Churches often forgo the topic of repentance in lieu of more popular topics, such as love and peace. But repentance is the singularly vital topic in the church. Without repentance, there is no love, peace, sanctification, glorification, or any other aspects of Christianity, because we would still be objects of wrath.

It is only through repentance, that Christians are completely forgiven – no longer at enmity with God and able therefore to call God, “Abba, Father.”

How do we know we are forgiven by repentance of sins? The Scripture says so. What is written is what God says (v.4) so we know that there is no discrepancy between God’s Word and what God says. What was written in the Book is everlasting, just like God. In these verses, Luke quotes from the Book of Isaiah, which was written hundreds of years before by the namesake prophet and shows that what was written is valid and effective by showing the fulfilment of the prophecy. Because God’s Word will remain forever (Mt 24:34-35), we can be sure that if Scriptures says that we’ll be forgiven by repentance, then repentance is indeed the only way of receiving forgiveness. Unlike emotions, the Word is not susceptible to change, and, therefore is the final authority in the matter of truth, including repentance. The authority of Scripture is seen in the way God works in history through promises and prophecies.

In fact, there are more than 400 prophecies in the Bible that have already been fulfilled by the first coming of our Messiah Jesus. These are not coincidences – his prophecies are fulfilled because God is the Author of all History. One can even state that the prophecies that are written in the Scriptures are prophesied by God himself. Take Isaiah 40, when it reads that there is “a voice of one calling, ‘In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord.’” Whose voice is it? It is that of John the Baptist. He was a herald, a front-runner that went before Jesus. He was preparing the way before the King’s arrival, warning people to prepare themselves before His coming. What is the way of the King? It is the Highway of Holiness (Is 35:8).

What is repentance?

It begins with an understanding of our own depraved hearts. Verse 5 depicts the condition of our hearts before repentance, like ravines needing to be filled. According to the 1828 Webster’s Dictionary, a ravine is “a long deep hollow worn by a stream or torrent of water; hence, any long deep hollow or pass through mountains.” Our hearts can only be filled with the satisfaction of salvation, carried out through repentance. Before repentance, our hearts are desperately sick and deceitful (Jer 17:9), totally depraved. Total depravity, according to William G.T. Shedd, is the “entire absence of holiness, not the highest intensity of sin.” We are spiritually dead, with ravines that need to be filled.

True repentance, then, is not just about emotional response – remorse, guilt – but about the heart change that occurs by reflecting on our ideas, our choices, and actions against God’s standards. In repentance, we are forgiven, freed from sin, found without debt, and experiencing the mercy and grace of God. Our hearts must be filled with the Holy Spirit. We must be filled with the Holy Spirit in all circumstances, even through persecutions. This is not possible naturally, but supernaturally; we are completely healed when our ravines are filled with the Spirit. Only God satisfies the thirsty soul, filling it with that which is good (Ps 107:9). We are instructed to “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand” (Mt 4:17). Share with others how you have been forgiven through repentance. If you repent, you will be saved, you will be satisfied, and your spiritual ravine will be filled.

4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness,
‘Make ready the way of the Lord,
Make His paths straight.
5 ‘Every ravine will be filled,
And every mountain and hill will be [a]brought low;
The crooked will become straight,
And the rough roads smooth;
6 And all [b]flesh will see the salvation of God.’”

As a coin consists of two sides, salvation also consists of two sides; that is, repentance and saving faith. The negative side of salvation is repentance whereas the positive side is faith. Having repented of sin and placing one’s faith in Jesus Christ for salvation, we publicly declare the inner workings of this supernatural work through water baptism. Christian water baptism is a picture of a person dying to self and being raised unto life in God, which symbolizes the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. John’s baptism, referenced in today’s message, focuses on the repentance aspect, which was to prepare sinners’ hearts to receive forgiveness of their sins through Jesus, the promised Messiah.

