1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:02,300 We'll certainly is great to be here. 2 00:00:02,300 --> 00:00:04,800 I can I can tell you with my whole heart. 3 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:07,400 There's no place. I'd rather be than to be here 4 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:10,400 this morning. I'm thankful for you guys and 5 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:14,500 it's It's almost unbelievable that it's been a year since last 6 00:00:14,500 --> 00:00:18,100 time I've been here and so much has changed in the world but 7 00:00:18,100 --> 00:00:21,900 it's amazing that we have a consistent God who does not 8 00:00:21,900 --> 00:00:25,300 change and this morning we want to just talk about him and to 9 00:00:25,300 --> 00:00:29,000 focus on him and cast her aside all the cares of this life. 10 00:00:30,100 --> 00:00:34,100 And I pray that our lesson for this morning, it will be both 11 00:00:34,100 --> 00:00:38,000 encouraging and edifying, but most importantly, that'll be 12 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:42,100 done in spirit and in truth. So just to open us up with the 13 00:00:42,500 --> 00:00:44,500 opening passage. I'd like for us to read from 14 00:00:44,500 --> 00:00:50,000 John chapter 1 verses 6 through 9 John chapter 1 verse 6. 15 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:54,800 Says, there was a man sent from God whose name was John. 16 00:00:55,600 --> 00:01:00,200 This man came for a witness to Bear witness of the light that 17 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:04,599 all through him might believe he was not that light but was sent 18 00:01:04,599 --> 00:01:08,700 to Bear witness of that light. That was the light, which gives 19 00:01:08,700 --> 00:01:11,300 light to every man coming into the world. 20 00:01:13,100 --> 00:01:17,000 So it's often said that we know who the Savior sent from God is 21 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:20,300 we know that God came down in the form of man to die for our 22 00:01:20,300 --> 00:01:26,400 sins who excuse me, one concept that were not as familiar with 23 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:30,800 is the pave your sent from God. And I was told this a couple 24 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:34,300 weeks back when I was talking to you brother and his sister about 25 00:01:34,300 --> 00:01:37,800 this topic about this title that the word pave, your it's not 26 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:42,500 really something we use today. but that term pave, your all it 27 00:01:42,500 --> 00:01:46,800 means is someone who paves the way and when we say the pave 28 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:49,900 yourself from God, we're talking about John the Baptist because 29 00:01:49,900 --> 00:01:53,000 he is the connecting link between the Old Testament and 30 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,900 the New Testament. He is the first one to speak or 31 00:01:56,900 --> 00:01:59,500 the first preacher if you will after the 400 years of 32 00:01:59,500 --> 00:02:05,500 revelatory Silence, So for this morning, we want to focus on the 33 00:02:05,500 --> 00:02:08,699 pave, your sent from God because if we can understand the pave, 34 00:02:08,699 --> 00:02:11,100 your, in his role, we can better understand. 35 00:02:11,100 --> 00:02:12,500 And appreciate. Jesus Christ. 36 00:02:12,500 --> 00:02:15,400 And what he did for us in the scheme of redemption. 37 00:02:16,700 --> 00:02:19,300 So, our study for this morning, we'll go over three points. 38 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:23,200 Number one, will look at John as a person. 39 00:02:23,700 --> 00:02:27,100 Will look at him from his birth to his upbringing before his 40 00:02:27,100 --> 00:02:31,700 manifestation to Israel. Then we'll look to John's 41 00:02:31,700 --> 00:02:35,400 preparation his role in the scheme of redemption and 42 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:40,700 preparing the way for Christ. And lastly, we'll look at John's 43 00:02:40,900 --> 00:02:43,600 perspective. The perspective he had of 44 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:47,100 himself in God's plan, how he carried himself. 45 00:02:48,100 --> 00:02:52,800 But as we begin, we start with John as a person, it's natural 46 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:55,500 that when we learn about somebody we start first with 47 00:02:55,500 --> 00:02:57,900 their parents. So we want to turn to Luke 48 00:02:57,900 --> 00:03:00,800 chapter 1 and read verses 5 through 7. 49 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:05,800 They're the Bible says, there was in the days of Herod, the 50 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:10,300 King of Judea a certain priest named, Zacharias of the division 51 00:03:10,300 --> 00:03:13,600 of abijah, his wife was of the daughters of Aaron. 52 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:19,600 And her name was Elizabeth and they were both righteous before 53 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:23,300 God walking in all the Commandments and ordinances of 54 00:03:23,300 --> 00:03:27,800 the Lord blamelessly. But they had no child because 55 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:32,100 Elizabeth was barren. And they were both well advanced 56 00:03:32,700 --> 00:03:35,000 in years. So we see that just from this 57 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:39,400 one, passage that both of John, the Baptist parents Zacharias 58 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:43,200 and Elizabeth there. There a Priestly family on both 59 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:46,800 sides and they weren't just any Priestly family. 60 00:03:47,100 --> 00:03:50,800 They were devout to use how devout day followed God and all 61 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:53,400 the command, all the Commandments and ordinances, 62 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:57,500 they were blameless. These were not just lukewarm 63 00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:04,500 followers of God by any means. and with that being said, the 64 00:04:04,500 --> 00:04:09,500 only problem was they had no child and back in this day and 65 00:04:09,500 --> 00:04:12,200 age or back in that time if you had no child. 