20250105 Luke 3:1-22 Repentance for the Forgiveness of Sins

In a world of sin, an essential ingredient for friendships, marriage, family, churches, and any kind of community to thrive is repentance. When there is no repentance there is hostility, isolation, blame-shifting, excuses, division, gossip, and deception. We see in Luke 3, a sinner, King Herod, refuses to repent. He throws John, his righteous accuser, in prison. Later in Luke, because Herod refused repent, John the Baptist is murdered. Repentance would have prevented all of this. Repentance is so important in our human relationships. It is even more important for our relationship with God. 

In a world in which sin affects every area of our lives, we must repent. This was John’s message when he proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. This is the Christian message for all of us Christians. The message of repentance for the forgiveness of sins is also the Christian message that we have for the world.

Repentance for the Forgiveness of sins is the message of Luke 3:1-22. We will see it in two points. First, John prepares the way for Jesus with his message of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Second, Jesus fulfills the way for repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

First, we see that John prepares the way for repentance for the forgiveness of sins in Luke 3:1-14, 18-20.

John’s ministry is the ministry of a prophet.[i] The Law of Moses established the covenant between God and his people. The role of the prophets was to call the people back to the covenant. Prophets preach repentance. In preaching repentance, John fits in with the tradition of the prophets.

In addition, Malachi and Isaiah prophesied of a prophet who would prepare the way for the Lord. John is this prophet. According to Luke 3:3, John prepared the way proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. We will look at his baptism, his offer of forgiveness, and the call to repentance.

First, we look at John’s baptism (Luke 3:3). We’ll see that first, it is a cleansing ritual, and then that it is not Christian baptism.

Baptisms are a cleansing ritual. They are spiritual washings that express the “divine answer to repentance in the cleansing from sin.”[ii] Baptism does not portray a decision or a person’s obedience. It portrays God’s grace to sinners to wash away our sins when we come to him in faith by repentance.

Another important note on John’s Baptism is that it is not Christian baptism. John’s ministry prepared the way for Jesus. John’s baptism anticipated the arrival of Jesus. Christian baptism looks back on the achievement of Jesus.[iii]

Second, we look at John’s offer of the forgiveness of sins (Luke 3:3).

John the Baptist is proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Is it possible for him to offer the forgiveness of sins to those who repent, even though Jesus has not yet died for sins? I am going to suggest, “yes!” The forgiveness of sins was offered in the Old Testament to all those who trusted in God. Gen 15:6 states, "Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness." Throughout the OT, God forgave sins. God applied the future work of Christ for the forgiveness of sins of those who trusted in God, his promises, and who walked with Him. A key NT verse that teaches the salvation of those before Christ atoning work is Romans 3:25. The problem it addresses is the righteousness of God in the OT.

Could God be just if he did not punish every sin in the Old Testament. The solution is that God looked forward to the death of Christ, so he can both be just and pass over sins. We can conclude that John could really offer the forgiveness of sins on account of Christ's future death. Salvation has always been by faith. Repenting and receiving the baptism of John were appropriate responses of genuine faith in God. Acts 18-19 later make it clear that those who received John’s baptism had to believe in Jesus after he came. For those present at the Jordan river, John’s offer of the forgiveness of sins was real.

Third, we look at John’s preparing for Jesus with his message of repentance in Luke 3:7-9; 10-14; 19-20.

Repentance is turning away from sin and to God. Sin is every moral failure. It is everything that falls short of God’s will as revealed in the Bible. The Ten Commandments are a great summary of God’s will.

John urges repentance on account of coming wrath. He warns that baptism without repentance is useless. He stresses the need for all to repent even kings!

In Luke 3:9, John urges repentance because of the “coming wrath.”.

John describes an axe by the root of the tree that does not produce good fruit. This tree will be chopped and thrown into the fire. The Bible offers no good news for those who refuse to repent. The Bible speaks of judgment as destruction with eternal consequences. This judgment separates one from all of God's blessings. There cannot be any more severe warning, than God's judgment against sinners. This message of repentance is an urgent message.

In John 3:7 John stresses repentance by teaching that that baptism without repentance is useless to the one getting baptized.

In Luke 3:7, John calls those who come to be baptized “a brood of vipers” or “offspring of snakes.” He is using Gen 3:15 language, to call them children of the devil who are destined for judgment. John teaches that baptism without repentance is of no value to the one getting baptized. Baptism is only of any value to those who seize by faith working out in repentance, what baptism symbolizes, the washing away of sin.

Baptism is a sign of God washing our sins away. When we baptize infants, we proclaim God’s faithfulness to save all who place their faith in Christ. It is of great value to all who have faith including the infant, when he/she has faith.

