In 1948, ...a remarkable religious phenomenon occurred... in the United States.
It began in a tent ... near Hollywood California, ...under the preaching ... of a young evangelist.
The crowds were sparse at first ... but as the preaching continued, ... the crowds began to grow.
At first, ... the media ... totally ignored these gatherings.
Yet ... when some of Hollywood's well-known names ... came to faith ... the press began to take ... notice.
Eventually ... reporters were sent to investigate ...and interview ... this rather strange young preacher.
This preacher ... who dressed in pistachio-colored suits, ... who wore flaming red ties ... who spoke with a pronounced Southern accent, ...and yet ... he had an incredible appeal ... to the masses.
It was evident ... God ... was doing something.
Well Beloved ... That was the beginning ... of Billy Graham's ministry ... as an evangelist.
And as news of those tent meetings spread across the country ... numerous cities welcomed him ... to come ... and preach. (Pause)
As it was with Billy Graham in 1948 ... so it was to a degree ... with John the Baptist ... in the first century.
He too ... was a young man ... in his early 30s.
He too ... dressed rather strangely.
He did not wear green suits ... He wore animal skins ... and ate grasshoppers ... and wild honey.
He was the voice ... the voice ... crying in the wilderness ... the voice that bore witness ... to the coming Christ.
Hear God's Word: Bible "There was a man ... sent from God, ... whose name was John. ... He came as a witness, ... to bear witness ... about the light, ... that all ... that all ...might believe ... through him." END (John 1:6-7)
John preached a simple ... yet powerful message ...that seemed to touch the very soul ... of the people.
At first, ... they came to see John ... by dozens, ... then by hundreds ... then thousands ... left their cities ... to hear this remarkable ... desert preacher.
Finally, ... the response was so great ... that even the religious establishment of Jerusalem ... became curious.
So, ... they sent a delegation ... to investigate this strange man ... with such a compelling message.
Beloved ... John's primary role ... is that of a witness ... to be a testimony ... to the light.
This man ... John the Baptizer ... illustrates what it means... to be a... witness ... a committed witness ... of the Light.
A committed witness to Jesus ... Jesus the Light of the World.
Beloved First (1 Finger) To be a proper witness, ...we must recognize ...Who we are ... not. (John 1:19-21).
John's message was touching the hearts ... of the masses.
Yet, ... He was an enigma to the religious leaders.
They wanted to know more about him.
"Who are you?" ... they inquired diligently.
(Slow) John responds ... by vigorously telling them ...who he is not.
And he was clear: ...... "I am not ...I am not the Christ"
Beloved ... this was a time in Isreal's history ... of a great Messianic ...expectation.
The whole populist ... was looking for ... and was seeking ... the promised Messiah.
So naturally ... John's actions ... and his message ...created a lot of speculation ... as to who ... he was.
Might ... Might he be ...the promised Messiah?
John the Baptizer ... denounces any speculation regarding ... these messianic expectations.
He asserts ... (Slow and Loud) ... "I am not the Christ,". (Pause)
"Are you Elijah?" ... they then questioned.
The Old Testament prophesies state... that Elijah would precede the coming of the Messiah... Hear God's Word from Malachi.
BIBLE "See I will send you the prophet Elijah ... before that great and dreadful day ... of the Lord". END (Malachi 4:5)
They thought ... Perhaps John ... was the returning Elijah.
After all, ... John's appearance is ... similar.
His message is ... similar.
Remember ... (Slow) ... Elijah did not die
We know from the scriptures ... that a chariot of fire suddenly appeared, ... and Elijah was taken up to heaven ... in a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:11).
While John did fulfill ... the preliminary ministry of which the prophets spoke ... concerning Elijah's return.
He emphatically stated ..."I am not,".
They asked him: ... "Are you the great Prophet?"
Deuteronomy. (18.15-19) speaks of a great prophet like Moses ...who would come ...and restore Israel.
Again, ... with an emphatic, "No", ... John denounces this title.
Beloved ... First and foremost, ... As a witness of Christ, ... John recognized ...who he... was not.
His three-fold denial ... makes his witness clear.
The increasing curtness of John's successive answers ... cannot be missed here.
The Baptizer ... seems to have a dislike ... for answering questions ... about himself.
Why?
Because ... He had not come to speak about himself.
He had come to bear witness ...... of another.
He recognized who he was not.
He was not the Messiah.
He was not the physical embodiment ... of Elijah.
He was not the great Prophet ... spoken of in the Old Testament.
If we are going to be a proper witness ... we must recognize who ... we are not.
We are not perfect.
We are a work in process.
We make mistakes.
Yet we can bring light to this darken world.
We can share unexpected grace to those God places in our lives.
John knew who he was not, ... which leads directly to our second point.
To be a proper witness, ... we must know who we are:(John 1:23-24).
This religious delegation ... was not con-tent with John's denials.
They must have some response ... to take back to the authorities ... so they question him further,
Quote "If you are not any of these people, then who are you?" Unquote
They turn the matter ... over to John with an open-ended question.
They wait for his answer.
Beloved ... What an opportunity.
At this point, ... John could have said anything.
He could have said, ... "I am the great forerunner."
Look at how many baptisms ... I have performed.
Look at how many people ... I have attracted.
But John did not flash ... his resume ... his credentials.
Beloved ... Hear me on this ... there is no room in your heart to be impressed with yourself ... and to be impressed with Christ.
You must choose.
John buried his resume ... he shredded any self-proclamation ... he buried all of his self-righteousness.
He did not flatter himself... or build up ...his own name.
John knew who he was.
Look at his simple reply: (Slow) ... "I am the voice..."
John knew who he was ...... (Slow) "I am the voice". (Pause)
A voice is temporary.
A voice is fleeting.
A voice is fading.
