John 1:29-31 - The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the One I told you about: ‘After me comes a man who has surpassed me, because He existed before me.’ 31 I didn’t know Him, but I came baptizing with water so He might be revealed to Israel.”
Luke 7:26-28 - What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far m ore than a prophet. 27 This is the one it is written about: Look, I am sending My messenger ahead of You; he will prepare Your way before You. 28 I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John, but the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
JOHN THE BAPTIST IN ALL THE GOSPELS:Matthew 3:1-2 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near!” 3 For he is the one spoken of through the prophet Isaiah, who said: A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way for the Lord; make His paths straight!
Mark 1:2-4 - Look, I am sending My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way. 3 A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way for the Lord; make His paths straight! 4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Luke 3:2-4 - God’s word came to John. 3 He went into all the vicinity of the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah: A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way for the Lord; make His paths straight!
John 1:23 - He said, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord.
All Accounts reference: Isaiah 40:3 -A voice of one crying out: Prepare the way of the Lord in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert.
THE CALLING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST IS TO PREPARE THE WAY OF THE JESUS.
WHAT WAS JOHN'S MESSAGE?
REPENT & BE BAPTIZEDMatthew 3:2- "Repent & Be Baptized for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand."
JESUS & THE TWELVE CONTINUED JOHN'S MESSAGE:Matthew 4:17 - From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near!”
Matthew 10:5 & 7 Jesus sent out these 12… 7 As you go, announce this: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’
Mark 6:12 - So they went out and preached that people should repent.
JOHN’S DISCIPLESActs 18:24-25 - A Jew named Apollos, a native Alexandrian, an eloquent man who was powerful in the use of the Scriptures, arrived in Ephesus. 25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught the things about Jesus accurately, although he knew only John’s baptism.
Acts 19:1-7 - While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” “No,” they told him, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 “Then what baptism were you baptized with?” he asked them. “With John’s baptism,” they replied. 4 Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people that they should believe in the One who would come after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them. 7 Now there were about 12 men in all.
BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRITActs 1:5 - for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.
John 1:32-34 - And John testified, “I watched the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He rested on Him. 33 I didn’t know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The One you see the Spirit descending and resting on—He is the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and testified that He is the Son of God!”
JOHN WAS A FOLLOWER OF JESUS BECAUSE HE POINTED PEOPLE TO REPENTANCE, TO FOLLOW JESUS & TO BE BAPTIZED.
JOHN WAS A FOLLOWER OF JESUS BECAUSE HE CALLED PEOPLE TO GET UNCOMFORTABLE:
- MINISTRY IN THE “WILDERNESS” IS UNCOMFORTABLE
- CONFESSING SIN & REPENTANCE IS UNCOMFORTABLE
- LIVING COUNTER TO CULTURE IS UNCOMFORTABLE
John 1:6-8 - There was a man named John who was sent from God. 7 He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light.
Matthew 5:16 - In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
HOW DO WE PREPARE THE WAY?
- GET UNCOMFORTABLE
- BREAK FREE FROM RIGID TRADITIONS (RELIGIOUS OR FAMILY)
- CONTINUE REPENTANCE & RESISTANCE TO TEMPTATION
- FOLLOW JESUS PERSONALLY & IN COMMUNITY
- GRACEFULLY CALL PEOPLE TO REPENTANCE & TO JESUS