For those coming from outside the church, who want to be baptized based on a profession of faith, baptism must be withheld if a person is not walking in accordance with the way of the LORD. They must be warned of the coming judgment against those who refuse to repent.[iv]

John also teaches not to rest on our lineage.

When it comes to our physical lineage, those raised in the church must repent from their sins, and those from outside the church must repent from their sins. John urges repentance and living a life that bears fruit in keeping with repentance.

Luke 3:19-20 includes Kings as well.

John shows that no human being is above God’s law. King Herod married his half-brother’s wife which was forbidden in OT law (Lev 18:16; 20:21). Even Kings must repent. Our favorite actors, politicians, sport stars, must repent.

The following are some applications.

First, John stresses the need to repent because of the coming judgment.

Repentance is urgent. We must repent. A Christian is a repentant sinner. Our unwillingness to repent may show that we are not Christians. For some who are Christians and struggle with assurance of salvation, this emphasis may be crushing. You need to hear that we must repent, but your forgiveness is not based on your ability to repent fully but on God as the one who forgives.

Second, the urgency of John's message must keep us alert.

No matter what stage of life we are in, we cannot ever presume that growing up in the right family, attending the right church, or even a previous baptism saves us. The text stresses repentance and so that is what we want to be doing ongoingly.

Third, from John’s illustrations of repentance in Luke 3:10-14, we see that repentance towards God translates in how we treat other people.

John says, “The one having two tunics, let him share… the tax collector should not abuse of people, and soldiers need to be satisfied with their wages.” Repentance means we must love our neighbor. If you are in conflict with everyone in your life, and it is always the other person’s fault, but God is the only one you have a good relationship with, you are fooling yourself! If we love God, we will love his church.

Fourth, in John’s illustrations, he mentions tax collectors.

Texts outside the Bible that date from around that period include tax collectors on lists with other sinners like thieves and murders.[v] John offers a way forward for tax collectors. If they can be accepted, this is good news for the rest of us. We are never beyond repenting and having our sins forgiven. If you are a sinner, you are a perfect candidate to receive the forgiveness of sins. Turn to God.

The fifth application is a first-world application of Luke 3:10-14.

Darrel Bock equates giving a second tunic to not extorting, or abusing of our power in the business world. He suggests it means not “asking people to do more than is healthy for their families in light of the requirements of the business.” It means “honoring a worker with wages that reflect his contribution.” In the church, he says, it means not taking advantage of well-meaning volunteers without even once stopping to thank them genuinely for their labor.”[vi]

This was the first point, John prepares the way.

Second, Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 teaches that Jesus fulfills the way for repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

In Luke 3:15-17, John teaches that Jesus is the one they need.

According to Luke 3:15, John’s teaching leads some to wonder if he is the Messiah. In Luke 3:16, John says that he would not even be worthy of being the Messiah’s servant. Then John speaks of the baptism that the Messiah will bring baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire! John offered the forgiveness of sins and spoke of wrath to come. Jesus is the one who makes the forgiveness of sins possible by his atoning death. He is also the one who brings the judgment. 

In Luke 3:21-22, the baptism of Jesus’ fulfills John’s ministry and begins Jesus’ ministry.

Jesus is baptized showing that he endorses the ministry of John. At Jesus’ baptism, the Holy Spirit anoints him (Acts 10:38). This was God’s endorsement of Jesus. While Jesus is praying, a voice from heaven tells him, “You are my beloved son, in you, I take delight.” This declaration, “You are my beloved son, in you, I take delight” is probably an allusion to two famous Old Testament texts. They introduce the ministry of Jesus.

The first allusion is to Psalm 2:7, about the Messiah, which says, “You are my son” teaches us Jesus is the Psalm 2 Messiah. He is the King from the line of David who will reign forever. The second half, “in you, I take delight” is from Isa 42:1, “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.” The allusion from Isa 42:1, connect Jesus with all the servant songs of Isaiah which culminate in Isa 53. As the suffering servant, Jesus offers the forgiveness of sins by dying for his people. So John proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, but it is Jesus’ ministry that makes this forgiveness possible.

The following are some applications.

The first application is repentance.

John called people to repent to prepare their hearts for the coming of Jesus. Now that Jesus has accomplished redemption by his death on the cross, how much more should we repent and follow him.

A second application is a bit obscure. It comes from the way Luke makes John disappear from the scene.