66 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:14,300 Everybody used to think that there was something wrong with 67 00:04:14,300 --> 00:04:16,300 you. You guys must have been 68 00:04:16,899 --> 00:04:22,200 unrighteous You guys, these people, they may have appeared 69 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:24,400 to be good, but behind the scenes, they had something wrong 70 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:27,000 with them. But that's not the case at all, 71 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:30,200 because their Fortune with change and Luke chapter 1 and 72 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:34,300 verse 11. And Luke chapter 1 and verse 11. 73 00:04:34,300 --> 00:04:38,100 The Bible says then an angel of the Lord appeared to him. 74 00:04:38,100 --> 00:04:41,500 Being Zacharias, standing on the right side of the altar of 75 00:04:41,500 --> 00:04:44,800 incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he 76 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:47,800 was troubled and fear fell upon him. 77 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:51,600 But the angel said to him, do not be afraid Zechariah. 78 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:55,500 For your prayer is heard and your wife, Elizabeth will bear 79 00:04:55,500 --> 00:04:58,300 you a son, and you shall call his name, John. 80 00:04:59,100 --> 00:05:02,100 And you will have joy and gladness and many Will Rejoice 81 00:05:02,100 --> 00:05:04,600 at his birth for. He will be great in the sight of 82 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:07,700 the Lord and shall drink. Neither wine nor strong drink, 83 00:05:08,100 --> 00:05:12,700 he will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his 84 00:05:12,700 --> 00:05:16,500 mother's womb, Zacharias is visit with the angel. 85 00:05:16,500 --> 00:05:21,500 Gabriel Mark the end of the 400 years of revelatory silence and 86 00:05:21,500 --> 00:05:25,800 the angel spoke, the very first words of prophetic nature since 87 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:29,900 the last Old Testament prophet and the angel he reveals a 88 00:05:29,900 --> 00:05:33,600 three-fold reception of this boy, according to the parents, 89 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:36,800 he the parents would Rejoice with gladness. 90 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:40,100 They would be filled with gladness but in the eyes of the 91 00:05:40,100 --> 00:05:44,000 public, everybody would Rejoice at his birth, but in the sight 92 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:46,600 of God God. He'd be great. 93 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:50,300 He would be great and concerning his lifestyle. 94 00:05:50,300 --> 00:05:53,600 The Bible says that he was going to abstain from wine and strong 95 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:57,400 drink which indicates that he was going to be under a Nazarite 96 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:00,500 vow. We're not too familiar with 97 00:06:00,500 --> 00:06:03,800 that, but that's when someone would be dedicated to God. 98 00:06:03,900 --> 00:06:07,100 They would be told to abstain, from any great products. 99 00:06:07,100 --> 00:06:09,500 You couldn't touch a dead body. You could not be unclean 100 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:13,800 ceremonially. And some people that we know 101 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:18,000 that are that we better know that our nazirites, our Samson 102 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:22,200 and Samuel but unlike those men who for a time of their life 103 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:25,300 were dedicated to God, John the Baptist whole life will be 104 00:06:25,300 --> 00:06:32,000 dedicated to God in service. And we've read one final verse 105 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:35,300 concerning, the upbringing of upbringing of John, the Baptist 106 00:06:35,700 --> 00:06:37,300 and Luke chapter, 1 and verse 18. 107 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:42,200 The Bible says, so the child grew and became strong in spirit 108 00:06:42,300 --> 00:06:46,000 and was in a desert, still the day of his manifestation to 109 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:49,900 Israel. We have some other passages but 110 00:06:49,900 --> 00:06:52,700 pretty much. That's all we know about him and 111 00:06:52,700 --> 00:06:55,600 you might think or we might think that there's no way that 112 00:06:55,600 --> 00:06:58,800 that's just too broad, we don't know a whole lot but I can 113 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:02,800 assure you this morning. We know exactly what we need to 114 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:05,200 truly understand how he was raised. 115 00:07:06,100 --> 00:07:09,200 And what I mean by that is these three points. 116 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:13,800 He had the proper parents, he had this proper Spiritual Living 117 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:17,200 place which allowed him to be prepared for his work in 118 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:22,000 Ministry. And with John having the proper 119 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:23,200 pants. Remember, we just talked about 120 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:25,900 how he's his parents were devout Jews. 121 00:07:25,900 --> 00:07:28,700 They follow God. And always, and no doubt, if 122 00:07:28,700 --> 00:07:30,900 they were devout Jews, they would have followed this Old 123 00:07:30,900 --> 00:07:35,500 Testament, scripture Deuteronomy chapter 11 and verse 18 says 124 00:07:35,500 --> 00:07:38,800 this, therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your 125 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:42,700 heart and in your soul and bind them as a sign on your hand and 126 00:07:42,700 --> 00:07:44,800 they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 127 00:07:45,500 --> 00:07:47,700 You shall teach them to your children. 128 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:51,200 Speaking of them when you sit in your house House when you walk, 129 00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:55,200 by the way, when you lie down and when you rise up and you 130 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:57,800 shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on 131 00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:00,900 your Gates, that your days in the days of your children, may 132 00:08:00,900 --> 00:08:04,000 be multiplied in the land of which the Lord swore to your 133 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:08,100 father's, to give them like the days of the heavens above the 134 00:08:08,100 --> 00:08:09,400 Earth. So, no doubt it. 135 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:11,300 They were devout Jews. They would have followed this 136 00:08:11,300 --> 00:08:13,500 commandment. So we see that John the Baptist, 137 00:08:13,500 --> 00:08:16,000 he was raised knowing the scriptures, he was taught the 138 00:08:16,008 --> 00:08:20,000 scriptures but not only that he was raised in the desert. 