Messengers From John, Part 2
Notes
Transcript
What Drew the people?
What Drew the people?
v.24b -What did you go to see? Jesus is asking what drew you?
A reed, something that moves and bends, something that doesn’t stand strong. Soft clothing, someone is from a king’s court, someone who doesn’t know how to stand out and be a man.
When John came preaching, it wasn’t with words and idea’s that change, that have no grounding. He wasn’t a softy who has no idea what the world is like and has no insight. When John preached, it was the the powerful word of God.
The things that draw us will be things that speak to our heart, our hearts need to be changed by God so we are drawn towards the things of God.
They came out, drawn to the truth that he was preaching!
What draws you?
What draws you?
What draws you out? Why do you choose one church over another, music, nice people.
I wan’t to be drawn as the people were, to the truth.
3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,
4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
The people came to John, not because he had clever anecdotes, not because he never made them feel bad. But because he was passionately preaching the truth.
Do you have a hunger for the truth?
The New Covenant
The New Covenant
v.27-28
John wasn’t just any prophet, but the prophet who would usher in the new kingdom.
5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.
6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”
14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.
This is why John is a prophet put on the same plane as Moses, Isaiah, Elijah, Elisha, Jeremiah, Ezekiel.
John is the prophet who is coming to announce the coming of the messiah. He is the prophet that has the final announcement of the arrival of the king.
Even the least in the kingdom is greater than he.
John was still born on the other side of the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ.
Do you realize how blessed we are to live in the time that we do. We can have the Holy Spirit working in us. None of them had that!!
This is the Gospel!! Our sins are no longer covered by the blood of bulls, they are washed away by the blood of Jesus. We no longer live under the law in order to be righteous. We live under grace and our righteousness is found in Jesus.
Some Will Reject the Truth
Some Will Reject the Truth
v.31-33
The picture is a kid who is to cool for school. Nothing appeases them.
Jesus gives an example in v.32, The children tried a joyous song, and they wouldn’t join in. So they tried a mournful song, and they wouldn’t join in.
No matter what they wanted to abstain.
John lived a life of repentance, preached repentance and didn’t seek any pleasure of this life.
They made excuses.
Jesus lived a life of joy. It was a time when the messiah was here, a time to sing, dance, rejoice.
They said he was a drunk and a friend of sinners.
I have met Christians who are like this. They make excuses to one extreme or the other, never happy. People are either too cavalier with their faith or aren’t strict enough.
They want to feel special, so no one else is right.
Wisdom is justified by her children.
Wisdom is justified by her children.
You will see if it is wisdom by the outcome.
“Think it’s a good idea?” “Guess we’ll find out in a minute.”
The people who declare God just, who submitted to repentance were the wise ones. The ones who the wisdom of repentance is being demonstrated in their lives.
The pharisees did not repent but believed that they were righteous enough not to have to be baptised. Their lack of wisdom is being shown and Jesus rebukes them for their lack of wisdom.
21 The shepherds of my people have lost their senses. They no longer seek wisdom from the Lord. Therefore, they fail completely, and their flocks are scattered.
This all comes down to accepting Jesus as the messiah. John was shown to be the forerunner for the messiah. The wise choice that has been revealed through the ages is to repent from sin and believe in Him. The foolish choice is to ignore all of the evidence in front of you and reject Him. Just as wise choices are shown by their outcome so was Jesus justified by the outcome of His life.
Through Jesus we see the ultimate justification. Jesus died on the cross, however the outcome of it was Jesus raising from the dead, God showed that the ministry of Jesus was true and those that trust in Him won’t be put to shame through the proof found in the evidence of the resurrection.
What draws you? What do you desire? I pray that it is a new life and a relationship with Jesus.