A Voice in the Wilderness
Advent II: Empire, Kingdom, and the Fruit of Repentance
Setting the Scene
As readers of Matthew’s Gospel, we encounter a time jump when moving from chapter two to chapter three. Chapter two concludes with the Holy Family’s return to Nazareth while Jesus is still a child, and chapter three begins with John the Baptist and the start of Jesus’ adult ministry. About thirty years pass between chapters two and three, raising the question of why Matthew and the other Evangelists generally overlook that period of Jesus’ life. However, a more intriguing question is why Matthew chooses to include the material he does.
In short, the first two chapters of Matthew’s Gospel serve two primary purposes. First, they clarify that Jesus’s story constitutes the culmination of Israel’s long history. Matthew begins his Gospel with a carefully edited and deliberately arranged genealogy, which ends like this:
So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations (Matt 1:17 ESV).
Abraham, David, Exile, Messiah — this is Israel’s story, and it is finally reaching its climax in the ministry and person of Jesus of Nazareth.
But that brings us to the second goal Matthew aims for in these opening chapters. First, he wants to show that Jesus is the climax of Israel’s story, and second, he wants to explain how someone named “Jesus of Nazareth” could be the Messiah when the prophets had said that the promised king would come not from Nazareth but from Bethlehem. So the prophet Micah wrote:
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. And he shall be their peace (Mic 5:2, 4–5).
If you’re claiming that someone called “Jesus of Nazareth” is the promised king, as Matthew does, then you need to explain how a person from Nazareth was born in Bethlehem. Hence, after starting with Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, the last verse of chapter two is:
And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene (Matt 2:23).
It’s worth noting that, despite how we have been taught to think about prophecy and fulfillment, no Old Testament text says, “He shall be called a Nazarene.” Matthew appears to weave together themes rather than quoting a specific verse, such as the tradition of the despised and suffering servant. Still, anyone who claims that is merely speculating.
The Forerunner and the Lord
With those two concerns addressed, Matthew then moves on to chapter 3 and the start of Jesus’ ministry, which, perhaps surprisingly, begins not with Jesus but with John the Baptist. Of course, this should not surprise us; the connection between John the Baptist and Jesus is one of the most essential parts of the four Gospels.
You might be surprised to learn how little of Jesus’s sayings and actions appear in all four Gospels. Some of your favorite sayings and stories only appear in one or two Gospels, not all four. However, all four Gospels explicitly link John the Baptist with Jesus and also connect John to Isaiah 40:3.
We’ve talked a lot, in various contexts, about the Isaianic New Exodus and the Return of YHWH to Zion. We will set aside those major themes for now, but I do want to clarify one common misconception. Christians often refer to John the Baptist as the forerunner of the Messiah, which he is, but he is much more than just that.
For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’ ” (Matt 3:3).
John prepares the way for the Lord. John prepares the way for Jesus. Therefore, Jesus is Lord. The connection between John and Isaiah 40:3 and then between John and Jesus marks the beginning of New Testament Christology.
The Kingdom of Heaven vs. The Kingdoms of the World
What John does to prepare the Way of the Lord is call people to repentance because the long-awaited kingdom of God is at hand.
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt 3:1–2).
This kingdom, you’ll recall, is the stone of Daniel 2 that will crush the idolatrous imperial statue, bring an end to all the kingdoms of this world, and become a great mountain that fills the whole earth. This truth discredits the idea that the kingdom John and Jesus announced was a spiritual realm that exists only in our hearts or beyond the clouds.
The kingdom of God is an intensely political term—dealing with how the present world is ordered and ruled—even when it is called the kingdom of heaven. In fact, we’re probably better off translating “the kingdom of heaven” as “the kingdom from heaven” (as opposed to the kingdoms of this world) if we want to grasp the full meaning of this phrase.
This political aspect of the kingdom of God explains why we can say that repentance here is both political and social. Yes, individuals need to repent, but the central question facing the Kingdom of Judah at the time is whether they have been faithful to their calling as God’s people or have aligned themselves with the empires and kingdoms of this world. When the high priest conspired with Caesar’s representative to put Israel’s God-become-human to death, the answer was clear.
Aligning with the True Kingdom
The question for us, then, as we hear John’s voice calling out to us again from the wilderness this Sunday, is how much we have aligned ourselves with the kingdoms and empires of this world rather than with the kingdom of God.