139 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:24,200 And the reason why that's important is because he was not 140 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:27,800 raised in the in the city, surrounded by saying and 141 00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:31,400 worldliness, but he had the best place to grow up where he was 142 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:33,900 unhindered, not influenced by the World. 143 00:08:33,900 --> 00:08:38,200 By any means where he just had a hyperbolic Time Chamber of 144 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:42,600 spiritual growth. Totally unhindered and I can 145 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:46,600 only just say here in amazement and I wish we all had that the 146 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:49,400 only way we could probably have that is if we lived in West 147 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:53,300 Texas, but besides that it's probably not the best or it's 148 00:08:53,300 --> 00:08:57,900 not going to work out for us in that having that situation. 149 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:02,500 But keeping on with this, he had Godly Parents. 150 00:09:02,500 --> 00:09:04,900 He had a spiritual environment environment which allowed him to 151 00:09:04,900 --> 00:09:09,900 be prepared for his life's work. And like I said, just a minute 152 00:09:09,900 --> 00:09:15,300 ago, it's unlikely. We could do the same thing but 153 00:09:15,300 --> 00:09:17,000 we have to ask ourselves this question. 154 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:22,200 If we're doing the best we can, to raise our families in his 155 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:27,600 spiritual home, does our home reflect worldliness or does it 156 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:31,300 teach godliness? And the Bible teaches this in a 157 00:09:31,300 --> 00:09:34,900 couple verses, we want to look at the first verse is Proverbs 158 00:09:34,900 --> 00:09:40,100 22:6 train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, 159 00:09:40,100 --> 00:09:44,700 he will not depart from it. Ephesians chapter 4, excuse me, 160 00:09:44,700 --> 00:09:49,100 Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 4. And you fathers, do not provoke 161 00:09:49,100 --> 00:09:51,900 your children to wrath but bring them up in the training and 162 00:09:51,900 --> 00:09:56,900 admonition of the Lord. And lastly, Joshua preach a 163 00:09:56,900 --> 00:10:00,600 similar message and Joshua 24:15. 164 00:10:01,100 --> 00:10:04,900 And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord choose for 165 00:10:04,900 --> 00:10:08,500 yourselves this day, whom you will serve whether the gods 166 00:10:08,500 --> 00:10:10,800 which your father's served that were on the other side of the 167 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:14,600 river or the gods of the amorites in whose land you 168 00:10:14,600 --> 00:10:18,300 dwell. But as for me and my house, we 169 00:10:18,300 --> 00:10:22,200 will serve the Lord. And each of us this morning we 170 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:24,800 have a decision to make. What's it going to be for our 171 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:27,300 family? What about your family? 172 00:10:28,500 --> 00:10:31,500 Are we going to choose to serve the Lord or to choose a live? 173 00:10:31,500 --> 00:10:34,300 A worldly life? Because our children were either 174 00:10:35,300 --> 00:10:39,400 reap the consequences or see me. They'll pay the consequences or 175 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:41,900 reap the benefits of this decision. 176 00:10:41,900 --> 00:10:47,700 Ultimately. But as we transition, she's 177 00:10:47,700 --> 00:10:49,800 mean, working still working through this PowerPoint. 178 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:53,600 But as we transition, this boy in the wilderness would go on to 179 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:57,400 become a man. And now we turn from John's 180 00:10:58,500 --> 00:11:00,800 person or the person of John, his personal life. 181 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:07,200 We now turn to is preparation for the work and this rule of a 182 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:10,500 prepared. If finds great historical 183 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:14,800 significance, Robert Milligan in the scheme of redemption, he Is 184 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:16,800 this about this role of being a paver? 185 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:21,100 We are told by ancient historians that when Eastern 186 00:11:21,100 --> 00:11:24,000 monarchs were about to set out on an important Expedition. 187 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:27,700 It was their custom to say harbingers or Harold's in 188 00:11:27,700 --> 00:11:32,000 advance of their armies with orders to provide supplies. 189 00:11:32,300 --> 00:11:36,100 Make bridges, find the best fording places over streams. 190 00:11:36,500 --> 00:11:39,800 Level Hills construct, causeways, cut down forest, and 191 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:43,800 in a word, to do whatever. Might be necessary to prepare 192 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:47,700 the way before them. And one example of this 193 00:11:47,700 --> 00:11:52,000 customer, this practice is recorded by a Ryan's history of 194 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:56,300 Alexander. The Great, a Ryan says that he 195 00:11:56,300 --> 00:12:00,700 being Alexander now proceeded to the river Indus a company going 196 00:12:00,700 --> 00:12:04,300 before, which made a way for him for otherwise, there would have 197 00:12:04,300 --> 00:12:06,900 been no motive passing through that region. 198 00:12:07,900 --> 00:12:10,900 So in the same way that these Earthly Kings would send a 199 00:12:11,100 --> 00:12:15,900 messenger a Harbinger, but for them to prepare the way, God 200 00:12:15,900 --> 00:12:19,500 Saint John the Baptist to prepare the way for Christ. 201 00:12:21,300 --> 00:12:24,100 And we see that Isaiah prophesied in this and Isaiah 202 00:12:24,100 --> 00:12:26,800 chapter 40 and verses 3 through 5. 