Alright, well we're in the Gospel of Luke chapter 3. We're in the time of year when people make resolutions. we've entitled this sermon, A Resolution of Repentance. And it's based upon the things that John the Baptist teaches us here in the first 14 verses of Luke chapter 3. So let's read. Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea. Herod Antipas was tetrarch of Galilee. His brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Aiturea and Trachonitis. And Lusanias was tetrarch of Abilene in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas. The word of God came to John. son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Make ready the way of the Lord, make His paths straight. Every ravine will be filled, every mountain and hill will be brought low. The crooked will become straight and the rough roads smooth, and all flesh will see the salvation of God. And so he began saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And don't begin to say to yourselves, We have Abraham for our father. For I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. Indeed, the axe is already laid at the root of the trees, so every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. The crowds were questioning him, saying, Well then what shall we do? And he would answer and say to them, Well, the man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none. He who has food is to do likewise. Some tax collectors also came to be baptized. And they said to him, Teacher, what shall we do? He said to them, Collect no more than what you have been ordered to. Some soldiers were questioning him, saying, And what about us? What shall we do? And he said to them, Do not take money from anyone by force or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages. Lord, we thank You for this Word. We thank You that we can read and hear it, knowing it is inerrant, infallible, and given by You. And Lord, we pray that You will speak this Word by Your Spirit into our minds and hearts this Lord's Day. In Christ's name, Amen. In Israel, they had been waiting a long time for the Messiah. Malachi chapter 3, verse 1, wrote around 425 B.C., the Lord says, Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple, and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight. Behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But after the prophet Malachi, again around 425 B.C., God had not been heard from for over 400 years. Silence from God for 400 years. And it left the sons of Jacob waiting for God's Word to come again. Waiting for Messiah. And in chapter 1, remember, we read of the appearance of the angel Gabriel sent by God to Zacharias, John the Baptist's father. And of the miraculous conception of John. Gabriel told Zacharias not only that he and Elizabeth would have a son through, though they were advanced in age, but that their son would be great in the sight of the Lord. Would be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother's womb. that He would turn many in Israel back to the Lord. And in chapter 1, verse 17, Zacharias is told that his son would go as a forerunner before the Messiah to prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. Also in chapter 1, we saw that when Mary came to visit Elizabeth, her relative, who was already in her sixth month carrying John, that Mary greeted her. And the baby John in the womb heard Mary's greeting and leaped for joy. After the infant John was born, about three months later. His father, Zacharias, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he prophesied, And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High. You will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways, to give His people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins. Since the fall of Adam, all of human history, whether humans know it or not, has been about the need for pardon for sin. And now Zacharias is prophesying that his son will go before the Messiah to give his people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of sins. The thing we all need most. Well John was born five to six months earlier than Jesus. We're told nothing about John's childhood except what we read in chapter 1, verse 80. We're told he continued to grow and become strong in spirit. And he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel. And that was 30 years later. In chapter 3 of his Gospel, Luke sets forth the account of John's public appearance to Israel. Both John and Jesus were now both around 30 years old. And the only event recorded in between regarding either as a child was the one we looked at last Lord's Day. Jesus remaining behind in the temple at the end of Passover week at the age of 12. But all four Gospels contain an account of the ministry of John the Baptist. Luke provides a historical setting and the year. Fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar. Pontius Pilate was governor. Harold Antipas, son of Harold the Great, who had attempted to kill all the babies when Jesus was born. He's tetrarch in Galilee where Jesus, Mary, and Joseph lived. His brother Philip was tetrarch of another region. And Lucinius was tetrarch in another region. Now he tells us it's the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas. Well, there could only be one high priest. Luke is concerned here. with a date. But it's not the date of Jesus' birth. It's not the date of John's birth. He's concerned with the year and making sure we know the year that John came preaching in the wilderness. Remember, Luke recorded these facts not simply to inform his readers of the political situation at the time, but for the purpose of establishing that year when John came preaching in the wilderness. He's providing an orderly