Prep (Part 1 Going Public )

God calls us be a voice to our families and to our communities. Many of us want to be that voice in our own ways. we do this by volunteering, serving, leading. Our church will always need more people to serve and lead. We have to be a church training up leaders. But we have to understand the difference between a good servant and a great servant is in the prep. In this series we are looking at how we can take our spiritual lives and leadership positions to the next level.

we look at the life of Jesus and see his ministry and hear all the time in church that we have to be like jesus, and this is true that we should strive to be like Jesus, but what we miss sometime, is to minister like Jesus, to lead like Jesus, we must prep like Jesus. Over the next 4 weeks we are going to be looking at the prep of jesus and how we need to follow it to become the great leader and servant that God has called us to be.

Today we are looking at the official starts of Jesus stepping into the ministry. But we are not looking at just Jesus, but the forerunner of Jesus. John.

#GraceSMM: To be the leader God wants me to be, I must be more concern with His kingdom then my recognition

Matthew 3:1–10 (ESV)

1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’ ” 4 Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.

I don’t need the best stuff to be the best servant.

5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

I can not let my popularity overshadow the Truth what why we are here.

John 1:19–28

19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

It is not about me. It has to be all about Christ.

24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25 They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

I have to remember why I am serving.

4 lesson John taught about being a follow of God.

Luke 3:10–18

10 And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?”

11 And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”

Be Generous

12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.”

Be Honest

14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation,

Be Trustworthy

and be content with your wages.”

Be Humble

Matthew 3:13-17

The Baptism of Jesus

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.

John was placed to introduce the Messiah.

he was OK with that and even after this even he went on to preach about repentance. We never see him wanting to get credit, or be something more then what God has called him to be. He knew it was all about the Messiah and not about him.

It is all about God not about Us

1 Corinthians 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

We can not serve God if we are serving ourselves

Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.

To be the best I must make my self the lest.

John 20:26-28 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”