1 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:15,600 The Gospel According to Mark chapter 1, please meet me there. 2 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:34,800 The Gospel According to mark. In verse 4. 3 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:41,500 Lord, as we prepare to unpack your word, we asked with great 4 00:00:41,500 --> 00:00:46,400 humility and with great need, please help us with the 5 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:49,200 scriptures. Lord, we pray that there would 6 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:53,900 be a sense of your power sense of your presence. 7 00:00:55,200 --> 00:01:00,300 Lord draw our affections for Christ give understanding where 8 00:01:00,300 --> 00:01:03,900 there is confusion. Let There Be Clarity, Let There 9 00:01:03,900 --> 00:01:06,900 Be edification, Let There Be comfort that there be 10 00:01:06,900 --> 00:01:10,300 conviction. Lord we just we recognize that 11 00:01:10,300 --> 00:01:12,400 if you're not here with us we will fail. 12 00:01:13,300 --> 00:01:15,300 And the purpose of this meeting will fail. 13 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:19,400 And so Lord we humbly tell you that we hunger. 14 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:25,600 We really hunger. For righteousness, we thirst for 15 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:29,600 holiness. And we are in need of Greater 16 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:35,100 revelation of Christ. Help us now in Jesus name, amen. 17 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:43,100 Mark 14. John appeared baptizing in the 18 00:01:43,100 --> 00:01:46,100 wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the 19 00:01:46,100 --> 00:01:50,400 Forgiveness of sins and all the country of Judea and all 20 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:53,900 Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him 21 00:01:54,100 --> 00:01:57,200 in the River, Jordan confessing their sins. 22 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:01,400 Now John was clothed with camels hair and wore a leather belt 23 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:04,100 around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 24 00:02:05,100 --> 00:02:09,400 And he preached saying after me comes he who is mightier than I 25 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:12,900 the strap of whose sandals. I am not worthy to stoop down 26 00:02:12,900 --> 00:02:16,700 and untie. I have baptized you with water 27 00:02:17,100 --> 00:02:20,900 but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. 28 00:02:23,300 --> 00:02:27,000 There was a time in history when the God who spoke creation into 29 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:31,000 existence. And The God Who commissioned 30 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:36,100 meant to declare divine revelation on his behalf, chose 31 00:02:36,100 --> 00:02:40,500 not to speak to his people for a startling, for centuries. 32 00:02:41,700 --> 00:02:46,400 For 400 years, the people of Israel did not hear once a 33 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:51,600 genuine, thus, saith the Lord for 400 years. 34 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:55,300 God did not Inspire any man to record scripture. 35 00:02:56,200 --> 00:03:01,000 For 400 years. There is no prophetic leadership 36 00:03:01,300 --> 00:03:04,800 to help the nation of Israel, know what God desire for them. 37 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:08,500 In that moment, a people who were in Covenant with the Living 38 00:03:08,500 --> 00:03:14,000 God, and that stretch of Silence defines the time, between the 39 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:18,000 Testaments in your Bible, it is known as the intertestamental 40 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:24,000 period and it really says something about why God did that 41 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:28,100 We may not know all of it, but we know to certain extent that 42 00:03:28,100 --> 00:03:33,300 this world at that time, knew great shifts politically, 43 00:03:33,300 --> 00:03:36,900 socially, even religiously. Because Israel throughout that 44 00:03:36,900 --> 00:03:41,300 time was occupied by one nation after the other. 45 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:44,200 And this is what the Prophet Daniel foretold that, this would 46 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:46,800 happen. And we see that fulfillment 47 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:50,500 during that period where God seemed to be mute. 48 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:53,900 And with all the Transitions and wars and alterations that 49 00:03:53,900 --> 00:04:00,100 Israel, There was no man, there was no guidance. 50 00:04:00,100 --> 00:04:04,800 There was no voice, not one profit on the scene to bring 51 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:08,500 some kind of direction to God's people. 52 00:04:09,100 --> 00:04:11,600 And this must have been a very strange thing for the nation of 53 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:14,700 Israel because they were used to Moses and they were used to 54 00:04:14,700 --> 00:04:19,800 Elijah's and they were used to Isaiah's coming to the scene and 55 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:22,500 bringing some kind of light especially when there is 56 00:04:22,500 --> 00:04:25,100 darkness and difficulty for the people of All. 57 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:30,600 But all for a sudden, It seems as though in that Bleak and dark 58 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:35,600 interval period. Everything changed, everything, 59 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:38,800 changed drastically, by two. Simple words that we have read 60 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:43,200 in our reading and verse 4, John appeared. 61 00:04:44,300 --> 00:04:49,400 John appeared. And as we heard last week, the 62 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:53,100 significance of this man. John who appeared at this time? 63 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:56,900 Was that he had fulfilled some ancient prophecies many years 64 00:04:56,900 --> 00:05:00,800 ago and that truth alone should tell us as the people of God, 65 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:04,900 Who Loved God's word, that who this man was and what kind of 66 00:05:04,900 --> 00:05:08,100 ministry that he accomplished in the name of God was very 67 00:05:08,100 --> 00:05:12,000 important to God. And if it was very important to 68 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:15,700 God to prophesy about and in to write about in terms of its 69 00:05:15,700 --> 00:05:18,300 fulfillment, then it Be important to us. 70 00:05:19,500 --> 00:05:22,700 And you and I got a glimpse of the importance of it. 71 00:05:22,700 --> 00:05:25,800 When we just looked at the one, just one prophecy, just two, 72 00:05:26,300 --> 00:05:29,800 that were so similar about how understanding who John was 73 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:33,900 helped us confirm the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. 74 00:05:34,900 --> 00:05:38,200 John's Ministry was so unique. It's almost like a flash in the 75 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:40,300 pan. It's almost like a firework in a 76 00:05:40,308 --> 00:05:42,900 dark sky. He's there one moment and then 77 00:05:42,900 --> 00:05:45,800 he seems to just disappear within a few pages. 78 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:50,500 But that Ministry, the ministry that this man, fulfilled was a 79 00:05:50,500 --> 00:05:55,600 hinge between two eras. When he came on the scene, the 80 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:59,800 door of the law and Moses clothes, and this man paved the 81 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:04,300 way for the grace that is known in the Lord, Jesus Christ to be 82 00:06:04,300 --> 00:06:07,700 ushered into the world. This man was so important. 83 00:06:09,300 --> 00:06:13,800 Great significance. And as we look here, we realize 84 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:17,800 that we have great motivation. Great Motivation by the fact 85 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:21,200 that this is brought before us to discover what it is that God 86 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:24,300 has to say to us pertaining to this man. 87 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:27,300 What is it that we can discover about our faith? 