Is Repentance Good News?

Edited by Steve Fountain from a sermon called "How Can Repentance Be Good News?" on January 6, 2013.

Between our exit from Luke 2 and entry into Luke 3, nearly 30 years have passed.  It is about 27 A.D. Amid the recap of that gap and the Who's Who of the time, we meet Jesus' second cousin, John, who is making a name for himself as a prophet speaking out in the wilderness near the Jordan River.

  “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God’” (Isaiah 40:3-5 quoted in Luke 3:4-6)

In verse 3, we read that John was preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Forgiveness is good news, but is repentance?  People were being baptized demonstrating their repentance in anticipation of the forgiveness of sins coming at Calvary.  This was all good news, including the need for repentance.

Everyone knew that when the Messiah came, judgment was coming.  It is much like today as we anticipate the return of the Lord. But most Jews thought that judgment was coming for the gentiles.  So, when John says in verses 8-9, that you can’t depend upon any genes or family name to spare you from the wrath to come, the judgment becomes personal and without discrimination.

In verse 8, John says, “Bear fruits in keeping with repentance.”  So, what does it mean to Repent and what are these fruits?  Repentance is the reorientation of one’s perspective.  Repentance is a turning to look at God as Lord of your life, and see your rebellion and self-rule as he see it.  He calls it sin. When you see God in these terms, it produces a life that lives with a sense of responsibility.

Now the message was not lost on this crowd, so they are smitten, and they are concerned that they bear fruit. 

In verses 10-13, we have three groups (Crowds, Tax Collectors, and Soldiers) asking the same question, “What then shall we do?” Feeling the great conviction of their sin and the living of life away from God, they ask, “What does this fruit look like?”

A.  Giving to others as God has Graced you (vv. 10-11).  If God has blessed you with more, give to those who are in real need.  This demonstrates that you are concerned with others.  It demonstrates that you don’t really own wealth; it is so you can be an instrument in the hands of God.

B.  Serving others without robbing (vv. 12-13). The Greek word for the public tax official literally means, “Farmer of Revenue.”  The collecting of taxes was a very lucrative job at the expense of the peasants in the fields. There were many taxes for Rome in John's day and some we viewed as robbery.  Were tax collectors to give up their professions?  No, but they were not to abuse their authority, and only take the limit of their responsibility. 

C.  Protecting others without oppression (vv. 14-15).
Solders were sensitive, too.  Corruption was rife in the military, and they would often ‘shake down’ people through by threatening false accusation or charging fees for protection.  John tells them, don’t oppress people unnecessarily, for personal gain. 

There is a common thread through these three — it is love, justice, equality, and peace. 

But social reform is not enough, something more supernatural working within us is required.   

In verse 16, John points to the way, the truth, and the life.  When Christ comes he will not just baptize with water, he will give you what really matters.  He will bring the Holy Spirit.  He will bring real heart change.

As great as John was, even he knew, that fruits of repentance would not come, if the Spirit did not come down and create new hearts. Speaking as a prophet, John looks out into the horizon, and sees the final judgment of God, where he examines the hearts of all man.   Those who have repented and are forgiven have nothing to fear, they are like the sparrows, and will not be forgotten.  Those who give the ‘appearance’ of Christianity, but do not produce the fruits will be burnt up with unquenchable fire (v. 17)

This is the good news: forgiveness of sins is available to all who repent, believing that Jesus is Lord and that he died and rose again for them, so that they do not have to perish in hell. Instead, they will have eternal life.

If one does not repent, then they will not be forgiven, and if they repent, then they have nothing to fear.

God forgives all sinners who come.