John the Baptist - 1

Intro

An introduction to the life of John the Baptist…

Matthew 11:7–11 (KJV 1900)

7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. 10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

I always think: What would God say about me?

John the Baptist was a very specific man with a very specific mission from God…

3 Points to today:

The Prophecy of John

The Parents of John

The Person of John

1. The Prophecy of John

Isaiah 40:3–5 (KJV 1900)

3 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.

4 Every valley shall be exalted,

And every mountain and hill shall be made low:

And the crooked shall be made straight,

And the rough places plain:

5 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.

Malachi 3:1 (KJV 1900)

1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me:

And the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple,

Even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in:

Behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.

OT prophecies:

He will preach in the wilderness

Matthew 3:1 (KJV 1900)

1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

Luke 1:80 (KJV 1900)

80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

He will prepare the way of Messiah

Mark 1:2 (KJV 1900)

2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

John 1:15–18 (KJV 1900)

15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

His preparation will be about straightening crooked paths

Matthew 3:2 (KJV 1900)

2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Mark 1:4 (KJV 1900)

4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

Luke 3:3 (KJV 1900)

3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;

What must come before a relationship with Jesus? Repentance of sins…

There is an intertestimental period in which the people had not received a prophetic word from God for about 400 years from Malachi 3 to Luke 1…

NT prophecies:

Luke 1:13–17 (KJV 1900)

13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

His name will be John (13) “…thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.”

He will bring joy, gladness and rejoicing (14)

He will be great for God (15)

He will drink nothing fermented (15)

He will be filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother’s womb (15)

“Many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.” (16)

He will prepare the people for the Messiah (16)

He will go in the spirit and power of Elijah (16)

1. The Prophecy of John

2. The Parents of John

Luke 1:5–11 (KJV 1900)

5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. 8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course, 9 According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. 11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

a.) Zacharias was a priest and Elisabeth was a barren old woman

b.) They were righteous (they lived right)

How?

They walked in the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless

Blameless: innocent or guiltless

c.) They had no children because of Elisabeth’s barren womb

d.) God spoke to them through Gabriel the angel while he was serving the Lord

Remember:

Moses and David were caring for sheep when God spoke to them

Gideon was threshing wheat

Peter and his partners were mending nets

Quote: “It is difficult to steer a car when the engine is not running.”

Quote: “When we get busy, God starts to direct us.”

Zacharias’ prophesying:

a.) Zacharias did not believe at first

Luke 1:18–20 (KJV 1900)

18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. 19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. 20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

b.) Zacharias prophesied of John the Baptist

Luke 1:63–80 (KJV 1900)

63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. 64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God. 65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea. 66 And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him. 67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,

68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel;

For he hath visited and redeemed his people,

69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us

In the house of his servant David;

70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets,

Which have been since the world began:

71 That we should be saved from our enemies,

And from the hand of all that hate us;

72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers,

And to remember his holy covenant;

73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,

74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies

Might serve him without fear,

75 In holiness and righteousness before him,

All the days of our life.

76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest:

For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord

To prepare his ways;

77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people

By the remission of their sins,

78 Through the tender mercy of our God;

Whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,

To guide our feet into the way of peace.

80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

1. The Prophecy of John

2. The Parents of John

3. The Person of John

The Holy Spirit prophesied through Zacharias that Jesus hath visited and redeemed His people

And hath raised up an horn of salvation for them

And He hath kept His covenant with them

And He delivered them out of the hand of their enemies so they can:

serve Him without fear

In holiness and righteousness

All the days of our life

He went on to prophecy:

John would be called “Prophet of the Highest”

Because His mission was to go before Jesus to “prepare His ways”

To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins…