Luke 3:7-18
Prepared
• Ben Ebeling and four other colleagues sounded a warning not
on January 27, 1986. As one of the engineers on the space
shuttle Challenger, Ebeling and his colleagues came to the
conviction that the temperature would lead to an explosion.
Those above him ignored the warnings and proceeded with
the ill-fated launch. Most of us have ignored warning signs
too.
• Here we will see John the Baptist sound the warning call.
Some would heed it, while others ignored it.
• Why do we sometimes ignore clear warning signs?
◦Immaturity
◦Ambition
• Warning
• Luke 3:7-9
◦“He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be
baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you
to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits in keeping
with repentance. And do not begin 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. 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.””
• Most preachers in search of a crowd would go to a populated
area, but John the Baptist went into the remote wilderness of
the Jordan River valley.
• This fulfilled the prophecy from Isaiah.
• Isaiah 40:3-5
◦“A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of
the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our
God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain
and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become
level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the
Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it
together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.””
• There were different types of people who came to be baptized
by John. There were some who were sincere, and others who
weren’t.
• John was quick to call out the insincere. He called them a
brood of vipers.
• John asks them “Who warned you to flee from the wrath to
come?”
• He knew that they were seeking the benefits of baptism
without the price of repentance
• John wanted to see true repentance in the people.
• Repentance literally translates into “a change of mind”. You
should turn away from sin, but also no longer desire to sin.
• John says that true repentance should produce fruit. In other
words, there would be evidence of the changes in their lives.
• Next John addresses some of the Jews’ belief that they had
special privilege with God due to his covenant with Abraham.
• One does not become a member of God’s body simply by
being a descendant of Abraham, but by responding personally
to God and his call.
• John then says that the ax is at the root of the tree, meaning
judgment was near. Any without true faith and repentance
would be cut down and cast into the fire.
• What does it mean to be truly repentant?
◦Repentance literally translates into “a change of mind”.
You should turn away from sin, but also no longer desire to
sin.
◦You should follow God’s teachings
• Response
• Luke 3:10-14
◦“And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?”
And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to
share with him who has none, and whoever has food is
to do likewise.” Tax collectors also came to be baptized
and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” And he
said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized
to do.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we
do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from
anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be
content with your wages.””
• The people responded to John’s message. In what ways does
the gospel message always demand a response from people?
◦People are forced to accept it, and change their lives, or
deny it and continue in sin.
• John the Baptist just called them out, so the people ask him
what they’re supposed to do.
• John instructs them to share what they have with those in
need. He uses a few simple examples, that anyone would be
able to apply.
• Every person is able to find some tangible way to express a
changed life by helping other people instead of living selfishly.
• John talks about a lot of works Christians should do, but
works are merely the evidence of Christ’s converting work in
believers’ lives.
• James 2:17-18
◦“So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is
dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have
works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and
I will show you my faith by my works.”
• Next, John addresses the tax collectors who had come to
him.
• Tax collectors were usually Jews in Roman employ. They
were typically considered traitors to the Jewish people. They
often would enrich themselves at the expense of their fellow
Jews.
• John told them to collect no more than what had been
authorized.
• Of course, this wouldn’t be the only sin in these men’s lives,
but this would be the one that would show the most evidence
for true repentance.
• In verse 14 John speaks with soldiers that were there. We
aren’t told what they were doing there. It’s possible they were
their investigating the large crowds.
• The soldiers were touched by John’s message and ask him
what they should do.
• Like the tax collectors, John gives them an applicable way to
change.
• He knew soldiers were likely to use their power to take things
by force, or testify falsely against someone to gain their
possessions.
• If we were in the crowd that day, what changes might John
direct us to make to show our true repentance? Think about
different occupations and what John might have said.
◦Car salesman shouldn’t cheat a customer
◦Lawyer lying for a client
• Division
• Luke 3:15-18
◦“As the people were in expectation, and all were
questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether
he might be the Christ, John answered them all, saying,
“I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I
is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy
to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and
fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his
threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn,
but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” So
with many other exhortations he preached good news
to the people.”
• The people were amazed at what John had said. They began
to wonder if he was the Christ that had been foretold.
• Jews had been awaiting the coming messiah for centuries
• There had not been a prophet in Israel for 400 years.
• The people recognized that John taught with the authority of
God. This was something they hadn’t seen before. The
scribes and rabbis didn’t possess this authority. This was
made clear in Mark when talking of Jesus.
• Mark 1:22
◦“And they were astonished at his teaching, for he
taught them as one who had authority, and not as the
scribes.”
• John quickly shuts these thoughts down claiming that Jesus
would be much greater than he.
• John baptizes with water, but Jesus will baptize with the Holy
Spirit and fire.
• Clearly the Holy Spirit is a good thing, but baptism by fire
doesn’t sound as great
• Verse 17 would go on to talk about Jesus judgment, so it’s
most likely that the fire discussed is speaking of how Jesus
will bring either salvation or judgment to all.
• A winnowing shovel was used to separate grain from chaff.
The grain would be tossed into the air. The lighter chaff would
blow away, and the good grain would fall to the floor to be
collected.
• Jesus’ judgment is double edged. If you reject the gospel,
you will be blown away like the chaff. If you accept the
gospel, you will be gathered into Jesus’ barn.
• Why should the good news of the gospel also include
warnings?
• A scary picture is painted at the end of verse 17 when it says
“the chaff he will burn with fire that never goes out.”
• I’m sorry, but that’s terrifying.
• Conclusion
• Judgment awaits those who live in disobedience to God and
His standards
• Repentance Is demonstrated through godly living.
• One’s eternal destiny is determined by his or her response to
Jesus.
• Think about people you know who need to be warned about
God’s coming judgment on sin.
• Think about how you can demonstrate true repentance and
love for God by loving others.
