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Matthew 3:1-12 (John the Baptist)

INTRODUCTION: Today we are continuing in our series through Matthew after looking at the birth of Jesus in Matthew chapters 1-2. In those chapters we saw that Jesus was born the Son of David, born of a virgin, and born the King of the Jews. We saw that Matthew especially focuses on Jesus as king and so we called that series the Birth of the King. Well in today’s passage we are talking about the preparation for the King. Jesus spent thirty years as a carpenter in Nazareth before beginning his public ministry. And when he was finally ready to go public, God sent John the Baptist to prepare the way. That’s what we find here in Matthew 3. (Read Matthew 3:1-12 and pray.)

So today we are talking about preparing for Jesus. Of course we will be looking at how God prepared people for Jesus in the days of John the Baptist. But as we look at John and the people of Israel, I also want us to make this personal. How do you prepare for Jesus? Are you ready for him? Are you ready for Jesus each morning when you wake up and begin your day? Are you ready for Jesus to bring needed change in your life? Are you ready for Jesus to guide and direct your life? What are you doing to prepare for Jesus? Jesus was born a king. Are you ready for him to be the king of your life?

I. Repent and be baptized (1-6)

We begin with verses 1-6 where God sent John the Baptist to prepare the way for Jesus. And John basically gave the people two steps to prepare for Jesus. Repent and be baptized. Let’s take a look at both of them.

   A. Repentance – clearing the way (1-3)
      – Isaiah 40:3

The first step was repentance. Look at verses 1 and 2: “In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.’” (Matthew 3:1-2)

Thirty years have passed since Joseph brought Jesus back to Nazareth as a boy. Four hundred years have passed since God last sent a prophet to Israel. And then John the Baptist suddenly appears preaching in the desert. Now hopefully most preachers preach a different message each week, but John apparently had one message that he preached over and over. It was the exact same message Jesus used to begin his ministry. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

Repentance is a necessary step to prepare the way for Jesus to come into your life. The word “repent” means to completely change your direction. It basically means coming to the place in your life where you can say, “God’s right, and I’m wrong.” Now that’s not an easy thing for anyone to say. It is humbling to admit that we are wrong. By nature we do not want to submit to anyone, even God. But if saying “God’s right, and I’m wrong” seems difficult to you, I want you to consider the alternative. If you can’t say “God’s right, and I’m wrong,” your only alternative is to say “I’m right, and God’s wrong.” And I don’t think you really want to go there.
The Bible teaches that repentance and faith go together. They are two sides of the same coin. You cannot truly repent without believing in Jesus. And you cannot truly put your faith in Jesus without repenting. True repentance is believing repentance, and true faith is repentant faith.

John preached, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” When you read through the gospels, you will sometimes see this phrase, “the kingdom of heaven.” Other times you will see the phrase, “the kingdom of God.” Both phrases refer to the same thing. Matthew prefers the expression “the kingdom of heaven,” probably because he was writing mainly to a Jewish audience which was sensitive about using the name of God.

Matthew tells us that John came preaching in the desert. This was a wilderness area, really a barren wasteland. It was a place of austerity and solitude. It was a place for a prophet to meet with God. And yet it was also a fulfillment of prophecy. Look at verse 3: This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” (Matthew 3:3)

Matthew is quoting Isaiah 40:3 here which spoke about one who would come preparing the way for the Lord in the desert. Isaiah simply called this person a voice. In other words the focus is on the message rather than the messenger. John was merely a voice calling in the desert. He was a herald preparing the way for the Lord.

When Isaiah spoke about making straight paths, he was not talking so much about taking the curves out but more along the lines of removing obstacles and making the path level. You didn’t have paved roads in those days, so when royalty was coming, you would actually go out and remove the obstacles and level the path for him. You would make the road as smooth as possible for his coming.

That’s what repentance is. It is removing the obstacles that stand in the way of Jesus taking greater control of your life. It is humbling yourself before him and leveling the path so that Christ may come and move freely in your life.

John said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” Why was the kingdom near? Because the King was coming! Prepare the way for the Lord! When Isaiah said, “Prepare the way for the Lord,” he was talking about Yahweh. So Isaiah was really saying, “Get ready, God is coming!”

And yet Matthew takes these words written about God and applies them directly to Jesus. Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus is God. John’s message was, “The King is coming, and you are not ready for him.” So how do you get ready? You repent! You completely change your direction in life. You finally admit, “God’s right, and I’m wrong.”

   B. Baptism – making it real (4-6)
      – 2 Kings 1:8; Zechariah 13:4

So John’s message was first of all a message of repentance. The second part of John’s ministry had to do with baptism, which is why we call him John the Baptist. Baptism was meant to show that your repentance was real. It made it visible, tangible for all to see. You submitted to God by submitting to the one God sent before him. You confessed your sin openly for all to hear. John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance in preparation for Jesus.

