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For one last time, John chapter 
one verse number six, there was 

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a man sent from God whose name 
was John. 

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Now I told you weeks ago that we
would not always cover one verse

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a week or one phrase of one 
verse a week, forever, only for 

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a while. 
And so Lord willing, this is the

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last week we will be on John one
verse #6 it's an important verse

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because you need to know the 
kind of man that God sent, What 

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kind of man was John the 
Baptist? 

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And so we spent a couple of 
weeks describing to you this 

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man, because after all, if he's 
the greatest man ever born of a 

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woman, that means he was greater
than King David, greater than 

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Moses, greater than Elijah, 
greater than Elijah, greater 

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than Jeremiah, greater than 
Isaiah, and the list goes on and

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on. 
So if he's the greatest man ever

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born of a woman, then we need to
understand how great he really 

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was and why the Bible 
characterizes him as such. 

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But remember, it's the Lord who 
said that about John. 

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Well, if that's the case, what 
does greatness look like? 

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And so in order to understand 
biblical greatness, you need to 

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understand John the Baptist. 
To understand true manhood, you 

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need to understand John the 
Baptist, because this was the 

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greatest man ever born of a 
woman. 

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So we spent a couple of weeks 
looking at this man. 

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There was a man, not just any 
man. 

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He was an extraordinary man. 
And this man was sent from God. 

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And so the last couple of weeks 
we've talked to you about how it

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is John was sent from God 
because there are similar 

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instances in terms of how God 
sends us, because John, the 

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greatest man ever born of a 
woman, yet the least in the 

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Kingdom of heaven, are greater 
than John. 

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So if that's the case, how is it
that God sent John? 

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To help us understand how God 
sends you and me? 

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And so we told you he was sent 
personally. 

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Luke 3 verse #4 the word of the 
Lord came to John. 

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I'm sorry. 
Luke 3 verse #2 The word of the 

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Lord came to John. 
God spoke to John, and so God 

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sent him personally. 
He was waiting for God to send 

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him, and He was sent personally 
by the true and living God. 

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And then we said he was sent 
privately because he was in the 

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wilderness. 
Luke 3 verse #2 Again, John was 

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in the wilderness when the word 
of the Lord came to him. 

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How long was he there? 
We do not know. 

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The Bible does not tell us. 
But most people believe that at 

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the age of 20, when he was to 
enter the priesthood because he 

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was the son of a priest, that 
that would be the time he 

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entered the wilderness. 
That was the case. 

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He would have been there for 10 
years, all the while communing 

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with his God, reading Old 
Testament manuscripts about how 

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God had prepared a forerunner to
come before the Messiah. 

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He would get to know his God so 
that he would be ready to 

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present his God to people who 
needed to follow him. 

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So we said that this man sent 
from God was sent personally. 

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He was sent privately in the 30.
He was sent prophetically 

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because he could read Malachi 3 
verse #1 he could read Isaiah 40

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verse #3 that all talked about 
this, this forerunner, this one 

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that would come, this messenger 
that would come before the 

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Messiah. 
And so he began to understand 

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that everything about his life 
was prophesied, which would only

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fuel his his energy, which would
only mobilize his, his desires 

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to, to serve as God because he 
saw himself as a fulfillment of 

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prophecy. 
And so he was sent 

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prophetically. 
And then we said last week he 

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was also sent providentially, 
providentially, it was in the 

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Providence of God for him to be 
on the scene at the time he came

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on the scene. 
The Bible says in Galatians 4 

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that in the fullness of time, 
God sent forth his Son born of a

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woman, born under the law, that 
he might redeem those who were 

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under the law. 
So if there was a specific time 

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politically and spiritually and 
economically and socially at the

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Messiah would come, then there 
had to be a specific time for 

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their forerunner to come, 
because He would pave the way 

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for the arrival of the Messiah. 
But all in the province of God. 

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God had designed Zacharias and 
Elizabeth, a priest, his wife, 

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and they were barren for many, 
many years. 

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And it just so happened that 
Zacharias was in the temple, 

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providentially performing his 
precinct duties when the Angel 

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Gabriel showed up and told him 
that his wife was going to have 

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a son. 
Just a great testimony to the 

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Providence of God. 
And he would come at the right 

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time and providentially he would
be cared for all throughout the 

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wilderness. 
God would take care of John the 

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Baptist. 
He'd prepare John the Baptist to

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be the kind of man he needed to 
be. 