88 00:06:27,300 --> 00:06:30,800 What can we told about this historic moment for our lives 89 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:34,600 now today, and be assured that we will know something about our 90 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:36,900 faith in Christ. We will know something about our 91 00:06:36,900 --> 00:06:40,500 walk, in our practice, for the name of Jesus Christ as well. 92 00:06:40,500 --> 00:06:43,400 And we will do that by doing Being very simple as you and I 93 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:45,600 come to this text, we will understand it. 94 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:49,300 In three ways we will look at it through the ministry of, John, 95 00:06:49,300 --> 00:06:51,800 the Baptist. And then after understanding 96 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:54,000 something of his ministry will know, something about his 97 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:58,700 manners, why are his manners important for us to understand? 98 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:01,800 And after his manners, we will know something a little bit 99 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:06,400 about his message. So we come to verse 4 and 5 and 100 00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:09,400 we see the ministry or the Mandate of John, the Baptist. 101 00:07:09,900 --> 00:07:12,400 There are many John's in the Bible you know that but there is 102 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:16,500 only one John the Baptist. The First Baptist really and the 103 00:07:16,500 --> 00:07:19,900 original language would help us clarify it more and seeing that 104 00:07:19,900 --> 00:07:22,600 it was actually John the baptizer. 105 00:07:23,900 --> 00:07:27,200 That was his identity, that is what he was known for that. 106 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:30,900 The simple reason that people saw that the main tenets of this 107 00:07:30,900 --> 00:07:35,300 man's Ministry was that he had his radical charge for people to 108 00:07:35,300 --> 00:07:38,500 join this. Fire-breathing profit in water 109 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:42,800 and it to be immersed in that water as a sign of something 110 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:46,400 that is very significant to the Jewish people especially And it 111 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:50,600 was really a symbol of people saying something happened here, 112 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:52,700 I'm participating because there's something that happened 113 00:07:52,700 --> 00:07:56,300 here first and I want to show that and declare that and it's 114 00:07:56,300 --> 00:07:58,600 so so incredible. When we really understand the 115 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:03,900 significance of this man's mandate because I hope you and I 116 00:08:03,907 --> 00:08:06,300 would be able to answer as Christians. 117 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:10,800 Why baptism is important? I hope you would be able to 118 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:13,400 answer that and I hope your answer would be something along 119 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:17,700 the lines of well, Jesus commanded us to be baptized and 120 00:08:17,700 --> 00:08:20,400 it's a way of identifying with his death burial and 121 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:23,900 resurrection and that would be right. 122 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:27,900 And they'll baptism is a non-negotiable ordinance for the 123 00:08:27,900 --> 00:08:31,100 Christian, and in the Christian faith, it did not begin with 124 00:08:31,100 --> 00:08:35,100 Christians. Didn't start with Christians the 125 00:08:35,100 --> 00:08:36,799 series. Simple reason that John here 126 00:08:36,799 --> 00:08:41,400 seems to introduce the concept and the physical act of baptism 127 00:08:42,100 --> 00:08:45,700 is very similar to the same drama that we experience. 128 00:08:45,700 --> 00:08:49,300 When a Believer gets baptized, the very word, baptism means to 129 00:08:49,300 --> 00:08:55,000 be immersed to be, dipped to be consumed, to be enveloped by a 130 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:58,700 substance. And the substance is water, John 131 00:08:58,700 --> 00:09:01,700 was doing that and if you've been baptized, you know what 132 00:09:01,700 --> 00:09:06,100 that's like, But I want you to think for a moment without 133 00:09:06,100 --> 00:09:10,200 answering out loud. What is the difference between 134 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:12,900 John's baptism and the baptism that we partake in the name of 135 00:09:12,900 --> 00:09:16,500 Jesus Christ? Is it important to know that 136 00:09:16,500 --> 00:09:19,900 distinction? Well, it was important to Paul 137 00:09:20,300 --> 00:09:24,300 because he found some disciples In Acts 19. 138 00:09:24,300 --> 00:09:25,900 Remember that, and he asked them. 139 00:09:25,900 --> 00:09:27,900 What baptism were? You baptized into? 140 00:09:27,900 --> 00:09:30,600 Well, John's and he goes well, that was a baptism of repentance 141 00:09:30,700 --> 00:09:33,200 and then he baptizes them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. 142 00:09:33,300 --> 00:09:36,800 So, clearly clearly there is some kind of distinction between 143 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:40,200 the two and does it really matter to know, if you want to 144 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:44,100 know God's word, it does. And I think there is one way of 145 00:09:44,100 --> 00:09:47,600 knowing at least being guided into the direction of Greater 146 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:50,600 Clarity and it is by understanding the primary 147 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:57,500 audience of John's Ministry. John the Baptist his ministry 148 00:09:57,700 --> 00:10:00,100 was targeted towards like the Lord. 149 00:10:00,100 --> 00:10:03,100 Jesus Christ in his initial arrival towards the Jewish 150 00:10:03,100 --> 00:10:07,700 people primarily not Gentiles and when John here is preaching 151 00:10:07,700 --> 00:10:13,900 to these Jews This call to baptism was absolutely 152 00:10:13,900 --> 00:10:19,500 scandalous. Because these Jews in Jesus time 153 00:10:19,500 --> 00:10:24,500 believe that their access to God's favor and then being able 154 00:10:24,500 --> 00:10:31,200 to secure, his saving work, was completely connected to their 155 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:36,200 race. Everything about their stand, 156 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:40,100 everything about their security, everything about their their 157 00:10:40,100 --> 00:10:44,000 enjoyment of God and their minds was completely connected to. 158 00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:50,200 The fact that Abraham was our father God, call the man Abraham 159 00:10:50,700 --> 00:10:51,700 and he called them. Yes. 160 00:10:51,700 --> 00:10:55,900 But he also made a covenant with his descendants and we are his 161 00:10:55,900 --> 00:11:00,200 descendants, and because we are his descendants, we enjoy 162 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:05,200 certain Privileges and certain promises, that's it. 163 00:11:06,300 --> 00:11:09,700 They boasted in that they taught that they believed that it was a 164 00:11:09,700 --> 00:11:13,000 cultural thing. It was even a spiritual thing, 165 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:16,900 those false. So when John comes on the scene 166 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:20,500 he's calling the chosen people of God to do what? 167 00:11:20,500 --> 00:11:27,300 Repent Repent and confess your need to be forgiven by God and 168 00:11:27,300 --> 00:11:31,000 Johnson just say repent. You're going to experience the 169 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:34,700 wrath of God, hold on for a second where the people of God 170 00:11:34,900 --> 00:11:38,000 you're telling us that God will pour out his wrath on us. 171 00:11:38,500 --> 00:11:41,500 Who do you think you are? And so this is startling, this 172 00:11:41,500 --> 00:11:44,500 was this was something that really shook the nation and 173 00:11:44,500 --> 00:11:46,500 actually brought the nation to its knees. 