Repentance and its Fruits

Repentance and Its Fruits
Luke 3:1-14
October 6, 2024

What is the beginning of the spiritual life?  Martin Luther said in the first of his 95 theses of discussion against the Roman Catholic Church, “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, said ‘Repent,’ He called for the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.”  Repentance is at the beginning of the spiritual life and it continues all throughout the spiritual life.  Even more importantly, when John the Baptist began his ministry, the first thing he preached was repentance.  And still more importantly than that, when Jesus began His ministry, He preached, “The time is fulfilled; and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel.” 

The start (and continuation) of the spiritual life is repentance.

As the forerunner of Christ, it was said of John that “among those born of women there is no one greater than John…” (7:28).  It was John’s responsibility and calling to prepare people for Jesus, the promised Messiah.  Yet, as important as he was, his ministry was brief and what we know of what he preached and did is limited.  In fact, Luke (like the other gospel writers), condenses John’s preaching into one summarized message, which is given in Luke 3:1-14.  The message is about repentance — and that message about repentance contained the hope of forgiveness that sinners like the Pharisees and you and I need.  From this message we learn the priority and nature of repentance —

To be forgiven, know the true nature of repentance — and repent.

In this account of John the Baptist’s ministry, John preaches four components of repentance…

1. The Context for Repentance (vv. 1-3)
2. The Anticipation of Repentance (vv. 4-6)
3. The Warning of Repentance (vv. 7-9)
4. The Fruits of Repentance (vv. 10-14)

Download the rest of this sermon on Luke 3:1-14.

The audio will be posted on the GBC website by Tuesday.