What is biblical forgiveness? Forgiveness means no longer being at enmity with God. God adopts forgiven sinners as His own children (1 Jn. 3:1). The forgiven are no longer the object of God’s wrath. God’s holy wrath, however, must remain on unforgiven sinners leading to judgment and condemnation (Jn. 3:36). Scripture warns the unrepentant not to underestimate the wrath of God. The good news is God quickly forgives and demonstrates His fatherly love because Jesus’ substitutionary death was the propitiation for our sins. Consequently, God does not remember the sins of the forgiven having been washed by the blood of Jesus. Rather, God celebrates the forgiven. This is demonstrated in the parable of the prodigal son. As the son is overwhelmed under the guilt of sin the father celebrates the son who was dead and has come to life (Lk. 15:21-24).

God alone can forgive sin (Acts 4:12). For by grace we have been saved through faith (Eph. 2:8a). Have you been forgiven? If so, how often do we acknowledge the ultimate blessing of being forgiven (Ps. 32:2-5)? In addition of being blessed, we have the pace of God, which surpasses all understanding (Phil. 4:7). More so, we possess the joy of the Lord; that is, an inexpressible joy (1 Pet. 1:8). We must be weary of the many false peace and joys in this life, but in order to possess true peace and joy it can only be given by the Lord. What is your source of joy today? Is it something other than the joy that comes from God’s forgiveness? If it is, it is merely a temporary joy, and we must heed God’s warning to examine our hearts if we are truly forgiven so that we might have the joy of salvation.

Forgiveness of sin cannot only be obtained by repentance. Salvation is a work of the Holy Spirit; however, it is man’s responsibility to confess one’s sin and repent before God. In other words, God’s effectual grace leads the sinner to repent of their sins in order to receive forgiveness. “True repentance is not the work of nature but of grace; not of a man’s own spirit but of the Spirit of Christ… True repentance, which is an evangelical contrition of heart and a fixed resolution of spirit to turn from all sin to God.” (John Colquhoun). “Forgiveness is a two-way process: repentance on the part of offender and pardon on the part of the offended” (Allison Stevens).

Biblical repentance is a continuous way of life for the truly forgiven (Prov. 28:13; 1 Jn. 1:9). “Repentance is not a thing of days and weeks… To be got over as fast as possible.  No, it is the grace of a lifetime, like faith itself…that is not true repentance which does not come to faith in Jesus and that is not true faith in Jesus which is not tinctured with repentance” (C.H. Spurgeon). Christians are assured of their forgiveness by their true biblical repentance rather than by feeling forgiven. “If we confess our sin and ask God for forgiveness through Christ, we can be assured that He forgives us” (R.C. Sproul).

Therefore, we are to proclaim a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins through the gospel our Lord Jesus Christ having personally been forgiven by God. If we have not been forgiven it is no wonder we do not share this good news of salvation to others.

There are various ways to fight sin and resist temptation. One effective way is to remember that God is with you, meaning God is imminent. There is no term in the Bible ‘imminent’ or ‘transcendent’, like there is no word ‘Trinity’ Yet we know God is Father, Son, Holy Spirit, three in one. Similarly, we know God is transcendent and immanent. Transcendent means God is beyond time and space. Imminent means God is present and working in all creation. (Jn 1:14; Col 1:17-18, Mt 28:20). God is here, sustaining all things as the Creator and ruling over all things as Lord.

In Luke 3:1 God speaks to John directly for the first time. Over hundreds of years, God had been silent, there had been no prophets. His silence did not necessarily mean that God was not there, but God was preparing for the right time.

As the Lord came to John, we can learn three things about God’s word in this account.

God’s word is genuine
Whenever the Bible says, it is accurate. This is the doctrine of Biblical inerrancy. The Chicago Statement, “We affirm that Scripture in its entirety is inerrant, being free from all falsehood, fraud or deceit.” God is the Creator and from the beginning, since Adam and Even God has been involved in history. Even secular history agrees with the Bible’s account of the history of nations, such as the reign of King Belshazzar (Dan 5:25-28,30-31), which involved God’s miracle and prophecy. Though written by human authors, the Bible is inspired by God, and completely accurate. The accuracy of the Bible is under attack, calling Adam and Eve a story and a myth, knowing that if the Bible is inaccurate in any way, then they can ultimately deny Jesus as the true Savior.

