Incredible Sermon on John the Baptist

we are moving a bit faster through the text in Matthew we spent a great deal of time near the beginning word-for-word verse by verse unpacking giving the context and understanding of the background moving a little faster now through really most of the chapter 11 as you get there remind you that the Gospel according to Matthew was the gospel of off of the four Gospels that was most quoted from in the second century of the church so consider the fact that as God has been growing his kingdom for 2,000 years God's people have been feasting on his word in the second century the church very difficult time for the people of God as the kingdom of God is going from this mustard seed to this large tree this was a book that was filling God's people with power with hope with love for Jesus and so now we sit before that same text that has changed the lives of God's people throughout the ages Matthew chapter 11 verse 1 here now the words of the Living God when Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities and when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ the Messiah he sent word by his disciples and said to him are you the one who is to come or shall we look for another and jesus answered them go and tell John what you hear and see the blind receive their sight and the lame walk lepers are cleansed and the Deaf hear and the dead are raised up and the poor have good news preached to them and blessed is the one who is not offended by me as they went away Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John what did you go out into the wilderness to see a reed shaken by the wind what then did you go out to see a man dressed in soft clothing behold those who wear soft clothing are in King's houses what then did you go out to see a prophet yes I tell you and more than a prophet this is he of whom it is written behold I send my messenger before your face who will prepare your way before you truly I say to you among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of God of heaven has suffered violence and the violent take it by force for all the prophets and the law prophesied until John and if you're willing to accept it he is Elijah who is to come he who has ears to hear let him hear but to what shall I compare this generation it is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates we played the flutes for you and you did not dance we sang a dirge and you did not mourn for John came neither eating nor drinking and they say he has a demon the son of man came eating and drinking and they said look at him a glutton and a drunkard a friend of tax collectors and sinners yet wisdom is justified by her deeds as far as the reading of God's word let's pray father please bless this message God get me out of the way please but I know that I could not possibly and myself fully unpacked Lord the glory of you and the power of a ministry like that of John the Baptist I pray God that you would help us as your people to understand Lord what you've done in a ministry like John the Baptist's I pray God you'd encourage us to know Lord that that same power that same spirit that same gospel Lord is present today and I do pray God that you would raise up us to live boldly and dangerously to live in a way that not safe to live in away God through your power and grace Lord that leaves a mark in history like that of John the Baptist I pray God you'd fill this church with your power the same kind of power that you fill John the Baptist with I pray God that you'd allow us to live in a sacrificial way for your glory in your kingdom please bless this get me out of the way let everyone forget me and remember Jesus it was John Lord that said that he was unworthy even to stoop down and mess with Jesus feet it was John who said I must decrease he must increase I pray God that would be the same for all of us in Jesus name Amen John the Baptist is amazing he is he's amazing and I think that if you were to talk to the average evangelical in the West today about John the Baptist we'd all say the same thing he's an amazing man of God he was a powerful man he was a strange man I mean it's the guy that's wearing leather going out into the wilderness he's eating locusts he seems in some ways kind of untouchable right like he's a hero of the faith a giant of the faith but if you asked the average evangelical in the West today about John the Baptist you said is that a good man I think it's a yes it's a good man Jesus said he's the greatest of people born of women okay is this ministry powerful yeah as a powerful ministry was he faithful to God I think everybody would say yes you know John the Baptist were talking about here yes he's faithful to God yes to all of it check the boxes John the Baptist was an amazing man of God but if you were to ask the average evangelical in the West today would you want John the Baptist around I think most would say well most of us say no he'd say why I think most people would probably grant well we love our heroes but we love them where they're safe all of our heroes are safe back there right I mean think about it for a moment it's something that Douglas Wilson brought up in a message similar to this about living risky in this way and bold in this way think about just in American history just for a moment our own history in America when you look back at our founding fathers and the kinds of things that took place I mean noticed matter where you're at I mean maybe many liberals today wouldn't like some of the things that they did and they wouldn't necessarily pry some of their behavior but generally speaking if you ask people who aren't even Christians about the founding fathers and what took place in the American experiment most people would say those are giants those are heroes let's build monuments to them let's build statues right you look back at these people and you see these guys live dangerously right riding in the night right the Redcoats are coming that shot heard around the world you think about all these people that did so much I mean the history is actually fascinating these are people that had a particularly Christian mindset and they looked at the king over in England they said no your broken covenant with God you've broken covenant with us and what they did was something that was insane they rose up against an empire in many respects that could have easily crushed them they lived in ways that were risky and dangerous we're talking about throwing things in the water and causing riots and fights to break out we're talking about people who are shooting bullets at one another people who are like spilling their blood for what they thought justice right peace to live in a way where we can worship God the way that we want to live in a way where we actually have just laws in representation and they lived in a risky way and we eat today reap the rewards of their work their labor their blood their sweat their fight but the truth is when you look back at those heroes even in the American experiments most of us think that they're heroes but we're very glad that they're back there and not here why because we don't like difficulty we don't want our comfort disrupted we don't like all the difficulties that come with heroes think for a moment now but the Reformation history you've got history of God's people in the Reformation you know them famous saying after darkness what light your darkness light there was a time of doctrinal instability there was a time of doctrinal corruption in the church and you've got men like John HUS Wickliffe Luther Calvin swingley all these heroes that we say that is most definitely a hero that God changed the world with but the truth is we love our heroes where they're safe they're safe back there they're allowed to be heroes they're allowed to be emulated just so long as they stay put when a hero like Luther arises today they typically get criticized by the church why because you're disrupting our comfort you're bringing on difficulty we love our heroes where they're safe we build