203 00:12:28,100 --> 00:12:31,100 Isaiah, Chapter 14. Verse 3, says the voice of one 204 00:12:31,100 --> 00:12:34,800 crying in the wilderness. Prepare the way of the Lord make 205 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:38,000 straight in the desert. A highway for our God, every 206 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:40,600 Valley shall be exalted and every mountain and Hill brought 207 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:43,100 low, the Crooked places shall be made straight. 208 00:12:43,100 --> 00:12:46,100 And the rough places smooth, the glory of the Lord shall be 209 00:12:46,100 --> 00:12:50,600 revealed and All Flesh, shall see it together for the mouth of 210 00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:55,100 the Lord has spoken, and we can see that this prophecy is 211 00:12:55,100 --> 00:12:59,000 fulfilled in John the Baptist and all the Balls in Matthew 212 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:04,600 chapter 3 verses 1 through 3, Mark 13, Luke 1 and John 1. 213 00:13:04,700 --> 00:13:08,800 So we know that this is talking about John the Baptist and the 214 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:13,200 same language of preparing the way that those Earthly 215 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:17,200 Messengers did is applied to John the Baptist, but the way 216 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:20,300 that he prepared the world was completely different to the way 217 00:13:20,300 --> 00:13:23,600 that the Earthly Messengers prepared the world for their 218 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:27,900 King. And we see that unlike the 219 00:13:27,900 --> 00:13:30,800 worldly kings that commanded their harbingers to prepare the 220 00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:35,400 way physically, John the Baptist prepared, the way spiritually 221 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:40,200 going to look at this, for example, these worldly 222 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:43,000 Messengers they made Bridges, they leveled Hills, they cut 223 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:46,900 down forests, but John the Baptist, he caught he told the 224 00:13:46,900 --> 00:13:49,400 people to repent. He told them to confess their 225 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:52,500 sins and to turn back to God and He Was preparing them 226 00:13:52,500 --> 00:13:57,200 spiritually. He's preparing them spiritually, 227 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:00,700 and Luke chapter 3, and verse 11 through 14. 228 00:14:00,700 --> 00:14:04,000 We get an example of this where John the Baptist, He commands 229 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:06,700 the people look. You have two tunics give to 230 00:14:06,700 --> 00:14:11,200 someone who doesn't have any and you guys don't lie and steal the 231 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:13,400 military. Don't lie and steal be content 232 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:16,100 with your wages. And what he was doing was he was 233 00:14:16,100 --> 00:14:17,900 trying to change the hearts of men. 234 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:20,600 He was trying to prepare the hearts of men. 235 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:26,200 For the Christ to come. and this makes all the more, all the more 236 00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:30,500 sense when we realize that, Christ's kingdom is not a 237 00:14:30,500 --> 00:14:32,600 worldly Kingdom or a physical Kingdom. 238 00:14:32,700 --> 00:14:35,000 Therefore, it's not prepared like the world, like the 239 00:14:35,008 --> 00:14:37,400 kingdoms of the world, hates his spiritual Kingdom. 240 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:40,700 John chapter 18, verses, 36, and 37. 241 00:14:42,900 --> 00:14:48,100 But as we hasten on, we could see that in John. 242 00:14:48,100 --> 00:14:50,800 The Baptist Mission, he was successful. 243 00:14:52,100 --> 00:14:55,900 What I mean by that is because first off, he prepared, many of 244 00:14:55,900 --> 00:15:00,500 the Jews for the Messiah and for his kingdom, Mark chapter 1 245 00:15:00,500 --> 00:15:04,200 verse 4 says, John came, baptizing in the wilderness and 246 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:06,600 preaching, a baptism of repentance for the remission of 247 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:11,500 sins, then all the land of Judea and those from Jerusalem, went 248 00:15:11,500 --> 00:15:14,900 out to him and we're all baptized by him in the Jordan 249 00:15:14,900 --> 00:15:19,400 River confessing their sins. So unlike Jeremiah the war we 250 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:22,700 were talking about earlier where he had some for Years of 251 00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:26,200 preaching do not convert one person. 252 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:29,900 That's not a reflection on Jeremiah being a bad preacher 253 00:15:29,900 --> 00:15:31,700 but it's a reflection of the hearts of the people. 254 00:15:31,700 --> 00:15:34,200 At that time, what? We see here completely 255 00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:37,300 completely opposite John, the Baptist went about preaching 256 00:15:37,300 --> 00:15:41,300 almost an entire region. And they were prepared for the 257 00:15:41,300 --> 00:15:44,800 Messiah, but on top of that, it did not stop there. 258 00:15:45,700 --> 00:15:48,900 Because John, the Baptist pointed, his own disciples in 259 00:15:48,900 --> 00:15:52,400 the right direction. Because in John chapter 1, the 260 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:55,800 Bible teaches us that one of John, the Baptist's disciples, 261 00:15:56,800 --> 00:15:59,300 John told him, that's the Messiah, that's the Christ, he 262 00:15:59,300 --> 00:16:02,300 went home. He went home and he told his 263 00:16:02,300 --> 00:16:07,200 brother, we found the Messiah, we found him, finally, and those 264 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:10,400 two men, they went on to become Disciples of Christ and 265 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:14,100 apostles, that's Andrew and Simon Peter. 266 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:17,500 And it's interesting that Andrew who's not the preacher, is the 267 00:16:17,500 --> 00:16:19,400 one who brought his brother along. 268 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:23,800 Which is goes to show that not only the preacher has to 269 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:27,300 evangelize, or not only the teacher but it's it's a job that 270 00:16:27,300 --> 00:16:29,200 everybody can do behind the scenes. 