Luke, an exemplary scholar and physician, researched carefully to record the ‘exact truth’ of Jesus Christ. So the Bible can be trusted in the recording of history, but there’s more to it. Actually, Christianity and history cannot be separated. It is through God’s word that history even began (John 1:1-2). So when the word of God comes, history is being made. The Word of God came to John, not to record history, but to make history.

Another evidence for the accuracy of God’s word is the truth and wisdom in life. Karl Marx wrote the Communist Manifesto with the intention of bringing happiness to people. Other’s believe wealth or fame can make them happy. It is abundantly clear that both communism and wealth fail and the Christian can easily attest that true joy is only found in Jesus Christ through the Bible.

God’s word reveals human nature
The word of God reveals the depressing facts about the human condition. The primary purpose of Scripture is to reveal Jesus Christ and His purpose of salvation through his death and resurrection to those who believe. Under this primary purpose, we also realize the fallen condition of man. Sin is the real pandemic. In Luke 3:1-2 we see powerful men, the elite of society. Emperor Tiberius ruled over a vast empire and was worshipped by his citizens. Yet their earthly status doesn’t change the fact that they are sinners. Every one of them died in there sins (Romans 6:23, Hebrews 9:27).

These rulers were also involved, directly and indirectly, in the crucifixion of Jesus. If we think about it, we are also involved in Jesus’ death because of our sin. In a way, these rulers reveal and represent us, saying we are sinners responsible for Jesus’ death.

Therefore, no other man can save us, because all are sinners. Only Jesus can save us (John 14:6). Why is Jesus the only way? Because Jesus is God and man. He is holy God unable to sin, incarnated as man to save us.

God’s word is living
The Word of God came to John the Baptist. God spoke to John, not to the other impressive people. In the past, the God would speak audible to the prophets but we believe that is no longer the case. Why? Because God speaks to us through the Word of God. The written Word is complete and living. The Bible is sufficient. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) The sufficiency of the Scriptures is proven by Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Jesus was not weak, he could have called armies of angels, yet He said two swords were enough. (Luke 22:38) This is to fulfill the Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) Jesus did all things, as it is written, according to the Scriptures. To Jesus, the Bible is enough for every situation.

How can we hear the Word of God? How can we see God as alive in the Bible? When the word of God came, John the Baptist was in the wilderness. The wilderness is not a pleasant place but a harsh environment, where the Israelites in Exodus complained constantly. John was in the wilderness when the word of God came. John was devoted to God above all else (Matthew 10:37), dependent on God alone, and deserted his love of the world (1 John 2:15-16). Remember these three attitudes to hear God speak as you read the Bible every day.

What makes someone trustworthy? Character, past, and consistency are good indicators of a person’s trustworthiness. A person demonstrates his dependability through his character. One’s past actions are also good gauges of a person’s reliability.  Reliability can be determined by how consistent one is in word and action.

Using these criteria, can we determine that Jesus is trustworthy?

Jesus is our resurrected Lord. Jesus, as a boy, was found in the temple after three days (Lk 2:46). The Word of God puts an emphasis on three days because it is a reminder of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus suffered, died for our sins, and was raised on the third day (Mt 16:21; 1 Cor 15:3-4).

If Jesus had not been raised, then we would still remain in sin, and our faith would be futile (1 Cor 15:17). Jesus is the object of our faith. Without the resurrection, there is no Jesus, and without Jesus, there is no faith. Thank God, then, that Jesus was “delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification” (Ro 4:25). His resurrection is sufficient – sufficient to reconcile us to God, sufficient to atone for our sins, and sufficient to satisfy God fully.

Jesus is the Son of God. “And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers” (Lk 2:47). Because Jesus is the Son of God, He has wisdom and intimate knowledge of God. He has declared that He is the temple of God (Jn 2:18-22). He has the divine authority as Messiah to cleanse the temple. In Luke 2:49 He asks, “Did you not know that I must be in My Father’s house?” Whoever has seen Jesus has seen the Father (Jn 14:9). He has the “form of God,” the nature of God (Phil 2:5-7). Jesus affirms that He is indeed the Son of God (Mt 16:16-16). He is divine (Mt 18:20), omnipresent (Mt 28:20), Alpha and Omega (Rev 1:8), eternal (Jn 1:1), and Creator (Jn 1:3). He preserves and sustains all of creation (Col 1:17). He is the giver of life (Jn 5:21) and He is equal with God (Jn 5:17-18). Jesus is Elohim.

