Luke 3 -Produce Fruit in Keeping With Repentance

You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For 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" (Luke 3:7-9).

This is a message that I need to be told often. Cory, "produce fruit in keeping with repentance." Your life had better bear the marks of being a real Christian. Don't just talk about it. Show it. I am not saying that I physically try hard to be a Christian by doing all sorts of works. John tells us how to achieve fruitfulness..."repent." Get on your knees and repent of your sins and seek God's Kingdom. It is not a faith of works but like James says, "faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead" (James 2:17). Action should accompany your faith. Don't just believe... even the demons believe (James 2:19). Live it out. The ax is at the root of every tree that does not produce good fruit. You want a good motivator for repentance, dwell on the wrath of God. Jesus is going to come with his winnowing fork in hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire (verse 17). I do not want to be a referred to as a 'brood of vipers. ' I do not want to be chaff that is burned up. I do not want to be a fruitless tree. I want to be a son of the King. I want to be a wise servant that ''fears the Lord." Out of a deep respect and reverence I want to serve my Lord with fear and 'rejoice with trembling'. Some might think this is harsh but look at verse 18, "and with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them (emphasis added). This is good news. Being exhorted or corrected is actually the best thing for you. To be brought back into the fold is the best thing for you even if the Shepard of the flock has to use his rod and firmly whip you so you do not stray so far from the flock. His way is best. He is God. We should all repent this morning and beg God that He would make us a fruitful group of Christ followers.