271 00:16:31,700 --> 00:16:36,900 But lastly, probably without a doubt, the most important thing 272 00:16:36,900 --> 00:16:41,400 John, the Baptist did was that he baptized Jesus and Matthew 273 00:16:41,400 --> 00:16:44,200 chapter 3 and verse 13 will read about this. 274 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:48,700 Then Jesus Came From Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be 275 00:16:48,700 --> 00:16:53,100 baptized by him and John tried to prevent him saying, I need to 276 00:16:53,108 --> 00:16:56,200 be baptized by you and you are coming to me. 277 00:16:57,500 --> 00:17:00,700 But Jesus answered and said to him, permit it to permit it to 278 00:17:00,700 --> 00:17:03,500 be. So now for thus, it is fitting 279 00:17:03,500 --> 00:17:07,900 for us to fulfill all righteousness, then he allowed 280 00:17:07,900 --> 00:17:10,099 him. And when he had been baptized, 281 00:17:10,099 --> 00:17:13,400 Jesus came up immediately from the water, and behold? 282 00:17:13,700 --> 00:17:16,599 The heavens were opened to him, and he saw the spirit of God 283 00:17:16,599 --> 00:17:19,300 descending, like a dove, and alighting upon him. 284 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:23,000 And suddenly a voice Came From Heaven saying, this is my 285 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:27,900 beloved Son in whom I am well, Pleased. 286 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:32,200 In whom I am. Well pleased, and we right here. 287 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:34,500 We see. John's humility is on Full 288 00:17:34,500 --> 00:17:39,000 display He recognizes that he is unworthy to baptize Jesus. 289 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:42,900 He says I have sinned, I need to be baptized by you. 290 00:17:42,900 --> 00:17:46,400 You were sinless. But here's what we see the 291 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:50,000 difference between, why were baptized, and why, Jesus was 292 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:54,300 baptized were baptized for the Forgiveness of our sins, but 293 00:17:54,300 --> 00:17:57,000 Jesus was baptized to remain sinless. 294 00:17:58,900 --> 00:18:01,400 And I know that's a pretty loaded statement, but we're 295 00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:06,200 going to prove that inscriptions in just a second, but as soon as 296 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:09,000 Jesus was immersed, the heavens opened and the spirit of God, 297 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:13,300 descended upon Christ and the form of a dove and God declared 298 00:18:13,300 --> 00:18:16,900 that this was his son. But all this happened for a 299 00:18:16,900 --> 00:18:21,700 reason and that's because God had promised John the Baptist a 300 00:18:21,708 --> 00:18:24,800 sign. And this sign is recorded in 301 00:18:24,800 --> 00:18:29,700 John chapter 1 and verse 29. The Bible says, the next day. 302 00:18:29,700 --> 00:18:33,900 John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, Behold the Lamb of God 303 00:18:33,900 --> 00:18:35,800 who takes away the sin of the world. 304 00:18:36,100 --> 00:18:39,700 This is he of whom I said, after me comes a man who is preferred 305 00:18:39,700 --> 00:18:43,800 before me for? He was before me, I did not know 306 00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:46,500 him, but that he should be revealed to Israel. 307 00:18:46,700 --> 00:18:48,900 Therefore, I came baptizing with water. 308 00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:52,400 And John bore witness saying, I saw the Spirit descending from 309 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:55,700 heaven like a dove. And he remained upon him. 310 00:18:56,300 --> 00:18:59,800 I did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water, 311 00:18:59,800 --> 00:19:03,200 said, to me, upon whom you see the spirit descending and 312 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:06,200 remaining on him. This is he who baptizes with the 313 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:09,000 Holy Spirit. And I have seen and testified 314 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:12,800 that this is the Son of God. So, the reason why Jesus had to 315 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:16,100 be baptized, so that John the Baptist would be able to witness 316 00:19:16,100 --> 00:19:18,300 it and say, that's the one right there. 317 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:22,700 That's the Messiah, and be able to point everybody to him. so we 318 00:19:22,700 --> 00:19:26,000 get from this passage that, if Jesus had not have fulfilled, 319 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:30,900 that he would have sinned Because it was a promise by God 320 00:19:31,100 --> 00:19:34,600 that he would do so. So that's we see that we are 321 00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:36,600 baptized for the Forgiveness of our sins. 322 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:41,300 Jesus was baptized to remain sinless, perfectly obedient to 323 00:19:41,300 --> 00:19:50,100 God, and every way, but as we transition in this study, As we 324 00:19:50,100 --> 00:19:53,400 study important figures of History, we study their Origins 325 00:19:53,700 --> 00:19:56,800 and their life work. But perhaps the greatest and 326 00:19:56,800 --> 00:20:01,000 most important thing is not only what someone did but it's How 327 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:05,900 They Carried themselves in their life. where they haughty where 328 00:20:05,900 --> 00:20:10,600 they humble and we see that with John, the Baptist We see that 329 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:14,400 Not only was his personal upbringing and his preparation 330 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:18,300 for Christ impressive. But so was his perspective of 331 00:20:18,300 --> 00:20:23,000 himself in God's plan. So lastly, this morning, we get 332 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:27,000 to our third Point, John's perspective and we'll go over 333 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:29,500 three passages. And looking at this point, 334 00:20:29,900 --> 00:20:34,000 John's perspective of himself and John chapter 1 and verse 19. 335 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:38,200 The Bible says, now this is the testimony of John when the Jews 336 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:39,800 sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem. 337 00:20:39,900 --> 00:20:42,700 Jerusalem to ask him, who are you? 338 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:46,100 He confessed and did not deny but confessed. 