Lift Jesus Higher!

I. John was a man of God!

“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.” (John 1:6)

“he will be great before the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.” (Luke 1:15)

“And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit...” (Luke 1:41)

II. John’s ministry was from God!

“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.” (John 1:6-8)

King James Version (Chapter 40)

“The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD,Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted,And gevery mountain and hill shall be made low:And the crooked shall be made straight,And the rough places plain: And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,And all flesh shall see it together:For the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.” (Isaish 40:3-5)

Now i need to stop here becasue this is so relevant to todays church. You see we have today what we woud consider men and women of God!

We also have today what we know is ministries from God!

Within this frameork of people and ministries there are what you would refer to as leaders and followers.

III. John had a following that was looking for God!

There are always groups and within groups there are often leaders and followers.

A good leader will always point people to Jesus. His Person an His purpose!

He came to prepare the way of the Lord! He never came to prepare His own way. He never came to prepare the way of a certain denomination! He came to preapre the way of the Lord!

You see there needed to be a transition!

IV. There needed to be a transition!

How is this relevant to today’s church? There still needs to be a transition in some cases.

The church is meant to be like John!

Give God the glory!

This is first a personal thing.

John himself had to be willing to let go!

Did he have to say what he said to Herod?

“John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of Herodias, his brother’s wife...” (John 3:19)

In letting go it became a corporate thing! He had to point them to Jesus!

This is secondly a corporate thing.

John’s followers had to accept this transition!

King James Version (Chapter 3)

“And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not; John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:” (Luke 3:15-16)

V. The duty of everyone who would claim themselves to be spiritual is to point everyone to Jesus!

Just a voice crying in the wilderness.

Behold the lamb of God who taks away the sins of the world!

Prepare ye the way of the Lord!