Jesus obeyed. Jesus obeyed the law actively and in its entirety (Luke 2:49, 51). He honored His parents. He did not fail like man, but kept the law (Ja 2:10, Mt 19:21-22). He fulfilled the law (Mt 5:17-19). He is the end of law for righteousness (Rom 10:4). As a result, we can also be righteous in Jesus (2 Cor 5:21).

Jesus is humble. Jesus increased in favor with God and man (Lk 2:52). The word favor here is related to grace, like how Mary found “favor with God” (Lk 1:30). God gives grace and shows favor to the humble (Ja 4:6). Jesus humbly came to finish the work of God. He voluntarily took a position of servanthood from His birth. God received His sacrifice and was satisfied.

Through the grace of God we have been given the ability to know Jesus personally, by Scripture and prayer. We know the life of Jesus as it is recorded in the Word of God. Luke gives us a glance into Jesus’ past as a boy so we can know the consistency of His character. Jesus humbly came as God Incarnate, lived a life of obedience to God, suffered on the cross, and was raised on the third day. Jesus does not change; He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb 13:8). He is our resurrected Lord who lives. Jesus is indeed trustworthy, and we can confidently place our trust in the humble, resurrected Son of God, Whose sacrifice was sufficient to satisfy God.

“When they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth. The Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.”

Many wonder at the idea of how Jesus grew up from childhood into adulthood (i.e. Jesus’ humanity). Why? Jesus is the God-Man (i.e. truly God and truly Man); known as the hypostatic union. Bruce A. Ware states, “While the glory of Christ’s deity is still fully present and intact, the manifestation of that glory is not allowed full expression, covered as He is, in human nature.”

As the Son of God became man, born of a virgin through the Holy Spirit, Jesus grew up as any other human being yet without sin. Luke gives us a glimpse of Jesus’ development as he leads into an important time at the age of twelve in the passage to follow. As Jesus grew without sin, we need to ask the natural question: How we are to grow like Jesus Christ?

“The Child continued to grow and become strong…” Jesus developed physically like any other human being. Scripture states the caring for the physical body (Matt. 15:32; 1 Tim. 5:23; 1 Cor. 3:16). However, we are not to make it a priority over our spiritual well-being (1 Tim. 4:8; 1 Cor. 9:24-26).

“The Child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit…” (Lk. 1:80). As Jesus developed, He grew physically as well as spiritually. Jesus was being led by the Spirit (Lk. 2:48-49). This is why the cross is so devastating because Jesus became separate from the Father, which never happened prior to His death. He died physically on the cross and His spirit was temporarily separate from the Father as He bore our sins.

As God is spirit, only Christians have a spirit (inner man) that is made alive as God quickens the soul and the Spirit makes His dwelling. A spiritually dead man must be born again (i.e. born of God). After being born again by the Spirit of God, Christians grow in sanctification, exemplified by Christ (2 Cor. 4:16). Believers grow in spirit as Jesus becomes Lord of their lives. Loving and knowing the Lord is the new reality of those that are born of God (Phil. 3:7-8).

There are two ways of growing spiritually: the Word of God (Jn. 14:26; 17:17) and prayer (Matt. 26:41; Phil. 4:6-7). Total surrender of ourselves allows for the Holy Spirit to operate in our hearts (Gal. 2:20). Jesus grew spiritually as He submitted to the Father’s will despite having His own (Lk. 22:42). In other words, we must deny ourselves in order to follow Jesus. C.H. Spurgeon’s quote helps to test whether or not we have died to self and follow the Lord: “If any man thinks ill of you, do not be angry with him, for you are worse than he thinks you to be” (C.H. Spurgeon).