174 00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:51,000 And so when he, when he calls them to do this, you have to 175 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:53,200 understand that there was a great sacrifice, a great 176 00:11:53,200 --> 00:11:57,200 humility to respond to it. And I looked, and I said, well, 177 00:11:57,400 --> 00:12:00,100 haven't many prophets in the Old Testament called the same Nation 178 00:12:00,100 --> 00:12:03,200 to repentance? Haven't they call them to 179 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:06,300 confess their sins? What's different with John isn't 180 00:12:06,300 --> 00:12:07,700 John? Just like any other man? 181 00:12:07,700 --> 00:12:12,200 Who said, Isaiah Ezekiel, Jeremiah, repent, repent you 182 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:15,700 have turned from God one main difference. 183 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:19,400 Yes, repent. But get in this water. 184 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:25,600 Get in this water and declare your repentance. 185 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:30,000 Meaning what? You're going to have to, you're 186 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:32,100 going to have to participate in a symbol. 187 00:12:32,900 --> 00:12:36,100 You're going to have to participate in a sign and what 188 00:12:36,100 --> 00:12:39,000 is that sign? Remember, he's speaking to a 189 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:42,600 people who already have his sign and the sign was circumcision. 190 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:46,900 We are connected to God through that and now for a sudden, John 191 00:12:46,900 --> 00:12:49,800 comes and he speaks about this other side baptism. 192 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:55,600 And what does it signify that you must renounce any trust that 193 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:57,700 your entrance into the kingdom of heaven? 194 00:12:59,100 --> 00:13:02,900 What's secure because of your ethnicity or your ancestral 195 00:13:02,900 --> 00:13:05,400 identity. That as you come into this 196 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:09,200 place, you are instead making a personal commitment to God and a 197 00:13:09,208 --> 00:13:13,800 declaration to everybody else that I am dependent alone upon 198 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:19,600 the mercy of God, the mercy of God, not because of Abraham, not 199 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:22,200 because of the covenant, not? Because of the things that we 200 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:23,800 have in history. No. 201 00:13:23,800 --> 00:13:28,000 Simply because I need his mercy. And that was the sign-in. 202 00:13:28,300 --> 00:13:32,200 Autism. That was what John was calling 203 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:35,700 him to do, and the purpose. There was to invite people to no 204 00:13:35,700 --> 00:13:38,000 longer rely on the false. Hope that just because they were 205 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:41,500 born into a Jewish family that they could evade God's Wrath. 206 00:13:41,500 --> 00:13:45,800 And they automatically had the kingdom of heaven. and so you 207 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:50,600 can imagine how this was so stirring and upsetting to some 208 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:54,700 John said, the Messiah is coming and your good standing with the 209 00:13:54,700 --> 00:14:00,200 Jewish Messiah is not because you're Jewish You're standing 210 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:03,600 before the Messiah will be dependent upon your realization. 211 00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:06,900 That you need to be forgiven for your sins and despite your 212 00:14:06,900 --> 00:14:12,200 lineage, you will come personally and say I repent and 213 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:15,400 I will get into this water and make it a sign to whoever wants 214 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:19,000 to see it that I do. Need God's mercy. 215 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:23,200 So this is contrary to the common false concept that each 216 00:14:23,200 --> 00:14:26,600 son of Abraham, each son of Abraham needed to make that 217 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:30,000 decision. And join this man to participate 218 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:34,600 in this wonderful act. Perhaps we may not see that but 219 00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:37,100 you actually do, I'm not reading that into the text and we you 220 00:14:37,100 --> 00:14:40,800 see it in Matthew's gospel, turn there, just to just to get a 221 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:45,100 final confirmation of why John's baptism has a different emphasis 222 00:14:45,100 --> 00:14:49,000 than Jesus is baptism. At least baptism in Jesus name. 223 00:14:49,900 --> 00:14:52,000 In Matthew 3. Look at verse 7. 224 00:14:53,500 --> 00:14:58,600 Matthew 3729. But when he saw many of the 225 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:03,200 Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, 226 00:15:03,300 --> 00:15:06,700 you brood of vipers who warned you to flee from the Wrath to 227 00:15:06,700 --> 00:15:07,900 come? I love John. 228 00:15:08,800 --> 00:15:11,100 I love this guy. We can use a few of them today. 229 00:15:11,100 --> 00:15:16,500 I don't know about you. This man saw these pompous 230 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:20,600 Pharisees. These religious leaders and 231 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:23,700 teachers nicely dressed with their groom beards and their 232 00:15:23,700 --> 00:15:27,400 head stuffed with Theology. And here they are attending, the 233 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:31,500 baptism service. And John looks at them. 234 00:15:31,500 --> 00:15:33,500 He said, doesn't say, welcome to Maranatha. 235 00:15:33,500 --> 00:15:41,100 Bible Church? hey, you snakes who warned you 236 00:15:41,100 --> 00:15:48,200 to flee from the Wrath to come? Can you imagine These men were 237 00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:51,000 at John service but they had no intention to change. 238 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:53,300 Do you think that's common in church services today? 239 00:15:54,900 --> 00:15:58,600 You think that it's possible that today there are people who 240 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:03,100 like to hear in your face preaching but have no desire to 241 00:16:03,100 --> 00:16:06,100 be conformed to Christ likeness. I think, you know, the answer to 242 00:16:06,100 --> 00:16:08,500 that. John confronts them. 243 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:13,000 And look what he says in verse 8, bear fruit in keeping with 244 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:17,000 repentance and do not presume to say to yourselves, we have 245 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:22,500 Abraham as our father For I tell you God is able from these 246 00:16:22,500 --> 00:16:25,300 stones to raise up children for Abraham. 247 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:28,200 That is exactly what was going on through their minds as they 248 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:31,600 were seeing this strange man in water, plunging people one. 249 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:34,600 After the next we have Abraham our fuck. 250 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:37,300 We have circumcision. We are Jews. 251 00:16:38,900 --> 00:16:42,900 We are God's chosen people. And then this man, the son of a 252 00:16:42,900 --> 00:16:47,300 priest looks at me says, are you, are you relying on the fact 253 00:16:47,300 --> 00:16:50,800 that you are son of Abraham? You're a brood of vipers instead 254 00:16:51,500 --> 00:16:55,100 get in this water. Declare your need for the mercy 255 00:16:55,100 --> 00:17:02,000 of God to be shown on you. some did some didn't Now to make this 256 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:05,400 message even stronger, when you go back to verse 4 of Mark 1, we 257 00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:09,099 read John appeared baptizing in the wilderness. 258 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:16,800 In the wilderness. Probably because nobody would 259 00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:20,599 invite this guy to their conferences or their synagogues. 260 00:17:22,599 --> 00:17:26,400 More than that. Not just because there was 261 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:28,099 plenty of space for people to come. 262 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:30,700 There was no padded pews in the wilderness. 263 00:17:30,700 --> 00:17:35,400 My brother, my sister. But Israel was very familiar 264 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:40,200 with wildernesses weren't they did a history with the desert. 265 00:17:42,500 --> 00:17:47,100 It covers most of the themes of the Old Testament. 266 00:17:48,700 --> 00:17:52,200 And the significance of the Wilderness was that God I one 267 00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:54,400 point called the nation of Israel out of slavery, 268 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:57,400 delivering them from Pharaoh's grip and brought him into this 269 00:17:57,400 --> 00:18:02,400 Wasteland so that he can make a covenant with them so he can 270 00:18:02,400 --> 00:18:05,200 bring them to a certain mountain and appear on that mountain and 271 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:08,300 give a law and give instructions to this people who have known 272 00:18:08,300 --> 00:18:12,300 their redemption. In this, God can be identified 273 00:18:12,300 --> 00:18:17,700 with him in a certain way and it was it was external. and here's 274 00:18:17,700 --> 00:18:23,100 John, after 400 years of Silence, and the streets of 275 00:18:23,100 --> 00:18:26,600 Jerusalem can hear the echo of a wild, man. 276 00:18:27,700 --> 00:18:31,300 Who's preaching in the desert and drawing people out of their 277 00:18:31,300 --> 00:18:34,600 homes, drawing people out of the temple drawing people out of 278 00:18:34,608 --> 00:18:39,200 this synagogue to see this man who was on fire preaching fire. 279 00:18:40,700 --> 00:18:44,200 And as they come perhaps not knowing the significance of 280 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:47,300 what's happening. I believe to a certain extent 281 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:51,500 here is God through his Prophet, John leading His People Israel 282 00:18:51,500 --> 00:18:55,000 again Into the Wilderness not for the old Covenant but to 283 00:18:55,000 --> 00:19:01,800 establish a new one. I'm ready to make a New Covenant 284 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:04,500 with my people. And I'm going to send my 285 00:19:04,500 --> 00:19:07,200 4Runner, he's going to be in the wilderness. 286 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:09,900 I'm going to bring my people there and hopefully they'll 287 00:19:09,900 --> 00:19:18,200 catch on So, John here in his baptism. is very important 288 00:19:18,200 --> 00:19:23,300 because it has a different emphasis, very similar in many 289 00:19:23,300 --> 00:19:28,500 ways, but still a different emphasis, it had a shock value 290 00:19:28,500 --> 00:19:32,300 to the Jewish people and in Christ comes and he gives new 291 00:19:32,300 --> 00:19:35,100 instructions to his church. And we are baptized in the name 292 00:19:35,100 --> 00:19:38,300 of the father, Son and the Holy Spirit and we identify with his 293 00:19:38,300 --> 00:19:42,100 work on this side of the Cross. Now, hopefully that brought 294 00:19:42,100 --> 00:19:46,000 about some clarity to you. And I just because we want to be 295 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:49,500 sharper and truth but I would like to take this time to speak 296 00:19:49,500 --> 00:19:50,500 on something. Else. 297 00:19:50,700 --> 00:19:54,600 I would like to take this time to mention a point of where we 298 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:57,900 stand as a church and why we believe and Believers baptism, 299 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:01,800 one of the reasons why we do not hold to infant baptism. 300 00:20:01,900 --> 00:20:08,000 And there are many reasons for that is because that practice of 301 00:20:08,500 --> 00:20:14,400 baptizing, a child or a baby in, in particular, sends a message 302 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:19,700 that God is establishing a covenant with a new people in 303 00:20:19,700 --> 00:20:25,100 the same way that he formed a people in the old Covenant Let 304 00:20:25,100 --> 00:20:31,100 me say that again. When we practice the baptism of 305 00:20:31,100 --> 00:20:36,600 infants, many reasons why I believe theologically it doesn't 306 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:38,200 line up. And one of them is that we are 307 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:44,700 conveying a message that God in the New Covenant is forming a 308 00:20:44,700 --> 00:20:49,700 people and a very similar way that he did in the old. 309 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:55,000 What do I mean by that? In Jesus Christ, God has been 310 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:58,300 and continues to gather people from All Nations. 311 00:20:58,300 --> 00:21:02,200 We sang it all tribes all tongues different, cultures, 312 00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:05,400 different backgrounds, Who all share one thing in common faith, 313 00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:09,300 in the Son of God trust and his saving work. 314 00:21:10,300 --> 00:21:14,200 But in the Old Testament, God primarily had a people with one 315 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:19,000 specific race who identified with them through familial 316 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:26,200 descent. if you were born to a son of Abraham, if you were born 317 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:33,000 to this specific Nation, then you automatically at least if 318 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:37,000 the parents are faithful. Are in Covenant with God. 319 00:21:37,900 --> 00:21:41,900 And that Covenant is in a sense sealed through at least for the 320 00:21:41,900 --> 00:21:45,800 male's circumcision. Now here's the point, I'm trying 321 00:21:45,800 --> 00:21:51,200 to make if water baptism as the argument often goes is a 322 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:55,800 continuation. Of circumcision from the old, 323 00:21:56,000 --> 00:21:58,000 right? It replaces that sign of the 324 00:21:58,000 --> 00:22:01,500 Covenant and now it becomes something that Believers partake 325 00:22:01,500 --> 00:22:05,400 and and initiate With their own children. 326 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:08,900 Then what are we telling to a watching World about how God 327 00:22:08,900 --> 00:22:10,500 forms a covenant with his people? 328 00:22:13,500 --> 00:22:15,800 I argue that we send a very similar message that 329 00:22:15,800 --> 00:22:22,500 circumcision did which is what He belongs to Christ. 330 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:29,200 She is identified with Christ. He or she has died with Christ. 331 00:22:29,400 --> 00:22:31,200 Why? Because they were born to 332 00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:35,400 Christian parents. There are born to Christian 333 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:39,800 parents. I'm not saying that those who 334 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:43,900 hold to that view paedo. Baptism, are intentionally 335 00:22:43,900 --> 00:22:46,000 conveying that message? What I am saying is that the 336 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:49,400 practice can send a confusing idea. 337 00:22:50,500 --> 00:22:55,200 And we have to understand that we may be undermining a certain 338 00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:59,400 element of gospel witness. That is very powerful when it is 339 00:22:59,400 --> 00:23:04,600 honored in the right way. So, if we can all agree that 340 00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:09,000 Covenant with Christ in the New Covenant is exclusively for 341 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:12,300 those who are born again. They can. 342 00:23:12,300 --> 00:23:16,800 We all agree that the New Covenant, Covenant sign should 343 00:23:16,800 --> 00:23:19,500 be reserved for those who have proven evidence of a spiritual 344 00:23:19,500 --> 00:23:26,100 rebirth And so I'm persuaded that if we do not interpret 345 00:23:26,100 --> 00:23:31,100 baptism correctly, not just in its definition, but in its 346 00:23:31,100 --> 00:23:35,700 application that we might, we might be blurring something that 347 00:23:35,700 --> 00:23:39,400 God intended to be. A dramatic demonstration of 348 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:42,800 awesome witness to his saving power and what it means to be in 349 00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:46,900 Covenant with him. It's not through familial 350 00:23:46,900 --> 00:23:50,500 descent, it's not through. What kind of home you were born 351 00:23:50,500 --> 00:23:53,600 into It's because you were born again. 