Man Called John
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Good morning ——- Turn to John 1 As we continue our study of the book of John
This morning we are going to look at a man called of God for a certain purpose. This mans very existence was a miracle granted by God. IF you dont know already we are looking at John the Baptist.
Background
At Christmas time we studied about the virgin birth of Jesus. We also looked at how John came to be and man his conception story was amazing. How Zechariah and Elizabeth were as Luke 1:7 say of old age.
But they had no children because Elizabeth could not conceive, and both of them were well along in years.
Couldn't conceive —- God had a plan
It wasn't there fault either- they were righteous
Both were righteous in God’s sight, living without blame according to all the commands and requirements of the Lord.
Gods plan was John and he had a mission
For he will be great in the sight of the Lord and will never drink wine or beer. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb.
And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to make ready for the Lord a prepared people.”
John was to go before the Messiah
And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise, I will come and strike the land with a curse.”
John fulfilled this prophecy at the end of the old testament
#1 John was a MAN sent of God—- just a man
John was a human like me and you he wasn't a angel or had no divinity Just a called Human. But we know John was quite a human. He was different than most. He wasn't like the religious of the Day, Look at me mindset, John was humble and pointed to the coming Messiah not himself. He didn't roll around in a Porsche of have million of dollars. If anything John looked and smelled like a homeless person. But there is no doubt he was called of God.
John was a Lamp— he lived out the scripture in Matthew
“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Example of a lamp——- Jesus is the bulb
John came to bare witness of the Light That all might believe and have faith
(John testified concerning him and exclaimed, “This was the one of whom I said, ‘The one coming after me ranks ahead of me, because he existed before me.’ ”)
He knew his place and his call, ___———-one coming after me
John never puffed himself up
Question Do you know who you are in Christ? in God production of life
Sometimes we place our lives, families, jobs above God thinking we are more important but John know He had a roll to play in Gods production.
You are called period
This was John’s testimony when the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?” He didn’t deny it but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” “What then?” they asked him. “Are you Elijah?” “I am not,” he said. “Are you the Prophet?” “No,” he answered. “Who are you, then?” they asked. “We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What can you tell us about yourself?” He said, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord—just as Isaiah the prophet said.”
Who are you? these guys were worried about not getting the attention the like.
John says I'm not the messiah or Elijah or a prophet—— i am one called to be a voice of one verse 23
A voice of one crying out: Prepare the way of the Lord in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert.
Make straight the way of the Lord
The imagery was taken from the days when there were no paved roads only paths through fields. If a king were to travel the road must be built and smoothed out so that the royal chariots might not find traveling rough A special road had to be leveled for the king to travel more easily.
That what John was doing Paving the road level for the hearts of men.
John chose the metaphor for the wilderness a place that is desolate and alone
One crying in the wilderness—- where the lost and destitute are
What metaphor would John use to describe you heart
Wilderness—- Fallowed field—— meadow—- or and eden
The highway to heaven if paved with prepared hearts, that are fertile with the gospel. Isaiah makes it clear that the rough terrain in our hearts need to be smoothed before the Lord can come near.
How's your hear?
Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. So they asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you aren’t the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?” “I baptize with water,” John answered them. “Someone stands among you, but you don’t know him. He is the one coming after me, whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to untie.”
the World and religious have lost of questions be cause they don't know Him—— but you don't know Him
Or IN him that the issue they may want a messiah but they don't believe in Him.
A lot in our churches say they believe in Jesus but deep down they don't know or in Him
Here we also he more of Johns humility Ones coming wholes sandals strap I'm not worthy to untie.
I didn’t know him, but I came baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.”
I didn’t know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The one you see the Spirit descending and resting on—he is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
I didn't know him BUT John believed in him and knew he was coming
That's the difference in living a life for God and a selfish self centered life
One leads to life eternal and the other it doesn't
who here has kids or grand kids Look at me is how your living or leading your house pointing to Jesus or not. Do you want it on your books that that child might spend eternity in hell because living for Jesus was boring or we were just to tired. John chose to live the called life God had for him.
He was in the world, and the world was created through him, and yet the world did not recognize him.
The world did not recognize him. Only his recognize him and his call
Many will say Lord Lord — that shouldn't be us
Do we believe in Him
DO we put God 1st in our Life, homes, Jobs, finances, if you don't want to be around Christians or come to church or share your faith i would examine your heart. Even if people have thought you were saved but you know deep down your not, its not to late.
John put God 1st in his life— he should be an example for us
#1 John was just a man— human like me and you
God uses regular men and woman to change the world
#2 John pointed to Jesus not himself
The religious dont get this I did this I did that
Lastly John was a man pursuing God and God will for his life
Do we sound like John. If not let us Pray for a gumption like John to see what our call id before its to late.
