Matthew 3:7-10
Don’t Think That
Notice \\#9\\ John was saying "Don’t think that!" Everything we do
influenced by what we believe. Some easily fall for evolution because
in their heart, they do not believe there is a God. Some think
adultery is all right because they believe their happiness is more
important than anyone else’s. Some do not pray because they believe
God is not going to answer them, and on the list goes. What we do is
determined by what we believe.
Of course God knows that about us. That is why He said,
Pr 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is
he….
Mt 12:34 …for out of the abundance of the
heart the mouth speaketh.
Ps 53:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is
no God….
Here, Jesus was correcting a wrong thought that the people had. He
corrected it very simply by saying, "Don’t think that…" and then He
went on to describe their wrong thought. Let’s consider some wrong
thoughts this morning.
I. Don’t think we deserve an exemption from sin.
A. This is the thought that Jesus was warning against in this
passage.
Mt 3:9 And think not to say within yourselves,
We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto
you, that God is able of these stones to raise
up children unto Abraham.
1. The context here is Jewish.
2. The Jews thought that because they were of Abraham’s seed,
they somehow deserved an amnesty for their sins.
a. One of the reasons the Jews hated the preaching of
Christianity was that it places all mankind under the
same sin burden.
b. How rude was the awakening of hearing a John the
Baptist or Paul preach?
Matt 3:10 And now also the axe is laid unto the
root of the trees: therefore EVERY tree which
bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and
cast into the fire. (Not just the Gentile tree!)
Romans 3:9 What then? are we better than they?
No, in no wise: for we have before proved both
Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no,
not one:
11 There is none that understandeth, there is
none that seeketh after God.
12 They are all gone out of the way, they are
together become unprofitable; there is none that
doeth good, no, not one.
Romans 3:19 Now we know that what things soever
the law saith, it saith to them who are under the
law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the
world may become guilty before God.
Ro 3:23 For ALL have sinned, and come short of
the glory of God;
B. You might think it a foolish notion that anyone would believe
they were exempt but many still do.
1. Some believe they are exempt because of their moral
goodness.
a. I do not question that some are good people; however,
no person is good enough to get to heaven.
b. The problem is man’s morality and God’s sins are not
always the same thing.
(1) Morality is man’s definition of right and wrong.
(2) Sin is God’s definition.
(3) Example - Marriage
c. What is God’s definition? Let’s go back to the
beginning and the Ten Commandments.
(1) Never told a lie?
(2) Never disobeyed a parent?
(3) Never said a bad word?
(4) Never showed a selfish or a self-righteous
moment?
d. Someone says, "Those things are not so bad."
(1) Sin is not a matter of number or degree.
(2) In fact, God goes so far as to say that if we
have ever committed a sin, in God’s eyes we
are as guilty as if we committed every sin!
James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole
law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty
of all.
e. Why? Because it is not the individual ACTS of sin as
much as our AFFLIATION.
(1) When we choose to sin, we choose to break our
affiliation with God.
(2) We are saying we chose ourselves, our sins, our
pleasures over You.
(3) God does not base the judgment for sin on the
number or the degree of our sin. It is based
solely on the fact that we choose sin over God.
Once that choice is made, the only hope for
is redemption by God.
2. Some believe they are exempt because they are religious.
a. There is no sin eraser.
(1) Remember, this is not just a matter of the acts
of sin but our broken affiliation with God.
(2) Removing the sin would not restore the
affiliation.
(3) Besides religion, no matter how good, can do
nothing for sin.
(a) Some who belong to religion—even forms of
Christianity—somehow think their church or
religion can remove the sins.
(b) No church died to pay our sins.
(c) Accepting Jesus’ payment for sin is the only
answer.
b. The closest thing to removing sin was offering an
Old Testament sacrifice.
(1) However, God long ago condemned and replaced the
animal sacrifices.
Hebrews 10:4 For it is not possible that the
blood of bulls and of goats should take away
sins.
() When God’s Son came to offer Himself, the blood
of those animals was no longer needed.
1Peter 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were
not redeemed with corruptible things…
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a
lamb without blemish and without spot:
Hebrews 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and
calves, but by his own blood he entered in once
into the holy place, having obtained eternal
redemption for us.
3. Some believe they are exempt because they have an elite
status. The rich and the poor, nobility and paupers
all go to hell.
Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and
great, stand before God; and the books were opened:
and another book was opened, which is the book of
life: and the dead were judged out of those things
which were written in the books, according to their
works.
4. Some believe they are exempt because they think all
religion is rubbish.
a. You can dismiss religion, but you can’t dismiss the
creation that God made to prove He exists.
b. It is amazing to me how some of the most educated and
smart people can become so foolish as to believe
everything that is just happened.
c. Friend, that is not improbable. It is impossible.
II. Don’t think Christianity will bring peace to this world.
Mt 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace
on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
A. Our Lord is NOT advocating a religious war.
1. In fact, He demanded that the Christians be peaceful.
a. Jesus to Pilate
John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of
this world: if my kingdom were of this world,
then would my servants fight, that I should not
be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom
not from hence.
b. Jesus to Peter
Matthew 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up
again thy sword into his place: for all they that
take the sword shall perish with the sword.
c. Jesus to His followers
Matthew 5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist
not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy
right cheek, turn to him the other also.
d. Jesus to His disciples
Matthew 23:34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you
prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of
them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them
shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and
persecute them from city to city:
e. Paul to the Romans
Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not
yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for
it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay,
saith the Lord.
f. Paul to the Corinthians
1Corinthians 4:11 Even unto this present hour we
both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are
buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;
12 And labour, working with our own hands: being
reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer
it:
g. Paul to the Thessalonians
1Thessalonians 5:15 See that none render evil for
evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is
good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
h. Peter’s writings
1Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called:
because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us
an example, that ye should follow his steps:
1Peter 3:9 Not rendering evil for evil, or
railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing;
knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye
should inherit a blessing.
2. So the strife between the world and Christianity will not
come from the Christians but it will come none-the-less.
3. I have read of some’s distain for religion.
a. Some make this statement, "Religion is responsible
for more wars, persecutions, and atrocities of
mankind than any of his other whims."
b. They may be right.
(1) The four inquisitions of Catholicism from the
10th to 19th centuries persecuted and
slaughtered millions of people.
(2) Hitler’s WWII was driven in part for his hate for
a people of religion, the Jews.
(3) The tragedy of 9/11 and every Islamic terrorist
attack are part of the Muslim’s religious war.
4. However, Christianity is not merely religion. It is a
relationship with Jesus Christ based on the Bible.
a. Any true follower of Christ would reject the idea
of religious warfare.
b. Any individual, church, or religious order who claims
Christianity and advocates the use of violence is
proving by their actions that they are NOT
Christian at all.
B. Even so, Christianity seldom brings peaceful relations with
others in this world.
1. Being faithful to Jesus often turns family members against
you, causes your friends to forsake you—maybe even turn
on you— costs you opportunities at work, and makes you
the butt of many jokes.
2. All of that can happen in a country like America where
Christians are legally protected.
Luke 23:31 For if they do these things in a
green tree, what shall be done in the dry?
3. In other countries, trusting Jesus can cost you your job,
your possessions, your inheritance, your family, even
your freedom, health, and life.
Hebrews 11:36 And others had trial of cruel
mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds
and imprisonment:
37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were
tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered
about in sheepskins and goatskins; being
destitute, afflicted, tormented;
38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they
wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in
dens and caves of the earth.
C. If that is so, why would anyone trust Jesus?
1. Because it is worth it.
2. Down through the ages, Christians have been slaughtered by
the hundreds of thousands; yet they would line up to do
it again if they had another life.
D. If you trust or have trusted Jesus as your Savior, do not
think the world will love you for they probably will not.
III. Don’t think Jesus will forget you.t want us to think that He
wasn’t coming back for us.
Mt 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such
an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
A. There is a tendency in every generation to either think Jesus
will never come back or, at the least, to think He will not
come back right now.
B. We do not know when He’ll return but we do know that He will
return.
1. God’s plan is not finished.
2. Jesus both left word and sent reminders about what would
happen.
a. There is going to be a time of falling away from the
Bible. \\#2Thess 2:3\\
b. There is going to be a one-world government with 10
members \\#Dan 2:40-44\\.
c. There is going to be a one-world leader (Rev 13)
d. In between those events, the church will be raptured
out.
C. Sometime around there, there is going to be the return of
Christ for His church.
1. When Jesus returns, His people are going with Him.
2. When Jesus returns, this world is going to be suffer.
D. Where do you want to be when Jesus returns?
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