352 00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:57,600 And here's the sign that someone has been born again. 353 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:01,200 More of that to come in a future time. 354 00:24:03,100 --> 00:24:07,300 John called this people to be baptized and it was a very 355 00:24:07,300 --> 00:24:11,900 public thing very public. And he was speaking to a people 356 00:24:11,900 --> 00:24:14,200 who already had tradition who had a sign. 357 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:16,600 And so there was friction there but there are people who felt 358 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:18,800 the piercing conviction of his word. 359 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:21,700 And so they flooded Into the Wilderness, they came to receive 360 00:24:21,700 --> 00:24:24,900 this at the participate in it. And though, the emphasis is 361 00:24:24,900 --> 00:24:27,700 different, may I bring this to you as well, the challenge is no 362 00:24:27,700 --> 00:24:32,200 different in the New Covenant. It's still a challenging call to 363 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:36,500 be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. 364 00:24:37,900 --> 00:24:41,100 Now, in our day, we had different practices especially 365 00:24:41,100 --> 00:24:43,400 in our evangelism, in one of them is inviting people to the 366 00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:46,200 front if they want to receive Jesus Christ as Lord, some of 367 00:24:46,200 --> 00:24:48,000 you have done that. Some of you have a testimony 368 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:50,900 where that is where you have received Christ and you have 369 00:24:50,900 --> 00:24:54,600 people who debate that kind of model and one of the arguments 370 00:24:54,600 --> 00:24:56,800 is you never see an altar call in the Bible. 371 00:24:56,800 --> 00:24:59,600 You never see. People the pulsing, come forward 372 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:01,900 come to the front and you'll receive Christ and repeat after 373 00:25:01,900 --> 00:25:03,300 me. And so there's great debate 374 00:25:03,300 --> 00:25:06,100 about this. But if there is anything in the 375 00:25:06,100 --> 00:25:09,900 Bible, in the New Testament, Are there being a public 376 00:25:09,900 --> 00:25:12,400 demonstration or display of one's faith? 377 00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:15,900 It was water baptism. It was water bath. 378 00:25:15,900 --> 00:25:18,300 That's how your faith went public. 379 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:20,700 That's how, what God did in your heart. 380 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:26,700 Now goes before people. And so we need to be serious 381 00:25:26,700 --> 00:25:29,600 about water. Baptism, it shouldn't be a side 382 00:25:29,600 --> 00:25:31,200 issue. It's amazing how casual we 383 00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:33,400 become with the ordinances of the Lord Jesus Christ for his 384 00:25:33,400 --> 00:25:35,500 church. We become light with the 385 00:25:35,500 --> 00:25:38,900 breaking of bread and we come almost become very loose about 386 00:25:38,900 --> 00:25:42,700 what baptism is and and why we should take it as serious that 387 00:25:42,700 --> 00:25:45,100 we have to take it seriously. Because the church took it 388 00:25:45,100 --> 00:25:47,700 seriously, at least the early church. 389 00:25:49,100 --> 00:25:53,100 Yes, it was a step of obedience but it was also a demonstration 390 00:25:53,100 --> 00:25:58,500 to a watching world. I I mean, Covenant with this 391 00:25:58,500 --> 00:26:01,600 Jesus. That was his mandate. 392 00:26:01,700 --> 00:26:05,000 That was what really made him stand out as a prophet among 393 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:07,400 many other things. But we come to his manners and 394 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:10,700 verse 6. We're told that he called people 395 00:26:10,700 --> 00:26:13,200 to be baptized but for some reason, the Holy Spirit wants to 396 00:26:13,208 --> 00:26:15,200 tell us about his dress and his diet. 397 00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:18,800 Now, John was clothed with camels hair. 398 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:24,000 That wasn't luxurious by the way, and wore a leather belt 399 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:28,100 around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 400 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:32,800 His manners, a short portrait, gives a student of the Old 401 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:36,400 Testament and understanding that John, the Baptist is following 402 00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:38,700 in his footsteps of one of the greatest prophets that Israel 403 00:26:38,700 --> 00:26:42,400 has ever known. Elijah Elijah you got a second 404 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:44,100 Kings chapter 1. You see that Elijah where 405 00:26:44,100 --> 00:26:47,800 similar a tire You see that even John? 406 00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:50,900 Really Echoes Elijah's kind of preaching because he was 407 00:26:50,900 --> 00:26:54,300 confrontational, he was bold. He was Fearless. 408 00:26:55,700 --> 00:26:59,400 And so when we see that we go wow okay this is what we're told 409 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:02,200 about. John that he was the he was the 410 00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:05,400 one who came into the spirit and power of Elijah. 411 00:27:06,300 --> 00:27:08,900 He's gonna he's gonna preach like Elijah is going to minister 412 00:27:08,900 --> 00:27:10,400 like Elijah. And would you know what? 413 00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:12,900 He brought about various similar results as Elijah. 414 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:16,100 He brought a nation to its knees and mind you John the Baptist 415 00:27:16,100 --> 00:27:20,800 never perform one miracle. You can't find one miracle that 416 00:27:20,800 --> 00:27:23,400 John the Baptist performed and you have many people who think 417 00:27:23,400 --> 00:27:24,600 that we're going to get the world's attention. 418 00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:27,700 If we just have more miracles here, you have a man who is just 419 00:27:27,700 --> 00:27:31,000 drenching the power of God, he spoke the word and the people 420 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:35,100 came. This man. 421 00:27:36,300 --> 00:27:41,000 Was like, Elijah. But interestingly enough were 422 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:42,700 told that he ate locusts and honey. 423 00:27:44,500 --> 00:27:46,200 We have no idea what Elijah date. 424 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:52,000 So why do we need to know that? And I believe the Holy Spirit 425 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:55,600 wants to tell us more than just. He was a fulfillment more than 426 00:27:55,600 --> 00:27:58,500 just. He was like someone but there is 427 00:27:58,500 --> 00:28:02,200 something here about his custom about his lifestyle that teaches 428 00:28:02,200 --> 00:28:04,200 us. As Servants of God, the great 429 00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:07,400 the Great Lengths that he went to to fulfill his calling for 430 00:28:07,400 --> 00:28:11,200 the Lord. And that this man really, really 431 00:28:11,200 --> 00:28:16,200 believe what he preached. Let me explain. 