Scripture Reading/Gospel Lesson – Luke 1:68-79
John The Baptist – The Greatest Man
We continue our look at John the Baptist this morning. He is the greatest man who ever lived. In Matthew 11:11, Jesus says, “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist.”
But what makes him so great? We will be looking at some of John’s personal characteristics this morning to see what made him so great.
First of all, his ability to overcome his weaknesses.
Many people have trouble in life. Everyone runs into trouble and faces difficult circumstances. Some people give up or succumb to the temptation. However, overcoming those problems is what separates a great person from an indifferent person.
Great people fight through their obstacles in life to do what is right and honorable to God. That sounds like John doesn’t it?
Remember John was filled with the Holy Spirit from birth. He had been set apart and chosen by God to announce the arrival of the Messiah. He saw the Holy Spirit descend upon Jesus at His Baptism. He heard God the Father declare Jesus to be His beloved Son.
Yet, John had doubts about Jesus. Those doubts troubled him. He wanted to know the truth about Jesus. He wasn’t trying to protect his ministry or his popularity. He simply wanted to know the truth.
So he sent some messengers to Jesus to find out the truth. I am sure John would have gone himself, but he was in prison at the time. John overcame his human weakness to seek the truth and when he heard the truth, that Jesus is who He says He is, then John took a back seat in his ministry.
How do you deal with your weaknesses? We all have them. John didn’t ignore them. He confronted them head on. We should do the same. God will give you the strength you need, just ask Him for it.
Second, John held strongly to his convictions.
John also held very strong convictions in his life. John stood up to the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and even to Herod himself, which landed him in prison. He didn’t back down from his beliefs.
In fact, John was so strong in his convictions that some people thought he was the Messiah (Luke 3:15). John was popular and sometimes people compromise to maintain their popularity. But not John.
He had many opportunities to gain the approval of the important figures in society. But rather than compromising with the Pharisees and Sadducees who came to listen and even be baptized by him, John called them a “brood of vipers.”
He confronted their sin and hypocrisy. John knew what was right and wrong. He stood for those things that were right. Again he did this not for himself, but for the glory of God.
How about you? Do you hold to your convictions? Or do you compromise with the world? Do you stand for what is right or do your simply ignore the wrongs of society?
Thirdly, he denied himself.
John’s life could never be described as an easy life. He wore camel hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. He must have been a pretty rough, tough looking person.
He was an important messenger of God, but he didn’t live like, dress like, or talk like the other religious leaders. He wore practical clothing, but probably not comfortable clothing and defiantly not stylish clothing.
The same holds true for his food. It provided him with the physical nourishment that he needed, but it wouldn’t have been enjoyable like a nice delicious steak or Caesar salad.
The lifestyle John lived was in direct contrast to the religious leaders. They were self-satisfied, self-indulgent, and self-righteous people. John was so consumed with the calling God had placed upon him, that he denied himself and was not attracted to the enticements of the world.
His devotion to his ministry overruled all of his personal comforts and interests. Doesn’t Jesus tell us to do the same? Aren’t we to deny ourselves and follow Him? Now I am not saying we need to live like hermits, misers, or monks, but we do need to focus our life on God.
John was filled with and controlled by the Spirit of God. He was obedient to God’s word. He was self-controlled. He was humble. He courageously and faithfully proclaimed God’s word. He was faithful in leading people to Christ.
What a wonderful example for us to follow today as well. That is a pattern for all those who seek greatness, Godly greatness.
As we know, John’s message was that of repentance. “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” This is not just a change of mind, but a radical change of life. Jesus spoke of the same thing.
Repentance means turning from your sin and in faith turning to God for salvation. John taught this and he lived it.
Christmas is only a week and a half away. Are you living the life John lived? Do you overcome your weaknesses? Do you have strong convictions about right and wrong and hold to them? Do you deny yourself for God?
Those are some things to think about as we continue to prepare our lives for not only the celebration of the birth of our Lord, but His return as well.
Closing Prayer
Lord, we thank you for our time in your word this morning. We thank you for giving us an example of faith to follow in John the Baptist. Help us to live as he did.