account. Now despite Luke's efforts, theologians still argue whether the year was 26 A.D. or 28 A.D. or 29 A.D. It's pretty clear that it was based upon this information Luke has given us that John came into the wilderness somewhere between 26 A.D. and 29 A.D. Now back to this question of the priesthood. Luke says this was during the high priesthood, singular, of Annas and Caiaphas. Two people. How could there be two high priests in Israel? Well, Annas was high priest. He was the father-in-law of Caiaphas. He was high priest in A.D. 6 through 15. But he was then deposed by the Roman governor. The governors of Rome were appointing the priests in Israel. This is how far they had fallen from God. Five of Anna's sons had succeeded him as high priest until Caiaphas, his son-in-law, became high priest in the year 18 AD. And he was high priest officially from 18 to 36. Now Luke knows there's only supposed to be one high priest. Why two high priests? Well this wording and this information reflects the fact that while Caiaphas was actually in office, and still held a lot of power. And he exercised a lot of influence. And perhaps was even still regarded by many of the Jews as the true high priest. But none of that's really what's significant here. Here's what's significant here. The Word of God came to John. After 400 and some years of silence, the Word of God came to John. One who receives and speaks the Word of God is called what? A prophet. I want to look at Jeremiah 1.1 where we see this calling. Words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah son of Ammon king of Judah in the thirteenth year of his reign. Also came in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah. until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month. Well, we see at once here the similarity of Luke's approach with what we read here in the first chapter of Jeremiah. What we must understand is it was at the exact time appointed by God that the Word of God came to John. This was all part of God's eternal plan. And in order to grasp the significance of the Word of God coming to John at that point, we need to remember, after God gave His law through Moses, there was a thousand years of prophets who spoke. He spoke to the sons of Jacob through them. And then this silence. This silence. And finally, the Word of God came again to John. And John was that messenger of whom we read in Malachi chapter 3. Here, Luke records the message that broke God's silence. John was announcing that salvation had come, not only to Israel, but to people from every nation. And it had come in Jesus of Nazareth. In announcing his arrival, John called all men, all men, not just the Jews, to turn from their old ways, to turn from their sin, to turn to and believe in Jesus. So John is rightly regarded as the last of the Old Testament prophets. Even though we read of him in the New Testament, he's a bridge between the Old and the New Testaments. Like Isaiah, Micah, and David, he declared the coming of Messiah to Israel. But unlike Isaiah and the others, he would actually introduce Messiah to Israel. And he did so in fulfillment of the prophecies, especially those of Isaiah and Malachi. And Luke tells us the Word of God came to John. And when the Word of God comes, we should listen. And that's why this book is so precious to us. And why we who have been so blessed to have this book, to have the Word of God, should treasure it and turn to it daily. Word of God came to John and it was he who would be the voice crying in the wilderness prophesied by Isaiah chapter 40. Make ready the way of the Lord. Repent. The kingdom of God is at hand after 4,000 years of fallen humanity. John the Baptist was now called by God to serve as God's instrument in preparing the hearts of the people for the coming of their Messiah. To introduce Messiah to the people and to baptize Him. Now you notice, when we look at Luke's account here, it's written in the books of the words of Isaiah. The voice of one crying in the wilderness. Make ready the way of the Lord. Make his path straight. Every ravine will be filled. Every mountain and hill will be brought low. This is to make a smooth road for the coming of a king or a dignitary. All flesh will see the salvation of God. I said all four Gospel writers spoke of this messenger of God. Not only that, all four of them quoted this very passage from Isaiah. And not only that, the Lord Jesus Himself said John was the fulfillment of this passage in Isaiah. Turn to Matthew chapter 3, verse 1. Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Repent. The kingdom of heaven's here. And Matthew adds, For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet. when he said, the voice of one crying in the wilderness." So look at what we've got here. We've got the New Testament gospel writer planting these words of Isaiah here in his gospel. And affirming this is what Isaiah had promised. This is the one Isaiah had promised 750 years earlier. Mark began his gospel with the ministry of John the Baptist. Mark 1.1, the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. And what's he say? As is written in Isaiah the prophet, behold, I send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make ready the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight. Clear the roads. Make them smooth for his coming. John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of the forgiveness of sins. It's the pardon of sins that was so necessary then, that is so necessary for all the unbelieving now. Matthew and Mark both record what is written here in Mark 1.5. All the country of Judea was going out to see John. All the people of Jerusalem. Now, that doesn't mean every single person. That's one of those alls