Title: God Waiting for Good Fruit
To prepare the way for Jesus, John the Baptist appeared first and cried out in the desert. “Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (1) At this time, the kingdom of heaven means Jesus. Seeing that there were many Pharisees and Sadducees, who were religious nobles at the time, as well as ordinary residents, John shouted.
Let's read the second half of verse 7. “You brood of vipers, who taught you to flee from the wrath to come?”
May we humbly receive the Word together today.
I. Everyone has responsibilities in life.
? Let's read verse 10. What does “the ax is already at the root of the tree” mean?
Ex) 新 (new god): It means that an ax is placed at the root of a standing tree.
? responsibility for the new. With anything new comes responsibility. Those who receive the new year come with greater responsibilities.
? what responsibility? It is a responsibility to open the fruit.
? What do you think is God's expectation for the new year? We are a new tree before God. It is a tree with an ax at its root. What to do?
? Ex) ‘Apostle of the Week’ Charlington
II. God is waiting for good fruit.
1. There are things that prevent good fruit.
? is a sense of privilege. Let's read verse 9. “Do not think in your heart that Abraham is our father… ”
? The sense of privilege of inheriting the flesh of Abraham caused pride and destruction.
Ex) Catholic merit (public) theology: public salvation theory - right of atonement
? Even in a new church, families should not gather. He said to Abraham, “Leave your country and your relatives and your father’s house… Go” (Genesis 12:1).
2. What is good fruit?
? Let's read verse 8. “Bring forth fruit worthy of repentance”
① First, you must be sincere in repentance.
② It is the fruit worthy of that repentance.
? If repentance is right, it is the fruit that fits that kind of repentance. In other words, the concrete manifestation of repentance in life is the fruit worthy of that repentance.
Ⅲ. What are the consequences of not bearing good fruit?
? Let's read verse 10. “… Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
? Read Matthew 7:17-19. “… Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
Yes) ? A fruitless fig tree “You will bear no fruit from now on and forever” (Matthew 21:19).
? An elder who puts too much effort into building a certain church temple
? Saints, as repentant children of God, let us bear fruit of a worthy life, good fruit. The ax of God's judgment is not far away.
In this new year, I pray that you will humbly work hard and give good fruits that are pleasing to God.