monuments to heroes just so long as they're safe the monument is fine because it doesn't do a lot of talking right the monument is safe because it's not making any noise but we love to talk about our heroes we emulate them we build those statues but when those heroes arise in our day typically the plight of the hero is that they are oftentimes in their own day and age dist cast aside hated called troublemakers make no mistake about it John the Baptist and his day was known as a troublemaker we see him with hindsight as a hero as a giant of the faith but in his day don't forget he was murdered he was killed for his fight he was killed because he was a hero he was killed because he was a giant we like our giants to be dead we like our giants to be safe and back there and I think that if you look at how evangelicalism is in the 21st century in the West while we say John the Baptist is this great hero and a giant of the faith we don't want another one we don't want one around us why because it would make things difficult it would make our lives hard but the truth is Jesus had words to say to tell us about John the and it was that he was the greatest of anyone born of a woman he's that kind of man he's that kind of follower of God that kind of a believer he lived boldly he lived in a way that was unsafe and risky he lived in a way that would cause most of us anxiety he was the kind of person that didn't just condemn the unbelievers he actually confronted the religious establishment of his day when they weren't walking in accord with the truth he confronted them and called them to repentance he was the kind of person that spoke to the regular people and he called them to righteousness and justice and love for God he was the kind of person that would see in a realm that was not necessarily according to today's thinking his jurisdiction he spoke to that realm with the law of God what am I talking about I'm talking about how the John the Baptist got himself killed he actually used the law of God to confront the government of his day so there was no realm according to John the Baptist that was outside the authority of God everything was under his authority and every realm deserved to hear God's voice he was a hero but he was safe back there and that's why we call him a hero now I'm going to just say something I want you to think about at the beginning and the end of the message today as you think about John the Baptist in his ministry I want you to consider something just in our own ministry we're not the best of this we're not perfect we're still being sanctified as a church when you look at our own ministry and things that God has us doing we're doing things that I think are risky and things that are unsafe we're engaging in ministry that many people would say you shouldn't do we're engaging in ministry that gets us in trouble with unbelievers and with Christians oftentimes say for example pick one ministry when we go out to the abortion mill we preach the gospel we live stream it on purpose we actually want to get what happens out there into the minds and hearts and before the eyes of people around the world we want people to know see in here what we know see and hear outside of those places of murder and so we hit the send button and we broadcast what takes place around the world what's interesting is when you look at that work there we have saved so many babies through the power and might of God through this ministry so many babies so many lives have been literally impacted for eternity because of the work of apology a church out there we go out there and offer to adopt their babies we go out there and love them we go out and plead and literally cry to reach these women in these father's and we go out there we tell the truth we say the hard thing please don't murder your babies don't kill your babies we say things like don't be a coward we say things like that to the people going inside cuz you know we have just seconds before somebody's life is dramatically impacted and so we tell the truth and we do it with as much grace as possible within us but when you see the comments from Christians around the world you see that many Christians around the world have a hard time with telling those kinds of truths we have Christians around the world that chastise us I'm going to say this what do you know the greatest resistance and opposition that we have we've had in three years to the ministry that we do who do you think it's from the unbelievers of the Christians Christians and that's disheartening of course but we continue on because we do it not for our glory or for anybody's satisfaction we do it for the glory of God and for the sake of these children of course but when we for three years we first began this ministry we begin to have Christians tell us that's not how you love people you shouldn't do things like that you shouldn't go out there and tell them they're going to murder their child why because it'll hurt their feelings why it's too abrasive that's too cutting it's too much of an edge you ought not tell a woman that she's about to murder her child why because it'll hurt their feelings but I want to suggest to you something God raises up people I believe like John the Baptist and gives him the grace that he did and gave him the ministry that he did and gave us the record of his ministry not simply so that we have amazing Bible stories to tell in Sunday school not somebody keep ours hero safe back there I do believe that when God shows us what he does in people's lives like John the Baptist it is because He desires for us to see what he's capable of in his people I believe that God gives us these heroes in many respects to lay down for us a model a pattern of what is pleasing to him and what glorifies him we're supposed to see watch in these giants that God raises up Giants that God's truth is able to transform the world today just like it was for John the Baptist and you might be saying give it to me God give it to me God give me that power that John the Baptist had God give me that life and that speech that that hero of the faith had god I want it give it to me well I'm going to encourage you to pray that prayer I do I'm going to encourage you to pray that prayer but I want to I want to remind you that that is a dangerous prayer to pray because I do believe that God answers those kinds of prayers he has the ability and the sovereignty to do what He wills but I want to warn you in praying those kinds of prayers and following the model of a man like John the Baptist and his riskiness his unsafe behavior his bold behavior remember this the John the Baptist had his his head handed to somebody on a silver platter don't forget that if God raises up a hero and a giant in you like you did John the Baptist just know that the consequences of such a person is difficulty persecution bloodshed but you know what else is the consequence the church is built up the glory of God shines brightly in a dark place and the world is transformed is he my hope before God is that God uses each and every one of you and me for his glory in his kingdom in such a way that what you do in this world leaves a mark a legacy for the kingdom of God you see here's the thing about John the Baptist he lived a life before God that mattered it mattered it changed literally history it changed the world because he was laying down a legacy he did not see his life on this earth as most valuable he saw what he was doing for the glory of Jesus and him being increased and John the Baptist being decreased he saw that as more valuable more of a treasure than a life here that was valuable you see here's the thing when you see Jesus as a treasure that he is then all the things that the world has to offer you our substandard treasures he is the treasure to be desired above all John the Baptist knew that and yes the power in knowing that was from the Spirit of God John the Baptist was filled with the Spirit of God from the what anyone know from the womb yes John the Baptist was that kind of prophet and I'm not saying each