The Sermon Notes of Harold Buls
On the Gospel Lessons of the Ingrian Lutheran Church of Russia
Text from Matthew 3:1-11
Trinity III
I. The parallel texts are found at Mk. 1:2-8; Lk. 3:3-17; Jn.
1:19-27. Also, Is. 40 ought be read in its entirety. It
prophesies the Baptist. Later prophesies of John are found at
Malachi 3:1a and 4:5-6. Malachi 3:1b-5 speaks of the Messiah.
Lk. 1:5-25 contains the announcement of Gabriel to Zacharias.
Vss. 15-17 describe the Baptist's role. After John was born,
Zacharias sang of the coming Messiah, Lk. 1:68-75 and then of
the role of John in vss. 76-79.
2. The Baptist was a preacher, a herald. He told people what
God said. He said: "Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is
here." Jesus said the same thing. See Mt. 4:17. The first of
Luther's 95 theses reads: "When our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ said: 'Repent ye' He meant that the whole life of a
Christian should be one of repentance." Well said.
3. The description of John in vs. 4 reminds us of the words
"not a money-lover" at I Tim. 3:3. Read also I Tim. 6:6-10.
John was content with very little. It takes very little in
this life for the person who trusts the Lord.
4. Vs. 5 tells us that the people came in droves from
everywhere in Palestine to hear John the Baptist. Vs. 6 tells
us that they were being baptized as they were confessing
their sins. Lk. 3:3 says of John: "He went to all the country
around the Jordan (River) preaching a baptism of repentance
for the forgiveness of sins." I Jn. 1:9 reads, "If we confess
our sins He (God) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Confession of
sins does not merit forgiveness but it is a necessary
prerequisite for forgiveness of sins. An appetite does not
feed us but it is a necessary prerequisite for eating.
5. Vss. 7-10 describe the impenitent sinners who came out to
the Jordan. The Pharisees were self-righteous and felt that
through their own power they could change from evil to good.
Therefore, they felt no need for repentance. The Sadducees
did not believe in a resurrection of the dead and a judgment.
They were known for their moral looseness. They, too, felt no
need for repentance. John calls both of them "children of
snakes." They were poisoned with sin and impenitence. They
did not bring forth the fruits which Christian faith
produces. Faith without works is dead. John said to them
"Don't say 'We have Abraham as father.'" Read John 8:37-59.
They thought that descent from Abraham was sufficient. But
Jesus told them that not Abraham, but the devil, was their
father. Abraham, of course, is the father of believers. See
Rom. 4:11.12. But Abraham is _not_ the father of impenitent
Jews although they claim him as father. God can raise
children to Abraham from stones. He can cause life where
there is none. But these impenitent people cannot produce
life. John says that the axe is already at the root of the
tree. These dead trees, these dead people, are about to be
cut off. Every dead, fruitless, person is about to be cut off
and thrown into hell-fire.
6. In vs. 11 John is distinguishing between himself and
Jesus. He is not distinguishing between two baptisms. Eph.
4:5 reads "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." In the Nicene
Creed we confess: "I acknowledge one baptism for the
forgiveness of sins." At Jn. 1:31 John says that Jesus
appeared to Israel because John came baptizing with water.
Jesus came to people through John's baptism. It forgave sins.
But John baptized Jews only. At Jn. 3:25-30 when John's
disciples complained that Jesus' disciples baptized more than
did John's disciples, John said: "He must increase but I must
decrease." He was only Jesus' forerunner. At Jn. 4:1-3 Jesus
left Judea because His disciples were baptizing more people
than were John's disciples. Jesus did not want people to
consider, His baptism more valid than John's. The command at
Mt. 28:19 is for all nations, Jews and Gentiles. Acts 19:5
does not say that people were baptized a second time. Read
the whole passage. It is plain that their first baptism was
not a valid one. Paul explained that John's baptism was a
repentance baptism in the name of Jesus Christ.