339 00:20:46,300 --> 00:20:48,700 I am not the Christ and they asked him. 340 00:20:48,900 --> 00:20:52,400 What then are you Elijah? He said, I am not. 341 00:20:52,700 --> 00:20:54,800 Are you the prophet? And he answered. 342 00:20:54,800 --> 00:20:57,400 No. Then they said to him, who are 343 00:20:57,400 --> 00:20:58,900 you? That we may give an answer to 344 00:20:58,900 --> 00:21:01,900 those who sent us. What do you say about yourself? 345 00:21:03,500 --> 00:21:07,300 And he said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness. 346 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:12,000 Make straight the make straight the way of the Lord, as the 347 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:16,200 prophet Isaiah said, so we see that we can really see that. 348 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:19,600 John the Baptist influence because the region is in an 349 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:21,400 uproar. This guy he's going around 350 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:24,300 convert and everybody getting people to repent and to focus 351 00:21:24,300 --> 00:21:26,700 back on God. So the Pharisee, they sent 352 00:21:26,700 --> 00:21:29,100 people this guy's on our turf. Let's go see. 353 00:21:29,100 --> 00:21:31,400 What's he is what he's all about. 354 00:21:32,100 --> 00:21:33,900 Who does he who does he think he is? 355 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:36,600 So they asked him. Are you in the Messiah? 356 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:38,300 He says, now are you the prophet? 357 00:21:38,300 --> 00:21:42,000 No, are you Elijah know? So we see that, John the 358 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:45,800 Baptist, no matter how big his role was, he never lost sight of 359 00:21:45,800 --> 00:21:49,100 who he was. And what we can see today is 360 00:21:49,100 --> 00:21:52,400 that some preachers and teachers, they look at 361 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:56,600 themselves, like they are the Messiah, instead of them being 362 00:21:56,600 --> 00:22:00,200 just a messenger, but we see that John the Baptist he never 363 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:03,500 looked at himself and he bigger or greater than what he truly 364 00:22:03,500 --> 00:22:06,500 was. He was simply a messenger, an 365 00:22:06,500 --> 00:22:10,100 Earthen vessel. Nathan vessel of the Lord. 366 00:22:14,100 --> 00:22:17,400 But we have to ask ourselves, how do we view ourselves in 367 00:22:17,400 --> 00:22:20,800 God's plan? Do we make ourselves more than 368 00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:24,200 we ought to be or do we realize that we're just messengers of 369 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:26,900 God? But John the Baptist, he humbled 370 00:22:26,900 --> 00:22:31,700 himself further and John chapter 1 and verse 26 and 27. 371 00:22:31,700 --> 00:22:36,200 The Bible says, John answered them saying I baptize with water 372 00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:40,700 but there stands one among you, whom you do not know it is, He 373 00:22:40,700 --> 00:22:45,300 Who coming after me is preferred before me whose Sandal strap, I 374 00:22:45,300 --> 00:22:50,400 am not worthy to loose. And here when John speaks of the 375 00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:52,400 Christ, he shows the greatest humility. 376 00:22:53,100 --> 00:22:57,600 You know, the lowliest of roles that a servant would do is they 377 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:00,300 take off your shoes, they put them on, they fasten them, they 378 00:23:00,300 --> 00:23:03,000 tighten them. John here. 379 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:07,700 He says the lowliest of roles with the Christ. 380 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:11,000 I'm unworthy. I don't even belong or I don't 381 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:13,100 even deserve to touch him to come near him. 382 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:17,400 And we have to ask ourselves how do we view? 383 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:21,300 God, how do we view Christ? Do we approach him? 384 00:23:21,300 --> 00:23:24,900 Like he is something common like he is a common man or do we 385 00:23:24,900 --> 00:23:30,600 realize he is above us. are we humbled when we acknowledge his 386 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:34,300 Holiness that we don't deserve a relationship with him, but he 387 00:23:34,300 --> 00:23:40,600 allows it Do we view ourselves as side by side and equal? 388 00:23:40,900 --> 00:23:44,100 Or do we look up at him and recognize that he is powerful? 389 00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:50,800 But our last point in showing John's perspective, Is in John 390 00:23:50,800 --> 00:23:53,500 chapter 3 and verse 30. And to give you some context 391 00:23:53,500 --> 00:23:56,100 here, John the Baptist, his disciples. 392 00:23:56,100 --> 00:23:59,000 They're saying, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, this Jesus 393 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:00,400 over here. This guy, he's coming on our 394 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:03,700 turf now and he's stealing some of our disciples are convert. 395 00:24:04,100 --> 00:24:09,500 He's taken over our mission here and John says, I know, I know, 396 00:24:09,700 --> 00:24:16,200 but he says, he must increase, but I must decrease, he says 397 00:24:16,500 --> 00:24:19,300 this whole entire time. I've been preparing the road for 398 00:24:19,300 --> 00:24:22,100 the Messiah. To come, but now he's here, it's 399 00:24:22,100 --> 00:24:24,700 time for me to get off the road and let him go through. 400 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:30,800 He must increase in, I must decrease. and what we have to 401 00:24:30,800 --> 00:24:35,100 ask ourselves is In Our Lives, who do we reflect? 402 00:24:35,900 --> 00:24:37,200 And I'll kind of give you an example. 