of us has to now turn in our wardrobe and start dressing in a weird way and heading out into the wilderness eating very peculiar food that's not the point God isn't calling everyone to do that proof of it is the fact that Jesus tells us here that John the Baptist had a particularly gay vote for God as essentially a fast sacrifice for the glory of God that Jesus himself didn't have John the Baptist didn't touch wine Jesus drank wine let that sit for a minute real wine how so well you can't hardly call someone a drunkard if they're drinking grape juice which didn't exist at the time anyways so all you Baptists need to chill take it from one Baptist to another okay now here's the point I'm not saying that God is necessarily going to give you the same look as someone like John the Baptist but I am saying what was underneath John the Baptist ministry in terms of his bold proclamation of the truth yes God wants that for you yes God would call you to that I'm talking about the life that John the Baptist live that was risky and unsafe for the kingdom of God I'm saying yes God desires that for me and for you I believe that God is calling us to that why was John the Baptist so great according to Jesus I believe he was so great because he was simply faithful he was faithful to God he loved God obviously above anything else and I believe that God calls each and every single one of us to that now what do you need understand about John the Baptist well if you're taking notes I want you to take this down you need to understand the Old Testament expectation of the kingdom of God in history I'm going to go through this quickly we have lots of messages on this but it is important that we understand this otherwise the bridge that John the Baptist creates between the Old Testament and the new isn't as powerful as it ought to be for us so the Old Testament expectation number one what do they expect what did John expect and I think by the way just quickly as a side note I think we'll better understand John the Baptist's confusion in Matthew 11 asking Jesus after he calls in the Lamb of God after he says he's the one after he points to them but now we have this confusion by John saying are you the Messiah or we to expect another I think you can understand John's confusion when you understand what John understood about the Old Testament expectations here it is number one they expected a kingdom they expect the ruler of the world to be the Messiah that all the nations were going to come to god we can multiply this ad infinitum but if you look starting at Abraham Abraham is going to have descendants as numerous as the what as the Stars that's a lot of stars you also understand the genesis 49:10 that one is coming when the word there is Shiloh and to him is going to be the obedience of the nation's pause now you're reading that in Jewish you wanna seeee from this big right you're reciting Bible verses you're memorizing this stuff what is John the Baptist know he knows the Messiah is coming and he knows that he's going to be the one that all the nations obey hang on to that when you understand that you can understand the confusion of John the Baptist when he knows that's the Messiah but hey I'm in jail now Rome is still in control the temple is still standing the Old Covenant is still in place if you're the Messiah are we supposed to expect another one because all this is still here genesis 49:10 to him will be the obedience of the nations psalm chapter 2 they were reading this they were singing it in church what's it say the father's son the father says to the Messiah listen ask of me and I will give you the nation's for your inheritance the very ends of the earth for your possession so here's the father saying to Jesus I'm going to give you the earth for your possession all the nations and then God says warning to the kings of the earth be wise Oh Kings obey the Sun or you'll perish when his wrath is kindled you have Isaiah 9:6 through seven his name is wonderful counselor al-ghab or the mighty God the Father of eternity watch here it is of the increase of his government end of peace there will be no ends you know in Isaiah chapter 2 that watch it says that a mountain is going to be raised up above everything else very symbolic language here and it says that the nations are going to stream up to the mountain of God so the view that you have in the Old Testament of the Messiah's kingdom is victorious you have a clear understanding in the Old Testament psalm 110:1 here it is the Lord said unto my lord sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet this is what John knows he knows it as a matter of fact you're going to see in a second that his father actually talks about the kingdom of God and he had to been raising up telling John and his mom telling John you're going to lead the way for this kingdom you're going to be the one that Asher's in this time of mashiac the kingdom of God is here so John's being told as a little boy you're the one you're the one that's going to bridge that gap and here comes Messiah and his kingdom John is being raised his whole life understanding that this is the time of the kingdom of the Messiah that it's finally going to break into history and what's it going to bring second points salvation John knows he has actually really powerful understanding because watch you know the famous statements what is John the Baptist say when he sees Jesus coming once you say behold what the Lamb of God who does what who takes away the sins of the world Jews and Gentiles the nations are coming but John understands watch a kingdom is coming and salvation and this is really amazing think for a moment now help me now you're Jew you're going to Temple Yom Kippur you know that there's bloodshed there has to be this innocent for guilty sacrifice you've got the priest going into the Holy of Holies you've got the animals dying the blood being shed you've got the Lambs the Passover you've got all these symbols and you know that watch the people of God are still in bondage to their sin and you know that the world is not right it's not the way that it ought to be is not the way that God created it to be but you know you have this symbol of a lamb who covers us in the blood where God's wrath passes over that house on account of the lamb and the people of God escaped their bondage to go into the promised land with God and what does John say about Jesus behold that's the Lamb of God you know that's Abraham when he offered his son Isaac on that altar was met by God himself on that mountain and you know that Abraham said that in that very place is where God would provide the what lamb in that spot so John knows there's a Lamb of God coming John knows as a lamb who takes away the sin and he sees Jesus and he knows salvation is coming and he knows the kingdom of God is arrived and he says that's the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world he knows Isaiah 53 John read it he understood it he heard it probably had portions of it memorized he knew that there was one coming he would be pierced through for our transgressions crushed for our iniquities that God would lay on this one the iniquity of us all and it's by his wounds we'd be healed that he'd be counted among the rebels and that he would justify the many as he would bear their iniquities John knows that salvation is coming he knows that the nations are coming he knows that all the families of the earth are going to return to worship God he knows final point victory hears we got to get and he goes counter to much of what we know today in Christianity in the West Pete listen if you have Jewish eschatology if you believe what the Old Testament says about the Messiah's Kingdom you have to be post millennialist I mean you just have to because watch listen everybody has to grant it doesn't matter where you're at on the eschatological spectrum if you're all-male post mil pre mil pan mil it's all going to pan out on the end whatever the no you are okay whatever it is I don't know mill doesn't matter okay everybody has to