432 00:28:16,300 --> 00:28:20,200 John's display here was not a call. 433 00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:24,200 Then nor is it a call? Now that the children of God who 434 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:27,500 want to serve, God should deny any delight and material 435 00:28:27,500 --> 00:28:30,800 blessings that God would gift and God would give that would be 436 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:34,700 wrong. To be Hermits or to just eat 437 00:28:34,700 --> 00:28:37,800 crumbs off of Old piece of bread and water as your regular diet. 438 00:28:37,800 --> 00:28:40,500 That is not, that's not what's happening here. 439 00:28:41,100 --> 00:28:43,900 But at the same time, the strategy behind this man's 440 00:28:43,900 --> 00:28:48,700 apparel and his appetite was a radical visualization to a 441 00:28:48,700 --> 00:28:52,000 people who heard him preach that these things. 442 00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:55,800 These disciplines were molded by a certain truth that I believe. 443 00:28:56,900 --> 00:29:01,900 What was it that John believed, what was it that he was aware of 444 00:29:01,900 --> 00:29:04,800 and made other people aware of Jesus coming? 445 00:29:06,700 --> 00:29:09,600 The Lord of Isaiah 40. The Lord of Molokai 3 is on his 446 00:29:09,600 --> 00:29:12,400 way. And John was. 447 00:29:12,400 --> 00:29:18,700 So convinced of that, that even when he was arrested, you seem 448 00:29:18,700 --> 00:29:22,000 to feel like this was a contradiction, because he 449 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:25,200 really, really trusted that the kingdom was going to be ushered 450 00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:28,600 in his lifetime. He knew his call and though, his 451 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:31,700 understanding wasn't complete in the 1st and 2nd Avenue Christ, 452 00:29:31,700 --> 00:29:34,700 he still had that Faith. The Messiah is on his way. 453 00:29:34,800 --> 00:29:36,900 He's on his way in my lifetime. Time. 454 00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:43,200 And perhaps she is doing what he is doing here in verse 6 to show 455 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:46,700 a people. That his life was not all about 456 00:29:46,700 --> 00:29:49,400 what Jesus said, you and I can make our life all about. 457 00:29:50,500 --> 00:29:53,900 Remember what Jesus said is not life more than food and the body 458 00:29:53,900 --> 00:29:59,100 more than clothing. Is not life more than some of 459 00:29:59,100 --> 00:30:05,200 you need to hear this. Is not life more than food. 460 00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:12,000 Is it not more than clothing and Our Generations? 461 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:18,500 Instagram would say otherwise Nothing wrong with food. 462 00:30:19,300 --> 00:30:22,600 I love it. Nothing wrong with clothing, we 463 00:30:22,600 --> 00:30:27,100 need it. But when life becomes about it, 464 00:30:28,700 --> 00:30:32,500 then there is something wrong. John the Baptist had an 465 00:30:32,500 --> 00:30:36,600 effective Ministry. And as strange as he might have 466 00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:41,000 seemed when he approaches audience, he was a man who 467 00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:43,000 showed them. I actually believe what I'm 468 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:46,000 saying. I don't get caught up in the 469 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:47,900 Comforts of this world of the luxuries of this world. 470 00:30:47,900 --> 00:30:50,200 I really, really believe Jesus is on his way. 471 00:30:50,500 --> 00:30:54,200 And so, and so look at my priorities, look at my proud 472 00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:58,000 radical. Yes, And he never pushed that 473 00:30:58,000 --> 00:31:00,900 standard on others, but he did teach it by way of example. 474 00:31:00,900 --> 00:31:04,700 And I want to prove that to you Because there was a time, when 475 00:31:04,900 --> 00:31:08,400 the people in the crowd asked, John, what do we need to do? 476 00:31:09,100 --> 00:31:11,800 That's how you know, Revival has hit a place when the crowd 477 00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:13,800 begins to ask the preacher. What do we need to do? 478 00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:17,800 What do we need to do? And I want you to see it for 479 00:31:17,800 --> 00:31:21,400 yourself and Luke chapter 3, how John begins to give instructions 480 00:31:21,400 --> 00:31:23,600 about how they should live in light of the fact that the 481 00:31:23,608 --> 00:31:27,300 Messiah was coming in light of the fact that he was on his way 482 00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:30,400 and he's going to usher in his kingdom and some will know the 483 00:31:30,400 --> 00:31:33,500 Saving Grace and some will know his wrath. 484 00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:37,100 So this crowd of people after hearing that, there was Wrath 485 00:31:37,100 --> 00:31:42,100 coming in verse 9 and verse 10 of Luke 3, the crowds asked him, 486 00:31:42,100 --> 00:31:46,300 what then shall we do? And he answered them. 487 00:31:46,300 --> 00:31:48,500 Whoever has two tunics is to share with him. 488 00:31:48,500 --> 00:31:52,500 Who has none? and whoever has food is to do 489 00:31:52,500 --> 00:31:56,300 likewise, Tax. Collectors also came to be 490 00:31:56,300 --> 00:31:58,200 baptized and sit down with tax collectors. 491 00:31:58,200 --> 00:32:01,400 Come to your church. You know, the spirit of God is 492 00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:04,600 moving Tax Collectors come. Okay. 493 00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:07,600 What do we need to do the crowd already spoke up the general 494 00:32:07,600 --> 00:32:09,600 public. Now the tax collectors, come the 495 00:32:09,600 --> 00:32:12,500 cheaters, the ones who would take more than what was required 496 00:32:12,500 --> 00:32:15,000 when they work for Rome so that they can have an extra buck in 497 00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:18,500 their pocket. John looks them and he says, 498 00:32:18,500 --> 00:32:20,700 collect no more than you are, authorized to do. 499 00:32:22,100 --> 00:32:26,200 Soldiers and verse 14 soldiers, which soldiers Roman soldiers. 500 00:32:27,400 --> 00:32:30,200 Roman soldiers, who could care less about Jewish. 501 00:32:30,200 --> 00:32:33,700 Religion are now, so pricked in their hearts, by John's 502 00:32:33,700 --> 00:32:37,800 preaching that they come and ask him and we and we, what shall we 503 00:32:37,800 --> 00:32:40,000 do? And he said to them, do not 504 00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:42,800 extort money from anyone by threats, or by false accusation 505 00:32:42,800 --> 00:32:46,600 and be content with your wages, be content with your wages. 506 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:50,700 Notice that John didn't say to the crowds when they said, what 507 00:32:50,700 --> 00:32:55,400 shall we do, sell all your tunics, and only have one outfit 508 00:32:55,900 --> 00:32:59,400 like me. I didn't say that. 509 00:33:00,200 --> 00:33:03,100 He's if you have more than you need, would you look Beyond 510 00:33:03,100 --> 00:33:05,700 yourself and stop hoarding. Your possessions and be a person 511 00:33:05,700 --> 00:33:09,100 who serves in sacrifices and helps others who may not be as 512 00:33:10,200 --> 00:33:14,200 As prosperous as you would, you look Beyond yourself, which 513 00:33:14,200 --> 00:33:17,200 tells me something very, very, very important about repentance. 514 00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:19,900 Remember, that's what he preached and the general crowd 515 00:33:19,900 --> 00:33:22,900 says, what shall we do in light of what, is it look like to 516 00:33:22,900 --> 00:33:24,800 repent? John what does it look like to 517 00:33:24,808 --> 00:33:26,600 be in right standing with the Lord. 518 00:33:26,600 --> 00:33:28,200 And, you know what? He highlights out of everything, 519 00:33:28,200 --> 00:33:29,600 he gets to the core of the matter. 520 00:33:30,100 --> 00:33:32,900 The thing that the general public then, and today need to 521 00:33:32,900 --> 00:33:35,500 continually repent of his selfishness. 