Preparing for the Lord's Coming

Preparing for the Lord's Coming

Matthew 3:1-12

In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, "Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near." The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said, "He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way for the Lord's coming! Clear the road for him!'" John's clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey. People from Jerusalem and from all of Judea and all over the Jordan Valley went out to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. "You brood of snakes!" he exclaimed. "Who warned you to flee God's coming wrath? Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don't just say to each other, 'We're safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.' That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. Even now the ax of God's judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire. "I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am-so much greater that I'm not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire." 

• The Message of Repentance
  • • Matthew 3:2   "Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near."
    • Matthew 3:8   Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. 
• The Message of Baptism
  • • Matthew 3:6   And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.
    • Matthew 3:11   "I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God."
    • Matthew 3:15   But Jesus said, "It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires." So John agreed to baptize him.
• The Message of Judgment
  • • Matthew 3:7, 10   But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. "You brood of snakes!" he exclaimed. "Who warned you to flee God's coming wrath?" Even now the ax of God's judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire. 
    • 2 Corinthians 5:10   For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. 
    • Revelation 20:12, 15   I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God's throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire. 
• The Message of Separation
  • • • Matthew 3:12   He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with  his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.
      • Matthew 3:10   Even now the ax of God's judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire. 
• The Message of a New Baptism
  • • • Matthew 3:11   I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am-so much greater that I'm not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.    
      • Acts 1:8   But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere-in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. 

Conclusion

Matthew 24:44   You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.