The Engine That Drives Behavior | Matthew 3:5–12

Rock Harbor Church

In this sermon entitled "The Engine That Drives Behavior," Pastor Brandon unpacks the bold message of John the Baptist in Matthew 3:5–12, calling the nation of Israel to genuine repentance. But repentance wasn't just about sorrow or surface-level change—it was a radical call to change their thinking about the deeply ingrained teachings of Rabbinic Judaism. John confronts the false assumptions that had taken root: - That being Jewish guaranteed entrance into the Kingdom. - That the Messiah would affirm their traditions. - That external law-keeping was enough for righteousness. - That salvation could be earned or inherited by Israel through "the merits of the fathers." - That Gentiles had to convert to Judaism and keep the Noahic laws to be saved. - That there were multiple ways to be spiritually reborn and none of them included how Jesus explained it. John's call to repentance challenged Israel to abandon these theological distortions from the rabbis and recognize their need for Messiah—the Lamb of God. This repentance was not theoretical. In Luke 3:10–14, John outlines what true repentance looks like: justice, integrity, generosity, and contentment—right belief producing right behavior. True change doesn't start with action—it starts with conviction, with the truth renewing the mind. This message explores how belief (change of one's mind in relationship to truth) is the engine that drives godly behavior, and how embracing God's truth transforms not just what we believe—but how we live. 👉 Don't miss this call to personal change. Right theology isn't optional—it's the catalyst for a transformed life.