Forerunners
St. John 1:1-11
In this text we find that the scripture describes the contrast of the Lord being light and the world being darkness. The word light translates to show or reveal something, and the word darkness translates to obscure or not seen or noticed or even confused. You see and that is exactly the case the world in all of its knowledge and worldly wisdom was ignorant to God and their sin problem they could not perceive or understand God not his word. So the bible says that the light came to reveal or the expose what was in the darkness and the bible says that the darkness comprehended it not. The world had been consumed by the darkness for so long and had been rocked to sleep if you will ignorant of the truth and the light that dwelt among them.
Then came John the Baptist the bible says in which bore witness of the light, the bible says he was not that light but was sent to bear witness of the light. John the Baptist was in a way like a night watchmen or some what like the cock that crows in the dusk. When the world was asleep in darkness unknowing and unconscious to the things around them John the Baptist was the factor sent by God to shake mankind and to announce the coming of morning and the truth. He was in fact the forerunner of Christ the savior of the world but unless the world would awaken and open their eyes the light would show them nothing could reveal to them nothing and so John the Baptist was the forerunner of Christ coming to awaken men that they might look toward the son rising in the darkness.
You may say how did the presence of John the Baptist in the world have any thing to do with the awakening of the world. It is just like when you or I are sound asleep and suddenly something in our position changes maybe the bed squeaks or a spring pokes you in the side or maybe you begin to drool on yourself and suddenly your comfort is interrupted and you are forced to take notice causing you to awaken, that is John the Baptist it was in fact his life of sacrifice that demanded their attention in a world of selfishness here was a man in which the bible says was clothed in camels hair and ate wild honey and locust the bible says he was the voice of one crying in the wilderness make straight the way of the Lord, the Kingdom of God is at hand. Between his life of sacrifice and his zeal of God and the message that this witness this forerunner of Christ preached the world you see just could not get any sleep.
Parallel
How does this parallel with you and I? Christ has came and walked in this world and died and rose on the third day fulfilled all things just as he said he would do and now he lives not in the world but in the hearts of man and he would live in the heart of every man but there are some that just as then are ignorant to his coming and are fast asleep in the darkness of this world and tonight brother and sister you and I are witnesses of the light of the revelation that reveals and shows men the sin of their heart, we are witnesses of the truth and the life that Christ will come and give to them if only they will awaken from their sleep and see the light. We are the forerunners of Christ the night watchmen if you will that bear witness of the rising of the Son in the darkness. We are the forerunners of Christ to the hearts of our family, our friends, co-workers, even and most definitely the stranger, the widow and the fatherless. We must be the ones to shake and awaken the world in their sleep. To crow like the cock announcing the coming of morning. We are the forerunners of light, of truth, hope, of Christ.
Luke14:23 says,” go out into the highways and the hedges and compel them to come in. Make the world take notice live a life and preach the message in a way that compels people to take notice and see the light.
Math 28:19 says, “ Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. Preach a message live a life that makes people want to observe what joy you have what peace you have what light you bare witness of.
What can we learn from John the Baptist?
Here are a few things I noticed about John the Baptist that we can apply to our lives as we endeavor to make the way for Christ.
1) He conformed to light rather than darkness. He was not concerned with what the world thought was in style or the latest trend. He wore camels hair and a leather girt around his waist. His message effected his outward appearance as well as his inward.
The world will try to make you feel like you like you do not fit in but remember you are not here to fit into the darkness but to bring people out of the darkness.
2) Life of sacrifice. Bible says that he ate locust and wild honey. Can you imagine what a sacrifice it must have been to be satisfied with only locust and wild honey? When people see that you are more concerned about the message and the ministry and their welfare that is enough to knock even the biggest sinner out of their stoup of slumber.
3) Bible says that he was the voice of one crying out in the wilderness make straight the way of the Lord.
Voice: Give voice to the gospel let the world know what God has done for you.
If God has saved you, you need to let the world know that he can save them to. If God has healed you, let the world know that God steal heals people. If God blessed you then you need to let the world know it.
He Cried: The bible says he cried his message. You need to not be ashamed of your message don’t be ashamed because the world doesn’t understand the Pentecostal message but you need to shout it from the roof tops . Remember their the ones in darkness and you are the messenger of God the bearer of light. If you are ashamed of the message and you can’t believe in your savior then what makes you think the world will believe your report and trust your God.
Wilderness: Translates, lonesome or solitary. Sometimes you must stand alone before you can get the worlds attention. Just like so John the Baptist and so many others that preached and made the way for Christ, but when you stand strong in your faith and truth even when no one else is doing it sometimes that will draw the most souls.
4) Make straight the way:
The way of Christ is the heart of a man make the way (heart) straight. Don’t clutter the way of Christ by telling people your doctrinal ideas but tell them about Acts 2:38
The Last thing I noticed about being a forerunner is:
5) V. 35-37
John was always pointing his disciples to Christ. Not his doctrine or his theories and ideas but Christ. Get out of lime light and point the world towards Christ.
Thank God for the Forerunners
Daniel 12:3
And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmaments and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. Thank God that somebody told me about Jesus Christ and his coming thank God somebody was an example and lived the life for me, somebody made a stand for Christ in my life. Somebody prayed for me somebody pointed me towards Christ. Thank God somebody was a forerunner for me. Who has been the forerunners in your life?
Illustration of Light and Darkness
Somebody has got to tell the world about Jesus and the worlds eternal fate.
Imagine walking into a cave and seeing all of the pit wholes and drop-offs and seeing the danger and possibilities of death and then some one turning off all the lights and imagine the fear that now grips your heart because you know the danger but you cant see to avoid it. Now imagine never have having light to see the danger to begin with and imagine the fate of the sinner . It is you and I that bear the responsibility of telling the world of the danger that awaits them. Are you making the way straight to day in some ones life or are you setting idle as others set in darkness awaiting a fate they might avoid. Or are you tonight a forerunner for Christ Crying and announcing his coming saying make straight the way for the kingdom of God is at hand?
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