The Strangest Preacher Ever

SBS: Nice to see you here bright and early, those of you that remembered to change your clocks. My father used to think that daylight savings time was a tool of the devil and there are times when I think that he might be right.

INTRO: When you saw the title you may have thought that this was an autobiographical sermon, but it is not. When we read about John we cannot help but ask what is going on here. He dresses strangely, eats food that would make it on a reality show, and yet is called by Jesus in Matthew 11:11 the greatest man who has ever lived. Why is it that? What did John do that was so great and what can we learn from him for our own lives?

Note that Matthew skips about thirty years in the life of Jesus.

John was faithful to the call of God. Every person here should follow the call of God in their life.

WE MUST KNOW

Standard Outline (headings and body text)WHO WE ARE CALLED TO BE. vv.1-4

We know who we are by our actions. v. 1 “preaching in the wilderness”

We know who we are by our desires. v. 4 “dress and diet” WHAT DO YOU LOVE TO DO? JB MUST HAVE BEEN EASY TO PLEASE AS A KID. NO HAPPY MEALS, JUST A HANDFUL OF GRASSHOPPERS AND A NEW CAMEL HAIR COAT. WE GO AND STAND IN FRONT OF THE ICE BOX LIKE IF WE STAND THERE LONG ENOUGH SOMETHING WILL MATERIALIZE.

WHAT WE ARE CALLED TO DO. vv. 5-6

God has called us to repent see v. 2, the assumption is that those who were baptized had repented. This word is used 3x in Mt, 2 in Mk, 9 in L, 1 in 2Cor, and 12 in Rev.

God has called us to confess. v. 6- to confess is to say the same thing about sin that God says about it. We often want to say that about other people’s sin, but not about our own.

God has called us to bear fruit with our repentance.

WHY WE ARE CALLED TO DO IT. vv. 7-12

We ace called to our jobs because some need rebuke. v.7

First mention of this group

They showed no signs of repentance v. 8

They showed signs of pride because of who they were. v. 9 ROCK ON

We are called to our jobs because some need reminding. v. 11-12 John says that he was not worthy of the lowest of the low jobs. GREATEST COMPLEMENT IS FOR SOMEONE TO MISTAKE YOU FOR THE JANITOR

John started his ministry in a strange way because he was called by God to do some strange things. He did not dance and prance in the limelight, but did what he was called to do-show forth the light of Jesus Christ. Make ready the way of the Lord. He did not make his own way, did not care about his own fame and fortune but only that of the one whom he had been called to proclaim.

Copernicus was a great mathematician. His studies and calculations revolutionized the thinking of mankind about the universe. When he lay dying, The Revolution of the Heavenly Body was placed in his hands. It had just been printed. At death’s door, he saw himself, not as a great scholar, or astronomer, but only as a sinner in need of the Saviour.

On the tombstone at his grave at Frauenberg are carved the following words which he chose for his epitaph: “I do not seek kindness equal to that given to Paul. Nor do I ask the grace granted to Peter. But that forgiveness that you granted to the dying thief—that, earnestly I crave!

John Newton in the movie Amazing Grace: I know two things-That I am a great sinner and that Christ is a great Saviour. If all that we do with our lives is to proclaim that, we have done well.