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So there was a man, not just any
man, but an extraordinary kind 

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of man, the last Old Testament 
prophet, the first New Testament

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preacher. 
And he came because he was sent 

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by God personally, privately, 
prophetically, providentially, 

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and #5 He was sent passionately,
passionately. 

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If you got your Bible, turn me 
to Luke chapter 3. 

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Luke chapter 3. 
And I want you to listen to what

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Luke says in verse #4 as it is 
written in the book of the words

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of Isaiah the prophet, The voice
of one crying in the wilderness.

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Stop right there. 
There was a voice of one crying 

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in the wilderness. 
This was the fulfillment of 

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Isaiah 40 verse #3 But John was 
sent passionately. 

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It wasn't a small voice, it 
wasn't a quiet voice. 

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It it wasn't a shy voice. 
It was a loud voice. 

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It was a a voice that would 
shout, a voice that would cry in

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the wilderness. 
That there was passion behind 

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John's message. 
He was a passionate kind of man.

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He had spent the last several 
years all by himself in the 

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wilderness, communing with his 
God, recognizing that he would 

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be sent prophetically, he'd be 
sent personally by God, He'd be 

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sent providentially by God. 
And all of that welling up on 

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the inside is now going to burst
forth in great shouts of praise 

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that the Messiah is here in 
anticipation of that which all 

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had been longing for the 
expected one to come. 

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He's going to announce that the 
expected one has now arrived. 

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And so there's great passion 
behind his message. 

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It wasn't that he would just 
simply talk about Jesus. 

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It wasn't simply that he would 
just mention him by name. 

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No, he was a a prophet and a 
preacher. 

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But there was passion behind all
that he did. 

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There was passion behind him 
confronting Herod the King. 

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There was passion behind him 
confronting the Pharisees when 

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he called them a brood of 
Vipers. 

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There was passion behind all 
that he said. 

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Because John the Baptist was 
sent passionately. 

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When you know that God 
prophetically has assigned you 

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to represent him, and that God 
providentially cares for you and

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moves you to a specific place of
employment, a specific family, a

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specific church, you can't help 
but cry in the wilderness and 

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shout for the sake of God's 
Kingdom. 

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What did he say? 
Well, it says, make ready the 

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way the Lord make his past 
straight. 

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Every ravine will be filled and 
every mountain and hill will be 

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brought low. 
The crooked will become straight

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and the rough roads smooth, and 
all flesh will see the salvation

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of God. 
He is shouting in the 

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wilderness. 
He is crying out to people to 

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help them to understand that he 
is the fulfillment of that 

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prophecy. 
Although he does not say look at

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me, I, I am the the prophet that
was foretold. 

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No, he quotes, he quotes the Old
Testament. 

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He does it with passion. 
Why? 

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Because you see, this was a an 
entire analogy of his message. 

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He preached the baptism of 
repentance and Isaiah 40 verse 

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#3 is the supreme example of 
what repentance looks like. 

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The Messiah is coming. 
You got to prepare the way for 

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the Messiah. 
It was a, it was a phrase used 

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for, for preparing the way of 
the king so that when the king 

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would arrive, he'd have a smooth
entrance into the city, a smooth

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entrance to to the people. 
And John is saying in order for 

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there to be a smooth entrance 
for the Messiah into your heart,

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these things must take place. 
For this is what repentance 

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looks like. 
He says simply that all the 

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ravines must be filled up. 
That's an analogy of the dark 

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places of the soul, the the 
depths of sin. 

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Because repentance calls a man 
from the deep dark recesses of 

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his heart and the things that he
has hidden, that he might 

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confess them and to turn from 
them. 

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And even the high places, the 
mountains, why, the Jews thought

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themselves as very proud people.
They were, of course, the people

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of God. 
They were the only ones who were

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given the oracles of God. 
They saw themselves as very 

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special. 
But all the, the high places, 

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all the mountains must be 
brought down. 

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All the arrogance, all the pride
must be destroyed. 

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Not just the deep dark places in
the recesses of your soul. 

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Not only must they come up and 
be confessed, but you must be 

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brought low before the Lord. 
And then he talks about the 

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crooked places, the devious 
places, the devilish places, the

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the lying and the perverseness. 
Then he talks about the rough 

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roads, all the distractions on 
the road in your heart, all the 

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self love, all the love of 
money, all the love for the 

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world and the lust of the flesh,
all the apathy, all the 

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unbelief, all the lethargy, all 
those things that happen to be 

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obstacles that keep you from 
giving your life to the Lord. 

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And then and then all flesh will
see the glory of the Lord, see 

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the salvation of the Lord. 
If you as a nation want to 

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receive your Messiah, then you 
as individuals you personally 

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must prepare the way for and 
become. 