Now, you might say that you’ve never aligned yourself with “empire” to the extent of putting God-in-person to death, but there’s a reason why, when we read the Passion narrative during Holy Week, we all shout together, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” We are all guilty of the sin of choosing the kingdoms of this world over the kingdom of God, and so we, like the people of Judah in John’s day, must repent. It is often precisely this hidden alignment with the world that is masked by religious presumption.
The Obstacle of Presumption
There are two brief comments I want to share about this repentance that stood out to me as I prepared for this sermon. The first is what prevents us from repentance, and the second is how we demonstrate our repentance. First, then, what prevents us from repentance. John says to the Pharisees:
And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham (Matt 3:9).
That word “presume” really grabs my attention. I want us all to think about what we assume about ourselves, about God, and about the world that might keep us from turning back to God.
“I’m already saved.”
“My family is very Christian.”
“I go to Bible study every week.”
“I’ve been a believer since I was a child.”
“I give so much to the church, charities, and others.”
“God is so merciful, I usually do everything he asks, and the fact that my life is going fairly well shows I don’t need to repent.”
Paul asks:
Do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? (Rom 2:4).
If there’s something in your mind or heart that prevents you from truly and sincerely repenting of your sin, it’s worth thinking about what that is and then putting it aside.
Bearing Fruit
Secondly and lastly, our repentance cannot be expressed with mere words. True repentance, if genuine, must bear fruit in our lives. John states it plainly:
Bear fruit in keeping with repentance (Matt 3:8).
It’s easy to come to church, say the general confession, and then return to your daily life unchanged. The Gospel is meant to bring transformation, and repentance is part of that process.
If you hear the cry of John the Baptist this morning, then repent, for the kingdom of God is near. But don’t just mouth the words. Leave here today living transformed lives — lives oriented away from the kingdoms of this world and toward the kingdom of God. Repent, yes, but also bear fruit in keeping with repentance.
Amen.
Life Group Guide
Intro Prayer
Heavenly Father, as we gather together to study your Word, we ask that you open our hearts and minds to what you want to teach us today. Help us to set aside our presumptions and preconceived notions, and make us receptive to your Spirit’s leading. We pray that through our discussion, you would reveal areas in our lives where we need to repent and turn more fully toward your kingdom. Guide our conversation and help us to encourage one another in our journey of faith. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Ice Breaker
What’s one tradition or routine in your life that you’ve had to adjust or change recently, and how did that feel?
Key Verses
Matthew 3:1-12
Isaiah 40:3
Micah 5:2
Romans 2:4
Questions
What does it mean that John prepared the way for Jesus/the Lord, and how does this establish Jesus’ divine identity?
The sermon describes God’s kingdom as ‘intensely political’ rather than just spiritual. How does this challenge or confirm your understanding of God’s kingdom?
What are some ways we may be aligning ‘ourselves with the kingdoms and empires of this world’ rather than with God’s kingdom today?
John warns against presuming ‘we have Abraham as our father.’ What might we presume about ourselves that could prevent genuine repentance?
How can God’s kindness, mercy, and blessings actually lead us to deeper repentance rather than complacency?
What does it look like practically to ‘bear fruit in keeping with repentance’ in our daily lives?
How can we ensure our confession and repentance lead to genuine transformation rather than just saying the right words?
Life Application
This week, identify one specific area where you may have aligned yourself with worldly values rather than God’s kingdom values. Spend time in prayer asking God to reveal this to you, then take one concrete action to ‘bear fruit in keeping with repentance’ by changing how you think, speak, or act in that area. Consider how your life might look different if you truly lived as a citizen of God’s kingdom rather than conforming to the world’s expectations.
Key Takeaways
Jesus’ story is the climax and culmination of Israel’s long history, fulfilling God’s promises.
John the Baptist’s connection to Isaiah 40:3 establishes Jesus’ divine identity as Lord.
God’s kingdom is not merely spiritual but intensely political, challenging how the world is ordered.
True repentance requires turning away from alignment with worldly kingdoms toward God’s kingdom.
We must guard against religious presumption that prevents genuine repentance and transformation.
Authentic repentance must bear fruit in transformed lives, not just spoken words.
Ending Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for sending John the Baptist to prepare the way for your coming, and thank you for continuing to call us to repentance today. We confess that we often align ourselves with the values and kingdoms of this world rather than wholly embracing your kingdom. Help us to examine our hearts honestly and repent of any presumption or complacency in our faith. Transform us from the inside out so that our repentance bears genuine fruit in how we live, love, and serve. May we be people who truly prepare the way for you to work in our lives, our families, and our community. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.