The Sermon Notes of Harold Buls
On the Gospel Lessons of the Ingrian Lutheran Church of Russia
Text from Matthew 3:1-11
Trinity III
THEME: How The Baptist Worked In Israel
INTRODUCTION
The Baptist is a model for us. He needed little so far as
clothing, shelter and food is concerned. He was a voice in
the wilderness. So are we. He preached only what God says. So
should we. He baptized for the forgiveness of sins. So should
we. He forgave repentant sinners and refused to forgive
impenitent sinners. So should we.
I. HOW HE DEALT WITH THE REPENTANT IN ISRAEL
A. Vss. 5-6 describe these people for us. It
says "They were being baptized, confessing their
sins." John said at Jn. 1:31: "In order that
Jesus might be shown to Israel, for this reason
I came baptizing with water." The water baptism
of the Baptist revealed Jesus to Israel. Paul
said at Acts 19:4: "John baptized a repentance
baptism telling the people to believe in the
One Who was to come, namely, Jesus." I Jn. 1:9
reads "If we confess our sins, God is faithful
and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness." How does God love
the world? By offering forgiveness of sins. He
offers it free of charge, without works, without
merits and worthiness.
B. It is the same with us today. We baptize our
babies. We baptize adults after they are given
instruction. Every Sunday we forgive people
their sins in the absolution. The forgiveness of
sins is the life-blood of the church.
II. HOW HE DEALT WITH THE IMPENITENT IN ISRAEL
John evidently refused to baptize the impenitent Israelites
who plainly came only to make themselves look good. They were
hypocrites.
A. How John describes them. He calls them
"children of snakes." They were full of the
poison of impenitence, of self- righteousness,
of moral laxness. There could be no faith in
their hearts. He asked them: "Who showed you to
escape from the wrath to come?" No one had told
them about the judgment which was to go against
them because of their unforgiven sin and
fruitless life. He tells them that they should
make fruit in keeping with repentance. When
people repent and believe they become fruitful
as Jesus says in Jn. 15. They are branches on
Jesus, the Vine. But these Pharisees and
Sadducees bear no fruits in keeping with
repentance. Furthermore John tells them to quit
calling Abraham their Father. Read John 8:30-59.
The Jews refused to acknowledge Jesus as the Son
of God. The Jews said: "Abraham is our father.
That is enough." Jesus answers: "If you were
Abraham's sons, you would do the deeds of
Abraham." Abraham believed in Jesus. They did
not. Jesus tells them that the devil is their
father. They tried to kill Him. John tells the
Pharisees and Sadducees that God can raise up
children from stones if He wants to. These
people are as dead as stones. Only God can
convert and save them. But they refused.
B. John warns them of what is to come. John
says: "Already the. axe is laid at the root of
the tree. Therefore, every tree which does not
produce good fruit is cut off and thrown into
the fire." In the final judgment the fruitless
among men will be thrown into hell. Read Mt.
25:41-46. Those who did not produce good works
will go away into everlasting punishment. Fruits
do not produce a tree but a good tree produces
fruits. Works do not save a man but a believing
man produces good works. Luther said: "Faith
alone saves but faith is never alone." At Gal.
5:6 Paul says that what counts is faith which is
active in love. The Bible says many times that
we are saved alone by God's grace through faith
but such a faith is productive in doing good
works.
CONCLUSION
John gives all glory to Jesus in vs. 11. He says that Jesus
will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. Baptism, for
Jesus' sake, gives us the Holy Spirit Who cleanses our
heart from sin.
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This text was converted to ascii format for Project
Wittenberg by Cindy A. Beesley and is in the public domain
by permission of Dr. Buls. You may freely distribute, copy
or print this text.
Please direct any comments or suggestions to:
Rev. Robert E. Smith
Walther Library
at Concordia Theological Seminary
E-mail: COSMITHB@ASH.PALNI.EDU
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