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And the only way to do that is 
to have a repented heart to turn

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from your sin and follow the 
Messiah. 

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He did this with great passion. 
Passion. 

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John the Baptist was not a 
passive person. 

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Passivity is man's biggest 
failure. 

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If you're a man, you should 
never be passive. 

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Ever Notice that? 
We are. 

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We are passionate about the 
things that don't matter, but 

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we're passive about the things 
that do matter. 

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You ever notice that? 
Just just ask your wife what 

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you're passionate about. 
Ask your kids what drives you, 

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What motivates you, what compels
you. 

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They'll tell you because they 
see you all the time, and you'll

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begin to notice that the things 
that drive you and you're 

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passionate about really usually 
don't even matter. 

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But we find that we're very 
passive about the things that do

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matter. 
The Lord, the gospel, the 

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preaching of that gospel, the 
leadership in our homes, 

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spiritually, all those things. 
John was a very passionate man, 

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and therefore when God sent him 
forth, he was going to send 

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somebody who had a small voice 
or a low voice or a quiet voice.

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He would send someone with 
energy, would drive with 

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passion. 
Why? 

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Because you're representing the 
king. 

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You're representing the Kingdom 
of God, and you're going to be 

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his ambassador, his 
representative. 

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How can we represent God in a 
passive way? 

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How can we represent Christ in a
shallow, shy way? 

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You really can't. 
Because you see, once you 

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understand who God is, you cry, 
you shout, you scream the truth.

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And John did. 
The apostle Paul was a very 

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passionate man. 
The Bible says in 2nd 

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Corinthians 5 verse 14. 
For the love of Christ compels 

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me, controls me, constrains me 
that the very fact that Christ 

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loves me is the single most 
motivating element of my life. 

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It controls everything that I 
do. 

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And and Paul was was passionate 
about his God. 

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And Paul would speak forth the 
truth about his God in such a 

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way that that others would would
be persuaded. 

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I mean, it was like it was like 
Agrippa said Paul, thou almost 

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persuadest me. 
Why? 

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Because Paul and his delivery 
and Paul and his passion and 

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Paul and his drive to see God 
glorified would not be held 

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back. 
And so many of us are held back 

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for what purpose? 
And here was John, here was 

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Paul. 
Paul would go on and say this. 

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The love of Christ compels us. 
Having concluded this, that one 

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died for all, therefore all 
died, and he died for all, so 

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that we, they who live might no 
longer live for themselves, but 

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for him who died and rose again 
on their behalf. 

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He died so I would live for him.
I'm living for Christ. 

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That's why I'm passionate. 
That's why you're not 

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passionate. 
See, you're not living for 

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Christ, you're living for 
yourself. 

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So how can you be passionate 
about the things of God? 

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You're not, but you're 
passionate about the things for 

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yourself because you're living 
for yourself and not living for 

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God. 
But Paul says the love of Christ

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compels me because one died for 
all, therefore all died, and 

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therefore it moves me. 
So I no longer live for me, but 

233
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I live for Christ. 
That's the point. 

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00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:57,760
He goes on to say this in verse 
20. 

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We are ambassadors for Christ as
though God, we're making an 

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appeal through us. 
God is making an appeal through 

237
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you. 
How does God make an appeal 

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through you? 
I hope you give your life to 

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Jesus. 
I hope you love Jesus. 

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Oh, that's not an appeal. 
So he says this, we beg you on 

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00:18:22,920 --> 00:18:25,360
behalf of Christ, be reconciled 
to God. 

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00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:29,680
There's a pleading that's there.
There's a passion that that's 

243
00:18:29,680 --> 00:18:31,400
there. 
There's a drive that's there. 

244
00:18:31,560 --> 00:18:33,400
I want you to be reconciled to 
God. 

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00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:38,320
I want you to come to Godfather 
Mother, ask yourself why your 

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00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:40,720
parent, your children are not 
coming to God. 

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Do they see the passion that you
have for God, the drive you have

248
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for him? 
The love of Christ just compels 

249
00:18:50,120 --> 00:18:52,720
you. 
Now it might be that God has not

250
00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:58,120
called him to himself as of yet,
and he might next week or down 

251
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the road. 
But we can't be a hindrance in 

252
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the communication of the gospel.
We must be passionate behind 

253
00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:11,040
what we do. 
We must drive, be driven behind 

254
00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:12,520
what we do. 
Why? 

