Meet John the Baptist
Matthew chapter 3:1-3:12
Introduction-
We are in the third week of Advent. Traditionally, a look at joy.
Could their be anymore joy to a believer than the preparation of Jesus coming? Christmas!
• Betty read- “But be glad and rejoice forever”- that is joy!
•George read- “If we live by the Spirit, let us be guided by the Spirit”
!that is a joyful thought because we realize it is not all about us and what we can do.
Let’s meet the guy God called to alert the Israelites of their soon coming King.
Matthew 3:1-3:12
•What about this guy?
•What if this guy stood on your corner?
•Would you give him the time of day?
“The voice of one calling in the desert- prepare the way of the Lord”
•We would think this guy has issues.
Matthew 1-
Genealogy of Jesus
Birth of Jesus Christ
What the angels announced
Matthew 2-
Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus escape from Egypt. King Herod dies and Mary and Joseph and the baby return to Nazareth.
Matthew 3-
This crazy looking, weird acting man is yelling through Jerusalem about a now 30 year old Jesus saying “repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is near”
!There is 400 years between the writings of the Old Testament and the New Testament.
(Silent years)
Isaiah 40:3-
“A voice of one calling in the desert prepare the way for the Lord. Make straight in the wilderness a highway for the Lord.”
•Now all these years later, here is this voice telling the Israelites and us to prepare for the coming King.
•They compared the look and words of John the Baptist to Elijah the prophet.
According to 2 Kings 1:8
•Elijah wore camels hair clothes and a leather belt around his waist.
Melachi 4:5- God was sending Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord.
They thought John could of been a resurrected Elijah coming to pronounce judgement on them.
!To us John was a nutcase with weird eating habits.
Come on! Locust and wild honey. Really! Would you eat that?
•That is almost as bad as rice cakes.
•I hear the word cakes and I think that should taste good. But it is like eating insulation.
!I’m from the old school. I still think moron is a pre-existing condition.
!It’s like you people that talk through your dogs. You know who you are...you know what I am talking about. Your hugging and loving on your dog, saying, “Your daddy is a moron- yes he is, yes he is.
!We think John the Baptist was weird, but the people of Jerusalem didn’t.
!Some thought he was a resurrected prophet
a wise man,
a man sent from God to deliver a message that needed to be heard.
“Repent for the kingdom of God is near.”
!This Jesus is HE WHO WAS SPOKEN OF THROUGH THE PROPHET ISAIAH.
!I (John) baptize you with water for repentance, but after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
•Slaves carry sandals, clean travers feet.
•John is saying, I am talking about, the one that I am a forerunner for.
I must decrease and He(Christ) must increase.
!He goes after the Pharisees and Sadducees. He says you brood of vipers:
who warned you the gig was up?(paraphrased v7)
who warned you that just because you were a descendant of Abraham, that that was not enough!
Who warned you that a life changed should bear fruit in keeping with repentance?
Who told you that the ax is ready to fall on the trees that do not bear fruit.
I baptize with water, there comes one who baptizes you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
!John came not with opinion of his own, but with a message from God. For a long time before he spoke to the world, he kept company with God.
!John pointed beyond himself. Not only a light to shine on all that was evil, a voice to the rebellious, he was also a light to God.
It was not himself whom he wished people to see, he wished to prepare them for the one who was to come.
! To tell Israelites that Abraham was not enough was a incredible statement.
•They believed Abraham stood at the gate of hell and redirected any Israelites who might by chance went in wrong direction.
• It is that spirit that John the Baptist is rebuking.
•The spirit of I’m okay- by religion, by heritage, by what church you attend or family attended.
! JOHN MESSAGE IS A THREAT AND A PROMISE.
!The threat is if you think like the Pharisees and Sadducees. Those vipers of religion. YOU HAVE MISSED IT.
“His fan is in his hand, and he will throughly cleanse his threshing floor, and he will gather the corn into his storehouse, bu the will burn the chaff with a fire that no man can quench. (V12)
!Here is the promise- lets go there for a minute.
He says that Jesus will baptize you with “Holy Spirit and fire”
!Remember - John points people away from himself and toward God.
!All through history, the Jews looked for a time when the Spirit would come.
!Instead of just falling on a person for an appointed time, they looked forward when the Spirit of God would dwell with the believers.
!God said to Ezekiel 36;26-27)
“A new heart I will give you, and a new Spirit I will put within you, I will put my Spirit within you, and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances.”
“I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live.” Ezekiel 37:14
“For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on dry ground, I will pour my Spirit upon your descendants and my blessing on your offspring.”
!John was a Jew, he was speaking to Jews. He was bringing them Jewish doctrine.
!Grab this- according to God’s word.
We are grafted in,
we are joint heirs with Christ.
We are adopted into the family of God.
1. The Greek word for Spirit is Ruach, but Rauch has dual meanings.
It means spirit, and it means breath.
Breath is life. God gives us a promise of life.
The spirit of God breaths life into us.
2. Rauch means wind-
wind means power.
The Spirit of God is the Spirit of power.
•That same Spirit brought God’s truth to men and women.
Johns saying prepare the way in your heart for the Spirit of truth to minister to your spirit.
John says Jesus will bring the Baptism with fire.
3 things- baptism with fire.
1. Illumination- he can send light to the darkest corner of our past, present, and future.
2. Warmth- when Jesus comes in, he kindles our hearts with the love of God.
3. Purification- He burns the junk and leaves the truth.
!Preparation for Christ- PEOPLE HAVE TO ACCEPT HIM OR REJECT HIM.
!They are confronted with a choice.
!John Bunyan “Wilt thou leave thy sins and go to heaven, or wilt thou have thy sins and go to hell.”
John words are clear!
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.
Closing;
Ask the question again-
Are you ready for Christmas?
•Not talking about decorations
•Not talking about presents.
•Not talking about Christmas cards.
I am talking about are you spiritually ready.
1 John 1:9-
“If we confess our sins he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
•God way of forgiveness hinges on us confessing our wrongs.
•Repenting that is talked about is more than saying sorry.
That is the first step. (Sorry)
The second is turning away from it.
180decrees. Going in the opposite direction.
Luke 15;7- I tell you that in the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous who need no repentance.
Confession is the first step.
Repentance - shows by action that we are truly sorry.
Are you ready to meet the savior of Christmas up close and in an intimate way.
Poem
The man of oaths, the man of strives, the man who drinks and beats his wife. Preach about the other man preacher- the one that is not here.
30 silent years between baby Jesus and the Jesus who now John the Baptist is forerunner for.
Ever wonder what happened in those silent years?
1. Jesus grew up to mankind. In a good home with people that loved Him. No greater start to life.
2. Jesus fulfilled the duties of eldest son- Joseph his earthly father had died.
3. Jesus worked hard so He might know what life was like. That he would understand. That he might be able to help.
4. Jesus was preparing the lesser task before the greater task was given to Him.
•Faithful in little so that He might be master of much!
By telling us to prepare.
!He is saying this same Jesus is coming- so we must make sure we are ready.
!Don’t get Jesus confessed with the one with a red suit on that most think is coming this season.
