Kingdom Eyes

Matthew 7:1-12

Purpose: Jesus teaches us how to see with eyes of His Kingdom

• Go Through Elective Eye Surgery!

Matthew 7:1 "Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2 "For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. 3 "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 "Or how can you say to your brother, "Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye? 5 "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. 6 "Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Remove the log from your own eye first!

Only then will you see clearly, i.e., Jesus teaches on Righteous Judgment

• Ask the Father For Your Needs!

Matthew 7:7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 "Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? 10 "Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? 11 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

         Jesus on Petitioning the Father for His Benevolence

         In context, your needs are to be sought from the Father, not in comparison to others

• The Golden Rule: Treat Others As You Want to Be Treated!

Matthew 7:12 "In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

            Because the Father takes care of you (v. 11), you are free to love, not judge, others

            The golden rule "is the Law and the Prophets" (v. 12)

            This is how Christians fulfill the Law and Prophets, by living as Jesus taught

            This is the bookend verse to Matthew 5:17, 20, and Jesus' Sermon Theme

Conclusion:

Do you see how "removing the log" is a mirror image to "treat people the same way you want them to treat you"? The first process is necessary to achieve the second.

True Riches in Heaven

Matthew 6:19-34

Purpose: How to store up treasures in heaven!

• Choose Your Master (Matthew 6:19-24)

Matthew 6:19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 "The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. 23 "But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

            True Riches "treasure" are stored up in heaven, not on earth!

No one can serve both God and money! (v. 24).

Where are you storing up your treasures?

It's about your heart, your eye, and your priorities (vv.21-24, 33)

• Prioritize Your Life (Matthew 6:25-34)

Matthew 6:25 "For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 "And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28 "And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 "But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31 "Do not worry then, saying, "What will we eat?' or "What will we drink?' or "What will we wear for clothing?' 32 "For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

"For this reason" = precisely because no one can serve both God and money (v. 24)

Do not worry about the things that your Father knows you need!

Trust God's Provision, but that's not the priority! His provision is not the treasure!

Prioritize! Seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness!

What are Kingdom-First Christians like?

Fulfilling God's will, more righteous than the Pharisees (Matthew 5:17, 20)

Gospel-Centered & Jesus-Centered

Followers of Jesus & Fishers of Men (Matthew 4:19)

Who Make Disciples of All Nations (Matthew 28:18-20)

True Righteousness and Riches According to Jesus

Matthew 6:1-18

Purpose: To seek the reward from God, not men, by living truly righteous lives

• The Principle: True Righteousness Seeks Reward from God, Not Men!

Matthew 6:1 "Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.[1]

         This is Jesus Christ's Key Kingdom Principle (FULFILLMENT; Matthew 5:17, 20)

• God Rewards Secret Giving

Matthew 6:2 "So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 3 "But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

         True Righteousness in Giving (FULFILLMENT; Matthew 5:17, 20)

         How NOT to Give v. How TO Give

• God Rewards Secret Prayer

Matthew 6:5  "When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6 "But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

Matthew 6:7 "And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. 8 "So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

Matthew 6:9 "Pray, then, in this way:

         "Our Father who is in heaven,

         Hallowed be Your name.

10     "Your kingdom come.

         Your will be done,

         On earth as it is in heaven.

11     "Give us this day 1our daily bread.

12     "And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13     "And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

         [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.']

14 "For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 "But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

         True Righteousness in Prayer (FULFILLMENT; Matthew 5:17, 20)

         How NOT to Pray v. How TO Pray

         The "Lord's Prayer"

         Interdependent forgiveness

• God Rewards Secret Fasting

Matthew 6:16 "Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 17 "But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face 18 so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

True Righteousness in Fasting (FULFILLMENT; Matthew 5:17, 20)

            How NOT to Fast v. How TO Fast

Conclusion Concerning Christ's Reward:

True Righteousness is rewarded by God (Matthew 5:17, 20 then Matthew 6:1, 4, 6, & 18). When religion is used to serve one's self in pride or reputation, then that person's reward will be from men and not from God (Matthew 6:2, 5, 16). This theme of righteousness, reward, and treasures, is the spiritual theme for the rest of the chapter. We need not worry or be anxious when our hope and trust are in the Provider Himself (Matthew 6:25-34).

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

[1] Unless otherwise specified, all Bible references in this paper are to the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition (NASB) (La Habra: Foundation Publications, 1995).