that we have frequently in the Bible. It speaks of a great multitude. They were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. Confessing their sins, seeking pardon of their sins. Not through the water of baptism, through the grace of God. And John, we're told, they both tell us, was clothed with camel hair and wore a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey, a reminder, of course, of Elijah. And then the gospel of the apostle John. He tells us, speaks more of John's purpose. There came a man, John 1.6, came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness. He came to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but he came to testify about that. And here's the testimony in John 119. When the Jews, they sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask, Are you the Christ? No, I'm not the Christ. What then? Are you Elijah? No, I'm not Elijah. But he came in the spirit and power of Elijah. Are you the prophet? No, not the prophet that Moses wrote of in Deuteronomy 18. Well, then who are you? And now John himself is quoted by the apostle John as saying, I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness. Make straight the way of the Lord. He understood. God had shown him that he was to be that voice prophesied in Isaiah 40, that he was to be the messenger prophesied in Malachi chapter 3. John came into the wilderness. This isn't some nice trees like we have here when we think of wilderness. This is rolling badlands like they have in South Dakota. And then between the hill country of Judea on the west and the Dead Sea in the lower Jordan River on the east, it stretches up to the Yavak River, where it flows into the Jordan from the east. That's the place, by the way, where Jacob stopped on his way back from Iran. It's a very desolate region that John went into. The one we've been waiting for is here. And as Matthew wrote, the kingdom of God has come down to earth and God's judgment is coming. He will pour out his wrath. So, all must find forgiveness of their sins and must repent of their sin, turn from their sin and turn to a life of righteousness. The standard of what that righteousness should look like is a message Christ would soon preach, and it's the message that John is preaching here in our passage this morning. Submit to God, love God, give of yourself to others, love your neighbor, love the brethren, John called the people to come into the waters of the Jordan River and be baptized, symbolizing this new life. Repentance. It's really a challenge to attempt to include repentance as a mere part of one one-hour sermon. Mr. Owen Roberts has written an entire But repentance doesn't simply mean being sorry for some sin for a minute and moving on. It speaks of nothing less than a radical change of mind and heart. A radical change that is manifested in a complete change of life. It arises from a genuine sorrow for sin, and it results in an earnest resolution, a resolution to break with our evil, And it's marked, John tells us, by the bearing of fruit. Do you have fruit in your life? John declared, the grace of God has come in Jesus Christ, so set aside your attempts to earn God's favor by your own works. You can't do that. What you can do is believe in the coming one and set aside their repentance. That's a sign of their repentance. Baptism. Where did that come from? Well, it wasn't new. Symbolized cleansing, even in the days before John. Before the time of John, Gentile proselytes, those who were Gentiles who were converting to Judaism, were required by the Jews to be baptized. The Jews regarded all of the Gentiles as unclean. So they had to be baptized. as a cleansing ritual when they converted to Judaism. But what was new here, and pretty startling, in fact, even upsetting to some of the Jews, was that John was calling even the Jews, the sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to be baptized as a profession That's what it is. That's why we don't baptize infants here, because an infant can't make that profession. And because the Bible never commands us to do it, as far as that goes. The Bible always speaks of the baptism of believers. But this meant there had to be genuine sorrow for sin. First, recognition of sin, sorrow over your sin, leading to repentance, and a genuine determination to do away with the evil of one's past. And if those things were present, John would not baptize. We see that in Matthew 3.7, in John's refusal to baptize Pharisees and Sadducees, who had not evidenced genuine sorrow for sin, and we know that from just reading through any of the Gospels and their attitude toward Christ, and so they hadn't given evidence of any genuine change in them. They were legalists, trying to earn their own way. So John began saying to the crowds, you brood, you offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? There's very little difference if you look at Luke 3.7.9 and Matthew 3.8.7-10. Very little difference. But remember, Luke isn't seeking originality here, he's seeking accuracy. And he may have gathered what he's writing here from speaking to Matthew, after confirming these things with Matthew, who was around and who was walking with Jesus shortly after the time of these events. Or Matthew and Luke may have had a common source, maybe Mary, maybe the apostle John. John and Andrew were there at the very beginning with John the Baptist. It could have been somebody else, but they could have had a common source. Luke wasn't trying to stand out. He was trying to accurately record what had happened. Now, it referred here to at least some in the crowds as you offspring, you brood of vipers. Now, the one difference between Luke's passage and Matthew's is that Matthew's speaking about an occasion