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Here’s a recent scenario in our house.
“Mooooooooom, he’s not being niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice.”
“Son, tell your sister you are sorry.”
“Sorry” {stated flippantly}
Five minutes pass and again the same scenario repeats…why? Because the apology was not sincere.
2 Corinthians 7:10 says
”Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but wordly sorrow brings death.”
We see it on news programs. Famous men and women – actors, singers, politicians, - are interviewed once they’ve been caught in some form of immorality. To help their image, they admit their mistakes, say that they are seeing a counselor for help (or have admitted themselves to rehab) and give a formal public apology. The world applauds.
But this wordly sorrow that comes from getting caught and a desire to clear their reputation leads to death. Godly sorrow brings repentance and leads to salvation and life.
In today’s reading, John gives the crowds applicable ways they can display their fruit of repentance in daily life.
Luke 3:10-14
10 “What should we do then?” the crowd asked.
11 John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”
12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”
13 “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.
14 Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”
He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”
At first glance, it’s hard to see how giving a shirt or food would be fruit of repentance. But in our human natures – we are all selfish. When we follow God’s two greatest commands (love God and love your neighbor) we see that giving to our neighbor is evidence that we are a child of God.
The tax collector asks what he should do and John tells him to not be greedy – which is something all unregenerate tax collectors were. Then the soldier asks and John tells him to have integrity and be content. Again – this was evidence that they were followers of God. When the tax collector and soldiers start living out what John has told them to do – others will notice these men have been changed by their encounter with Jesus.
Rarely do we talk of repentance in our modern culture. It’s not something that we blurt out to friends and family but they should see by the way we live we have repented of our sin. Others should note that our lives have been changed by our encounter with Jesus.
The gospel of Luke comes to a conclusion in chapter 24. Jesus says in this final chapter,
46 “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”
This is the gospel.
**Chime In: How can others see fruit of repentance in your life? Please share your testimony of repentance in the comment section – we’d love to hear and be encouraged.
Walk with the King,
, 