403 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:42,000 This studying the past eight or nine months with brothers and 404 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:45,900 sisters on the phone. We have since we're studying the 405 00:24:45,900 --> 00:24:49,900 Bible, we have a lot of introspective conversations and 406 00:24:49,900 --> 00:24:53,700 I can't tell you how many times I hear someone say Isaac, that's 407 00:24:53,700 --> 00:24:57,300 not me. I'm not, I'm not gentle, I'm 408 00:24:57,300 --> 00:25:00,700 not, I can't do that. I can't, I'm not nice. 409 00:25:00,700 --> 00:25:08,600 I'm not soft spoken. and I don't encourage people, well, and I'm 410 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:13,200 not really wise, but I'm wise enough to know what I can't say 411 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:15,900 back to that, because they're not ready to hear it. 412 00:25:15,900 --> 00:25:18,800 Or listen to it. But whenever someone says 413 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:21,500 something like that, I'm thinking myself, we're not 414 00:25:21,500 --> 00:25:24,300 supposed to be. You you're not supposed to be 415 00:25:24,300 --> 00:25:26,600 you at all. The whole point, is, he must 416 00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:29,300 increase. And I must decrease, it's not 417 00:25:29,300 --> 00:25:33,300 about us everyday. We're not supposed to be 418 00:25:33,300 --> 00:25:36,500 ourselves until that one day being ourselves as being Jesus, 419 00:25:36,500 --> 00:25:40,800 or Being like Jesus and a couple verses to prove this point Paul 420 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:44,800 preaches, something similar, Philippians, 1 and 21 for me to 421 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:49,600 live is Christ. And to die is gain. 422 00:25:50,900 --> 00:25:55,400 Another verse Galatians 4:19. My little children for whom I 423 00:25:55,400 --> 00:25:59,000 labor and birth again until Christ is formed in you. 424 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:01,900 It's a continuous process. That's a day-by-day process. 425 00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:08,200 That we must enter in each and every day should be used to be 426 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:12,400 more like Christ and less like ourselves ourselves until that 427 00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:16,900 day, when being ourselves is being like Jesus, do we reflect 428 00:26:16,900 --> 00:26:20,600 Christ, or do you hurt or do we reflect ourselves? 429 00:26:20,900 --> 00:26:23,100 Because he must increase in our lives. 430 00:26:23,100 --> 00:26:28,800 And we must decrease but lastly, in our study for this morning 431 00:26:29,300 --> 00:26:33,100 after covering John, the Baptist perspective of himself, I want 432 00:26:33,100 --> 00:26:37,500 us to close with looking at Jesus's perspective of John the 433 00:26:37,500 --> 00:26:46,500 Baptist the Bible says, in Matthew chapter 11 and verse 11, 434 00:26:46,900 --> 00:26:50,800 Jesus speaking assuredly, I say to you among those born of 435 00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:54,400 women, there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist, 436 00:26:54,700 --> 00:26:57,800 but he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater 437 00:26:58,900 --> 00:27:03,400 than he, And Jesus said that there has not been a greater man 438 00:27:03,400 --> 00:27:06,700 than John the Baptist ever. And that's quite the quite the 439 00:27:06,700 --> 00:27:09,600 compliment to say the least. When we talk about people 440 00:27:09,900 --> 00:27:14,500 Alexander, the Great Plato has Socrates George Washington. 441 00:27:14,500 --> 00:27:18,000 Whoever we want to talk about, I think about Jesus says, this man 442 00:27:18,100 --> 00:27:19,900 is the greatest man who's ever lived. 443 00:27:21,600 --> 00:27:24,700 But if you're like me, I'm thinking myself. 444 00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:30,100 How could you say that? What makes him so great. 445 00:27:30,100 --> 00:27:31,900 What makes him special or different? 446 00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:37,000 And that's because John had the single most important life work 447 00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:41,600 any mortal man has ever had. To prepare the world for the 448 00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:43,600 Messiah. It does not get any bigger than 449 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:46,100 that, does. It's a lot bigger than the 450 00:27:46,100 --> 00:27:50,900 Coliseum. Nothing competes with that by 451 00:27:50,900 --> 00:27:54,200 any mortal man which that would be enough right there to hang 452 00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:57,500 our hats on and we just we just end the sermon right there, but 453 00:27:57,600 --> 00:28:00,800 in a different account, Jesus repeats, the same thing but 454 00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:02,800 gives us another angle to the diamond. 455 00:28:03,400 --> 00:28:09,700 So let's look at Luke's account. Luke chapter 7, and verse 28 for 456 00:28:09,700 --> 00:28:11,700 I say to you. Among those born of women, there 457 00:28:11,700 --> 00:28:16,700 is not a greater Prophet than John the Baptist, but he who is 458 00:28:16,700 --> 00:28:20,700 least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. 459 00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:24,300 So Luke record something similar, but different. 460 00:28:24,300 --> 00:28:28,600 He says, where Matthew said there's never been a greater 461 00:28:28,600 --> 00:28:30,300 man. Luke says, there's not been a 462 00:28:30,300 --> 00:28:33,200 greater profit, but we had to call a timeout again. 463 00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:36,500 How is that possible? We think a Daniel in the Lion's 464 00:28:36,500 --> 00:28:39,900 Den, we think of Jeremiah the weeping prophet, we think of the 465 00:28:39,900 --> 00:28:44,700 Messianic Prophet himself, Isaiah but Jesus says, John the 466 00:28:44,700 --> 00:28:48,900 Baptist is greater Was it? Because John the Baptist was a 467 00:28:48,900 --> 00:28:52,900 greater moral teacher? No same moral standard. 468 00:28:53,500 --> 00:28:55,700 Was it? Because John the Baptist, he had 469 00:28:55,700 --> 00:28:58,200 great Miracles. Now he actually did not perform 470 00:28:58,200 --> 00:29:04,600 any miracles. well, then how And that's because John the Baptist 471 00:29:04,600 --> 00:29:08,500 was greatest in his privilege because the message that all the 472 00:29:08,500 --> 00:29:12,200 other prophets wanted to preach, he got to preach, he got to be 473 00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:14,300 able to say that man right there. 474 00:29:14,300 --> 00:29:17,700 That's the Lamb of God. That's the Messiah and those 475 00:29:17,700 --> 00:29:20,400 other men would have wished. They would have pray that they 476 00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:25,800 had that opportunity. And John the Baptist got to say 477 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:28,500 the Messiah is here. And the Kingdom of Heaven is at 478 00:29:28,500 --> 00:29:34,900 hand The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. 