agree that the Old Testament picture of the kingdom of the Messiah is victorious it is victorious it's going to win now I believe if you take what John says Jesus says Paul says the entire New Testament the Old Testament about the kingdom it arrived in the first century Jesus is reigning now and he's going to win but here's we got to get they knew that when messiahs kingdom came it was going to defeat all the enemies and it was going to change the world God was going to restore creation he was going to bring a new heavens a new earth he was going to renew and change everything that was broken because of sin that's what he knew he knew a kingdom was coming salvation was coming and it was going to be victorious that's what John knew now let's talk about John quickly go to your Bibles to Luke chapter 3 Matthew Mark Luke Luke chapter 3 and let's look at where the Bible talks about John the Baptist Luke chapter 3 we're going to be looking at verses walls we'll start in in verse 1 but just before as you guys get there let me just say this to you quickly John the Baptist provides the link between the Old Testament and the New Testament Jesus points to that all the law and the prophets prophesied until John the Baptist and now the kingdom of God essentially Jesus says has arrived now John the Baptist is a powerful central figure in the New Testament you can't miss this John the Baptist isn't in the New Testament sort of a guy that shows up and disappears John the Baptist is central to what God was doing the kingdom of God his mission was to prepare the world the people of God for the Messiah and here's what the Bible says about John the Baptist Luke chapter three verses four through six again I'll certain verse one in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea and Herod being Tetrarch of Galilee and his brother Philip Tetrarch of the region of Atia and tracking Isis and lasagnas tetrarch of abilene during the high priesthood of Anna's and Caiaphas the Word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness and he went into all the region around the Jordan proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophets the voice of one crying in the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord make his paths straight every Valley shall be filled and every mountain and Hill should be made low and the crooked shall become straight and the rough places shall become level ways and all watch all flesh shall see the salvation of God he said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him you brood of vipers who warned you to flee from the wrath to come bear fruits and keeping with repentance and do not begin to say to yourselves we have Abraham as our Father for I tell you God is able to God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire that's the message that was coming from John the Baptist Isaiah chapter 40 verse 3 that's that Old Testament text that points to ultimately the message and ministry of John the Baptist now I want you to see that Old Testament reference to John the Baptist oh yeah make sure you have this into your toolbox Malachi just keep your hands ready in our New Testaments and just move back to the last book of the Old Testaments we've done this a few times but I'm just going to point you to it again so you see Malachi chapter 3 Oh Old Testament verse one listen listen to the words behold I send my messenger and he will prepare the way before me and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple and the messenger of the Covenant in whom you delight behold he is coming says the Lord of hosts now there you go there's a timeline simple enough right what do you have first you have a messenger he prepares the way and then the Lord will suddenly come to his temple so you can expect watch the messenger to come first and then the Messiah himself is going to come to the temple and you think that's good news right well kind of yes for some here's what here's what it says happens after the messenger comes and the Messiah comes to his temple who can endure the day of his coming and who can stand when he appears for he is like a refiners fire and like a fuller soap he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver and they will bring offerings and righteousness to the Lord then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years that's good news yes finally the people of God are going to be sanctified the messengers going to come Messiah is going to come to his temple and then finally the people of God are going to be able to come before God with sacrifices that are pleasing to God that's a very good thing but there's more then I will draw near to you for judgment I'll be a swift witness against the Sorcerer's against the adulterers against those who swear falsely against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages seems like God does have social concerns the widow and the fatherless against those who thrust aside the Sojourner and do not fear me says the Lord of hosts now this is huge please catch this I don't know if I'm able to communicate it in the way that I ought to but I want you to grab hold of this the messenger that precedes the Messiah comes before obviously then the Messiah comes to his temple there's two things that happen when the Messiah comes one salvation and purification to judgment upon the covenant breakers and the lawless now watch if you can grab hold of that you can see the significance of John the Baptist ministry watch when the Bible introduces us to him Matthew 3 what's the very first thing that John the Baptist says when he breaks in the matthew 3 it says repent for the kingdom of heaven is what at hands and then what does it immediately do John the Baptist immediately confronts the covenant breakers and he calls into repentance because what does John know John knows two things are about to happen guys 1 salvation and purification and two there's going to be some judgments some of y'all are going down why does John say that the axe is already laid at the root of the trees now you got to catch the significance of that that's not God winding up he's not even winding up the judgment is so close that that axe has already been swung your time is so limited that tree is about to get nailed and fall over that's what John knows and by the way the wording there when it says the judgment about to come the word there in the Greek is mellow Caesar River just remember mellow yellow' okay mellow and the word mellow in the Greek here in the context would refer to about to come who warned you to flee from the wrath mellow about to come it's right on the edge you're on the precipice so John says brood of vipers repent fruit in keeping with repentance that axe is already laid at the root of the trees his winnowing ork is in his hands John knows this is not a good time for some people but one more text go to it it's just one chapter later Malachi chapter 4 here it is look at this for behold the day is coming burning like an oven when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble than the day that is coming shall set them ablaze God uses this language often in the Old Testament uses graphic language to describe judgment he says says Lord of hosts so that I will leave them neither root nor branch I'm going to take everything out you're not going to have anything left but for the you who fear my name the Sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings you should go out leaping like calves from the stall you shall tread down the wicked for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I act says the Lord of hosts here it is here it is remember the law of my servant Moses the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel law of God keep it People of God behold I will send you Elijah the Prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes and he will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers lest I come and strike the land of the decree of utter destruction guys you got to catch this don't lose it it's big it makes so much sense of