John calls them out: confession, grace, repentance.  Matthew 3.7-14

Confession is good for the soul – the maxim is an old Scottish proverb.  The Bible certainly supports the notion, doesn’t it?  Generally, confession of our sin and wrongdoing is agreeing with God that we have erred or transgressed; it is not just scriptural, but with the Scots I agree, it is beneficial to own our misdeeds.  God promises “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”¹   Oh, that is so good.

God calls this great and good thing he affords us Grace; it flows from his very nature.  Grace is unmatched in anything the world has to offer.  Amazingly, God says, “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake;?And I will not remember your sins.”²

“Man is born broken; He lives by mending;

the grace of God is glue.”- Eugene O’Neill

John the Baptist came preaching a message of repentance – hmmm, what is the link between confession and repentance?  For years, John had separated himself out from people, preparing himself for the time God would say, “Go!  Go and tell them that my Son is on the way!”  His father Zechariah had taught John since was a tot, that he was to live a different kind of life—a life fully devoted to God.  Why, John was filled with the Holy Spirit from the time he was in his mother’s womb!³ 

John knew what it was to strive to live a holy life before God—vowing that he would never drink wine, cut his beard, or come in contact with the dead.⁴ He disciplined himself with a meager diet, and wore the garb much like that of the Old Testament prophet Elijah—camel hair and a leather belt.  When he was about 30 years old, the call came, and John began preaching a message of repentance out in the wilderness of Judea.

There had been 400 hundred years of silence since God had sent a prophet to speak to his people, that is until he called John to deliver his stern message, a call to repentance and preparation.  Folks had been flocking out to the desert, and now the religious, ultra-pious Jews came out as well.  Matthew writes:  <I have John’s main message emboldened in orange>

“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.”  NLT

Did you catch his message about repentance--the connection and distinction between confession and repentance?  Repentance is a change of mind that results in a change of action.? John the Baptist called the self-righteous Jews to confess their arrogance and pride, and he also called them to God’s standard of repentance that would show change in their hearts and lives.  [Do not lose sight of the fact that the Old Testament prophets had foretold of one who they went out to the desert to see,⁵ of which these pious Jews should have been well aware.]

And then John baptized them, signifying a cleansing, a purification, and a getting ready for the Messiah who was coming down the road toward them. 

Christine

 Look up these verses--marvel at God's grace and plans 

1 – 1 John 1.9

2 – Isaiah 43.25

3 – Luke 1.15

4 – The Nazirite vow ~ Numbers 6.1-8

5 – Isaiah 40.3; Malachi 3.1