Strengthen us to overcome our weaknesses and empower us to stand for what is right, true, and honorable in your sight. Most of all help us to deny ourselves and our worldly desires to serve you with our lives.
AMEN
Showing posts with label John the Baptist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John the Baptist. Show all posts
Monday, December 21, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
John the Baptist - Preparing the Way
Luke 3:7-14
Length: 10:35
This is a message given on December 6, 2009 at the Bowdertown United Methodist Church.
John the Baptist – Preparing the Way
With the ministry of John the Baptist, the Messianic prophecies start to take shape. The mystery of God starts to be revealed, that is the Good News of Jesus Christ. As I am sure we all know, it was John’s duty to introduce the Messiah, to prepare the way for Christ.
He did this along the banks of the Jordan river. People from all over the area came to hear John’s preaching. John had a simple, yet profound message. The Kingdom of God is coming. In order to prepare for the Kingdom, people must repent and be baptized.
This is the same Christian baptism that we celebrate today. However, when we are baptized we look back at the cross whereas, the Old Testament saints looked forward to the cross. But we are all saved by faith, by trusting and believing in God’s promise to us.
In our Scripture, we see a quote from Isaiah here pointing to John. The idea describes the preparation made for the coming of a king or some other dignitary. When a king or some other important dignitary was coming to visit your town, the road crew would go out and fix up the road.
In a spiritual sense, John was calling the people of Israel to prepare, to clean up, their hearts for the coming of their Messiah. John did this through his preaching and teaching. He introduced many Messianic concepts as well as a baptism of repentance, which would prepare the hearts and minds of the people to follow Jesus.
John was a rough looking guy. He wore a camel haired coat with a leather belt. He ate wild honey and locusts. We would probably refer to him as a hermit or mountain man today.
John’s preaching was both practical and penetrating He was preaching to the Jews, in particular to the scribes and Pharisees. People from all over were coming to be baptized, even some of the scribes and Pharisees.
Unfortunately, their motives were wrong. What they needed was a repentance that produced fruit As we have looked at before, the word repentance means a change of mind. It is a change of your thoughts and your behaviors.
Just as faith without works is dead, so is repentance without the corresponding change in your actions. This does not mean we are sinless, it simply means that our direction in life is moving toward God in a Holy manner.
John warns them not to simply trust in their heritage. We are justified before God not because of our parents but because of our relationship with Him. Repentance is all the more important when you consider the imminent judgment against nonbelievers.
As we saw last week, the next big thing God does will be His second coming. John mentions the judgment here to the Jews as well. He says God’s ax is ready to chop down any tree that does not produce fruit.
What then should we do? Three groups come and ask John that same question. There is the Jewish crowd, the tax collectors and the soldiers.
First, John talks to the Jewish crowd. He says if you have more than you need, then share it with others. He is talking about the basic necessities of life: food and clothing. We are not to build our earthly treasures to hoard for our own selfish desires. Rather, we are to share with others the things that they need.
Second, John addresses the tax collectors. No one really liked the tax collectors, so it is likely that people wouldn’t accept basic necessities from them. Tax collectors were considered traitors and were looked upon as being no better than prostitutes and murderers.
The tax collectors were hired by Rome to collect a certain about of taxes for Rome. Anything they collected above that amount they were able to keep for themselves. So the more taxes they collected the more they were able to keep and make a profit. No wonder they were despised.
What is John response to the tax collectors? “Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.” In other words, taxes are a part of life and people are to pay them, but the tax collectors should not abuse their positions of authority.
Finally, John addresses the soldiers that were there. He tells them not to rob anyone and to be content with their wages.
The things that John tells the people of his day, still apply to us today as well. We are to show compassion, especially to the disadvantaged. We do this not because we want to look like or feel like good people nor do we do it simply because that is what we are supposed to do. We do this because the Kingdom of God is at hand. We do this for God!
God is about to show up and we better be prepared. We need to clean up our act so that when He does appear we will avoid the judgment that is cast upon the unbelieving world.
