Sermon Tone Analysis

this John’s final message.

Last words.

Words from a great teacher such as John, which will eventually go by the way of men, will want to leave with his finally words final message that will be lasting.

Just as Jesus’ was when he delivered to his disciples the great commission.

this may have not been that last message of John prior to His arrest but it is the last recorded here by the gospel writer and holds the message of life and death not only to those who were John’s disciples but to each one of us as well.

John 3:30 (NASB95) — 30 “He must increase, but I must decrease.

The present active indicative which is emphatic and must be in the continual process of moving out of the lime light and for the people to take to the message.

John would end with getting arrested and thrown into prison for what?

For speaking of the sin of Herod who had taken to his Sister in Law.

What concern was that of John the Baptist?

Did he run out of things to teach on than the sins of the king or was it just way to move himself or God moving him, out of the picture for the benefit of those who were loyal to him and would not follow Jesus.

If this was John’s plan, then John may have been making the message that he would rather die than for people to follow him and distract from Jesus.

Maybe John actually gave up his own life that others might be saved.

Not through substitutionary atonement, but to take himself out from being a distraction.

John 3:34 (NASB95) — 34 “For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.

John was filled with the spirit from birth.

It was the spirit who spoke to John’s Father

Luke 1:13–15 (NASB95) — 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John.

14 “You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.

15 “For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb.

In the Old Testament, there were those few that recieved a temporary indwelling of the spirit for special purposes.

the Prophets received the gift of the holy Spirit.

the builders of the furniture of the tabernacle was filled with the holy spirit but that filling was removed when the mission was complete.

John’s filling from birth remained from birth.

there was no one greater than John for no one had the gift of the Holy spirit as John did.

When Jesus commented on John being the greatest among woman it was not accolades for John and his humbleness but what was given to John which was the spirit.

It is through that spirit, indwelling John that testifies about the light and that light is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 11:1–19 (NASB95) — 1 When Jesus had finished giving instructions to His twelve disciples, He departed from there to teach and preach in their cities. 2 Now when John, while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” 4 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

6 “And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.” 7 As these men were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see?

A reed shaken by the wind? 8 “But what did you go out to see?

A man dressed in soft clothing?

Those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ palaces! 9 “But what did you go out to see?

A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet.

10 “This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You, Who will prepare Your way before You.’ 11 “Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist!

Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

12 “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.

13 “For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John.

14 “And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come.

15 “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

16 “But to what shall I compare this generation?

It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, 17 and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

18 “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ 19 “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’

Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”

Folks, people are delivered by the power of the message.

they are saved by the message that points to Christ.

they are saved by the message who is Christ.

Salvation is not found in a program.

It is not found in Church attendance, carry your bibles, going through a self improvement program or get your life straight, not in baptism or any other means but by the hearing of the Gospel and responding to it rightly that Jesus Christ is the means of salvation for life.

there is no other.

By message of Jesus and through the power of the spiritual that it does for me by bringing life within me which formally was no living.

Salvation is a spiritual matter and it is John that directs the attention through the message to the only one who has the power of salvation.

John 3:35 (NASB95) — 35 “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.

The Father is the God of universal kingdom.

there is not a single solitary molecule or atom that is not under God’s universal rule.

And while Angel and man may for a time rebel against it, it is not one tiny decision is made that threatens the throne of God.

Just ask Pharaoh who defiantly Speaks to Moses and Aaron

Exodus 5:2 (NASB95) — 2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go?

I do not know the Lord, and besides, I will not let Israel go.”

Just ask the Great rebellious Satan why he has to come to the Lord to ask permission to attack Job and to sift the Apostles like wheat.

It is the God of all who gives the authority over the dominion to His son, the Son of Man, Jesus in His Hypo static union.

to rule on the throne of Adam and King David.

Matthew 11:27 (NASB95) — 27 “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

All things means that this Jesus will be given absolute authority over not just some things, not just the Church, not just certain areas of the world but All Things means even the very soul of the believer.

Every molecule such as those that make up water that Jesus spoke and the were changed to those of wine.

It is the rulership over the Storms that engulfed the ships that was taking him and his disciples across the Galilee when Jesus commanded the waves to hush and quieted the storm.

It was the demonstration of his authority that called Lazarus out of the tomb having been their for four days and coming out wrapped up in his death close.

It was by his authority that Jesus has command over the demons.

And best yet, it is by his authority that Jesus is given to forgive sins.

It is by his authority and his power that that which was previously dead in us is now made alive that we might be together with Him forever.

It is by His authority that those who did not obey, who did not believe are cast into the lake of fire.

It is who will Judge from great white throne that the most starches offender of His grace will have to come to give an account.

It is he who will sit on the Judgement Seat to evaluate the believers.

It is by his authority that we are blessed and by his authority that the wicked will be cast out.

We are loved more than anyone could love us by the one who has the authority over all things.

He has the power and the authority to do more than we could ever ask or think.

We being those whom Jesus Loves.

Luke 10:22–24 (NASB95) — 22 “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” 23 Turning to the disciples, He said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see, 24 for I say to you, that many prophets and kings wished to see the things which you see, and did not see them, and to hear the things which you hear, and did not hear them.”

John 3:31–32 (NASB95) — 31 “He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth.

He who comes from heaven is above all.

32 “What He has seen and heard, of that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony.

John is of the earth.

He was born in the earth.

John’s testimony is limited to that which he himself his privy to.

But you know, this is the same with us.

that is those who carry the message of the gospel to others.

The unbeliever is not privy to the greater testimony until he first receives the gospel of Christ and responds rightly to it.

1 Corinthians 2:14 Paul tells us that the soulish man cannot understand the things of God.

It requires a greater witness, that is the Holy Spirit who is from God.

The unbeliever only has the grace working of the spirit to open the eyes of his dead heart to the truth of the gospel.

It is not until we respond in faith to that message that we have an ear to hear the on going message.

The greater witness himself is Christ.

The Son of God, the one sent of God the one who can testify of heavenly things.

the one who in the beginning was who created the heavens and the earth.

For the people to cling to John’s ministry, would constitute failure to respond to the message that John presented about Christ.

His was to direct His attention off of himself and onto the messiah.

the writer of the Gospel identifies the Jesus as the message and he also includes that John the baptist is not.

John 1:1–10 (NASB95) — 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him.