Jesus' True Teaching of the Law

Matthew 5:21-48

Purpose: We are called to live in Jesus Christ's will for our lives!

This is Jesus the King's Exposition of the Law and God's intentions for how we live it out.

Because Jesus fulfills the Law and the Prophets (5:17), if we live believing in Jesus and His teachings, we also then fulfill God's true intent for the Law and the Prophets in our own lives (7:12). King Jesus affirms His absolute authority in fulfilling the Law and the Prophets with His consistent use of the pattern, "you have heard that it was said"¦" followed by, "but I say" for each of the issues while teaching His followers the true intent of God's will for their lives.

• Jesus Christ's Call Above Murder

Matthew 5:21 "You have heard that the ancients were told, "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER' and "Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.' 22 "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, "You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, "You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. 23 "Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. 25 "Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 "Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent."

The call above Murder is both:

- not to hate

- and to do what makes for peace

This is the true intent of Exodus 20:13 in the 10 Commandments

True v. False Worship involves your relationship with God and others

• Jesus Christ's Call Above Adultery

Matthew 5:27 "You have heard that it was said, "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY'; 28 but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 "If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 "If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell."

The call above Adultery is both:

- not to lust in the heart

- and to remove from your life the things that cause the sin

This is the true intent of Exodus 20:14 in the 10 Commandments

• Jesus Christ's Call Above Divorce

Matthew 5:31 "It was said, "WHOEVER SENDS HIS WIFE AWAY, LET HIM GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE'; 32 but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.          

The call above Divorce is to remain faithful to your covenant of marriage instituted

by God

This is the true intent of Genesis 2:24, see also Matthew 19:1-12

• Jesus Christ's Call Above Vows

Matthew 5:33 "Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, "YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.' 34 "But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING. 36 "Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 "But let your statement be, "Yes, yes' or "No, no'; anything beyond these is of evil."

The call above Vows is to be true in all speech because anything beyond this is evil

This is the true intent of Leviticus 19:12

• Jesus Christ's Call Above Vengeance

Matthew 5:38 "You have heard that it was said, "AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.' 39 "But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 "If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. 41 "Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 "Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you."

            The call above Vengeance to non-resistance & service

            This is a the true intent of Exodus 21:24

• Jesus Christ's Call above Partiality

Matthew 5:43 "You have heard that it was said, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.' 44 "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 "If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

The call above Partiality is to Love your Neighbor and your Enemy

This is the true intent of Leviticus 19:18

            Thus you are to be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect

Jesus Fulfills the Law and the Prophets

Matthew 5:1-16

Purpose: To live as God's salt and light in Jesus' fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets

• The True Heart of the Law & the Prophets

Matthew 5:1 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. 2 He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,

3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5 "Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.

6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

10 "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 "Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Jesus' Sermon on the Mount is The Message of the King (chapters 5-7)

In these beatitudes, Jesus emphasizes the kingdom of heaven (vv. 3, 10)

Jesus teaches the way of His Kingdom, how to fulfil the Law & the Prophets

Notice the emphasis on the inner, invisible, spiritual realities of God's Kingdom

• Believers are Witnesses in The Covenant of Salt

Matthew 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. 14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

Jesus' disciples are the "salt' and "light' of the world

The Covenant of Salt Fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets in Christ's People

The "covenant witnessed by salt" (2 Chron. 13:5; Lev 2:13, Num 18:19)

Glorify your Father who is in heaven, let your light shine as New Covenant People

By the sheer fact that you are unashamed Christians, you witness to the world

• Jesus Fulfills the Law and Prophets!

Matthew 5:17 "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.  18 "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished.  19 "Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and so teaches others, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  20 "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. 

The correct biblical understanding is to view all that Jesus is and does as fulfilment!

All of God's Word stands forever!

And all of God's Word is fulfilled in Jesus Christ (cf. Lk 24:44-47)

Luke 24:44 Now He said to them, "These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled."  45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,  46 and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day;  47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem."

Your righteousness must surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees (cf. Mt 5-7)

How can I possibly do that? (tune in next week for Mt 5:21-48)

For us, this is about being "in" or "out" of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ!

The New Covenant written on your hearts (Jer. 31:33; Ezek. 11:19-20; 36:26-29)

See how the passage begins with Jesus' fulfillment and ends with our need?

That is, we also fulfill the Law and the Prophets by believing in Jesus the Fulfiller

Jesus Makes Fishers of Men

Matthew 4:12-25

Purpose: To be a true disciple of Jesus, calling others to follow Him!

