Matthew 3

The context of Matthew 3 is that John the Baptist is spreading the Good News that the Kingdom is here and we must repent. He was aiming to prepare the people for the Messiah (Jesus Christ) to come. Below are some scriptures from the passage which stood out to me.

In the TPT translation (Matthew 3:2) it reads, "Heaven's Kingdom is about to appear - so you'd better keep turning away from evil and turn back to God." Heaven's Kingdom is the glory of God which is Jesus Christ. Heaven's Kingdom represents everything God stands for and everything which he approves as good and righteous. When Jesus came to earth, the true embodiment of God, this was Heaven's Kingdom on earth. John was prophesying the coming Kingdom (Jesus) to earth. He tells the people to keep turning from evil which is a strong command and warning. Prophets were sent by the Lord to reveal to people what was to happen and to warn them of events to come. In the old testament, people believed that a prophet was a true prophet of God if what they said was to happen actually did happen. Not long after John is proclaiming the Kingdom, Jesus arrives and completes the prophecy.

The words, "Keep turning" imply an act that is constant and active. It shows us that repentance isn't just a one time thing but a daily decision with the help of the Holy Spirit. Turning away reveals that repentance is a physical change or transition which we have to make. It is a movement and change of direction to reflect a change in our hearts posture. John is teaching the people to turn away specifically from evil. Evil is the opposite of good. It is the very opposite of everything that God stands for and it involves things that do not bring glory to Him. The words, "turn back to God." is another command from John probably used to remind the people who they were and where they came from. It could possibly have been a way to reveal God's merciful character because He wants them to turn back to Him with a changed heart so He can heal and bless them like the loving father He is.

Amongst the crowd which John was speaking to, were the Pharisees and Sadducees. these were the 2 sects of Judaism at the time. Pharisees were members which believed in the resurrection and in following legal traditions of their fathers and not the Word. The modern day Pharisees would be Christians who want to be seen as righteous yet ignore the matters of the heart or who attend church on Sundays but do not spend time with Jesus in the week.

On the other side were the Sadducees; those who denied the resurrection and existence of Spirit and emphasized the acceptance of written law alone. The modern day Sadducees would be Christians who don't take the bible literally or add and remove elements of the Word. I think it is important to understand these two types as a self reflection for ourselves and be honest and seek repentance if we feel we fall into these categories.

John says, "therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance." When we repent we produce fruit because we become more aware of God's undeserving mercy and grace towards us. Those who truly repent will be rewarded with a fruit filled life just like in Psalm 92:12-15.

"But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted to the Lord’s own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green. They will declare, “The Lord is just! He is my rock! There is no evil in him!” -

(Psalm 92:12-15)

The fruits of the Spirit which we can be developed during repentance include:

LOVE

JOY

PEACE

SELF-CONTROL

KINDNESS

GOODNESS

FAITHFULNESS

GENTLENESS

PATIENCE

How can I apply the Word to my life: Answer the following questions

• What do I need to turn away from (repent)?

• What fruits of the spirits could I develop?

• In what ways can I let the Holy Spirit lead in my life?