479 00:29:37,500 --> 00:29:40,600 So the two ways that John the Baptist was was great. 480 00:29:40,700 --> 00:29:44,500 Among many John was the greatest man because he had the greatest 481 00:29:44,500 --> 00:29:47,300 life work and preparing the way for the Messiah. 482 00:29:48,100 --> 00:29:51,000 John was the was the greatest Prophet because he had a greater 483 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:54,200 message and privilege than all of the prophets beforehand. 484 00:29:54,900 --> 00:29:59,400 But still after this the Bible Jesus connects this back to us. 485 00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:07,400 He says here, he gets like a, some of us remember from school 486 00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:09,700 when we learn greater than or less than you get the alligator 487 00:30:09,700 --> 00:30:13,000 arms to prove the point, here's Mankind. 488 00:30:13,300 --> 00:30:16,400 And anyone everyone who's ever been born, he says, John the 489 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:20,200 Baptist is the greatest. But then he makes it about us. 490 00:30:20,600 --> 00:30:24,900 He says the least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than all of 491 00:30:24,908 --> 00:30:30,200 them. But again, how is that possible? 492 00:30:32,400 --> 00:30:35,200 Well, that's because all of us in our way are supposed to be 493 00:30:35,200 --> 00:30:38,400 like John the Baptist but greater because the same way 494 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:42,000 John the Baptist, his whole life was dedicated to God in service. 495 00:30:42,200 --> 00:30:45,300 That's the same for us. We had to live dedicated to God 496 00:30:45,300 --> 00:30:50,100 in service our whole lives. And then another step is that we 497 00:30:50,100 --> 00:30:52,900 preach a greater message than John the Baptist. 498 00:30:53,200 --> 00:30:55,400 We preach that Jesus. He came. 499 00:30:55,400 --> 00:30:57,700 He saw, he conquered, he died. He was buried. 500 00:30:57,700 --> 00:30:59,800 He was resurrected and he's coming again. 501 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:04,500 John the Baptist simply said he's here but we get to tell the 502 00:31:04,500 --> 00:31:06,600 world. What he did, what the Messiah, 503 00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:10,100 what the king did. But not only do we preach a 504 00:31:10,100 --> 00:31:13,000 greater message. We also have a very important 505 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:17,400 mission to prepare the world because he is coming back again. 506 00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:27,500 But what's greater than what John the Baptist did for our 507 00:31:27,500 --> 00:31:31,600 King is actually what our King did for us and that he died for 508 00:31:31,600 --> 00:31:32,900 us. The last passage, we want to 509 00:31:32,900 --> 00:31:36,500 look at this morning, John 15 verses 13 and 14. 510 00:31:37,800 --> 00:31:39,600 Greater love has no one than this. 511 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:42,900 Then I lay down one's life for his friends. 512 00:31:44,700 --> 00:31:48,900 You are my friends. If you do whatever I command 513 00:31:48,900 --> 00:31:52,800 you, Everything that we just covered John. 514 00:31:52,800 --> 00:31:55,800 The Baptist was the great man. Bible says, he was one of the 515 00:31:55,808 --> 00:31:58,700 greatest men if not the greatest. 516 00:32:00,100 --> 00:32:03,800 But was greater than everything. We talked about this morning is 517 00:32:03,800 --> 00:32:07,700 not what he did for the king. It's what the king did for us in 518 00:32:07,700 --> 00:32:12,200 dying for us. And the world has never seen a 519 00:32:12,208 --> 00:32:15,400 greater love, but as we conclude our lesson, we have a couple 520 00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:17,600 questions. But what will you do for the 521 00:32:17,600 --> 00:32:21,800 king? What will you do for the king? 522 00:32:22,300 --> 00:32:24,400 Will you be righteous parents teaching your children? 523 00:32:24,400 --> 00:32:26,700 The way of God? Will you help prepare the world 524 00:32:26,700 --> 00:32:29,500 for Christ's second coming? And lastly will you have the 525 00:32:29,500 --> 00:32:33,400 proper perspective of yourself and God's plan? 526 00:32:37,300 --> 00:32:39,500 These are those points I just read, but lastly. 527 00:32:45,300 --> 00:32:47,600 Lastly, we don't want to conclude our service this 528 00:32:47,600 --> 00:32:52,200 morning without offering the gospel Planet invitation, the 529 00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:55,300 first part about preparing other people and helping other people 530 00:32:55,300 --> 00:33:00,100 is to First prepare ourselves. And maybe you're here today and 531 00:33:00,100 --> 00:33:04,100 you're not a Christian. Now you came because as the 532 00:33:04,100 --> 00:33:07,300 Bible, teaches faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of 533 00:33:07,300 --> 00:33:09,900 God, Romans chapter 10, and verse 17. 534 00:33:09,900 --> 00:33:12,800 And then we're commanded to believe that Jesus Christ is who 535 00:33:12,800 --> 00:33:16,600 he is the Son of God. He says, unless you believe in 536 00:33:16,600 --> 00:33:21,300 me you will die in your sins. John 8 verse 24, we're committed 537 00:33:21,300 --> 00:33:25,700 commanded to repent, to turn from a life of sin to turn to 538 00:33:25,700 --> 00:33:30,600 God in service Acts 2:38. Then we confess with our mouth 539 00:33:30,600 --> 00:33:34,300 that Jesus Christ is Is the Son of God and were baptized for the 540 00:33:34,300 --> 00:33:37,600 remission of our sins, but it does not stop there. 541 00:33:37,800 --> 00:33:41,700 That's not the end-all be-all. That's just the beginning of our 542 00:33:41,700 --> 00:33:44,800 spiritual walk, as we're commanded to continue a faithful 543 00:33:44,800 --> 00:33:48,300 life. We thank you for listening to 544 00:33:48,300 --> 00:33:53,100 our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. 545 00:33:53,100 --> 00:33:56,700 Road in Bakersfield, if you would like any additional 546 00:33:56,700 --> 00:33:59,900 information, or you would like to receive a free Bible 547 00:33:59,900 --> 00:34:05,400 correspondence, course by mail. Please email us at info at her 548 00:34:05,400 --> 00:34:07,800 Church of Christ Bakersfield.com. 549 00:34:08,500 --> 00:34:13,699 Our service times are on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 550 00:34:13,699 --> 00:34:18,199 Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Please make plans to join us. 551 00:34:18,699 --> 00:34:20,900 We would love for you to be our honored guest.