where John is addressing some Pharisees and Sadducees as brood of vipers. But by these words, John is addressing all of the self-righteous. He's addressing all who believe their works were good enough to merit God's favor. Who felt their good outweighed their bad. Does any of that sound familiar? It doesn't. Your good doesn't outweigh your bad. Your one bad makes you guilty of all the commandments of God. He called them offspring of vipers, and by these words he was exposing their hypocrisy, their deceit. You know what a viper is? It's a small snake. Looks like a twig sometimes, and it can snap up at you. And you don't even realize it's there. It's one of those that fastened its fangs and paws. Christ implored similar names for the self-righteous. Matthew 13, 38, he called them the sons of the evil one. Sons of the evil one, the unbelieving self-righteous. John 8, 44, they're claiming the Jews were, Abraham's our father, we're fine. No, Jesus said, you're of your father the devil. You want to do the desires of your father. And then in Acts 13, verse 10, Paul said, you who are full of deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of righteousness, offspring of vipers, son of the devil, son of the devil, sons of the evil one. All referring to the same people. Sinners who have not been pardoned of their sin, who warned you to flee John said this to the crowds coming to him. Not just the... As I said, Matthew records at some point, John spoke these same words directly to some Pharisees and Sadducees who came. Again, this shouldn't surprise us. John's gospel message didn't change from one day to the next. Neither did that of Jesus or Paul or Peter or anybody else. So, on one occasion, he's speaking to crowds, recorded by Luke, on another occasion he's speaking to Pharisees and Sadducees, recorded in Matthew's Gospel. But make no mistake, folks, John's message was for the whole nation, for all people, and for us. We need pardon of our sins. And that pardon has to include recognition of our sin, confession of our sin, and turning from our sin. And it requires the grace of God. Those people desired pardon for their sins. John told all the people that God will pour out his wrath on all evil, on all who refuse to submit to his authority, on all who refuse to believe in him, and who do not turn away from their sins. And John clearly, as Jesus did, denounces those who expected that just by being Jews, sons of Jacob and Isaac and Abraham, that they were safe, merely because they were sons of Abraham. John's cutting off that kind of false assurance. Don't say to yourselves, we have Abraham our father. The Jews could not exempt themselves from true repentance and faith in Christ any more than anybody else could. They must believe in Christ. They must repent. This is the messenger God sent that is written in the Jewish Old Testament. I'm gonna send my messenger. Well, here's the messenger, Israel. Here's the messenger, Gentiles. You must all repent. John admonishes them and us to give evidence of our repentance. To bear fruits worthy of repentance. To bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And John spoke these words as a warning to all of us. Got true repentance? Take out a pad and list all the fruits of your repentance. True repentance is shown by its fruits, by a change Not only in what a person does, but a change in who a person is, manifested day by day by fruits of repentance. Anger, ingratitude, pride, lying, self-indulgence, self-gratification, are replaced by compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, and love for others. Repentance, Richard Owen Roberts tells us, is the first word of the gospel. What does he mean by that? It's the first word we have of John the Baptist as recorded in Matthew. First word recorded of Jesus when he came into his earthly ministry. Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. It was the message of Peter and the Twelve on Pentecost. Every person sinned. Every person must repent. And that repentance must arise out of sorrow for sin, confession of sin, and faith in Christ. Repentance is change, conversion. It's repentance from our works. That speaks of daily repentance. And when we talk about repentance from works, that's not a one-time thing. That's a daily thing, a lifestyle. We turn from the way we used to live. The way we used to live as unbelieving heathens. The way of sin, self-indulgence. We turn from that to a new way of life. And true repentance must be not only of the visible aspects in our life, but of those hidden things. Things known only to ourselves and to God. Not only of the fruits of our sin, but of the roots of our sin. Things like pride, the desire for self-gratification. Repent, he says, at its deepest level. Repentance. is a change of who a person is. It's a change of what a person is. Now, we know this is only possible when one has been born again of the Holy Spirit. And that's a work of God that He alone can do. And it's possible to work up a form of repentance that's not from God, a form of change that's not from God. All human help groups seek to do this. AA, for example, and they help people to get off of alcohol. But AA can't save anyone. can change your life here in Babylon, but can't save you. That can only happen through faith in Jesus Christ. True repentance means a true change of a person. This can only be by the grace of God because all of us come into this world what? Spiritually dead. And the day that you eat of the tree, you will surely die. I spoke of our spiritual death. And a dead man can't change. So God begins this. He makes us a new creature in Christ. Repentance, like faith, is a gift from God. And if you desire these gifts, faith and repentance, you've