522 00:33:37,700 --> 00:33:42,600 Me me more more pilot, all up. And, you know, that a work of 523 00:33:42,600 --> 00:33:45,000 repentance is becoming real in your life, when you begin to 524 00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:48,100 look outward and you begin to see the needs of others and you 525 00:33:48,100 --> 00:33:52,700 want to use your resources to be able to extend the grace of God, 526 00:33:52,700 --> 00:33:57,200 to those who are in need of it. Then the tax collectors come and 527 00:33:57,200 --> 00:33:58,200 they said, well, what do we need to do? 528 00:33:58,200 --> 00:34:02,300 He didn't say quit your jobs, he didn't say, quit your jobs, 529 00:34:03,400 --> 00:34:06,500 Leave everything. Sell your homes and come live in 530 00:34:06,500 --> 00:34:08,400 the desert with me. There's plenty of space. 531 00:34:08,800 --> 00:34:14,500 He didn't say that. And then the Romans come and 532 00:34:14,500 --> 00:34:16,600 they say what do we need to do and he doesn't command them to 533 00:34:16,600 --> 00:34:20,300 no longer work for Rome. Didn't say you work for an evil 534 00:34:20,300 --> 00:34:22,400 government. Leave it even if you don't have 535 00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:23,900 any income, just get out of there. 536 00:34:23,900 --> 00:34:26,400 He doesn't say that. I mean, as radical as John, the 537 00:34:26,400 --> 00:34:28,600 Baptist was, he was very realistic. 538 00:34:29,900 --> 00:34:33,199 You know what he tells him to do just be content with your pay 539 00:34:33,199 --> 00:34:36,500 man and stop manipulating the system and being ugly with 540 00:34:36,500 --> 00:34:40,699 people so that you can get a promotion be content with your 541 00:34:40,699 --> 00:34:45,199 wages. And I think this is a wonderful 542 00:34:45,199 --> 00:34:50,900 insight to apply to my own life. Because I realized that, as John 543 00:34:50,900 --> 00:34:52,600 Was preparing the way for the first coming. 544 00:34:52,600 --> 00:34:55,000 Jesus is planning and preparing to come again. 545 00:34:56,199 --> 00:35:00,600 And I want to know, Lord, what do I need to do to prepare for 546 00:35:00,600 --> 00:35:05,700 your arrival? Be less selfish. 547 00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:12,700 Learn to be content in Christ. Do not do not be abusive to 548 00:35:12,700 --> 00:35:14,500 people do not do not be harsh with people. 549 00:35:14,500 --> 00:35:16,800 Do not try to trick people. Do not try to make this life 550 00:35:16,800 --> 00:35:20,000 about how you can gain the most in this life live in light of my 551 00:35:20,000 --> 00:35:24,500 return. and I tell you today, live in light of the return of 552 00:35:24,508 --> 00:35:29,400 Jesus Christ, it will look like something But this was not 553 00:35:29,400 --> 00:35:32,700 John's core message. John didn't come on the scene to 554 00:35:32,700 --> 00:35:35,000 give behavioral modification tips. 555 00:35:37,300 --> 00:35:39,400 People ask practical advice, he gave it. 556 00:35:39,500 --> 00:35:43,000 John was very, very specific and how people should live and he 557 00:35:43,000 --> 00:35:47,600 was inspired by the Holy Spirit but John's core message, was not 558 00:35:47,600 --> 00:35:52,100 about you need to do this, it was about a person who will do 559 00:35:52,100 --> 00:35:56,000 something in you. That's what he says in Mark, 560 00:35:56,000 --> 00:35:59,500 178. We looked at his, his ministry, 561 00:35:59,800 --> 00:36:02,900 we looked at his manners and now you and I look at his message 562 00:36:03,800 --> 00:36:08,200 and Mark chapter 1 verse 7, And he preached. 563 00:36:09,600 --> 00:36:13,600 And he preached saying, after me comes, he who is mightier than I 564 00:36:14,600 --> 00:36:17,900 The strap of whose sandals, I am not worthy to stoop down and 565 00:36:17,900 --> 00:36:21,600 untie. I have baptized you with water, 566 00:36:21,600 --> 00:36:24,000 but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. 567 00:36:25,100 --> 00:36:28,500 John as you can imagine was successful in his ministry but 568 00:36:28,500 --> 00:36:31,900 as successful as he was never gave the impression that he was 569 00:36:31,900 --> 00:36:35,900 somebody who was mighty. He never failed to clarify to 570 00:36:35,900 --> 00:36:37,600 his people. Those who are even blessed by 571 00:36:37,600 --> 00:36:40,400 his ministry, that there was somebody more significant and 572 00:36:40,400 --> 00:36:45,000 more Mighty than him and he always pointed to him, he always 573 00:36:45,000 --> 00:36:50,000 declared him in John's message, clarified, any confusion. 574 00:36:50,100 --> 00:36:52,600 But additionally, as we read here, he never failed to 575 00:36:52,600 --> 00:36:55,700 declare. Also not just the superiority of 576 00:36:55,700 --> 00:36:58,500 Christ, but the superiority of his ministry. 577 00:36:58,500 --> 00:37:02,600 His work. He says I baptize you with water 578 00:37:02,600 --> 00:37:05,400 but he was coming. The Eternal King is on his way 579 00:37:05,700 --> 00:37:09,600 and by position he is far greater than me and so great. 580 00:37:09,600 --> 00:37:13,500 Is he that I not even worthy to take up the task of the lowest 581 00:37:13,500 --> 00:37:18,000 slave and that was to untie the dusty shoe of a master and then 582 00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:21,100 wash the feet. Of that man. 583 00:37:21,400 --> 00:37:24,800 I can't even do that. That's how awesome Christ is to 584 00:37:24,800 --> 00:37:26,600 me. I don't even deserve to serve 585 00:37:26,600 --> 00:37:31,300 him in such a way. But he is also Superior and that 586 00:37:31,300 --> 00:37:35,700 his baptism is much more powerful and needed than mine. 587 00:37:36,800 --> 00:37:41,100 I baptize you with water. She will baptize you with the 588 00:37:41,100 --> 00:37:44,700 Holy Spirit. In other words, I I do an 589 00:37:44,700 --> 00:37:47,200 external symbolic work with you guys. 590 00:37:47,800 --> 00:37:49,800 He's going to come in and do a spiritual work. 591 00:37:49,800 --> 00:37:54,200 Inside of you guys. My work is symbolic Christ. 592 00:37:54,200 --> 00:37:59,100 Work is Supernatural. And he's on his way to do it and 593 00:37:59,100 --> 00:38:01,100 I'm trying to get you all ready for it to happen. 594 00:38:01,800 --> 00:38:04,500 And so, as he looks to them, he is saying very clearly that I am 595 00:38:04,500 --> 00:38:07,800 inferior that I am not the one that you are looking for. 596 00:38:07,800 --> 00:38:10,000 I am not the Christ, I'm just the messenger, he made that 597 00:38:10,000 --> 00:38:13,000 clear in different places and what's so important to 598 00:38:13,000 --> 00:38:15,800 understand again with this audiences as they heard John the 599 00:38:15,800 --> 00:38:20,700 Baptist declaring that there is this Messiah on his way, who 600 00:38:20,700 --> 00:38:25,100 will do a baptismal work in the Holy Spirit? 601 00:38:25,100 --> 00:38:29,500 It was not a foreign concept. They knew it because the 602 00:38:29,500 --> 00:38:35,100 prophets declared as Joel did. For example, I will pour out my 603 00:38:35,100 --> 00:38:38,700 spirit on All Flesh, that there would be a spiritual work in the 604 00:38:38,700 --> 00:38:41,000 heart, that will take that Heart of Stone, and make it into a 605 00:38:41,000 --> 00:38:43,500 heart of Flesh that the law will be written on your hearts. 606 00:38:43,600 --> 00:38:46,000 They knew that and they knew that it wasn't just going to be 607 00:38:46,000 --> 00:38:49,000 for a limited men. Limited people limited 608 00:38:49,000 --> 00:38:52,300 Messengers that it was going to be available to all to servants 609 00:38:52,300 --> 00:38:57,100 men and women, young and old So you can just imagine the 610 00:38:57,100 --> 00:39:00,600 excitement in that desert in those Services is John would say 611 00:39:00,600 --> 00:39:03,800 he's coming, the ones are the prophets said, would come, he's 612 00:39:03,800 --> 00:39:08,800 on his way and he's going to baptize all of you at least 613 00:39:08,800 --> 00:39:10,400 those who had believed on his name. 614 00:39:11,400 --> 00:39:13,500 And this is what's so significant about the baptism of 615 00:39:13,500 --> 00:39:17,900 Jesus, we do not have time today to dissect and to unpack all the 616 00:39:17,900 --> 00:39:20,500 blessings of spiritual blessings that come from the gift of the 617 00:39:20,500 --> 00:39:23,800 holy spirit, that is only accessible through faith in the 618 00:39:23,800 --> 00:39:27,500 Lord Jesus Christ. Look at the imagery and consider 619 00:39:27,500 --> 00:39:31,600 the implication of what would happen to someone who does 620 00:39:31,600 --> 00:39:35,800 connect to this Messiah by faith and then receive the holy spirit 621 00:39:35,800 --> 00:39:41,600 that is Promised through him. You will be baptized with the 622 00:39:41,600 --> 00:39:45,900 Holy Spirit. It's the same word that you and 623 00:39:45,900 --> 00:39:51,400 I believe about water baptism. and when you, and I understand 624 00:39:51,400 --> 00:39:57,500 water baptism, which means to dip or to be immersed in, that 625 00:39:57,500 --> 00:40:01,900 tells us something about what baptism in the holy spirit is It 626 00:40:01,900 --> 00:40:04,800 means that the believer who is connected to Christ will be 627 00:40:04,800 --> 00:40:08,300 immersed. With the Holy Spirit. 