255
00:19:12,920 --> 00:19:18,640
When it's all said and done, 
that's why we're here, to preach

256
00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:21,640
the gospel and to present Christ
to a lost world. 

257
00:19:23,040 --> 00:19:28,360
This is so important. 
And so here is John the Baptist.

258
00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:39,280
He's been waiting 30 years, 30, 
to somehow be that voice that 

259
00:19:39,280 --> 00:19:42,800
will show people the Messiah, 
that will point people to the 

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00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:45,040
Messiah, that they will 
understand who he is. 

261
00:19:45,040 --> 00:19:50,080
He's been waiting and now the 
time has arrived and he can't 

262
00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:55,920
contain the passion. 
He can't contain that which 

263
00:19:55,920 --> 00:20:00,320
compels him. 
Just love for the Lord like it 

264
00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:04,680
was for Paul, His love for the 
Lord like it should be for you 

265
00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:07,560
and me. 
Our love for the Lord. 

266
00:20:09,360 --> 00:20:14,960
But ask yourself, are you a 
passionate man or a passive man?

267
00:20:16,120 --> 00:20:19,880
How about your children? 
Father, are your sons, are they 

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00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:25,560
passionate or are they passive? 
Ask yourself why? 

269
00:20:27,440 --> 00:20:30,200
Why are my kids on a fire for 
the Lord I am? 

270
00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:32,320
How come my kids are on a fire 
for the Lord? 

271
00:20:34,120 --> 00:20:37,120
There should be this compulsion 
that drives you. 

272
00:20:39,120 --> 00:20:41,360
Now, it doesn't mean that all 
your children are going to be 

273
00:20:41,360 --> 00:20:42,400
that way. 
I understand that. 

274
00:20:42,760 --> 00:20:48,960
I get that. 
And yet we as parents, we as 

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00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:55,160
fathers especially need to be 
passionate men because our said 

276
00:20:55,320 --> 00:20:57,960
it's on the wall. 
Our passion is to pursue the 

277
00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:03,120
Christ, right? 
Our passion is to pursue him 

278
00:21:03,120 --> 00:21:05,320
that we might know him. 
Here's John the Baptist 

279
00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:09,920
privately communing with God for
year upon year, week upon week, 

280
00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:13,400
month upon month, always 
communing with his God, to know 

281
00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:15,040
his God. 
Paul would say, oh, that I might

282
00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:18,320
know him and the power of his 
resurrection and the fellowship 

283
00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:20,600
of his suffering. 
There was a passion behind Paul.

284
00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:22,720
There was a passion behind John 
the Baptist. 

285
00:21:22,840 --> 00:21:25,760
There was a passion behind every
great man of God to know his 

286
00:21:25,760 --> 00:21:28,400
God. 
Our passion is to pursue him. 

287
00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:31,400
So our priority will be to 
portray Him. 

288
00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:35,560
So our purpose then will be 
fulfilled in proclaiming Him. 

289
00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:40,840
That's our philosophy and 
ministry so that we can fulfill 

290
00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:45,600
our practice of praising Him. 
That's how it works, see. 

291
00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:52,560
But if we find ourselves not 
proclaiming Him and not 

292
00:21:52,560 --> 00:21:58,080
portraying him, it's simply 
because we're not passionate to 

293
00:21:58,080 --> 00:22:01,280
pursue him. 
It's just that simple. 

294
00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:08,080
And so here is John, here is 
Paul, here are men of God who 

295
00:22:08,640 --> 00:22:15,600
the love of Christ compels him. 
It motivates them, it drives 

296
00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:18,120
them. 
What drives you, what drives you

297
00:22:18,120 --> 00:22:21,200
to get up in the morning? 
What drives you through your 

298
00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:25,400
day, right? 
There's got to be a motivation 

299
00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:30,280
behind each and every day. 
It's got to be the Christ. 

300
00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:33,200
Why? 
Because not only was John sent 

301
00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:39,200
passionately, number six, he was
sent purposefully. 

302
00:22:41,040 --> 00:22:45,680
Purposefully. 
There was a purpose behind God 

303
00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:51,440
sending John, and one was to 
present the Gospel right, 

304
00:22:53,320 --> 00:22:58,720
another. 
Another was to present the 

305
00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:06,360
Messiah, in other words, to 
point to the Messiah as the Lamb

306
00:23:06,360 --> 00:23:10,000
of God. 
Turn with me in your Bible to 

307
00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:19,480
Matthew chapter 3 for a moment. 
Matthew chapter 3 verse 13. 

308
00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:23,680
Then Jesus arrived from Galilee 
at the Jordan, coming to John to

309
00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:25,280
be baptized by him. 
What? 