Take a look at verse 4: “John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.” (Matthew 3:4) John’s food and clothing matched his living quarters. His lifestyle was simple and austere. His clothing marked him as a prophet (Zechariah 13:4), and the camel’s hair and leather belt would have reminded people of Elijah who was also described as wearing “a garment of hair and a leather belt around his waist.” (2 Kings 1:8)

John was a successor to Elijah. Jesus even called him a second Elijah. John was the son of a priest and born into the priesthood, but God called him to be a prophet instead. He was the last of the Old Testament prophets, forming a bridge between the Old Testament and the New. His simple food, clothing and living in the desert all backed up his message of repentance. His message was a stripping away of all things that stood between you and God, and he backed up his message by stripping away all luxuries in his own life.

Verses 5 and 6 tell us: “People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.” (Matthew 3:5-6) Once again, there is a reason we call him John the Baptist. Along with the call to repentance, baptism was the distinguishing mark of John’s ministry.

Normally only Gentiles who were becoming Jews were baptized. But John called for all people to be baptized, both Jew and Gentile alike. This would have been very humbling for the Jews, as they considered baptism something that the Gentiles did. Also, when you got baptized in those days, you actually baptized yourself. But with John you had to allow someone else to baptize you. This was also very humbling to allow someone else to baptize you. John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance, and so it included an open confession of sin. This was also very humbling to confess your sins in a public setting.

John baptized the people in the Jordan River. The Jordan had great significance for the Jewish people. They had crossed through the Jordan when they entered the Promised Land. Now all God’s promises are about to come true. And so John baptizes them in the Jordan in preparation for Jesus. That is the first step in preparing for Jesus. Repent and be baptized.

II. Produce fruit in keeping with repentance (7-10)

The second step is this. Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. Baptism by itself was not enough. There had to be a genuine turning to God in your life. Genuine repentance would demonstrate itself through good fruit.

The next section in out passage focuses on John’s interaction with the Pharisees and Sadducees, and we see in this next section that when they came for baptism they were not sincere. John saw through their hypocrisy and soundly condemned them.

   A. God wants fruit, not just religion (7-8)
      – John 5:38-40

There are three things we can learn from John’s interaction with the Pharisees and Sadducees. First of all, God wants fruit in your life, not just religion. Look at verses 7-8: “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.’” (Matthew 3:7-8)

John was absolutely fearless. He had no problem taking on the religious leaders of the day. And you have to wonder, what were they doing there? Did they just come to watch? Were they trying to make a show of things before others? Trying to fit in with the crowd?

Whatever their motivations, we know their hearts were not right before God. It is not enough just to go through the motions. Genuine heart-change before God results in genuine life-change before others. You cannot have true repentance without a changed life, a new life that is completely oriented around Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

John uses strong language in condemning their hypocrisy. He calls them, “You brood of vipers!” That was devil language. Genesis 3:15 spoke of the seed of the serpent which would fight against the seed of the woman. Well the Seed of the woman was about to show up in the person of Jesus Christ, and sure enough the Pharisees and Sadducees would fight against him.

The Pharisees and the Sadducees were religious, but they were not sincere. There was no fruit in keeping with repentance. They were good on rules and regulations, but their heart was not right with God. How do we know that? Because when Jesus came, they did not accept him. They were not ready for Jesus.

John said, “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” What is fruit in keeping with repentance? It is simply this – faithful adherence to God’s word. If you don’t accept God’s word, you will never accept Jesus, because it is God’s word that testifies to Jesus.

In John 5 we read about some Jews who were persecuting Jesus for his ministry. Jesus had this to say about them: “[God’s] word [does not] dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” (John 5:38-40) God wants fruit, not just religion.

   B. No special privileges in God’s kingdom (9)
      – Romans 2:11

A second truth we learn from John’s interaction with the Pharisees and Sadducees is that there are no special privileges in God’s kingdom. Look at verse 9: “And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.” (Matthew 3:9)

The Jews thought they were automatically good with God because they were descended from Abraham. Many people today think they’re good with God just because they go to church, or because their parents are Christians, or because they were raised in the church.

But there are no special privileges in God’s kingdom. God can raise up followers out of stones if he needs to. After all, he created Adam out of the dust of the ground. God will never lack for followers.

Romans 2:11 says, “God does not show favoritism.” (Romans 2:11) What that means is that everyone who comes to God must come to him through Jesus. It doesn’t matter who you are, it doesn’t matter who your parents are, it doesn’t matter what your heritage is. If you want to come to God, you must come through Jesus Christ. There is no other way. Never think that you have any special privileges before God outside of Jesus.

