Sermon for Sunday, November 3, 2024 at First Presbyterian Church at Unionville, NY (BPC)
Old Testament reading:
[Malachi 4:1-3 ESV] 1 “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. 3 And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the LORD of hosts.
New Testament reading:
[2 Thessalonians 1:5-12 ESV] 5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering– 6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. 11 To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Gospel reading:
[Matthew 23:29-36 ESV] 29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, 30 saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. 33 You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? 34 Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, 35 so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
Sermon Text:
[Matthew 3:7-12 ESV] 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Introduction
Last Sunday we were introduced to John the Baptist; what he looked like, what he ate, where he lived. And we say something of his preaching, of his message: Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight. That is, John preached repentance.
Now, we see more about John’s preaching. It is an example of it. Not a full sermon by any means, but the record of what he said to certain Pharisees and Sadducee who came out to see him.
So we have a sample of the preaching of John the Baptist.
We’ll look today at just 6 verses. And I’ve broken them up into three sections:
I. The Pharisees and Sadducees visit John (v. 7)
II. Bear Fruit in keeping with repentance. (v. 8-10)
III. Spirt and Fire Baptism (v. 11-12)
[REPEAT]
I. The Pharisees and Sadducees visit John (v. 7)
First, we have the Pharisees and Sadducees visit John.
And immediately, we should ask, WHY are they visiting him? Why are these religious leaders come out TO THE WILDERNESS to see a man who is baptizing others and calling for repentance?
There is the suggestion that maybe they want to be baptized. They’re caught up in the excitement, and they hear the message, and they want this “baptism of repentance.” Well, that’s probably not the case. Some Pharisees, some priests, DO come to faith (and are presumably baptized as well), but they are not, at this point, SEEKING the Lord.
More likely, they are on something of a fact-finding mission. John’s work has come to the attention of the religious authorities, and so some of the Pharisees and Sadducees go to “check it out.”
When they approach John he cries out “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”
The very fact that John is speaking to religious leaders itself is perhaps shocking. But even more shocking is what he says. He’s clearly not afraid to speak the truth. “You brood of vipers.” Now, Jesus uses a similar phrase – generation of vipers – later in the Gospel. Both Jesus and John recognize that these men are enemies of the Lord, a brood of vipers, children of Satan himself, not children of God. This is strong language.
It is not just that their lives and teaching are venomous and evil, but that their very spiritual parentage (Satan) is evil.
The Pharisees follow the Lord only outwardly. They care about the details, not the heart.
And the Sadducees hardly believe in God at all. While the Pharisees are the ultra-conservatives and generally liked by the common people, the Sadducees are the ultra-liberals who hold power in the society and have few friends among common people.
But neither of them are following the Lord. John doesn’t come in taking sides in the disputes between the Pharisees and Sadducees. He says they’re both wrong. They both need to repent. The Lord is coming and His wrath with Him. So make the path straight!
But why does John say: “Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”
The idea is that he is expressing disbelief and astonishment that they, whom he calls “a brood of vipers” would even consider repenting and fleeing God’s coming wrath. Thus John is implying that their motivation must not have come from not their own initiative, but that they were sent their by their bosses.
“Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”
He is saying essentially, “WHO has made it clear to you that you need to repent?”
And the answer is: No one. In their own minds these religious leaders are not there to be baptized for repentance, but to check out what is going on with this wilderness preacher. They want to find out if he is really a prophet.
Now is John’s opportunity to preach to them. He doesn’t just call them a brood of vipers and be done with it. He calls them to repentance and then tells them about the Christ who is coming, and along with him the judgment that comes upon all evil.
So, while many of the Pharisees and Sadducees are not of the elect who come to belief, there are yet some (like Nicodemus and Paul) who hear the word of God and come to repentance and faith. So John’s sermon is addressed to both; the non-elect and the elect, the eternally damned and the eternally saved. That will be important later as we consider the meaning of being baptized by “the holy ghost and fire.”
II. Bear Fruit in keeping with repentance. (v. 8-10)
What are they to do?
It is not enough to trust in their parentage; to say they are children of Abraham. They must repent.
And not only must they “repent” but they must “repent for real.”
They must actually live as befits a follower of God.
This is a call not to be a hypocrite.
While “repent” is a message that hits up the Sadducees (because they don’t even claim to believe).
“Really repent” is a message that addresses the Pharisees (who say they believe but live like they don’t).
The Pharisees think THEY have repented. John says “not so fast, are you sure?” DO YOU BEAR FRUIT in keeping with repentance?
If you are a healthy apple tree, you produce healthy apples.
If you are a healthy pear tree, you produce healthy pears.
And if you are a healthy follower of the Lord, you produce healthy fruit of your own.
And we don’t have to guess what this fruit is. Paul elsewhere tell us exactly:
[Galatians 5:22-23 ESV] 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
So we know what to strive for. And we should strive to produce that fruit.
But it is important here to recognize that this is only possible WITH THE LORD. Repentance (and the fruit of repentance) is a GIFT from God, so no one can boast. No one can say “look at my fruit, it is greater than yours.” No, we boast only in the Lord. The fruit OF THE SPIRIT, is the fruit of what God does IN YOU and THROUGH YOU through the Holy Spirit. So praise be to God.
That “repentance if a gift from God” is clear from Acts 5:31 which says that God GRANTS repentance to Israel.
And similarly:
[Acts 11:18 ESV] 18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
So our Confession of Faith calls repentance “an evangelical GRACE.” It is given of God.