John lived a life away from distractions so he could hear God’s instructions. The purpose of his ministry was to prepare the people to accept Jesus as God’s son. When John called people to repent, he started a new way of relating to God individually.
Is change needed in your life so you can hear and understand God’s call to you? You have to admit your need for forgiveness before you can accept it. To prepare to receive Christ, repent. Denounce the world’s way of living and follow Christ.
Remember, to share what you have with others, and not just physical needs, but spiritual needs as well. Whatever job you do, give it your best and honest effort. And be content.
God has no use for people who call themselves Christians, yet don’t do anything for Christ. If others can’t see Christ in you, then maybe Christ isn’t in you.
Let’s make sure people see Christ in us, especially this Christmas.
Closing Prayer
Lord, we thank you again for our time in your word this morning. Help us to bring others to Christ as John prepared the Jews so long ago. Give us the courage and strength that we need to be your followers in this world today. Be with us this morning as we commune together. AMEN.
Length: 10:35
This is a message given on December 6, 2009 at the Bowdertown United Methodist Church.
John the Baptist – Preparing the Way
With the ministry of John the Baptist, the Messianic prophecies start to take shape. The mystery of God starts to be revealed, that is the Good News of Jesus Christ. As I am sure we all know, it was John’s duty to introduce the Messiah, to prepare the way for Christ.
He did this along the banks of the Jordan river. People from all over the area came to hear John’s preaching. John had a simple, yet profound message. The Kingdom of God is coming. In order to prepare for the Kingdom, people must repent and be baptized.
This is the same Christian baptism that we celebrate today. However, when we are baptized we look back at the cross whereas, the Old Testament saints looked forward to the cross. But we are all saved by faith, by trusting and believing in God’s promise to us.
In our Scripture, we see a quote from Isaiah here pointing to John. The idea describes the preparation made for the coming of a king or some other dignitary. When a king or some other important dignitary was coming to visit your town, the road crew would go out and fix up the road.
In a spiritual sense, John was calling the people of Israel to prepare, to clean up, their hearts for the coming of their Messiah. John did this through his preaching and teaching. He introduced many Messianic concepts as well as a baptism of repentance, which would prepare the hearts and minds of the people to follow Jesus.
John was a rough looking guy. He wore a camel haired coat with a leather belt. He ate wild honey and locusts. We would probably refer to him as a hermit or mountain man today.
John’s preaching was both practical and penetrating He was preaching to the Jews, in particular to the scribes and Pharisees. People from all over were coming to be baptized, even some of the scribes and Pharisees.
Unfortunately, their motives were wrong. What they needed was a repentance that produced fruit As we have looked at before, the word repentance means a change of mind. It is a change of your thoughts and your behaviors.
Just as faith without works is dead, so is repentance without the corresponding change in your actions. This does not mean we are sinless, it simply means that our direction in life is moving toward God in a Holy manner.
John warns them not to simply trust in their heritage. We are justified before God not because of our parents but because of our relationship with Him. Repentance is all the more important when you consider the imminent judgment against nonbelievers.
As we saw last week, the next big thing God does will be His second coming. John mentions the judgment here to the Jews as well. He says God’s ax is ready to chop down any tree that does not produce fruit.
What then should we do? Three groups come and ask John that same question. There is the Jewish crowd, the tax collectors and the soldiers.
First, John talks to the Jewish crowd. He says if you have more than you need, then share it with others. He is talking about the basic necessities of life: food and clothing. We are not to build our earthly treasures to hoard for our own selfish desires. Rather, we are to share with others the things that they need.
Second, John addresses the tax collectors. No one really liked the tax collectors, so it is likely that people wouldn’t accept basic necessities from them. Tax collectors were considered traitors and were looked upon as being no better than prostitutes and murderers.
The tax collectors were hired by Rome to collect a certain about of taxes for Rome. Anything they collected above that amount they were able to keep for themselves. So the more taxes they collected the more they were able to keep and make a profit. No wonder they were despised.
What is John response to the tax collectors? “Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.” In other words, taxes are a part of life and people are to pay them, but the tax collectors should not abuse their positions of authority.
