The Lion Was A Lamb Series

The Lion was a Lamb

It was the first day of school and the kindergarten teacher asked the children what they wanted to be when they grew up. One little boy spoke bravely: "When I grow up, I'm gonna be a lion tamer. I'll have lots of fierce lions and tigers, and I'll walk in the cage..." "But, of course, I'll have my mother with me." Know how he feels?

Introduce a wild and crazy guy - not Steve Martin but John the Baptist roaring into history like a Lion

John’s gospel doesn't actually name him the Baptist because the only one called John in this gospel and it’s not the apostle. Name John appears 20 X. Who is this John?

Show video clip The Lion Was a Lamb - 3:14 min.

JN 1:19 Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ. "

21 They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not."

"Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No."

22 Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"

23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, `Make straight the way for the Lord.'

24 Now some Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"

26 "I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."

28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, `A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."

32 Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, `The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' 34 I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God." (God’s Elect)

John is a barbarian - if you saw him on the streets of Cleveland you’d walk another way. Pull your kids off the sidewalks, yet there were people drawn to him, desperate people, people who intuitively knew that perilous times require the leadership of a barbarian, a barbarian like John.

Imagine John, eating bugs and baptizing people - Baptizing in the desert - anything strike you as odd? And reaming out the religious ones and still they came

Picture John gathering lunch, pouncing on grasshoppers dipping them in honey - wiping his fingers on his coarse camel hair tunic and then launching out - blasting the message of repentance.

Sadly our world has grown tame - no room for dangerous faith living, no bold stance on God's Word, not much “Go into the world”, but plenty of “come into our safe fortress” we call a church building. The average Christian has not led anyone to active faith in Christ in over 10 years, many - NEVER

Two goals today - 1- Lift the call for barbarians - bold witnesses to Christ.

2 - take a first glance at what made John so out there on the edge.

Barbarians are not extinct nor are all barbarians are men -

How far are you willing to go to get someone to go to church - Praying mantis video clip -58 sec.

John in the desert - no holding back - blasting any and all who came to him. Could this be the Lion?

Sanhedren sent to inquire “who is this preacher?” Some were Pharisees in their number. Separated ones, ceremonially and morally pure, they must have loved John's message - You Go John, Preach it!

Apocalyptic worldview - following the Covenant and Prophetic

Expectantly waiting for a Messiah King and Lion - could this be the Anointed One - King?

John answers “I am not the one” - not Christ - Messiah -

Not Elijah - though one no less than Jesus disputes that statement - they remembered “the writings”