“… increasing in wisdom;” Jesus also grew in knowledge and wisdom (Mk. 12:17; Jn. 8:7). “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Prov. 1:7) There is a difference between knowledge and wisdom. Paul Koptak states, “Knowledge is what is gathered over time through study of the Scriptures. It can be said that wisdom, in turn, acts properly upon that knowledge. Wisdom is the fitting application of knowledge. Knowledge understands the light has turned red; wisdom applies the brakes. Knowledge sees the quicksand; wisdom walks around it. Knowledge memorizes the Ten Commandments; wisdom obeys them. Knowledge learns of God; wisdom loves Him.”

Source of wisdom is the Word of God; therefore, we are to revere God’s Word. The wise have on goal in mind, that is, to glorify God alone by grow in God’s Word and obedience to it. What hinders growth in wisdom? Pride (Prov. 11:2). How are we to grow in wisdom? Personal desire, reading and studying the word of God (Ps. 19:7), knowing life is short, and ultimately growing in Christ (1 Cor. 1:30).

“… and the grace of God was upon Him.” Jesus continued to grow in His relationship with the Father. Jesus possessed special grace, which all Christians receive at conversion. Only by the grace given by God does a person grow relationally with the Lord. As children of God, we are fully dependent on God. As dependents, we need His grace in order to grow. God’s grace is sufficient for strength to those that love Him (2 Cor. 12:9-10).

How can we grow in relationship with the Lord? We must acknowledge the gift of Jesus Christ that is given to us by the Father. God’s grace allows the sinner to be honest and transparent in regard to their sin before Him (Lk. 18:13-14). God’s grace produces humility and knowing the Lord brings forth joy. Consequently, those that belong to the Lord joyously and humbly grow in faith and sanctification, following in Christ’s example.

What is essential during this global pandemic? Everyone is talking about washing your hands, wearing masks and social distancing. Jesus already has declared, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’ (Mt4:3-4). What is most essential is God, His word, worshipping Him and gathering in fellowship. Instead of deprioritizing Jesus during these times, Jesus must be central and first for the believer.

After waiting a long time, Simeon finally met the infant Jesus. He then prophecies about Jesus. In this prophecy we see that Jesus matters in what matters most, life and death. Everything else in life is temporal. One thing we cannot avoid is death, and one thing we need most is eternal life. Christ alone is the host of our life and death. Jesus also matters in all matters, including this coronavirus. So we should not fear but remember Jesus.

For some people Jesus is a stumbling block. They don’t like it when Jesus is mentioned. Instead they think they need masks, vaccines and ventilators. They don’t want to hear about Jesus during hard times. Like the rich young ruler, when hearing he needed to follow Jesus, he went away grieving .(Mt19:21-22). Even though Jesus is the most necessary to avoid death, many stumble. We should not make this mistake (Mt:116). Jesus is the first to comfort and care for us.

Rise means to ‘stand again’. No matter our situation, we can stand again because our rise depends on Jesus Christ. By the name of Jesus, even the lame can rise, walk and leap (Ac3:6-8). We too, will rise, just as Jesus was resurrected. Our fall is due to our sin, but by faith in Jesus, we are justified and raised from death into life (Ro9:31-33).

Why is life and death a matter of Jesus? First, Jesus is the Messiah, it is His role and work to save the chosen. All are lost in sin and depraved in nature, but God’s love sent Jesus the Messiah to die for our sin and resurrect on the third day (Ti3:3-4;1Cor15:3-4). Therefore, we must repent for our sin, believe in Jesus as Lord and submit to Him to be saved. God’s love not only saves us, but it will never be separate from us (Ro8:39) and we can fully depend on Him even in the midst of crisis (Dan3:27).

Secondly, Jesus who is God, is sovereign over all the universe. He is ruling and governing all the matters in the universe, this world, the nations, and all people and things (Rev4:11;Jn1:3). God is also sovereign in salvation, for no one else could conceive of such a unique and powerful salvation through Jesus Christ (Ro11:33;Jn17:3). Since God is sovereign, all things have been determined in the best way, for His glory, for us to trust, obey and enjoy (Jn5:17). God’s will will never be thwarted or hindered, all things are in His will. Do not worry or panic, but worship Him (Job1:21)

Jesus is the sign for the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is where God reigns, where Jesus dwells, which is the church and the hearts of believers (Lk17:2). Those who repent receive the kingdom of God(Mt4:14,6:33). Therefore death is not a thing we fear, but it is a necessary but joyful event to enter heaven to be with Jesus eternally (Jn11:25,26). Death is not final for the believer. We must remember who is our King during this time. Jesus is our King who rules over all things, and this sign is in our hearts.

