The Sunday Link – Pointing To The Peace-bringer | SL20251207

SERMON

Pointing to the Peace-bringer

Matthew 3:1–12 NIV

Today is Advent 2 and the theme for this day of Advent focuses on the peace that Jesus brings.  Peace doesn’t just mean the absence of conflict, peace is a state of freedom — something we only receive from the One who gives us freedom — and that is our Lord, Jesus.  Freedom is more than an escape from violence, it is also freedom from anxiety, turmoil, fear, obsession, and depression.  Jesus gives us the freedom to live in our true identity — but we are getting ahead of ourselves.

True freedom gives us peace, and that’s the theme of this second week of Advent.

Our Bible passage for the day is Matthew 3:1–12, where we read about John the Baptist.  As we read this, let’s see what it shows us about a person of peace, and what the true role of a person of peace entails.  We might just see that we’ve been called to be people of peace.

So, let’s read the text.

Matthew 3:1–12

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ² and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”  ³ For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:  

⁴ Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.  ⁵ Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him ⁶ and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.  

⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  ⁸ Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, ⁹ and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.  ¹⁰ And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees.  Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ¹¹ I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit ^[a]and fire.  ¹² His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”   

Let’s notice what John’s message was.

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Matthew 3:1–2 NIV

Right away, John tells people to repent. This word for repent in the Greek is metanoia and means to change one’s heart and mind. More literally, it means to change direction, to stop going in one direction — the wrong way — and start going in a new direction — the right way. This word conveys an action, an active change in the way one thinks.

So, what is the change John is telling them to make? “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” What he is asking them to change is how they think about the kingdom of heaven. It is not some far-off ethereal concept or doctrine. It is near. It is tangible. It will soon be evident.

This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” Matthew 3:3 NIV

Matthew then gives the reference for John’s ministry by quoting from Isaiah 40. When the apostle Matthew wrote this, he knew that when a portion of a passage of Scripture was quoted, the reader would remember the rest of the passage. For this reason, it’s important to note the first couple of verses of Isaiah 40 as well. Here God comforts Jerusalem and tells her that her hard service has been completed and her sin paid for (See Isaiah 40:1–3).

That’s certainly a new way of thinking. When John the Baptist was preaching, people offered sacrifices to atone for their sins. Add to this that they were under Roman dominion. To be reminded that their sin is paid for and to hear that the kingdom was near was great news.

Of course, they had heard this before. There were many false prophets who proclaimed to have a special message from God. They tried to influence people and get followers. They often said what people wanted to hear. They were charismatic and exciting to follow. John was different.

John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. Matthew 3:4–6 NIV

What was it about John the Baptist that made so many people want to go out to the desert to see him?  Perhaps out of curiosity.

• • He was preaching and baptizing in the Judean wilderness, an area most people would avoid and certainly not where someone would choose to live.
  • John didn’t go into the towns to get people to follow him like false prophets would; the people came to him.
  • He must have been striking, with his camel-hair garment and leather belt. He wasn’t decked in robes and other nice garments, giving the impression that he was special or especially blessed.
  • His diet was “locusts and wild honey,” which was the biblical way of saying that John the Baptist was authentic.
  • Rather than telling others what they wanted to hear, he challenged his listeners. He told them they had to change the way they were thinking. He spoke truth.

John was the genuine article, and people responded. They were praying for change; they were hoping for a Messiah; they wanted peace. Of course, their hope was that peace would come through a new king or kingdom that would overpower Rome. They were hoping for a revolution and the end of Rome’s dominion. They had to change the way they thought about the Messiah and about the kingdom of heaven.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. Matthew 3:7–10 NIV

Here, again, John tells the religious leaders to change the way they think. “Produce fruit showing that you are willing to change. Show proof that you are more interested in serving God and his people rather than your own interests. Don’t think you are safe from the change that is coming because you are the sons of Abraham; you are not exempt from changing the way you think about the kingdom of heaven. God can raise stones that cry out loyalty to Abraham. He wants to see a change of heart. You call out for peace, but you aren’t seeking peace. You bring nothing but burdens to the people; you act as judges rather than peacekeepers. The tree you are hanging onto has already been cut down. What is cut will be thrown into the fire. Your way does not lead to change; the presence of the kingdom of heaven is what brings about change. The kingdom is at hand — open your eyes and see it.”

Then John goes further and points to the real peace-bringer:

I baptize you with water for repentance.  But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.  Matthew 3:11–12 NIV

This is the crux of John’s message.  Don’t change the way you think because of who I am or what I say.  I am only leading you to a baptism of water, cleansing you from the way you used to think so you can accept the One who comes after me.  He is the change-bringer.  He is the One who brings peace.  He is the One who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit, which will change you from the inside out.

Let’s read this from the Message Bible, a paraphrase of the Bible that might make this a bit clearer.

I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. The real action comes next:  The main character in this drama — compared to him I’m a mere stagehand — will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out.  He’s going to clean house — make a clean sweep of your lives.  He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned. Matthew 3:11–12 MSG

This is what brings real peace — following the peace-bringer, Jesus.  He is the One who changes our heart.  He is the One who brings us healing from our anxiety, turmoil, fear, obsession, and depression.  He is the One who gives us the freedom to live in our true identity as children of God.  He is the One and only peace-bringer that lasts.

This week, spend time with Father, Son, and Spirit and share your anxieties, fears, worries, shames, doubts, and disbeliefs.  Ask him to help you repent — to help you change the way you think about him and your relationship to and with him.  Ask him to help you see how he lives in you through the Holy Spirit.  Ask him to give you his peace. Go boldly to Jesus with the expectation that he will help you repent.  And then look for ways to share the good news that Jesus brings peace.

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