got to come to God, confess your sins to Him, and ask for these gifts. And you know what? If you don't have them, perhaps you've not admitted your sin. Perhaps you've not asked for them. God will give His Spirit to those who ask for it, Jesus said. A lot of people don't ask. A lot of people don't want anything to do with the confession of sin or with Christ. They feel they don't need to be pardoned. They're like those Jews who said, we have our father Abraham. We don't need you, Jesus. But they do. Every person does. Personal repentance is absolutely necessary to salvation. Absolutely necessary. There's no hope of salvation without personal repentance. If you don't change from the sin you were to the fruit-bearing, repentant, new creature in Christ, you're without hope. And the mark of true personal repentance, John says, is the bringing forth of fruit. That's really the message he's got for us. Bringing forth a fruit that is in keeping with repentance. Hebrews 6.1, the writer speaks of repentance from dead works. What are dead works? Well, in the day that John preached, these words had particular application to those animal sacrifices, didn't they? To the dietary laws. None of which could save anybody. To repent from dead works, and hear this, is to cease any confidence in our own works in order to gain the favor of God. Because for all of us, no matter what we do, God's favor is undeserved. We receive His grace as His undeserved kindness. And there's two kinds of repentance. Let's not forget that. 2 Corinthians 7, 8. You know, one kind of repentance is, I'm sorry I got caught. I wish I hadn't done that. I lost money. I wish I hadn't invested in this or that. That's not the kind of sorrow that leads to repentance. It may lead to a repentance of how we deal in Babylon. But that's not the repentance John's talking about. 2 Corinthians 7 and 8, Though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I don't regret it. I did regret it. For I see that that letter caused you sorrow though only for a while. But I now rejoice that you were made sorrowful," Paul writes. Why? Because you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance. You saw your wrongness. You saw your sin. You were made sorrowful according to the will of God. so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God, this is God convicting us. Jesus would send another advocate, His Spirit, who would convict us of our sin. That's what God does. That's the sorrow that's according to the will of God. It produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation. Sorrow of the world, I wish I hadn't done that, produces death. I wish I hadn't gotten caught, produces death. For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow has produced in you. What vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong. In everything you have demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter. Well what does true personal repentance look like? Well Scripture tells us over and over. If it's genuine, it must be accompanied by fruit-bearing. There it is again. John touched on this twice here in his words. And Luke records him. An outward confession of sin, an outward profession of faith doesn't save anybody. A mere desire to be baptized doesn't save anybody. It's as if this ritual was some sort of wonder-working charm. There must be an inward change which expresses itself in God-glorifying conduct. And that means the bearing of fruit in keeping with repentance. Fruit. Fruit in the lives of people around us that demonstrates there's been a change in us. Not because we earn anything by it, but this is the demonstration. And without true personal repentance, there's not only no hope for salvation, there's no chance of producing good fruit. John said, the axe is already laid at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Any notion of salvation by one's own work, whether in the system of Judaism, of which John was speaking there, or any other system of works righteousness, any such system is a false idea. Salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ. The warning's clear. The reason why these people were headed for damnation was they were relying on their own works and on their descent from Abraham for their salvation. John understood. Physical descent from Abraham didn't guarantee being a true son of Abraham. Galatians 3.7, it is those who are of faith who are the true sons of Abraham. And John knew something else. He knew that God could raise up sons to Abraham from the stones on the ground. A new day was dawning here. A day in which there would be no longer any distinction between Jew and Greek. The axe was already laid at the root of those trees, seeking to justify themselves before God. And judgment was coming. And so every man needed pardon for sin. Well, if you still have questions, you're not unlike the people who were standing there listening to John that day. John gave them some examples when they questioned him of what true repentance looks like. Luke here records three questions asked by three different groups of individuals. Each of these groups wanted to know, in their daily lives, how the genuine character of their conversion was to be revealed. Crowds were questioning him. What shall we do? He would answer them. The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none. He who has food is to do likewise. Some tax collectors also came to be baptized. They said to him, Teacher, what shall we do? Collect no more than what you've been ordered to. All three groups here have something in common. They all seem to have recognized their guilt. Sorrow for sin. forsaking the old way of life are always marks of a true conversion and true repentance. The tunic. This was an