Finally, John addresses the soldiers that were there. He tells them not to rob anyone and to be content with their wages.
The things that John tells the people of his day, still apply to us today as well. We are to show compassion, especially to the disadvantaged. We do this not because we want to look like or feel like good people nor do we do it simply because that is what we are supposed to do. We do this because the Kingdom of God is at hand. We do this for God!
God is about to show up and we better be prepared. We need to clean up our act so that when He does appear we will avoid the judgment that is cast upon the unbelieving world.
John lived a life away from distractions so he could hear God’s instructions. The purpose of his ministry was to prepare the people to accept Jesus as God’s son. When John called people to repent, he started a new way of relating to God individually.
Is change needed in your life so you can hear and understand God’s call to you? You have to admit your need for forgiveness before you can accept it. To prepare to receive Christ, repent. Denounce the world’s way of living and follow Christ.
Remember, to share what you have with others, and not just physical needs, but spiritual needs as well. Whatever job you do, give it your best and honest effort. And be content.
God has no use for people who call themselves Christians, yet don’t do anything for Christ. If others can’t see Christ in you, then maybe Christ isn’t in you.
Let’s make sure people see Christ in us, especially this Christmas.
Closing Prayer
Lord, we thank you again for our time in your word this morning. Help us to bring others to Christ as John prepared the Jews so long ago. Give us the courage and strength that we need to be your followers in this world today. Be with us this morning as we commune together. AMEN.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Conscience
Mark 6:14-29
Length: 19:56
This is a message given on July 12, 2009 at the Bowdertown United Methodist Church.
“Conscience”
Our scripture starts off with King Herod hearing some exciting news about Jesus of Nazareth. Many people during this time truly believed in resurrections, but they had some false notions about it.
For example, they believed that the spirit of a dead person could come back in another person. They is why some people thought Jesus was John the Baptist or Elijah. It appears as though King Herod believed this as well, as he kept saying “John, whom I beheaded, has risen!”
By this confession, Herod proved that he could not forget the evil he had done. This shows that he too had a conscience that plagued him with guilt. Obviously, though, his desire for power was greater than his conscience.
In verse 17, Mark launches into a flashback of the events that led up to the beheading of John the Baptist.
As we know, John the Baptist was not a soft-spoken kind of guy. He was direct and rigid with his messages. He spoke out against Herod’s illegal and illicit marriage as well as other ungodly activities.
See, Herod was married to the daughter of the King of Arabia. After a while, Herod took a trip to Rome and stayed with his half brother Phillip. While in Rome Herod fell in love with Phillip’s wife, Herodias, and got married.
Herod’s first wife got word of this and escaped and told her father about the situation. The reaction is typical of any father and the King of Arabia declares war against Herod. Rome steps in to the picture and bails Herod out of the mess.
As I mentioned the marriage was illegal and illicit. Illegal because Herod was married already and Herodias was married too, even though she technically got a divorce. It was illicit because Herodias was his half-niece so they were technically related.
Even though Herod enjoyed listening to John preach and teach, he could not let anyone speak bad of him. So Herod had John arrested and put into prison. Herod’s wife wanted John dead, but Herod knew John was a righteous man and no doubt had him protected while in prison.
A while later, Herod throws himself a birthday bash. Part of the entertainment featured a “special” dance by his step daughter. Herod is so “impressed” by the dance that he offers up to half of his kingdom to the girl for her “performance”.
The girl is urged on by her mother to ask for the head of John the Baptist. Herod agreed and had John’s head brought to the girl on a platter as requested. Herod felt bad, but wanted to save face in front of his guests so he gave the order.
Once again we see Herod’s desire for power quiet his conscience. What a sad story this is, but it typifies people even today as they make wrong choices in their life.
Herod had John the Baptist killed. This plagued him personally and publicly. His conscience made him believe that Jesus was empowered by John spirit. And, of course, the public was outraged that a righteous man was killed for nothing.
Second, his marriage to Herodias ruined not only his marriage, but his brother’s marriage as well. It brought warfare from another country and forced Rome to get involved to settle the conflict.