But the religious leaders John is speaking to, HAVEN’T repented. They don’t even seem to know of the necessity of repentance. So John is saying “repent, or you will perish in the coming destruction.”
Immediate action is needed. Repentance is needed.
III. Spirt and Fire Baptism? (v. 11-12)
That need is fulfilled by God in the coming Christ who baptizes not with just water, but with the Holy Ghost and Fire.
We come then to this very interesting verse:
“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
We might think that “Baptize with water” sounds redundant. Isn’t Baptism with water? It is today, in the sacrament of the church. But we have to remember that there were the various baptisms of the Old Testament; one could be sprinkled or washed with water, oil, even blood.
So John is baptizing with water.
But someone greater is coming. The very Lord himself is coming. And all are to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord.
Now we hear something about the Lord who is coming: He is GREATER than John. John is not worthy to carry his sandals! The dirty footwear of that time.
The Lord is coming and HE WILL BAPTIZE WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND FIRE.
What does this mean?
HOLY SPIRIT
Baptizing with the Holy Spirit seems clear enough. That’s all over the New Testament.
[John 3:5 ESV] 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
[Acts 2:38 ESV] 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Baptism with the Holy Spirit is the REAL DEAL.
It is what the water symbolizes.
In this baptism Holy Spirit comes to a person CAUSING them to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ who has saved them by His blood.
So that makes sense.
FIRE
But FIRE? Baptism of fire? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
I’ve heard of Christian groups (or not-quite Christian groups) saying this is ANOTHER baptism; some higher level perhaps of Christianity. Incidentally be weary of any who makes such levels of the faith. The only “level” is whether you believe or don’t believe. The monk, the priest, the deacon, the speaker of tongues, the pastor, the elder are of no greater level of Christian than you are. There are different roles, no doubt, but all are of the same status with the lord; believers are redeemed, non-believers are condemned.
Se we know there is 1 baptism. (not multiple with multiple levels of Christians)
[Ephesians 4:4-5 ESV] 4 There is one body and one Spirit–just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call– 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
So what is baptism with fire? My first thought was just that this is a phrase used for emphasis. “The holy spirit and fire” like he saying “THIS is really powerful!”
Others have said perhaps this is in reference to the “tongues of fire” coming down at Pentecost. But it is not clear that that is actually fire. The verse in Acts actually says
[Acts 2:3 ESV] 3 And divided tongues AS OF [OR LIKE] fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.
So they might have not been actual fire.
Well, now, here is what “baptism of fire” more fully means. It is a reference to the wrath of God that is to come at the end of the world and at at judgment.
Fire is often used in scripture to describe/represent judgment or wrath, so in a negative sense.
…but it can also used be of cleansing (or refining) so in a positive sense. But mostly it is in the negative sense of judgment.
The context supports this viewpoint that fire is judgment. The very next verse says:
12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
There also seems to be a Malachi reference. It seems that Matthew likes Malachi.
He previously referenced the prophecy of the return of Elijah from Malachi 4:5
[Malachi 4:5 ESV] 5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.
Now, this idea of a “baptism of fire” also has a possible connection with Malachi:
[Malachi 3:2-3 ESV] 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD.
What I find fascinating about the verse (on the baptism of the holy spirit and fire) is that John is talking to PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES!
THEY (?) will be baptized with the Holy Spirit and Fire?
This fits for the FEW that come to belief. Nicodemus, Paul, other priests (in Acts?). Believers are baptized with the Holy Spirit and they are baptized with fire in that positive sense of cleansing.
Unbelievers are NOT baptized with the Holy Spirit. They are only baptized with the fire of judgment.
But John the Baptists is talking to both the elect and non-elect, those who will believe and who won’t believe. So he word are collective. You (some of you) will be baptized by the Holy Spirit and fire, and others only by fire. I think it is a little awkward because presumably most of this “brood of vipers” are not elect.
But the bigger point John is making (in addition to the need of repentance) is that Jesus’ baptism is greater than John’s baptism, because Jesus is greater than John.
And this get’s us back to the heart of John’s message: a greater one is coming, Jesus Christ.
All the other prophets were like the lookout on the top of the ship’s mast. Looking, looking for what is coming. But now John is up there and he says “LAND.” He sees Christ coming before anyone else. Not that he literally sees Jesus, but he is called to be the last prophet before Christ’s coming.
Application 1: Tell it like it is.
That is the thing about prophets. They tell it like it is, without concern for their well-being. We need more people like that. John is not afraid of the Pharisees and Sadducees and who they might know. He knows the Lord. And even if he dies (which he does) at the hand of the enemies of God, yet he knows that there is a Christ to redeem him from all of his sins. He has hope. He knows the truth. And he tells it like it is; even when it is hard to hear “you have sinned and must repent.”
Application 2: Prove repentance with fruit.
This is a call to all of us. Prove repentance with fruit.
JC Ryle: He preached that repentance must be proved by its “fruits.” He warned men not to rest on outward privileges, or outward union with the church. This is just the teaching that we all need. We are naturally dead, and blind, and asleep in spiritual things. We are ready to content ourselves with a mere formal religion, and to flatter ourselves, that if we go to church we shall be saved. We need to be told, that except we “repent and are converted” we shall all perish.
So let us go forward, looking to live out the fruit of the Spirit.
We live because of Christ.
Let us live UNTO Christ.
We are alive because of Christ.
Let be be alive FOR Christ.
And Let us pray.