that bridge between the old and new and it makes so much sense of John the Baptist ministry he was the messenger he was the forerunner for the Messiah to come and have a place prepared for him before salvation and judgment arrived why is John the Baptist freaking out why is he saying repent judgments coming because God said his ministry was about that it was about preparing the way from a shock because mashiac was bringing salvation and judgment it was coming he knew that there were going to be covenant breakers judged and take down now pause quick thing as a side what what happens within a generation of John the Baptist ministry what happened within a generation of John the Baptist ministry the Messiah died for our sins and rose from the dead he was ascended and seated and then the covenant breakers were judged you're going to hear about Josephus today Josephus recorded by the way this is crazy can you think about this for a second Jesus and John the Baptist recorded or taught and we have recorded for us that that generation was going to be annihilated destroyed the temple is going to be destroyed great judgment upon the covenant breakers the Old Testament talks about it the New Testament talks about it and you know what record we have it's actually amazing it's almost preserved as good as a New Testament as well as well as New Testament we have the writings of Flavius Josephus he was a Pharisee he was a general in the Jewish army against Rome and he recorded for us the events that took place in the first that generation for center generation he recorded for us also what happened when Jesus judged Jerusalem you have his eyewitness account of the blood flowing in the streets you have his eyewitness account of the famine that was so bad that one woman Josephus records cooked her own child and was offering it to people on the streets you have the recording eyewitness testimony of Josephus of all the wars and rumors of wars the massive earthquake that took place in Pompeii in 62 AD Josephus gives you an eyewitness account of what took place when they were in the city and the Romans had them surrounded and when they finally broke in Josephus actually hid under dead bodies the Romans discovered him and they took him to the head of the Roman army Titus he so fell in love in a weird way with Josephus that he gave him a new name and he commissioned him to write a history of the Jews that's what we have but isn't it amazing the Old Testament or New Testament proclaimed continuously messiahs coming is salvation and judgment and we have the actual recorded incidents of what took place I think it's it's amazing but let's talk more about John can I just point a few things out to you just you can look at them later I'm not going to read all these texts to you there's so much in your New Testament it would take us into next week I want to point something out that's interesting and maybe you never noticed it I never did but if you think about it it actually makes John the Baptist's ministry pretty powerful did you know that Luke chapter one starts off with the story of John the Baptist and did you know that John chapter one starts off with the ministry of John the Baptist and did you know that Mark chapter one starts off with the Ministry of John the Baptist do you think he's kind of a central figure here he's at the beginning of all these Gospels look at it just for a moment to see what the Bible says about him go to Luke chapter one look at how amazing this is in Luke chapter one Luke of course starts off and he explains why he's writing how he came up with this writing he was a traveling companion we know of the Apostle Paul he was probably given the task of recording what happened in Jesus life in ministry Luke actually went and interviewed the eyewitnesses so there's intimate details of what happened in Jesus birth down to what Mary was thinking which probably gives us a strong position to say that Luke actually interviewed Jesus mommy he got details Susan said that she pondered these things in her heart well where do you get how do you know what she pondered in her heart well because it's divinely inspired writing well yes it is but it's also a statement of fact that Luke says he interviewed the eyewitnesses so John Luke is giving the inside details of what these people fought what they experienced but look at this Luke chapter 1 verse 5 in the days of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah of the division of Abijah and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron and her name was Elizabeth and they were both righteous before God walking blamelessly all the commandments and statutes of the Lord but they had no child because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years pause this is awesome you really have to love this God in His grace and His mercy chose some amazing parents for John what why why stop and talk about that for a second well I think it's important to recognize that your role as a parent is so significant that it can change the world John the Baptist parents were righteous before God they obeyed God they loved God and God chose these parents to raise up a hero which by the way is exactly what you're doing mom's all those days of mundane tasks and what you feel is irrelevant all the difficulties all the conflict in your home all the sanctification taking place with your kids and with you all the hard moments don't ever forget that when you're faithful to God you're raising up little heroes that change the world and leave a dent in the kingdom of darkness which is we have with John the Baptist now I won't read this entire text as we have more to get you but read the text later the story is interesting basically Zechariah doesn't believe ultimately that God can do something and then he's struck with base not being able to speak he ends up naming John John he's told that this one who's coming is going to be the one who actually turns many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God that he's going to go verse 17 before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the father's to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just to make ready for the Lord a people prepared why did John believe that he was to do what he was called to do here's here's why listen because not only did God call him to it and fill him with his spirit and testified to it but also because his parents loved him and supported him and told him this is God's call in your life be faithful to it be faithful to it moms and dads we have no idea just how vitally important our roles are as parents you have no idea I have no idea the value no comprehension of the value and importance of a mom and dad who love God and love their child and point that child to God it literally changes the world and raises up heroes do you think that do you think that Elizabeth and Zechariah do you think they had days they were difficult with John do you think they had days with John but they thought this is the forerunner right of course we're born little sinners and little rebels I bet you had plenty of days where John's dad was like he ain't no forerunner plenty of days where he got spanked on his bottom or something right like they were probably moments of doubt and difficulty but they were told by God that's the forerunner messiahs coming he's going to lead the way and they were faithful to that message they told John they raised him up they loved him they were obedient has to be the case now watch as a story moves on I just I just want you to hear what Zachariah says about John because that's it's amazing it really is it's amazing first you should know that John the Baptist was in Elizabeth's womb if you don't oh this and Mary got pregnant around the same time Mary is pregnant with Jesus Elizabeth's pregnant with John and Mary actually spent time with Elizabeth while they were both in the womb together that is awesome it's awesome they are so closely connected they're connected that intimately their moms were hanging out they were having like mommy