Truth Academy - Matthew Ch.3

 Matthew 3 Click the link to read this passage

John the Baptist called for people to repent, to make a change to their lives. This change is a drastic one, when we give our lives to God we give up everything that we are and hand it over to Him. All our priorities change because we know that in putt God first everything else in our life will fall into place.

John's calling was to prepare the way for Christ, he prepared the people for his arrival. In particular he warned the religious leaders that even though they were descended from Abraham, in order to receive salvation they would have to turn to Christ. This is also an example to us that salvation is not a birth right, we don't inherit it from our parents. We each have to make the decision give our lives to Christ and not think that because our parents are that we are automatically right with God. He also told them to "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance", when we give our lives to Christ it should be evident in our fruit (our behaviour, character, our words, thoughts and what we do). Others should see the change that has been made within us and also benefit from this (as fruit is good for all).

In verses 9b to 10, John goes further and informs these leaders that God can easily raise up children for Abraham, so they shouldn't see themselves as being anything special. We shouldn't think too highly of our selves either, if we don't do what God has called us to do/don't put our talent to use, God can bring in someone else who will. We are not indispensable, we don't give our lives to Christ because he needs us, we do it because we need him, it is for our benefit not his.

Water baptism is an outward sign of repentance, you can repent without being baptised but in order to be baptised you must repent. Nowadays people will be baptised just so that they can be part of a particular community or school or hold a position within the church, but unless these people have repented this baptism is meaningless.

John brought us the baptism that would enable us to draw near to God, Christ would bring us the baptism that would enable us to live out or salvation to its full extent. He will equip us so that we can fully understand his word, hear his voice, and have his power working through us.

At the time of judgment, Christ will separate those who are his from those who aren't, he will take his people whilst everyone else will be thrown into the fire like the chaff.

We must continue to look within ourselves to ensure that we are the wheat and not the chaff.