undergarment worn next to the skin, under the outer robe. A person might have two, might even wear two to protect against the cold, or just to have a spare or two. John says, no, if you've got two, give one to somebody who doesn't have one. That's a fruit of true repentance. If you have more food than you need, you know somebody doesn't have any. Give them some of your food. These things aren't really all that complicated, are they? These verses have, especially verse 11, has application to all of us. Whatever you have that somebody else doesn't and needs, give it to them. What about tax collectors? In Romans, you know, you became a tax collector by bidding. A high bidder would pay Rome the amount he'd bid. You'd buy this office. And then you'd go around. And because you collected what needed to go to Rome and whatever you collected over that you kept, there was a strong temptation to levy more tax than was necessary to pocket the extra. It's easy to see the difference between the man who's still greedy and the man who has been converted, who has sorrowed over his sin and turned from it. Don't cheat people. Don't extract unreasonable amounts of money from people. Some soldiers. What about us? What should we do? Now look at John's words. Don't take money from anyone by force. They were doing this. Don't accuse anyone falsely. They were doing this. Blackmailing people. Extorting money from them. Be content with your wages. Were these Jewish soldiers or Roman soldiers? Well, it doesn't tell us. But in those days, soldiers are said to have been fairly mercenary. They were soldiers for hire. They were in it for the money. And they were prone to looting the citizenry. Blackmailing them. Accusing them falsely to get them to pay up. And the citizens couldn't do much about it. What could they do? Troops could use violence. They held all the weapons. They could rob and extort. And they were doing this. Otherwise, John wouldn't have to be talking about it. He told them, don't use your position in that kind of manner. Be content with your wages. And this instruction also has a wider application than soldiers. John isn't saying, don't be a tax collector. He isn't saying, don't be a soldier. He's saying, act uprightly in doing those jobs. Each station in life, each occupation has its own peculiar temptations, its own peculiar sins. Repentance, the fruit of repentance, is an evident change, a ceasing of those sins by which we repeatedly offend the God who sent his Son to die for us, to suffer and die for us. It can be challenging. Every profession and occupation has its own little mores. You can get away with this. You can get away with that. And it can be challenging in any profession or occupation to not follow the ways of the world. Maybe you don't make out as well as some others if you follow Christ, if you follow what John says. The world will mock those. Look, you could clean up on this over here. But the world will mock those who turn from its ways. Turning to righteous conduct may even elicit ridicule. Why don't you take advantage of that deal? You could have gotten more out of him or her. John says, whatever we do, do it for good, not for evil. Not for self-gratification. Could have broken this up into many sermons, I suppose. Today is the twenty-seventh day of December. The year of our Lord 2020. We're in Babylon. Still here. When we meet next Lord's Day, it'll be the year of our Lord 2021. And this is the time of year when people make resolutions. We can't impact the world unless we follow Christ. Unless we are Christ-like, we cannot impact the world. And that's why we're here. That's why He's left us here. The Holy Spirit has provided us as believers in Christ and in His work on the cross that saved us, His resurrection, with the one resolution that really matters. Here it is. We often say a person's life is the expression of what he really believes. If you believe in Jesus Christ, and if you believe the Word of God, then repentance, a continual ongoing change, and not only in what we do, but in who we are, is essential. John teaches us that true repentance is the expression of our faith. A lot of talk these days. Is there any hope for our nation? Is there any hope for our civilization? Western civilization, in mass, has been turning from God. Talking more and more each day about outlawing various Christ-related organizations and activities. People wonder if there's hope. There's always hope. But I must tell you, I am persuaded that the realization of any hope must begin at the house of God. If the people in Christ's church do not become the people God desires us to be, I'm persuaded there is no hope for our civilization. Babylon never gets it right. Every kingdom from the time of the beginning of man has fallen. So on this final Lord's Day of the year of our Lord 2020, I exhort us all to resolve to make 2021 a year of repentance for the people of God. A year of repentance for the people of God that can be seen by those outside the church. Let us turn from every single thing that offends Him. Let us turn and follow Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, in all that we think, do, and say. For His kingdom and for His glory. Amen. Well Lord, we are convicted deep within by this message. We know we fall short. We confess how short we have fallen from bearing the kind of fruit which you have equipped us to bear. So Lord, we pray for our church. We pray for all who believe. And we pray you'll raise up many and call them to faith. Awaken them to new life. And that You'll awaken Your church, Lord. That She will impact this world in this coming year to turn from the wickedness of Babylon and to turn to You for Your kingdom and Your glory. In Christ's name, Amen.