Worshp Call 0632 John's last testimony

John the Baptist had one mission from God. It was to announce the coming of the King.

“REPENT FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND.”

John 1:23 (NASB95) — 23 He said, “I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”

The message of Christ is so important. It is the message that directs our attention off of the messenger and sets our attention on the Glory which belongs to God.

Satan, however, prowls around like a roaring lion seek all he can devour. Attack the messenger, John the baptist and every messenger who preachers the name of the Lord and bring them down, discredit them, then you also damage those who have trusted the message. One of the great schemes of the devil is to get People’s focus on the Messenger over the message, and to get the messengers eyes off God and the mission and put them on self and one’s own glory.

Satan sought to kill the message of John the Baptist early on in His ministry.

And not taking the bait would make John the greatest born of woman.

This is another fine day in the Lord.

There were two assemblies. That of John the Baptist which at one point prior to Jesus coming upon the scene was getting much attention. It was growing in number and in enthusiasm.

then comes the Logos, the word, which is our Lord Jesus Christ. and wouldn’t you suspect if John was doing his Job that one should leave his teacher and follow the word. this was what some were doing while others rather than venturing to follow John joined the under the discipleship of Jesus.

and then others would bring up the question of if there is purification then what is this baptism all about.

John 3:22–26 (NASB95) — 22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was spending time with them and baptizing. 23 John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and people were coming and were being baptized— 24 for John had not yet been thrown into prison. 25 Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about purification.

Dissension began to stir in the ranks of John. Questions were coming up, I’m sure instigated by outside influences. Questions that left a growing doubt in people.

“Oh great you were baptized, I’m happy for you. But what about your purification per the Law?”

Leviticus 14:8–9 (NASB95) — 8 “The one to be cleansed shall then wash his clothes and shave off all his hair and bathe in water and be clean. Now afterward, he may enter the camp, but he shall stay outside his tent for seven days. 9 “It will be on the seventh day that he shall shave off all his hair: he shall shave his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair. He shall then wash his clothes and bathe his body in water and be clean.

Baptism cleansed the conscience, but the religion was already at work laying the burden of the law on people that anchored them down in their conscience rather than the message of the kingdom setting them free.

Maybe people were beginning to seek after a little bit more than baptism, and felt that there was need to be purified per Jewish law. Skeptical family and friends were bringing up the point of purification which left them without answers and they wanted more than what John was offering and began to debate whether or not to go through a process of purification.

The feud between the following the Law and the way would go on long after John death and even Jesus’ death and Resurrection and ascension as the Judizers would seek to lay stumbling blocks before people’s faith in the Savior and Messiah.

point of Doctrine:

1. theological positions continue to this day drives a wedge in the salvation message of Christ and unity in the church.

Titus 3:8–9 (NASB95) — 8 This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. 9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.

John 3:26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him.”

This is so typical of Ministry, when the man becomes the focus of the ministry over and above the message. John was probably some what dynamic. His preaching brought conviction. People were being baptised and discipled. They had things going on and John was the lead guy.

But then when the people started to hear that there was competition to John’s ministry they were growing concerned. Maybe even Jealous. There were maybe some that were leaving John’s ministry along with Andrew and the brother of James. For me it is little doubt that the Pharisees and and Scribes those from Jerusalem, were planting dissension among the ranks with both the idea of purification and the news that another group was springing up

The people became disturbed by this and approached John.

Nothing is recorded that Jesus was baptising any himself, but his disciples were.

John 4:1–2 (NASB95) — 1 Therefore when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2 (although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were),

John 3:27 (NASB95) — 27 John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.

God provides the needs for ministry.

1 Corinthians 4:7 (NASB95) — 7 For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

Hebrews 5:4 (NASB95) — 4 And no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was.

This is one thing that this Pastor had to come to realize concerning his own ministry and as He had to council others in regard to empty seats in the church. The ministry is God’s ministry. He is the head shepherd. He assigns sheep to whatever flock he deems necessary and for what ever reason. there is no reason for a faithful pastor to look over the fence and ask himself what he is doing wrong when he shepherds a few and the church down the road is shepherding a thousand, especially if the pastor is a faithful expositor of the word as unto the Lord.

There is no need for gimmicks or seeking ways to get people into there church but to teach faithfully God’s word.

John’s concern was not popularity or the number of his own. He had no ego to have to assuage. those that came to him were sent by God receiving the message of the Christ. the very one whom they needed to go follow. the Last thing John wanted to do was to fence in his sheep and put his own brand on them.

Nothing new under the sun.

James 1:17 (NASB95) — 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

Again the Ego is a tricky thing. one wrong step or word then John’s own credibility would be in Jeopardy. John understood that ministry was to point to Jesus. the religious leaders of John’s day and many in our day lose sight of what they are in the pulpit for and seek to rob Jesus of the glory.

Point of Doctrine:

1. the pulpit stands to bring glory to God and His son Jesus Christ

a. the pulpit is not for one’s own self aggrandizement

2. if the congregation knows more details about the pastor and his family than they do of God and Jesus Something is wrong.

I believe this is why we have denominations dubbed with Names of those Preachers of the past

Lutherans

Calvinist

and other dynamic leaders where the congregation would elevate the dynamics of the gifted and dynamic pastor over the message.

what was the argument that sprang up in the Corinthian Church?

1 Corinthians 1:12–13 (NASB95) — 12 Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” 13 Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

John continues

John 3:28 (NASB95) — 28 “You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’

The Pastor’s aim is to help the congregation to see past himself, and connects with the message. After all Jesus is the Logos, the Message. The message of the pastor should be recieved as if it was the holy spirit doing the teaching and the congregation leaving exclaiming

What a great God, we have.

In Humility John knew his place.

In Humility John knew his mission.

it is that humility that made John a great man.

Luke 7:28 (NASB95) — 28 “I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John;

John’s role is the herald. the King does not come and announce himself. The Herald would run a head of the procession crying out, “Make way for the King.” He would run from town to town.

And that is what John did and was not deterred in Announcing the Christ. In doing so, Satan loses this battle.

John 3:29 (NASB95) — 29 “He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full.

We spent much time speaking about the wedding.

It is the the friend of the bridegroom, whose very ambition is to do the pleasure of his best friend. the Friend was only a participant but not the focus of the marriage. He made all the arrangement. He made his number one goal to bring honor. the pleasure of the Bridegroom brought Him pleasure.

when the marriage was consummated it was the friend who made the announcement at the celebration.

As a growing Christian I have come to love the Lord more and more.

My growing ambition is to please the Lord.

God’s good pleasure is for his own to love him. when others turn to the Lord and build that relationship i am not happy for them I am happy for the Lord whom I Love for it is to his Good pleasure.