrives"
MPC 22nd December 2019.
Dan Wilton
Well, only 3 days until Christmas!
I love everything to do with Christmas! The carols. The lights. Spending time with family. The food. I love everything about it! I love it so much, Every year I try kick start the festivities early.
I'm one of those annoying people who start singing carols in October. Start planning for Christmas lunch in November. And I've managed to convince the family it's normal.
In a way I kinda feel sorry for my kids. I don't know what permanent damage I'm causing them. By convincing them you start planning for Christmas in August.
But one of the results of my premature obsession with the season is that we've had the Christmas tree up since November! And we've even had presents under the tree since the 1st of December. Which has been almost too much for the kids.
See I've got a 2 year old and a 9 month old. And for them to see presents under the tree, but can't open them is unbearable. Knowing they need to wait until Christmas morning.
Each day, Archie will go straight to the Christmas tree. Look longingly at the presents. Even do the pinch test. But isn't allowed to open them.
Some people might say that's cruel and unusual punishment. I call it character building.
But for as much as it is for Archie to have to wait nearly a whole month before he opens his presents.
That's nothing compared to the unbearable wait the nation of Israel - God's people from the Old Testament - had to go through. As they waited for their promised King to turn up.
If you're visiting. Or new this week - welcome! It's great to have you here!
You're coming in at the end of our December series, in the lead up to Christmas. Working through the first three chapters of the gospel of Matthew - one of the biographies of Jesus' life. Which we've titled: Worth the Wait.
Focusing on how the Christmas story of Jesus' birth. Of God with us. Fulfilled a whole lot of expectation for the nation of Israel that were promised in the Old Testament.
And this morning as we come to Matthew 3. The long awaited king finally arrives to rule! But in a very unexpected way!
Now most of us are pretty familiar with the first 2 chapters of Matthew.
Choirs of Angels heralding the birth of a King. Deceit. Intrigue. International visitors. And a small Bethlehem stable. With a royal baby.
But after setting up Jesus as the long awaited King. You'd think he'd take centre stage! They'd be a few photos of the royal prince. Growing up. Meeting International Leaders. But instead we get nothing. There's silence. Not even a hint of this infant King.
Until Matthew, chapter 3. Where Matthew thrusts us nearly 27 years after the hallmark scene of the nativity. And brings us into the wilderness.
And without any further introduction, we're face to face with what looks like a mad man! John the Baptist.
Who has a very simple message for the people of Israel - Your king's about to show up. So get ready!
You can see it there. Verse 1.
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, "Repent for the Kingdom of heaven has come near"
John the Baptist is the last great Old Testament Prophet. Heralding the arrival of King Jesus on the scene. He's bit like the support act at a concert. You know the little known band - that people take little notice of - that plays before the main headline.
That's John the Baptist. But he's not just a gap filler. He's got a significant job: to prepare the nation of Israel to meet their God.
And so Matthew says - this is the one who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah - 700 years before.
Have a look verse 3. 'A voice of one calling in the wilderness, prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'
And here's John in the wilderness. Doing just that. Proclaiming: God is coming.
Even what John's wearing - which can best be described as alternative. Gives a clue to how significant John is.
Did you notice what he's wearing? Clothes of camels hair. An artisanal leather belt. And eating 100% organic locusts and honey. Which to us seems to be outright weird - unless you're spending too much time in Fortitude Valley. But for most of us - that's a weird fashion choice right?
But for the Jews. John's fashion sense spoke volumes about who he was. And what he had come to do... See John's deliberately dressing and acting just like the great prophet Elijah.
If someone was to come in this morning, wearing a cape. And red underwear over their pants we would know immediately they're dressing up like ... Superman.
But if someone never knew Superman. And saw someone dressed like that. They'd be thinking - who's this weirdo?!
And it's the same for John the Baptist. Who seems weird to us. But not to the Jews.
See they had been expecting Elijah to turn up for hundreds of years.
Well back in Malachi, chapter 4. The very last book of the Old Testament. We're told one day God would come to his people. But just before God comes. Elijah will re-appear as God's messenger. To get people ready.