playdates like home school Park day or whatever right they had all that stuff going on they had little moms groups on Jewish Facebook whatever like they had stuff happening right that is it's very intimate it's amazing but I want you to hear what Zechariah has dad says about him it's chapter 1 verse 67 and his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied saying blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he has visited and redeemed his people John's born now and he has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from old that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy Covenant the oath that he swore to our father Abraham to grant us that we being delivered from the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days and you child will be called the prophet of the most high for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins that's what the kingdom of God is about because the tender mercy of our God whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high listen to give light to those who sit in the darkness and in the shadow of death to guide our feet into the way of peace you know what he's quoting from anyway let's see if you guys know what is Zechariah quoting from there where's he getting that language that last couple verses anyone know I see a 9 what's the premiere tax Thank You merly what's the premiere text in Isaiah 9 that we all go to which all odds on all of our Christmas cards the premier Texan as a marine about what six through seven a child is born a son is given he shall be called wonderful counselor what mighty God father of eternity of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end so Zechariah is quoting that son John you're the one there's going to be light and darkness the kingdom of God his government increasing in peace that's what John is sitting under his whole life that's what his parents are telling him faithfully what do you need to know about his ministry well you need to know that he called people to repentance you saw that in Luke seven through 17 he called people to repentance he he confronted the religious leaders of his day he confronted them he called them to repentance he told them to turn from their sin the judgment was coming what else he baptized people that much is obvious he's John the Baptist not the Presbyterian okay he baptized them Mark chapter 1 verses 7 through 8 mark chapter 1 verses 7 through 8 it says and he preached saying after me comes he who is mightier than I the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie watch I have baptized you with water but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit there's a difference between the baptism of John and the baptism of Jesus Jesus baptizes you with the Holy Spirit of God John's baptism was not the same and I want to say this quickly we don't have all day to talk about this but John's baptism was not Christian baptism in the Old Testament there are a number of different types of baptisms and John's baptism wasn't like ours didn't mean the same thing but that was John's ministry what else did John do well John testified about Jesus he didn't point to himself as a matter of fact while people are trying to elevate John to this amazing status that in many ways he deserved a mighty prophet John kept saying this it's not about me it's not about me it's not about me listen I am NOT even worthy to get down to his feet and mess with them not even worthy of that I must decrease he must increase so watch this quickly what's so amazing about John is that John wasn't about John John didn't point to himself as the thing he didn't point to his ministry as the thing he kept on kept on pointing people to Jesus so I'm going to say this if we can learn anything from John's ministry learn this your ministry is only successful powerful meaningful before God if it's about Jesus and pointing people to Jesus John wasn't setting up a ministry for himself so that people would love him and point to him he was always pointing people to Jesus saying I've got to be the one that gets out of here so that you guys all start worshipping Him I'm not the thing Jesus is the thing he testified about Christ John 1:15 John 1 6 through 8 john 3 27 through 30 now here's what I want you to see John chapter 1 verse 29 Matthew Mark Luke John John chapter 1 verse 29 here it is watch by the way this is I think this is amazing I really do I think that this is actually powerful testimony to the importance of John the Baptist you all know John 1:1 let's do it together in the beginning was the and the word was and the word get to know John chapter 1 memorize it it says that Jesus always existed with the father and he was by very nature God that he created everything in existence and nothing's come into being that's coming to being except through him and it talks about Jesus and God becoming flesh and dwelling among us but as soon as it's done as soon as John's done introducing Jesus John 1:19 and this is the testimony of John the Baptist when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him who are you he confessed and did not deny but confessed I am NOT the Messiah and they asked him what then are you Elijah he said I'm not are you a pro you the Prophet and he answered no so they said to him who are you we need to give an answer to those who sent us what do you say about yourself he said I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness make straight the way of the Lord as the prophet Isaiah said now they had been asked they had been sent from the Pharisees they asked him then why are you baptizing if you are not the Christ nor Elijah nor the Prophet John answered them i baptize you with water but moong but among you stands one who do you do not know even he who comes after me the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie so John points to Jesus he testifies about Jesus and it says these things took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing and here it is the next day saw Jesus coming toward him and he said behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world this is he of whom I said after me comes a man who ranks before me because he was before me I myself did not come did not know him but for this purpose I came baptizing with water that he might be revealed to Israel and John bore witness I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove and it remained on him I myself did not know him but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me he on whom you see the spirit descend and remain this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God you know that is you have the recording there as a matter of historic record one of the greatest prophets in history even Jews to this day know about John the Baptist and Josephus and it looks like he was enamored by him in some ways here's his record in history saying Jesus is the Son of God he's the one that's the text says he testified about Jesus now what else did he do well you've already heard one time today he confronted the religious leaders Matthew chapter 3 he confronted people who perverted true faith he said what was true now I'll only say this quickly today about this portion John the Baptist did something that was uncomfortable he talked to religious leaders who were abusing the people of God and not being faithful many times in our modern context people say you ought not confront people who name the name of Christ because hey they love Jesus too you ought not cause controversy so when you look at the Ministry of the of John the Baptist you see a person that so loved the truth that he wasn't a jerk but he told the truth he knew what was coming he loved God above being light he loved God above being light what else did he do well he didn't just confront the religious leaders he called people to righteousness and this is what I want you to see Luke chapter 3 Matthew Mark Luke John Luke chapter 3 in verse ten and the crowds asked him this anthem asking John the Baptist after he confronts the religious leaders and the