Eventually, Herod continued to screw up and was stripped of his power by Rome and he was banished to Gaul with his wife.
It is indeed sad. The even sadder part is the fact that we still see this type of thing happening today. People are more focused and concerned with money or political power that they are willing to shut down their conscience and focus on their greed, lust, and desires.
When I think about listening to your conscience I always think of a couple of Old Testament men. Listen to the word’s of David in 2 Samuel 24:10:
“And David’s heart condemned him after he had numbered the people. So David said to the Lord, ‘I have sinned greatly in what I have done; but now, I pray, O Lord, take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly.’”
David sinned against God and his conscience convicted him of it. There was no escape. To ease his conscience he had to confess his sin to God and repent of it. David was a servant of God and he screwed up quite a bit, but he always came back to God deeply sorrowful for the things that he did.
The story from the Old Testament that I think about when someone mentions the word conscience is the story of Joseph. I am sure you are all familiar with the story. His brothers were jealous of him and left him for dead, but decided to sell him and make some money instead.
Years later, in Genesis 42:21, the brothers said to one another, “We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear therefore this distress has come upon us.”
The brothers knew like David did. Their conscience convicted them of their sin. They knew their sin and they knew they would be punished for it. It needed to be confessed and repented of.
We too need to listen to our conscience today. That little voice in your heard is there for a reason. God put it there and uses it for his purposes.
The conscience is our internal warning system. It allows us to think about our motives and actions and determine right from wrong. Of course, in order for it to work properly, we need to have it filled with the Word of God, which gives us the absolute right and truth.
Our conscience should accuse and convict us of our sin. Don’t ignore it, but embrace it and repent of your wrongs.
Our conscience isn’t all bad though. Yes, it convicts us of our sin, but it also should affirm in you that you are a believer. It did for Job, it did for Paul, and Peter. It will for you as well.
Remember, only the blood of Christ can purify us (Heb 9:14) who offered Himself without spot to God for our sins. Only He can cleanse us to serve the living God.
Knowing this, we should walk obediently with Christ. Then our conscience will affirm to us that we are believers in the true and living God.
Living in this world can indeed be a challenge today. There are many distractions and things to draw us away from a godly life.
We are to “conduct ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God.” (2 Cor 1:12)
What does your conscience say? And more importantly are you listening and obeying it? Think about it this week. Pay attention to your conscience and seek to glorify God with your actions.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you for our time in your Word this morning. We thank you for the lessons that we have received. We thank you for faithful men like, David, Job, Peter, and Paul. Help us to live out our faith and walk in this world as these men did. We thank you for our conscience, we ask you to send your Spirit to purify it and make clear to us what is right and what is wrong. Give us the strength to do what is right and honorably and glorifying to you. In the precious name of Jesus. AMEN.
Length: 19:56
This is a message given on July 12, 2009 at the Bowdertown United Methodist Church.
“Conscience”
Our scripture starts off with King Herod hearing some exciting news about Jesus of Nazareth. Many people during this time truly believed in resurrections, but they had some false notions about it.
For example, they believed that the spirit of a dead person could come back in another person. They is why some people thought Jesus was John the Baptist or Elijah. It appears as though King Herod believed this as well, as he kept saying “John, whom I beheaded, has risen!”
By this confession, Herod proved that he could not forget the evil he had done. This shows that he too had a conscience that plagued him with guilt. Obviously, though, his desire for power was greater than his conscience.
In verse 17, Mark launches into a flashback of the events that led up to the beheading of John the Baptist.
As we know, John the Baptist was not a soft-spoken kind of guy. He was direct and rigid with his messages. He spoke out against Herod’s illegal and illicit marriage as well as other ungodly activities.
See, Herod was married to the daughter of the King of Arabia. After a while, Herod took a trip to Rome and stayed with his half brother Phillip. While in Rome Herod fell in love with Phillip’s wife, Herodias, and got married.
Herod’s first wife got word of this and escaped and told her father about the situation. The reaction is typical of any father and the King of Arabia declares war against Herod. Rome steps in to the picture and bails Herod out of the mess.