Did anyone watch carols in the Domain last night? It's one of those things that the family and I watch every year. And it just screams - Christmas is coming!
I don't know what that is for you? Maybe it's the panic you feel as you compete with hoards of people at Westfield. Or the annual Christmas light trek around the neighbourhood. Or tasting that first mouthful of Christmas cake.
But as you see these signs - you think 'Ah, Christmas is coming!' And John's doing the same thing. As he goes out into the desert. In his Elijah costume. He's giving us a sign that God's about to turn up!
So get ready! But here's the thing, for all the anticipation of God coming, John says, it's not going to be a good thing for everyone. See for John, God's coming is alarming. It's disruptive. It's jarring. It's going to make a whole lot of people uncomfortable!
Because in order to meet God, John says, you need to do a few things to get ready for him. And they're not small! It requires a whole change of attitude.
You see it there back in verse 2. John says - You need to repent! Now, the word repent simply means - turn back.
You know when you're driving up to The Sunny Coast on the M1, and you drive on the on ramp. And you see in your rear-view mirror the big red sign that says 'WRONG WAY GO BACK'.
You really don't want to be too close to that sign do you?! You'll be in trouble if you are. Because if you're driving and you see that sign. You're about to meet cars coming in the opposite direction. Head on. At 100km/hour. It would be terrifying.
And so that big red sign stands there as a warning - WRONG WAY - GO BACK.
And that's exactly what the word repent means. Wrong way. Go back.
All of us having been living the wrong way. All of us have been living apart from God. All of us have sinned against God and lived our own way. In rebellion.
John comes with a big red sign. Calling people to repent. A call to turn people's hearts back to God. Before its too late!
See for John, his message that God was coming. God with us! Wasn't some fuzzy, feel-good message. It was terrifying. You're about to meet your maker.
And all through the Old Testament. God's coming was always tied to judgement.
When God turned up. There would be a reckoning. [Mal 4:1; Ps 2:9] For all people!
And so John says. If you want to prepare for God's arrival. Then you need to do some serious repenting. Not living for yourself. But living for God. Turning your hearts back to Him. And that's exactly what some people did. Verse 6. Jews from all over, come. Confess their sins. And are washed in the Jordan river.
But not everyone who come out to listen to John are convinced by his message.
You see it there. Verse 7.
Some of the religious heavy-weights of the time. The Pharisees and Sadducees. Come to check out what all the fuss is about. Why John's trending. But they're not convinced they need to repent at all. See, these guys thought they were fine with God.
They thought because they were giving some money. Turning up to church every Sunday. Doing all the religious things. Seen to be spiritual. Then there was no need to change anything. These guys are self-righteous. Self-assured. They think the thing God's looking for in them is that they're keeping the rules. But they're completely overlooking the deeper problem of the heart! They think they can keep the commands and ignore the heart.
And so when John sees them approaching he call them out. Unleashes on them. Have a look verse 7. Because he doesn't hold back... look how he describes them.
You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.
And don't think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you out of these stones can raise up children for Abraham. The axe 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.
The main point being that God would rather have a rock than a proud hearted Pharisee. It doesn't matter how religious you think you are. Or that you come from the right family. What God's interested in is the heart! Are you bearing fruit that's consistent with repentance? So this is the final offer. Take it or leave it.
And so John says, verse 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. His 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.
John says to them: what will it be? The wheat? Or the chaff? What's your preference? The spirit? And righteousness? Or fire? And judgement? When God comes on the scene, it's going to be a time for fresh starts. Or a hot ending. So what's your attitude going to be when you meet God?
At which point the King arrives right on cue. Queuing up to be baptised with everyone else. Which is confusing, isn't it. If you know anything about Jesus already. Especially confusing for John.
Because of all the people in the world, he's the last one you'd expect to front up. In need of a baptism of repentance. Because he's the one person who's been faithful to God. The one person who's heart didn't need turning back.
Why baptize him? John doesn't think Jesus needs it. But Jesus says, do it!. Let it be so, verse 15, because it's proper for us to do this to fulfil all righteousness.