crowds asked him what then shall we do and he answered them whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none and whoever has food is to do likewise tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him teacher what shall we do and he said to them collect no more than you are authorized to do soldiers also asked him and we what shall we do and he said to them do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation and be content with your wages so what is John doing watch it's amazing he's calling the religious leaders to be faithful he calls the average people who are coming to him saying I want to repent and he says well this is what you can do to show that your repentance is real and what is John doing constantly he's pointing people back to the law of God what in Malachi 4 say about the Elijah who was to come Malachi chapter 3 say about the one who was coming it says that he was going to remind them about the law of God God's standards he would point people to God's justice that was the mission of the forerunner the messenger and that's what John did he was known for calling people to true righteousness to bear fruits here's what John wasn't playing with John wasn't settled with people's mere professions of faith John expected that if you truly believe in God listen if you've truly repented please listen he said it'll look like it's if you've truly turned your life over to God and you truly love them then your life is going to look like it tax collectors don't take more than you're authorized to do if you're a Christian right you love God well here's how you can show that your repentance stop being so selfish you see somebody in need take care of their need if you have excess don't hold it all to yourself you love your neighbor as you love yourself care for the needs of your neighbors take care of widows and orphans John the Baptist said this if you've repented it better look like it and he called people to it next he confronted the government right there chapter 3 verse 18 John the Baptist got in trouble because watch significant moment huge what does the people of God have to do with the government isn't watch isn't the church about the church right like why bother speaking to the government realm that's not out that's like outside the church's jurisdiction right right I mean wasn't John the Baptist to kingdom know John the Baptist took the message of the law of God into every corner to the religious leaders to the average person in the pew and he spoke the law of God to the governing authorities boldly enough that he was like tweeting about Herod it is not lawful for you to have your brother's life wife deuteronomy 130 characters right or whatever it is right john the baptist was so condemning the governor of his day that the message got to him that he was talking trash about Herod and Herod puts him in prison for it so Luke chapter 3 verse 18 so with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people but Herod the Tetrarch who had been reproved by him for Herodias his brother's wife and for all the evil things that Herod had done added this to them all that he locked up John in prison so John's in prison watch listen because as a minister he spoke against the governing authorities for their wickedness he took the law of God and he approached the governing officials with it and he said God expects you to obey his law and for that he was put into prison so let me ask just as a sign is it appropriate for the people of God to speak the law of God to their governing authorities yes so when someone says hey that's out of your jurisdiction that's like not a church thing that's not very spiritual you can't expect the governing authorities to obey God's law you can just say I'm just trying to keep a biblical baby John the Baptist no one likes heroes when they're alive they like them when they're safe right so next what do you know about his death well he was in prison Matthew chapter 11 we know that Matthew chapter 14 mark 6 and Luke 3 talked about the death of John the Baptist and let's go to a text here Matthew chapter 14 is my favorite spot to learn about the death of John the Baptist and we're wrapping up here guys Matthew chapter 14 here's the details at that time Herod the Tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus and he said to his servants this is John the Baptist he's been raised from the dead that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him for Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias his brother Philips wife because John had been saying to him it is not lawful for you to have her and though he wanted to put him to death he feared the people because they held him to be a prophet but when Herod's birthday came the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask prompted by her mother she said give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter and the king was sorry but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given he sent and had John beheaded in the prison and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl and she brought it to her mother and his disciples came and took the body and buried it and they went and told Jesus what a wasted life what a waste think about how sad that really is here's this mighty man of God that has served God his whole life he's lived a life that is bold and sacrificial unsafe he's lived risky he said many days poring over God's Word and pouring himself into the lives of their other other people he gets snatched up by this wicked governor why because he tells him he's sinning against God and now while he snatched up there's this party that happens and Herodias can't stand John why because John's constantly tweeting and putting the word out that this is a wicked relationship it's sinful it's awful it shouldn't be done so she can't stand John the Baptist and then Herodias his daughter does a little dance at a party and Herod he gets so inflamed by it he's like I'll give you anything you want up to half my kingdom and so she's like mom what should I ask for and it's her mom so hates John for ruining her reputation among the people that she says tell him you want to take John's head off that you wanted on a silver platter what a wasted life this little Kardashian of the first century it's like cut his head off you might think what a wasted life this this little girl basically this immature little girl gets this amazing man of God killed you might think what a wasted life I want to argue is one of the most powerful lives and well spent lives you could ever live because when he had his head taken off he went to be with his God to experience true joy and to receive his reward for a life well spent now we'll last last point here last point Josephus records first century give you a few details already remember Josephus Pharisee a general in the Jewish army he was present during the fight between the war in the war between the Jews and the Romans he got to see the bloodshed he got to see that temple that Jesus said was going to be taken apart he got to see it taken down he got to see the fire he got to see the blood he got to see the destruction he got to see it all and he wrote about it we have antiquities and the war of the Jews those sets and he wrote about John the Baptist and in tick WA T's he says now some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod's army came from God there was a fight that took place where Herod's army was destroyed and was a very just punishment for what he did against John called the Baptist for Herod had him killed although he was a good man and had urged the Jews to exert themselves to virtue both as to justice toward one another and reverence towards God and having done so joined together in washing for immersion in water it was clear to him could not be used for the forgiveness of sins but as a sanctification of the body and only if the soul was already thoroughly purified by right actions and when others had massed about him for they were greatly moved by his words Herod who feared that