310
00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:29,560
Why is Jesus being baptized? 
I thought this was the baptism 

311
00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:34,320
of repentance, but John tried to
prevent him, saying I have need 

312
00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:38,840
to be baptized by you and do you
come to me. 

313
00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:43,760
But Jesus answering said to him,
permit it at this time. 

314
00:23:44,120 --> 00:23:53,520
For in this way it is fitting 
for us, us to fulfill all 

315
00:23:54,440 --> 00:23:59,880
righteousness. 
John is permitting for us to 

316
00:23:59,880 --> 00:24:04,120
fulfill all righteousness. 
This is very important. 

317
00:24:05,240 --> 00:24:08,360
Why, why, why would Jesus be 
baptized? 

318
00:24:09,400 --> 00:24:11,200
Well, let me briefly give you 4 
reasons. 

319
00:24:12,920 --> 00:24:20,720
One was for exemplification, 1 
was for validation, 1 was for 

320
00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:24,960
identification, and one was for 
prefiguration. 

321
00:24:26,480 --> 00:24:32,200
That's why Jesus was baptized. 
One was for exemplification. 

322
00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:37,720
He would be the supreme example 
of what it meant to follow the 

323
00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:41,720
Father's will. 
He came to do the Father's will,

324
00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:47,480
and he becomes the supreme 
example of obedience. 

325
00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:55,000
And as a man, he humbled himself
and became obedient unto God. 

326
00:24:56,360 --> 00:25:03,200
And so he would exemplify to 
everyone around him that he was,

327
00:25:03,760 --> 00:25:08,520
as he said, I've come to do the 
will of my Father who is in 

328
00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:11,960
heaven. 
So one is exemplif 

329
00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:15,680
exemplification. 
The second one is validation. 

330
00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:18,760
He was validating John's 
ministry. 

331
00:25:20,240 --> 00:25:26,280
He was affirming John's 
ministry, that the message John 

332
00:25:26,280 --> 00:25:33,360
was preaching was true, and that
as the Messiah, you are paving 

333
00:25:33,360 --> 00:25:37,920
the way of your heart by coming 
to a place where you recognize 

334
00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:41,160
your sin and you need to turn to
a Savior. 

335
00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:45,640
And so he is validating John's 
ministry. 

336
00:25:47,280 --> 00:25:49,320
And then there was 
identification. 

337
00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:53,840
He's identifying with sinful 
man. 

338
00:25:54,760 --> 00:26:01,760
Notice that the sinless Son is 
identifying with sinful man. 

339
00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:08,840
The one who had no sin would be 
baptized for those who had no 

340
00:26:08,840 --> 00:26:14,280
righteousness. 
That's very important because 

341
00:26:14,280 --> 00:26:17,320
you see, he came to identify it 
with, with, with, with man. 

342
00:26:18,120 --> 00:26:22,960
That that's why he became a man.
Isaiah 53 verse #12 He was, he 

343
00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:24,960
was numbered with the 
transgressors. 

344
00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:28,840
So he could bear all of our 
iniquities, right? 

345
00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:34,600
And therefore he would identify 
with the with the sins of man. 

346
00:26:34,600 --> 00:26:39,560
He would he would ultimately 
bear man's sins on the cross. 

347
00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:45,720
We see to the 4th element. 
There was a prefiguration by him

348
00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:49,520
going down to the water, coming 
back up out of the water again. 

349
00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:53,000
He prefigured all that would 
happen through his death, burial

350
00:26:53,120 --> 00:26:54,560
in resurrection. 
Why? 

351
00:26:54,680 --> 00:26:59,000
Because we as believers then 
would identify with Christ in 

352
00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:02,640
his death, burial in 
resurrection, that there was a 

353
00:27:02,640 --> 00:27:07,760
whole purpose behind John's, 
John's coming, John being sent. 

354
00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:13,040
This man was sent purposefully 
to baptize the Messiah so that 

355
00:27:13,040 --> 00:27:14,880
all righteousness would be 
fulfilled. 

356
00:27:15,760 --> 00:27:18,640
Everything that had been planned
and ordained by God needed to 

357
00:27:18,640 --> 00:27:22,480
happen on schedule with the 
right guy, at the right time, in

358
00:27:22,480 --> 00:27:26,680
the right place, so everything 
was providentially cared for and

359
00:27:26,680 --> 00:27:30,080
taken care of. 
And here was Jesus coming to 

360
00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:34,560
John in the wilderness to be 
baptized by John. 