   C. Urgency – do it now! (10)
      – 2 Corinthians 6:2

And then the third thing we learn from John’s interaction with the Pharisees and Sadducees is that there is an urgency to these commands. Look at verse 10: “The ax 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.” (Matthew 3:10) Do you see John’s urgency in this image? The axe is already at the root of the trees. Judgment is coming, and you are not ready. You need to repent, and you need to do it now.

The fact that the axe is at the root means total destruction. We usually chop down a tree from a couple feet up, but in this case not even a stump will remain. Not only that, but what is chopped down will then be thrown into the fire. It is a picture of complete and utter judgment for sin. The Bible says, “Today is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2) And there is this same urgency to John’s message. The kingdom of heaven is near. Repent! Do it now!

John goes back to speaking about fruit here, because true repentance yields good fruit. You must show good fruit in your life by believing in Christ and following his word. Every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

III. God’s kingdom means salvation and judgment (11-12)

We are talking about preparing for Jesus, and we have looked at two things so far. 1) Repent and be baptized. 2) Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. The third thing we learn from our passage today is this. God’s kingdom means salvation and judgment.

   A. Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire (11)
      – Acts 2:28; 1 Corinthians 12:13

Look at verse 11 where John says: “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.” (Matthew 3:11)

John draws a sharp contrast between himself and Jesus. Jesus is more powerful than John, and John is not worthy to carry Jesus’ sandals. Carrying someone’s sandals was the work of a slave. So John is saying that compared to Jesus, he is less than a slave. Now Jesus said about John the Baptist: “I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist.” (Matthew 7:11) So according to Jesus John was the greatest who had ever been born. But great as he was, John was not worthy even to carry Jesus’ sandals.

John was a powerful prophet taking on the religious leaders and making an incredible impact in the Judean desert. But he was nothing compared to Jesus. John was only the forerunner, a voice calling in the desert. Jesus is the King who brings the kingdom. John called people to repentance in preparation for Jesus. Jesus came bringing salvation and judgment.

John said, “I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” The first baptizing with the Holy Spirit took place on the Day of Pentecost. But Jesus continues to baptize with the Spirit every time someone comes to Christ. Peter told the crowd that gathered at Pentecost: “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.” (Acts 2:38) 1 Corinthians 12:13 tells us: “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body.” (1 Corinthians 12:13) Every person who puts their faith in Christ, Jesus baptizes them with the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ.

Jesus baptizing with the Spirit took place at Pentecost and at every conversion to Christ. Jesus baptizing with fire will take place at the final judgment. Jesus comes baptizing with the Holy Spirit and with fire. God’s kingdom means salvation and judgment.

   B. Jesus will separate the wheat from the chaff (12)
      – Revelation 20:15

We see this even more clearly with John’s final image in verse 12 where John says: “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.” (Matthew 3:12) It is a picture of the final judgment and the great separation of believers and unbelievers.

All judging involves separating. Every time you go to the grocery store and pick out vegetables or fruit, you are judging the fruit, separating the good fruit from the bad.

It is the same with the final judgment. Jesus will judge each person, and he will separate believers from unbelievers. The stakes are high. The wheat will be gathered into the barn. This is a picture of God claiming his people for his very own. The chaff will be burned with unquenchable fire. This is a picture of the eternal damnation that awaits those who never come to Jesus for salvation.

Notice that there are only two options. As John Bengal writes: “Everyone is either baptized with Spirit, or burned with fire. There is no third lot.”

The book of Revelation tells us: “If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:15) There will only be one criterion to separate the wheat from the chaff. It will not be based on your good works or your religious heritage. One thing only will determine your eternal destiny. Have you put your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?

CONCLUSION: Although John’s message was directed to the people of Jesus’ day, the same principles apply to us today.

You also need to repent and be baptized. Christian baptism is different than John’s baptism. John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance in preparation for Jesus. Now that Jesus has come, Jesus is the true baptizer. Every person who believes in him, Jesus baptizes into the body of Christ through the Holy Spirit. When you are baptized as a Christian, you are saying that you have repented of your sins and put your faith in Jesus Christ.

You also need to produce fruit in keeping with repentance. True repentance always results in a changed life. You need to orient your entire life around God’s word. Whenever God’s word contradicts something in your life, you need to respond: “God’s right, and I’m wrong.” No fruit means no repentance, means no faith means no salvation.

The kingdom of God brings salvation and judgment. John said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” The king is coming. His name is Jesus. Are you ready for him?

© Ray Fowler

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