Jesus knows us personally. No one knows the depths of our hearts except for Jesus. Our hearts are as deep as sin, without end (Jer17:9-10;Mk7:21-23). Even the righteous men, like Isaiah, will be terrified of their sin before Holy God (Is6:5). We too must be terrified of our sin in our hearts more than this virus. Though Jesus knows our heart, he doesn’t abandon us, but convicts us through the Word by the power of the Holy Spirit (Jn14:16;Jn16:8,14). Men cannot know themselves, but God knows you.

Simeon was a true prophet (Deut18:21-22). Before the foundation of the world, in His foreknowledge, God truly had appointed Jesus to be the one true Savior (Acts2:23,4:12). Jesus was also opposed, in other words, persecuted (Mt12:24;Jn8:12). Jesus even said that not everyone will be saved. He openly excluded people, which offends and angers many people. People wrongly think most are innocent and that these tragedies are unfair. In truth, only one man is innocent, His name is Jesus and He died on the cross for our sins. This Jesus is the Messiah, the sovereign King and our hope. He is what we need most.

As Paul faced his impending death sentence for his ministry of the gospel, he exhorted Timothy to be strong and remember that Jesus was risen. Remembering his encounter with the risen Lord was what fueled Paul to press on and preach the gospel despite constant opposition and persecution from Jewish leaders. Knowing that Timothy would inevitably face the same persecution for his faith, Paul knew that remembering the risen Lord would be crucial for him to fight the good fight of faith. We too, must remember Jesus to remain faithful in all circumstances. Without remembering, you would lose vital communion with Him, rendering you powerless and ineffective in ministry.

What must we remember?
Jesus is Lord. He is above all, and nothing compares to Him. Remembering Jesus as Lord is directly tied to salvation. Romans 10:9 says, “if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved…” A believer’s outward confession of Jesus’s lordship stems from a profound inward conviction of a regenerated and converted heart. It is the practice of lordship salvation, having surrendered all your rights to Jesus Christ the Lord.

Jesus was resurrected. Without the resurrection, the church would not have survived for long. The resurrection is what strengthened and kept the church alive with undying hope, joy, and faith. Because Jesus rose again, those who are in Him have nothing to lose, and everything to gain. (Phil 1:21)

What does Paul want us to remember about Jesus’ resurrection?
Jesus’s resurrection is a bodily resurrection. The gospels record how Jesus was hungry in His resurrected body. Jesus shows us what kind of body we will have when we are raised; it will be real and tangible. The fact that Jesus’s resurrection is a bodily resurrection is essential, because it proves Jesus’s claims about Himself.

Jesus’s resurrection is actual. Jesus is alive. We must not only know the facts of Jesus’s resurrection, but experience it too. Christian lives are resurrected lives. The resurrection is not only a future event, but it is practical for everyday living.

What would happen as we remember Jesus resurrected?
We would have no fear. People fear because of the uncertainty of the future. Christians have no fear because they know they will be with the Lord. No matter what befalls us, we are in the path of Jesus’s resurrection. We can turn to Him in any circumstance and preach the gospel without fear.

We would sustain an appropriate and diligent lifestyle. We are no longer paralyzed by the fear of death or depressed by the vanity of life, but we abound in the work of the Lord, knowing that the Christian’s labor is never in vain. (1Cor 15:58)

We would have real hope. True hope is not wishful thinking. Our hope is tied to God’s promises, which will surely come to pass. By hope, we work out our salvation through sanctification. Our hope is a strong, sustaining, real hope. We hope that we will be resurrected like Jesus, who has set the pattern for every believer’s life, death, and resurrection.

Above all things, remember Jesus is the risen Lord!