As I mentioned the marriage was illegal and illicit. Illegal because Herod was married already and Herodias was married too, even though she technically got a divorce. It was illicit because Herodias was his half-niece so they were technically related.
Even though Herod enjoyed listening to John preach and teach, he could not let anyone speak bad of him. So Herod had John arrested and put into prison. Herod’s wife wanted John dead, but Herod knew John was a righteous man and no doubt had him protected while in prison.
A while later, Herod throws himself a birthday bash. Part of the entertainment featured a “special” dance by his step daughter. Herod is so “impressed” by the dance that he offers up to half of his kingdom to the girl for her “performance”.
The girl is urged on by her mother to ask for the head of John the Baptist. Herod agreed and had John’s head brought to the girl on a platter as requested. Herod felt bad, but wanted to save face in front of his guests so he gave the order.
Once again we see Herod’s desire for power quiet his conscience. What a sad story this is, but it typifies people even today as they make wrong choices in their life.
Herod had John the Baptist killed. This plagued him personally and publicly. His conscience made him believe that Jesus was empowered by John spirit. And, of course, the public was outraged that a righteous man was killed for nothing.
Second, his marriage to Herodias ruined not only his marriage, but his brother’s marriage as well. It brought warfare from another country and forced Rome to get involved to settle the conflict.
Eventually, Herod continued to screw up and was stripped of his power by Rome and he was banished to Gaul with his wife.
It is indeed sad. The even sadder part is the fact that we still see this type of thing happening today. People are more focused and concerned with money or political power that they are willing to shut down their conscience and focus on their greed, lust, and desires.
When I think about listening to your conscience I always think of a couple of Old Testament men. Listen to the word’s of David in 2 Samuel 24:10:
“And David’s heart condemned him after he had numbered the people. So David said to the Lord, ‘I have sinned greatly in what I have done; but now, I pray, O Lord, take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly.’”
David sinned against God and his conscience convicted him of it. There was no escape. To ease his conscience he had to confess his sin to God and repent of it. David was a servant of God and he screwed up quite a bit, but he always came back to God deeply sorrowful for the things that he did.
The story from the Old Testament that I think about when someone mentions the word conscience is the story of Joseph. I am sure you are all familiar with the story. His brothers were jealous of him and left him for dead, but decided to sell him and make some money instead.
Years later, in Genesis 42:21, the brothers said to one another, “We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear therefore this distress has come upon us.”
The brothers knew like David did. Their conscience convicted them of their sin. They knew their sin and they knew they would be punished for it. It needed to be confessed and repented of.
We too need to listen to our conscience today. That little voice in your heard is there for a reason. God put it there and uses it for his purposes.
The conscience is our internal warning system. It allows us to think about our motives and actions and determine right from wrong. Of course, in order for it to work properly, we need to have it filled with the Word of God, which gives us the absolute right and truth.
Our conscience should accuse and convict us of our sin. Don’t ignore it, but embrace it and repent of your wrongs.
Our conscience isn’t all bad though. Yes, it convicts us of our sin, but it also should affirm in you that you are a believer. It did for Job, it did for Paul, and Peter. It will for you as well.
Remember, only the blood of Christ can purify us (Heb 9:14) who offered Himself without spot to God for our sins. Only He can cleanse us to serve the living God.
Knowing this, we should walk obediently with Christ. Then our conscience will affirm to us that we are believers in the true and living God.
Living in this world can indeed be a challenge today. There are many distractions and things to draw us away from a godly life.
We are to “conduct ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God.” (2 Cor 1:12)
What does your conscience say? And more importantly are you listening and obeying it? Think about it this week. Pay attention to your conscience and seek to glorify God with your actions.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you for our time in your Word this morning. We thank you for the lessons that we have received. We thank you for faithful men like, David, Job, Peter, and Paul. Help us to live out our faith and walk in this world as these men did. We thank you for our conscience, we ask you to send your Spirit to purify it and make clear to us what is right and what is wrong. Give us the strength to do what is right and honorably and glorifying to you. In the precious name of Jesus. AMEN.
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