such a strong influence over the people might carry to a revolt for they seemed ready to do anything he should advise believed it would be better to move now then later have it raised a rebellion and engage him in actions he would regret and so out of Herod suspiciousness was sent in Chains John out of Herod suspiciousness was sent in Chains to Macarius the fort of previously-mentioned and there was put to death so Josephus records John's ministry now he doesn't necessarily have a full understanding of John's ministry but the point is is that John had such an amazing reputation in the first century that here Josephus points to John's ministry and the fact that Herod had him killed what a powerful life it was a life separated for God in the wilderness with leather and locusts not drinking separated for God I want to make a point on the fallible and broken nation nature of John the Baptist John the Baptist this world will end John the Baptist is now in Chains he's in prison he's probably scared we get up of flesh on these people they're just like you he's probably scared he's probably concerned he knows he spent his life now and he's probably close to death and what does he see says I'm the messenger my parents told me I was God told me I was God told me that it's the one that you see the spirit descending upon I saw Jesus I know his ministry I know what he does but you know what I'm not seeing all the nations streaming up to the mountain of God where's that you know I'm not seeing the salvation of the families of the earth Here I am John the Messiah is here he's here he's on the map and Here I am in prison where's the salvation of the Lord where's the ends of the earth coming to God where's the restoration of all things where's the salvation where are the descendants of Abraham so you got to consider for a moment there's got to be some confusion in John's own mind he knows the kingdom of God is going to change the world and now he's in Chains and he's about to die and so he says to Jesus says son of a message for me ask him are you really the one are we to expect another you see a bunch he was confused because he knew that the Old Testament said salvation was going to come to the ends of the earth and it was going to change the world and all he sees in front of him watch is a carpenter's son he knows his mom and he knows that his mom and Jesus mom are friends it's very intimate doesn't seem like a very big deal a big thing he doesn't see the world completely changed yet the Old Covenant is still there hanging around enforced temple priests animal sacrifices and so it's all he sees he knows that the Messiah is going to in the world it's what does Jesus tell him he says tell him this telling the lepers are cleansed tell him all these miraculous things and tell him the debtor raised and so Jesus is reminding John that what his ministry is about and what's happening is exactly what God said was going to happen John just needed to hang around a little longer I want to suggest to you this if John could have got a little snapshot just a little one just a little poop like this was going to look like that 2,000 years later there would be a mixed room of people filled with Jews and Gentiles white brown black different colors different backgrounds in the middle of a desert on the other side of the world if he if he could have seen their people in a room who loved and worshipped the Messiah and are submitted to his rule and lordship I think he would have said I see I understand John the Baptist was very much like you were like me he was a fallible person he was broken God told him to do something he was exercising faith and trust to God and then Jesus says about John who was he jesus says he was the greatest of anyone born of a woman and he said he was the elijah who was to come what did elijah do to people of God what was Elijah's ministry marked by What did he say constantly what was his ministry about repent repent calling people to repentance and actually elijah did go into the wilderness because of persecution and now john's in the wilderness calling people to repent and when jesus says he was the elijah who was to come he was the one that was preparing the way John held God and the Messiah's kingdom as supreme he lived boldly and risky he wasn't safe and he left a mark so what so what so what is this John was filled listen with the same Spirit of God who fills you now I get a pause there for a minute because I have to confess something I have a hard time believing that I'm saying it to you because it's the truth he had the same Spirit of God that you and I have within us and that's hard to comprehend because I don't I don't see myself as having the kind of courage and power that that man had but it's the same power same spirit and guess what you've got in your mouths brothers and sisters you've got the same gospel on your lips same power to change the world and you might think I can never be as powerful as a man like John don't forget John was just being faithful and he was trusting God he had his moments of brokenness and concern and questioning - and John lived an amazing life and didn't waste it and he had his head taken off for it don't forget that being a hero sometimes means that you're a hero into your own death are you willing to take up that kind of call that kind of boldness you know many of you guys know that one of my favorite pastors is John Piper John Piper has an amazing message on this point and some amazing books on this point encourage you to check in - don't waste your life you see what marks John's ministry for me in my own heart in mind is that it was a life that was not wasted according to the world standards John's life was a complete and utter waste what a waste to end your days with your head on a platter because some twerp tells her mom how he hears from her mom have him killed what a waste I'm going to say that it wasn't a waste of life he left a memory of righteousness and justice and power that changed the world can I ask you what you're afraid of this is the so what why not me why can't I leave them live a life it's not safe and that is risky and that is bold and that is filled with love for other people and God what are you afraid of what kind of things hold you back from living risky unsafe truthful loving bold lives what stops you is it that your concern with others think of you do you think that John didn't have to do battle with that is that you love your comfort above God do you have things in your way that are of more value to you than Jesus and his kingdom do you think that John didn't have to make war with that kind of life and those idols of course he did he was your brother in the Lord he wasn't a superhero he was a sinner just like you and just like me that God used for a mighty purpose can I ask you to pray something pray that as the people of God and apologia that God would give us the same boldness the same riskiness the same unsafe behavior the same love for God and others that he gave to John the Baptist and let's praise God for Heroes just like him let's pray father please bless this church with conviction over a life like John thank you God for raising up heroes like John help us God to be the kind of people that love our heroes present and not safe and not back there please help us to love our heroes here and now and please fill us with the same kind of boldness that you gave that man give that boldness to mothers in their homes with their children give that boldness to father's give that boldness to single people to live their lives in the same kind of risky and unsafe way for your glory that John the Baptist did in Jesus name Amen

Channel: Apologia Studios

Views: 58,722

Rating: 4.6851168 out of 5

Keywords: jeff durbin, apologia church, best sermon ever, shocking youth sermon, paul washer sermon, matt chandler sermon, sermon jam, r.c. sproul, mark driscoll sermon, incredible sermon, joyce meyer sermon, t.d. jakes sermon, joel osteen sermon

Id: HNPetZwOf5s

Length: 80min 1sec (4801 seconds)

Published: Tue May 09 2017