361
00:27:35,920 --> 00:27:38,160
But John would also be the one 
who would point to the Messiah. 

362
00:27:39,560 --> 00:27:42,160
John 129 Behold the Lamb of God 
who takes away the sin of the 

363
00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:44,760
world. 
Nobody else had done that. 

364
00:27:46,160 --> 00:27:51,920
Nobody had pointed to the 
Messiah until John, and then he 

365
00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:55,680
would say the Lamb of God. 
How? 

366
00:27:55,920 --> 00:27:59,200
How did he know that? 
How did he get that? 

367
00:27:59,280 --> 00:28:01,480
Oh, by the way, how come nobody 
ever questioned John about that?

368
00:28:01,480 --> 00:28:04,000
What do you mean Lamb of God? 
What are you talking about, 

369
00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:06,800
John? 
That's because they knew Genesis

370
00:28:06,800 --> 00:28:08,840
22. 
Any of the substitutionary 

371
00:28:08,840 --> 00:28:13,200
atonement was prefigured in 
Genesis chapter 22 with Abraham 

372
00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:18,440
and Isaac on Mount Moriah. 
John would know that he would 

373
00:28:18,440 --> 00:28:23,040
see Christ as that ultimate 
sacrificial lamb, that 

374
00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:26,560
everything up to this point, 
every ceremony, every ritual was

375
00:28:26,560 --> 00:28:33,600
pointed to one substitute, 1 
sacrifice, 1 Lamb of God that 

376
00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:41,480
would do away with man's sin, no
longer cover them, but erase 

377
00:28:41,480 --> 00:28:45,160
them. 
So we could say the Lamb of God 

378
00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:48,400
who takes away the state of the 
world doesn't cover them, He 

379
00:28:48,400 --> 00:28:52,760
takes them away. 
So here is here is John with a 

380
00:28:52,760 --> 00:28:56,720
purpose. 
Do you not think you have the 

381
00:28:56,720 --> 00:29:00,520
same purpose? 
Do you not think that you were 

382
00:29:00,520 --> 00:29:05,240
sent purposefully? 
Do you think you were not sent 

383
00:29:05,280 --> 00:29:13,360
purposefully to your school or 
to your workplace or to your 

384
00:29:13,360 --> 00:29:17,760
community? 
There's a whole plan of God 

385
00:29:17,760 --> 00:29:22,080
behind where you live and where 
you work and who your friends 

386
00:29:22,080 --> 00:29:27,080
are, who you associate with. 
All that is for a purpose. 

387
00:29:29,240 --> 00:29:32,760
Don't think for one moment that 
things just happen to Willy 

388
00:29:32,760 --> 00:29:37,120
nilly around you as if there is 
no concern on the part of God. 

389
00:29:38,440 --> 00:29:41,640
No, everything that happens 
around you happens for a 

390
00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:46,440
purpose, because God has placed 
you there purposefully so that 

391
00:29:46,440 --> 00:29:49,400
others will see the Messiah. 
Because you will point to the 

392
00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:51,640
Messiah. 
You'll explain to them who the 

393
00:29:51,640 --> 00:29:53,640
Messiah is. 
You'll explain to them what it 

394
00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:57,080
means to be redeemed, how it is 
you repent, how you give your 

395
00:29:57,080 --> 00:30:00,200
life to Christ. 
That's why you are left here 

396
00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:04,720
after your saved. 
Why else would God leave you 

397
00:30:04,720 --> 00:30:09,040
here after he saved you to make 
money when all your treasures 

398
00:30:09,040 --> 00:30:13,440
are in heaven anyway? 
God saved you so that you can 

399
00:30:13,440 --> 00:30:19,320
have a family. 
No, God saves you and left you 

400
00:30:19,320 --> 00:30:22,840
here for only one reason, to 
worship him. 

401
00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:27,640
No, because your worship in 
heaven's going to be glorious 

402
00:30:29,120 --> 00:30:30,440
death. 
Fellowship with other believers.

403
00:30:30,440 --> 00:30:33,320
No, because your fellowship in 
heaven will be perfect. 

404
00:30:34,840 --> 00:30:38,600
The only thing that you're going
to do here that you won't do 

405
00:30:38,600 --> 00:30:43,840
there is preach the gospel. 
That's it. 

406
00:30:46,040 --> 00:30:49,040
That's the only reason God left 
you here after He saved you. 