So John agrees. And the King gets dunked. Washed in the river. Like everyone else.
It's at this point we've gotta stop and ask what's going on? Why's Jesus being baptised? And we find the answer by taking a step back. And seeing this scene in perspective.
The underlying picture that Matthew's been trying to paint in these first three chapters of his biography. Is that here in Jesus. Is the last true Israel. Here's what the people of God should look like!
See all through these chapters, Matthew's been giving us hints that Jesus is retracing the story of Israel. We saw it last week. Jesus as a child, goes into Egypt. And then the journey from Egypt back to Israel, fulfilling Hosea's words, "out of Egypt I called my Son."
And here Jesus is doing the same. He's standing in for Israel. Returning from Exile. But this time doing it right.
If there's one thing Israel was meant to do to fulfil all righteousness, it was to say sorry Repent with all their hearts. And it's got nothing to do with being religious enough. Or keeping enough rules. It's all about a humble heart. Which is exactly what Jesus has. The last true Israel.
Baptised in the Jordan, Jesus is going to do and be in every way what Israel was meant to do and be. And so John baptises the King. At which point the Spirit comes on him. Verse 16. And a voice from heaven says 'this is my true son, whom I love; with him I'm well pleased!'
Here at last. One who God's pleased with in every way. Here's Jesus. Standing in Israel's place. Being who God's people were always meant to be. Washed clean. And having a heart turned back to God.
But Jesus' substitution doesn't end there. He doesn't just get baptised for Israel's sin. He gets crucified for it as well. As the stand in. He's going to take the pain for them as well, on the cross, if they want it. And not just for them. But for you and me as well
That's the good news of Christmas. God has come. In the flesh. Offering an escape from the judgement. And offers life. And hope. And comfort. The message of Christmas is that at last... someone has taken our place and forgiven our mess ups.
By dying on a cross on our behalf. And rising to life again. And if he's done that for you, then you never need fear failure again. He's done it so you can approach God confidently. Instead of in fear. But only if we have completely put our trust in Jesus. With repentant hearts.
We're all about to have more Christmas then we can poke a stick at. You're going to have Jingle Bells. You're going to see a whole lot of guys in a red suits. Carols. There might even be some Jesus in there. Maybe.
But when you meet him. When you're reminded of this baby. Who is God come in the flesh. Is your heart prepared for that? Are you prepared to meet Jesus? Are you prepared to make any changes? Are you willing for you to be wrong. And him to be right about a couple of things?
You see, the one who baptises with the Holy Spirit. He's able to turn your life upside down if he grabs hold of it.
It doesnt matter if you've been a Christian for more Christmases then I can count. Or never had a Christmas. The way to prepare your heart to meet Jesus is to be willing to repent. And hear the good news! To turn. And live for Him.
It's the only way to approach Jesus. With a repentant heart. But the heart that says I don't need to change my heart at all. Misses the point of him.
So there's probably a couple of questions worth asking. Is there anything in your life that's not in keeping with repentance?
That doesn't make sense if Jesus is King of your life. And has your whole heart.
I don't know what that is for you. I know I struggle with a whole lot of things And I'm sure I'm not alone.
Repent. Turn back to God! And keep living for him
Maybe your whole life's a mess. And you're feeling weighed down by the feeling you're not good enough for God. You know you've been travelling in a direction away from him. In all sorts of ways.
And you've been wanting to know God. You've been hungering for forgiveness. But fearful your heart isn't right. That you're not good enough. To turn in the way you're supposed to.
No! All that you need to do is turn to the right person! Turning to Jesus and ask him for forgiveness. But the one thing you can't do, is come to Jesus thinking you don't need to change the direction of your life. That you're fine. That you're religious enough - I'm just going to go to church. Get a bit of extra Jesus. And that'll be cool. But I don't need to make any other changes.
He doesn't give you that option.
The King has come. God himself is here. And he steps in to do what we could never do. Bring forgiveness and bring us back in relationship with the creator of the universe!
So where's your heart at? Is it prepared to meet him?