In his Gospel, Luke brings forward John’s arrest so that he is out of the picture by the time of Jesus’ baptism. We know from other gospels that John baptizes Jesus, but John’s name does not appear in Luke’s account of Jesus’ baptism. Jesus has taken the center stage. We need this in our lives. Christians live to represent Christ. We will be most satisfied in life when we are not striving for approval or to make a name for ourselves. We must learn to make much of Jesus rather than seeking an identity in vain pursuits. 

A third application is the shocking statement in Luke 3:18 that John’s message is called good news.

The combination of a message of repentance, forgiveness, and the judgment to come is called good news. If judgment is coming, not sharing about this does not make it go away. Judgment is coming and Christians have good news to share. Our sins deserve judgment, but the good news Christians have is there is forgiveness for those who repent and trust in Christ.

A fourth application concerns baptism.

For those who have not been baptized, who believe in Jesus and want to follow him, identify with him publicly by getting baptized.

A fifth application comes from the Father’s words of delight in Jesus.

Joy is one of the most powerful emotions. Neh 8:10 says the Joy of the Lord is our Strength.

Having people around us who delight in us changes the course of our life. The delight of others increases our self-esteem, provides environments where we are more willing to fail and improve. Experiencing delight allows us to be agents of delight in others. When we get baptized, we identify with Christ. Our baptism symbolizes what we receive by faith, our death to sin, and new life in Christ because we are in Christ. The words God speaks to Jesus, he also speaks to us. Some of us have not experienced this enough from people. But, if we are Christian, we must treasure God’s words, “You are my son or daughter” in whom I delight. We need to take God’s delight in us seriously for the sake of the world. We cannot give what we haven’t received. We must live like a people who knows God’s delight!

Conclusion

Repentance is so important. We experience its benefits in the day to day. When we turn towards someone we’ve wronged, and ask for forgiveness and they accept us, there is a sweet reconciliation marked by new intimacy and joy. It is like this with God as well. No one regrets repenting and experiencing the forgiveness of sins.

Rom 14:17 describes entering into the Kingdom of God as a matter of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit! Recognizing that we are accountable to God can either be suffocating or liberating. Our feeling of guilt suffocates us when we insist on continuing to sin, deepening our guilt. Our feeling of guilt leads to freedom when we turn to God for forgiveness and experience the blessing of being forgiven.[vii] Knowing God’s forgiveness changes us. Jesus taught that he who was forgiven much loves much (Luke 7:47). Forgiveness changes our character so that John can assume that we will bear good fruit in keeping with repentance. When we realize what sin costs us and what it cost God, we are better prepared to turn from it.”[viii] Repentance changes us and changes our community.

As a church we are a people who acknowledge our sin, who repent from our sins, who confess our sins to each other and who enjoy righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

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[i] The text shows that John prepares the way for Jesus in two ways. (1) John fulfills prophecy as the prophet who prepares the way. (2) John’s baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins prepares the way. In Luke 3:1-6, we see John fulfills prophecy of a prophet who prepares the way. The Prophets of the OT expected a prophet to prepare the way of the Lord. According to Malachi 4:1-2, this was going to be an Elijah-type of prophet. Luke 3:4-6 quotes Isaiah 40:3-5 to show John’s ministry fulfills prophecy. He is a voice crying out in the wilderness, “prepare the way for the Lord.”

John’s ministry is like that of the prophets. Luke 3:1-2 begins like the prophetic books. It dates the events using those in power as references. Like other prophets, John will not be a friend of those in power. Luke 3:18-20 records that John ends up in prison. The first way John prepares the way is by fulfilling prophecy. He is the one who prepares the way for the Lord. .

[ii] [1] Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke, NICNT (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1997). Introduction to Luke 3:1-20. .

[iii] John Nolland, Luke 1-9:20, WBC 35A (Nashville, TN: Nelson, 1989), 142. .

[iv] (A quick sidenote – we baptize infants – because we see that the withholding of baptism from an outsider who refuses to repent, is different than baptizing an infant who grows up in the church being taught to live in the fear of the Lord. Baptizing an unrepentant sinner offers a false assurance of salvation. While the infant baptized is warned of judgment and only admitted to the Lord’s Table upon a credible profession of faith. We baptize infants knowing full-well, that some will walk away from the faith and not receive by faith the promises signified in their baptism.)

[v] “A Jew who collected taxes was a cause of disgrace to his family, expelled from the synagogue, and disqualified as a judge or witness in court (b. Sanh.25b).” James R. Edwards, The Gospel According to Luke, PNTC (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2015). Luke 3:10-14. .

[vi] Bock, Luke. Luke 3:1-22. Bridging the Gap. John’s Baptism. .

[vii] Bock, Luke. Luke 3:1-22. Contemporary Significance. .

[viii] Bock, Luke. Luke 3:1-22. Contemporary Significance.