628 00:40:10,100 --> 00:40:14,400 And the same way that every part of your body is drenched when 629 00:40:14,400 --> 00:40:19,500 you get into a body of water, and somebody helps you obey the 630 00:40:19,500 --> 00:40:21,000 Lord Jesus Christ, and that matter. 631 00:40:22,300 --> 00:40:25,300 In other words, this work of Christ by the spirit, will 632 00:40:25,300 --> 00:40:28,700 consume every part of Who You Are. 633 00:40:31,000 --> 00:40:36,400 No, part will be untouched. Nothing will be left out from 634 00:40:36,400 --> 00:40:39,500 head to toe. You will be affected by the 635 00:40:39,500 --> 00:40:44,800 influence of the Holy Spirit. Once Christ plunges, you in his 636 00:40:44,800 --> 00:40:48,900 power and his presence. More specifically. 637 00:40:48,900 --> 00:40:53,200 We learned later on that the Holy Spirit does many things and 638 00:40:53,200 --> 00:40:56,100 he has a specific Mission and the main mission, the umbrella 639 00:40:56,100 --> 00:40:59,700 mission of the holy spirit is that he will, what glorified me? 640 00:40:59,800 --> 00:41:04,600 Jesus said he will glorify me. And so I like to take that truth 641 00:41:04,600 --> 00:41:08,100 and related to this that when Christ will come and take that 642 00:41:08,100 --> 00:41:10,500 heart of faith. And then pledge it completely 643 00:41:10,700 --> 00:41:13,600 into the reality of the Holy Spirit, his power, his wisdom, 644 00:41:13,600 --> 00:41:17,900 his grace His blessings, then every part of you will. 645 00:41:18,000 --> 00:41:22,500 To glorify Christ. Okay, why am I bringing this up? 646 00:41:22,500 --> 00:41:24,800 Let me tell you why I'm bringing it up because this is the 647 00:41:24,800 --> 00:41:28,800 standard of the work of Christ. This is the extensive work of 648 00:41:28,800 --> 00:41:31,000 Jesus Christ in a Believers life. 649 00:41:31,500 --> 00:41:37,900 It's not a sprinkled work. It's not a part work. 650 00:41:37,900 --> 00:41:40,200 It's not like some of you gets wet. 651 00:41:40,300 --> 00:41:42,700 No, it's a plunging work. Where every part of you is 652 00:41:42,700 --> 00:41:46,900 profoundly affected by God's power in the Holy Spirit. 653 00:41:49,000 --> 00:41:53,600 And I bring that up because salvation is a miraculous work. 654 00:41:55,500 --> 00:41:59,700 It's miraculous work. It affects everything about who 655 00:41:59,700 --> 00:42:04,100 you are. and I want to ask you today according to John's word, 656 00:42:05,700 --> 00:42:07,100 According To Jesus word. Echoing. 657 00:42:07,100 --> 00:42:09,000 John's word, has that been true of you. 658 00:42:10,800 --> 00:42:15,000 Could you say that when when I understood my need of Christ and 659 00:42:15,000 --> 00:42:18,000 Christ took my heart and unified it and allowed the indwelling 660 00:42:18,000 --> 00:42:19,600 work of the Holy Spirit to be real. 661 00:42:19,600 --> 00:42:22,800 In me that from head, to toe something happened. 662 00:42:24,700 --> 00:42:26,400 I think differently, I see differently. 663 00:42:26,700 --> 00:42:28,600 I hear differently. I move differently. 664 00:42:28,600 --> 00:42:31,000 I react differently, not perfectly differently. 665 00:42:33,600 --> 00:42:38,700 The very suggestion of what will happen in relation to the Holy 666 00:42:38,700 --> 00:42:43,300 Spirit suggest that it will be a wonderful thing. 667 00:42:44,500 --> 00:42:47,400 An observable thing. A tangible thing. 668 00:42:47,500 --> 00:42:50,800 A seeable thing. Somebody goes in the water and 669 00:42:50,800 --> 00:42:53,100 comes out, you've seen it just a few weeks ago, you know, that 670 00:42:53,100 --> 00:42:56,200 person just got baptized no question about it. 671 00:42:57,400 --> 00:42:59,300 Should it be any different when somebody comes into Faith with 672 00:42:59,300 --> 00:43:02,400 Christ? Something happened. 673 00:43:03,400 --> 00:43:07,100 You were immersed. Who are you? 674 00:43:08,600 --> 00:43:10,900 You are one person two weeks ago now you're someone else. 675 00:43:11,100 --> 00:43:13,900 And yes it's not a perfect thing, but it is a new Direction 676 00:43:13,900 --> 00:43:15,400 thing. And that you begin to grow and 677 00:43:15,400 --> 00:43:20,900 walk in that more and more and more, and there is hours worth 678 00:43:20,900 --> 00:43:24,000 of study to see the spiritual blessings that come that makes 679 00:43:24,000 --> 00:43:29,400 this promise so exciting. But in summary, what John is 680 00:43:29,400 --> 00:43:33,800 saying is that this reality this experiential thing in the Holy 681 00:43:33,800 --> 00:43:37,800 Spirit can only be accessed by one person that is Jesus Christ. 682 00:43:38,500 --> 00:43:40,400 This alteration this transformation. 683 00:43:40,400 --> 00:43:44,200 This spiritual work. Cannot be known and less Christ 684 00:43:44,200 --> 00:43:47,800 is known. He's the only one that can take 685 00:43:47,800 --> 00:43:52,400 you and then baptize you in the Holy Spirit. 686 00:43:54,700 --> 00:43:56,700 And I want to make that call to you today. 687 00:44:00,000 --> 00:44:03,900 Because they're there could be some in here who are satisfied 688 00:44:03,900 --> 00:44:07,900 in their tradition. Like the Jews were And there 689 00:44:07,900 --> 00:44:13,600 could be some who who understand the principles of Christianity 690 00:44:13,600 --> 00:44:15,400 and the tenets of the Christian faith. 691 00:44:15,900 --> 00:44:20,800 But they cannot say That I've collided with the Holy Spirit. 692 00:44:22,800 --> 00:44:32,100 That Jesus Christ changed me. He took me and he buried me and 693 00:44:32,100 --> 00:44:35,500 he brought me up and there's something new in me. 694 00:44:37,500 --> 00:44:41,800 We cannot minimize as simple as salvation is in terms of how we 695 00:44:41,800 --> 00:44:46,200 come to it, we cannot minimize the miraculous in it. 696 00:44:47,900 --> 00:44:54,100 John the Baptist. The ministry, the manners and 697 00:44:54,100 --> 00:44:58,500 the message. May God use us to prepare people 698 00:44:58,500 --> 00:45:01,200 for the return of the Lord. Let's pray. 699 00:45:23,100 --> 00:45:32,400 For we ask In This Moment. That you helped us realize what 700 00:45:32,400 --> 00:45:37,500 Christ has made possible. And then we thank you that there 701 00:45:37,500 --> 00:45:40,600 is an indwelling work of the Holy Spirit, but you call us for 702 00:45:40,600 --> 00:45:43,300 continual fillings of the Holy, Holy Spirit. 703 00:45:45,200 --> 00:45:52,100 And Lord, if there's any part of us, that's dry. if there's any 704 00:45:52,100 --> 00:45:57,300 part of us that has become contaminated or dominated by the 705 00:45:57,300 --> 00:46:01,600 flesh, Lord Phyllis afresh, Phyllis afresh. 706 00:46:05,700 --> 00:46:07,600 Lord help us live in light of your return. 707 00:46:09,500 --> 00:46:14,400 Thank you for your clarity. Thank you o God for teaching us 708 00:46:14,400 --> 00:46:17,800 what we need to know. Because with every detail of 709 00:46:17,800 --> 00:46:20,300 this book, we realize that we have a greater understanding of 710 00:46:20,300 --> 00:46:23,400 you and that is what we want in this life fellowship with you. 711 00:46:24,600 --> 00:46:28,300 and so Lord, As we sing to you, we Rejoice, we rejoice in the 712 00:46:28,300 --> 00:46:31,100 knowledge that there is a New Covenant people that you are 713 00:46:31,100 --> 00:46:35,300 creating And it will not come through familiar this and it 714 00:46:35,300 --> 00:46:37,900 will come through the rebirth by the spirit of God. 715 00:46:39,700 --> 00:46:41,300 And Lord, you are still calling people. 716 00:46:42,400 --> 00:46:45,200 To join your family. And if there's anyone in here 717 00:46:45,200 --> 00:46:48,000 that there's a know, you may they know that they cannot rely 718 00:46:48,000 --> 00:46:50,900 on their parents salvation is not a package deal. 719 00:46:52,100 --> 00:46:55,800 They realize that they cannot rely on even tradition that they 720 00:46:55,800 --> 00:46:59,200 have observed. But that it must come from a 721 00:46:59,200 --> 00:47:01,000 work of the Holy Spirit and the heart. 722 00:47:01,800 --> 00:47:05,700 You can make that known, we ask that you would in Jesus name. 723 00:47:06,100 --> 00:47:07,800 Amen, standing Worship the Lord.