And that is John's view ...of himself.
I am a fading voice ... that is crying out ... in the wilderness.
In fact, ... the Scriptures tell us of John's heart toward his ministry. Hear God's Word:
BIBLE He (Jesus) must increase, but I must decrease. END (John 3:30)
John summons the people ... to be ready ... to be ready for the ... coming Messiah.
He is the one preparing the way ... for the coming Christ ... which was a crucial ... and an essential role.
He saw his role ... as the voice ... preparing the way.
(Slow and Loud) ... I am the Voice!
Beloved ... these words...... are for us this day.
We too... are called ...to be ... the voice.
We are the temporary voice ... chosen to prepare the way ... in our generation.
Each generation has a voice, ... and we are the voice ... for this time ... for this place.
Our role too is temporary ... yet it too is ... essential.
Without a voice ... the people cannot hear.
Being a proper witness ... involves recognizing...... who we are not ... and who we are.
John's examiners ...are still not satisfied with his responses, ...so they continue to question him,
BIBLE "If you are not the Christ, ... nor Elijah, ...nor the prophet, ... why then are you baptizing?" END (John 1:25)
Their interests are ... in John's authority.
Who gives you the right ... to baptize?
Beloved ... Baptism was not a new practice ... in Judaism.
It was the regular rite ... for the admission of converts ... from other religions ... into Judaism.
And when these converts were baptized ... the whole family ... Adults, ... infants ... and usually their live-in house servants were ... all baptized.
What upset these Jewish leaders ... was that John was performing these baptisms upon Jews and Gentiles ... alike.
In their minds, ... the Jews were God's ...chosen people.
And therefore, ... they had no need ...for baptism.
What right do you have... to baptize? (John 1:25)
John's response reveals clearly ...the role of ... the proper witness.
What does John do?
He points them again to ... the Messiah.
To the One he treasures ... In his heart.
In essence, ... John is saying, ... "This is not about me.
It is not about the rite ... of baptism.
It is not about by whose authority ... I baptize.
It is all about ... the one who comes after me... It is all about the one to come ... the Messiah."
John's interest ... is in Christ ... and in Christ alone.
The next day ... As the Baptizer ministers, ... he sees Jesus coming toward him ... and makes one of the great statements ... of the New Testament:
Hear John's prophetic words concerning Jesus: BIBLE "Behold the Lamb of God ... who takes away the sin of the world." END (John 1:29)
This motif ... has become so familiar to the modern Christian ... that it is difficult for us ... to imagine the uniqueness ...of what John is truly saying.
The image of the sacrificial lamb ... is tied ... to the Passover Service ... of the Old Testament.
The Old Testament sacrifices ... prefigured the atoning sacrifice ... of Jesus ... God's holy Lamb.
John states ... that the sacrifice of this Lamb... "takes away" what? ... (Slow) the sin ...of the world.
The Greek word ... that is translated "takes away" symbolizes more than just ... A "covering" ... of sin.
To cover something ... means ... it is ... still there.
When John proclaims ... the Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world, ...... it means... that it is gone.
That sin is ... totally removed.
When we accept Jesus as not only Savior ... but Lord of our life ... we become a child of God, ... our sins are not covered up.
Our sins ... our sins ... are removed.
They are gone... No further sacrifice ... is required.
Christ's sacrifice ... is an all-sufficient sacrifice.
John the Baptizer recognizes ... that it is not about him.
He understands who he is not ... He is not The Christ.
And who he is ... The voice.
He understands his call ... his purpose in God's plan: ......to point others ... to the Messiah.
O' Beloved ...... Recognize who Jesus is.
He is the Lamb of God ... who takes away ... the sin of the world.
He is the Son of the Living God
Understand who you are: The Voice to this generation.
The Voice to those that God places in your life.
We need to be reminded that our battle, ... our struggle, ... is not against flesh and blood.
It is not against the lost ... those who do not yet know Jesus as our Savior and Lord.
No God's word is clear: BIBLE "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." END (Ephesians 6:12)
Beloved... Our battle is in the Spiritual realm.
And I am convinced ... that if we could see what happens in the spiritual realm when we pray, ...we would never stop.
Let your prayers be unceasing ... let your voice be heard ... and share your witness with those God has placed in your life.
Let your life have purpose ... Walk in a purpose driven life.
Empty yourself ... of self ... point others... to Jesus.
A father ...and his small son ... strolled down a street in Chicago ... past a place ... where a skyscraper ... was being constructed.
Glancing up, ... they saw men at work ... on the highest portion ... of the building.
"What are those little boys doing up there?" ... asked the son.
"Those are not boys ... they are grown men," replied the father.
After a pause, ... the boy pondered, ... "I guess when they reach heaven ... there won't be anything left of them." (Pause)
Beloved...The nearer we come to Christ, ... the less ...others see of us ... and the more ...they see Jesus. REPEAT
You are the voice.
We are ... the voice.
The Voice crying in the wilderness ... the wilderness of those who are lost ... and do not yet know the way.
We are a new creation in Christ Jesus.
And as we each mature in the faith ... we will be transformed ... and conformed more and more ... into His Image.
And as you do ... as you yield to the Holy Spirit ... You will be transformed ... and the world will begin to see so much more of Jesus ... (Slow) ... in you.
Amen & Amen!
Help: I retired in November 2017 and am attempting to supplement my income by sharing on Sermoncentral. If this Message has been helpful to you, please consider a nominal donation: Send to The Rev. Jeff Smead 11725 Regent Park Drive Chardon Ohio 44024. Blessed To Be A Blessing.
Dear Reader: So I can better help you, if this Message was not helpful and you rated it low, Please let me know what it lacked or why it was not helpful. You can search by contributor Smead (Constructive Criticism is very helpful) and contact me there. Blessings in Christ. Jeff