407
00:30:50,360 --> 00:30:53,960
There is no other reason. 
Your family needs to hear the 

408
00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:56,000
gospel. 
Your friends need to hear the 

409
00:30:56,000 --> 00:30:59,360
gospel, the people you work 
with, the people you play with, 

410
00:30:59,760 --> 00:31:03,440
you all need to hear the gospel.
And God has put you in a 

411
00:31:03,440 --> 00:31:07,600
specific arena that he's not 
placed me or the person in front

412
00:31:07,600 --> 00:31:12,160
of you or behind you. 
He's only put you there for one 

413
00:31:12,160 --> 00:31:19,720
purpose only one, and that is to
proclaim the name of Jesus 

414
00:31:19,720 --> 00:31:22,000
Christ our Lord. 
That's it. 

415
00:31:24,360 --> 00:31:28,000
So why is it we have such a hard
time fulfilling that purpose? 

416
00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:38,040
It's because we have other 
reasons that we think give us 

417
00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:42,400
purpose. 
Other things mean more more to 

418
00:31:42,400 --> 00:31:47,000
us than the gospel. 
Other things mean more to us 

419
00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:50,480
than glorifying the name of 
Christ through the preaching of 

420
00:31:50,480 --> 00:31:56,080
the gospel. 
And yet God has purposefully 

421
00:31:56,400 --> 00:32:03,480
designed you to be where you are
this very day, in your very job,

422
00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:10,120
in your very family, in your 
very community, with your very 

423
00:32:10,120 --> 00:32:16,320
friends, because they need to 
hear about Christ. 

424
00:32:18,720 --> 00:32:27,080
As this man was sent from God, 
so you too are sent from God. 

425
00:32:28,200 --> 00:32:33,240
You are sent personally by God. 
He called you into His Kingdom 

426
00:32:34,520 --> 00:32:39,120
by His glorious grace through 
the word of truth that was 

427
00:32:39,120 --> 00:32:44,000
spoken to you. 
He's called you prophetically 

428
00:32:44,400 --> 00:32:46,920
because your name was written in
the Lamb's book of life before 

429
00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:52,400
the foundation of the world. 
He called you providentially 

430
00:32:53,520 --> 00:32:57,080
because at the right time, in 
the exact place, with the right 

431
00:32:57,080 --> 00:33:00,240
word, with the right person, you
heard the gospel and you gave 

432
00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:04,320
your life to Christ, all in the 
Providence of Almighty God. 

433
00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:10,560
And he called you passionately. 
He said you're representing me 

434
00:33:10,560 --> 00:33:14,760
in my Kingdom, You're 
representing me in my mercy, in 

435
00:33:14,760 --> 00:33:17,960
my grace, you're representing my
love. 

436
00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:21,280
How can you not be passionate 
about that? 

437
00:33:23,280 --> 00:33:27,600
He's called you purposefully 
because there is a purpose for 

438
00:33:27,600 --> 00:33:34,160
why you were here, and it's only
one purpose, and that is to 

439
00:33:34,160 --> 00:33:40,600
proclaim the gospel message of 
Christ to those around you who 

440
00:33:40,600 --> 00:33:44,000
do not know Him. 
That's it. 

441
00:33:46,200 --> 00:33:54,800
And lastly, John the Baptist was
called powerfully, powerfully. 

442
00:33:56,040 --> 00:34:07,120
Luke chapter 1 says in verse #14
or excuse me, verse #15 For he 

443
00:34:07,120 --> 00:34:11,719
John, will be great in the sight
of the Lord. 

444
00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:15,679
Notice then say he'll be great 
in the sight of the world. 

445
00:34:17,280 --> 00:34:24,080
He'll be great in the sight of 
the Lord, and that was good 

446
00:34:24,080 --> 00:34:26,560
enough for John. 
I wonder if it's good enough for

447
00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:29,679
you to be great in the sight of 
the Lord. 

448
00:34:31,320 --> 00:34:36,360
We so desperately want to be 
great, seen as great, treated as

449
00:34:36,360 --> 00:34:41,800
great, looked at as great. 
But the Lord wants you to be 

450
00:34:41,800 --> 00:34:45,360
great in His eyes. 
He will be great in the eyes of 

451
00:34:45,360 --> 00:34:49,120
the Lord, He would drink no wine
or liquor, and he will be filled

452
00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:51,600
with the Holy Spirit. 
While yet in his mother's womb. 

453
00:34:52,120 --> 00:34:55,400
He will turn many of the sons of
Israel back to the Lord their 

454
00:34:55,400 --> 00:34:57,480
God. 
It is He who will go as a 

455
00:34:57,480 --> 00:35:01,520
forerunner before him in the 
spirit and power of Elijah. 