• Jesus the King's Inaugural Message

Matthew 4:12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee; 13 and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:

15     "THE LAND OF ZEBULUN AND THE LAND OF NAPHTALI,

         BY THE WAY OF THE SEA, BEYOND THE JORDAN, GALILEE OF THE GENTILES

16     "THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SITTING IN DARKNESS SAW A GREAT LIGHT,

         AND THOSE WHO WERE SITTING IN THE LAND AND SHADOW OF DEATH,

         UPON THEM A LIGHT DAWNED."

17   From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

            Jesus begins His ministry in Capernaum

FULFILLMENT: Isaiah 9:1-2; 60:1-3

            Jesus is the Light for the nations in Galilee of the Gentiles

"From that time Jesus began to preach and say,

"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'" (v. 17)

            This is the first and central focus of Jesus's teaching! = Repent

            The King's impartial judgment: Compare with Luke 13:1-5

Luke 13:1 Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? 3 "I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 "Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? 5 "I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."

• Jesus the King Employs His Followers

Matthew 4:18 Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 And He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 21 Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

            Peter and Andrew, James and John

            "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." (v. 19)

The first Disciples of Jesus (see ch. 10 for the call of the 12 Apostles)

• Jesus the King Who Preaches, Teaches, and Heals

Matthew 4:23 Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people. 24 The news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them. 25 Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.

            He goes to the synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom

            The ill were brought to Jesus, large crowds followed Him

            Have you heard the King's message?

            Have you learned the King's teachings?

            Have you been healed by the King?

Jesus, the True Israel

Matthew 3:13 "“ 4:11

Purpose: Jesus is the perfect expression of God's people, are you fulfilled in Jesus?

• The Inauguration and Confirmation of King Jesus

Matthew 3:13 Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. 14 But John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?" 15 But Jesus answering said to him, "Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he permitted Him. 16 After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, 17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased."

• Jesus is the Better Adam and the True Israel

Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry.

Matthew 4:3 And the tempter came and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." 4 But He answered and said, "It is written, "MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'"

Matthew 4:5 Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written,

         "HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU';

         and

         "ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP,

         SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.'"

7 Jesus said to him, "On the other hand, it is written, "YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.'"

Matthew 4:8 Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; 9 and he said to Him, "All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me." 10 Then Jesus said to him, "Go, Satan! For it is written, "YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'" 11 Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.

Jesus quotes: Deuteronomy 8:3; 6:16; 6:13; 10:20

Jesus was in the desert 40 days & nights

This parallels Israel's 40 years of wondering under Moses in the desert

            Jesus shows us the right way to depend on God, unlike Israel

            Where Adam failed, Jesus is Victorious! (cf. Genesis 3 the temptation of Adam)

            Where Israel failed, Jesus Succeeded! (cf. Exodus & Deuteronomy)

            Jesus fulfills perfectly the failed roles of both Adam and Israel

            Though Jesus was tempted, yet He is without sin (Hebrews 4:15)

Jesus knows our weakness but succeeds where all men have failed

            Because Jesus is the better Adam and True Israel, only in Jesus are we fulfilled!

Are You Prepared For the King?

Matthew 3:1-12

Purpose: To prepare the way for the King in your life.

• Repent, For the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand!

Matthew 3:1 Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 2 "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." 3 For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said,

         "THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS,

         "MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD,

         MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT!'"

            FULFILLMENT: Isaiah 40:3 carries the weight of the chapter.

            In Isaiah, the prophet is announcing the need to prepare a highway for the

return of the Jewish exiles from captivity to their homeland, Israel.

In Matthew, John is recognized as fulfilling Isaiah's message, and it is the people

themselves who must prepare their lives to be ready for God the King to be with

them, in them, baptize them, and lead them!

The Kingdom of God has arrived in Jesus the God King! It's time to turn!

• Confess Your Sins

Matthew 3:4 Now John himself had a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan; 6 and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.

• Bear Fruit in Keeping with Repentance

Matthew 3:7   But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 "Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; 9 and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, "We have Abraham for our father'; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. 10 "The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 "As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you 1with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 "His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

            Bear fruit in keeping with repentance!

            Do not suppose that you can claim father Abraham!

            The axe, that's wrath, is laid at the root. Bear fruit or be cut off!

            John baptizes with water.

Jesus, God the King, is greater! He baptizes with the Holy Spirit!