The One Who Goes Before

The One who Goes Before Luke 3:1-6

Obviously John the Baptist is the Fore Runner or the one who goes before. God calls each of us to go before

1. The one who goes before is to be filled with the Holy Sprit

• Luke 1: 15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth

2. The one who goes before is to proclaim what is proclaimed to him

• Notice where this word originates

Luke 3 -- 2during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God

came to John son of Zechariah in the desert

• Full instruction come from God as it did in other prophets such as Jeremiah

4The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 5"Before I formed you in the womb . I knewA you, before you were born I set you apart;

3. The One who goes before is to prepare the People

• He is to prepare people for the Coming of the Lord

` vs 4 Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.

4. The one who goes before must acknowledge the One who sends him

A. The word of the Lord came to me and the Lord said ...........

B. The one who goes before. John acknowledged the one who sends him is . (Mightier than I )

But after me will come one who is more mightier than I, whose sandals I am not fit

to carry.

C. The one who goes before acknowledges Jesus as the one who takes away

John 1:29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the

Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

D. The one who goes before acknowledges the one who sends him must. 30He must become greater; I must become less.

John 3;30 say He must decrease and Christ must increase

E. The one who goes before must recognize who is the Light

John 1: 6There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7He

came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all

men might believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a

witness to the light. 9The true light

that gives light to every man was coming into the world.B

5. The one who goes before has a Purpose

A. The one who goes before, there purpose is to go into all places

. 3He went into all the country around the Jordan,

6. The one who goes before proclaims a Repentance

"A voice of one calling in the desert, Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths

for him. 5Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The . crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.

A. They request the people to be sorry for what they had done amiss, and to do so no more.

B. The one goes before says forget your ceremonious observances as were . imposed by the tradition of the elders, but are told to change their . . mind and change their way, ,

C. The one who goes before them tells the people to cast away from them

all their transgressions, and . to make them new hearts and to live new lives

D. Matthew Henry said it this way, was to make men devout and pious, . holy and heavenly humble and meek, sober and chaste, , just and honest, charitable and kind, and good in every relation, . . who had been much otherwise and this is to repent. . ;

7. The one who goes before has a message

6And all mankind will see God’s salvation.’ Will You?