456
00:35:02,520 --> 00:35:06,920
Powerfully He was sent by God to
turn the hearts of the Father's 

457
00:35:06,920 --> 00:35:10,600
back to the children, the 
disobedient to the attitude of 

458
00:35:10,600 --> 00:35:17,720
the righteous, so as to make 
ready of people prepared for the

459
00:35:17,720 --> 00:35:26,960
Lord. 
John was sent powerfully because

460
00:35:26,960 --> 00:35:28,960
he came in the spirit and power 
of Elijah. 

461
00:35:30,600 --> 00:35:33,440
So when he would preach, he 
would preach unashamedly. 

462
00:35:35,480 --> 00:35:38,520
When he preached, he would 
preach unhindered. 

463
00:35:39,480 --> 00:35:43,720
It was almost as if He was 
unhinged when he did preach 

464
00:35:44,920 --> 00:35:49,000
because he had nothing back, 
because he came in the spirit 

465
00:35:49,000 --> 00:35:51,680
and power of Elijah. 
He was filled with the spirit 

466
00:35:51,680 --> 00:35:54,880
from his mother's womb. 
No other man was like that 

467
00:35:54,880 --> 00:35:58,640
except John. 
Because God was going to use 

468
00:35:58,640 --> 00:36:02,880
them in a very powerful way. 
And you know what? 

469
00:36:04,600 --> 00:36:09,480
God sends us forth powerfully as
well, does He not? 

470
00:36:10,520 --> 00:36:13,600
He's given us a spirit of power 
according to Acts chapter one 

471
00:36:13,600 --> 00:36:18,600
verse #8 right, so that we can 
be His witnesses. 

472
00:36:20,000 --> 00:36:25,200
He gave us the spirit of power. 
He infused us with His strength.

473
00:36:27,040 --> 00:36:30,280
And so we don't have to be 
ashamed when we speak up in the 

474
00:36:30,280 --> 00:36:35,280
classroom. 
We don't have to be shy when we 

475
00:36:35,400 --> 00:36:38,320
speak forth the gospel in the 
workplace. 

476
00:36:39,200 --> 00:36:42,760
We have the spirit of power. 
I've been sent powerfully by the

477
00:36:42,760 --> 00:36:46,720
Lord because I've been sent 
providentially by the Lord, 

478
00:36:47,560 --> 00:36:51,240
because I've been sent 
prophetically and personally by 

479
00:36:51,240 --> 00:36:54,640
the Lord. 
Therefore, I can be passionate 

480
00:36:54,960 --> 00:36:58,520
about what it is I believe 
because I have a purpose for 

481
00:36:58,520 --> 00:37:01,240
living. 
I'm living for Christ and not 

482
00:37:01,240 --> 00:37:03,920
for myself. 
I'm living to honor God and not 

483
00:37:03,920 --> 00:37:08,880
myself. 
I'm living for Him and therefore

484
00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:13,240
I powerfully proclaim the 
gospel. 

485
00:37:14,960 --> 00:37:19,160
That was John. 
There was a man, there was a man

486
00:37:19,160 --> 00:37:23,080
not just any man. 
He was an extraordinary man. 

487
00:37:24,320 --> 00:37:26,040
He was different than every 
other man. 

488
00:37:27,440 --> 00:37:32,360
We explained that to you on how 
different that he he really was 

489
00:37:33,400 --> 00:37:42,560
uncompromising in his his 
message, unorthodox in his 

490
00:37:42,720 --> 00:37:48,800
mannerisms, unrivalled among 
men. 

491
00:37:50,560 --> 00:37:53,760
We gave you the list of those 
things that made this man the 

492
00:37:53,760 --> 00:38:00,360
man that he was. 
This man, he was sent from by 

493
00:38:00,360 --> 00:38:09,360
God, he was called by God, he 
was chosen by God, he was 

494
00:38:09,760 --> 00:38:19,280
consecrated by God, he was cared
for by God so he would be able 

495
00:38:19,280 --> 00:38:25,040
to communicate his God in the 
most effective way. 

496
00:38:27,280 --> 00:38:31,200
And he did. 
So the challenge for you and me,

497
00:38:32,080 --> 00:38:39,440
having spent five weeks on just 
one verse, what kind of man or 

498
00:38:39,440 --> 00:38:43,360
woman are you? 
Because the standard is the 

499
00:38:43,360 --> 00:38:46,360
Scriptures, The standard is the 
word of God. 

500
00:38:46,360 --> 00:38:49,320
Standard's not me. 
Standard's not your parents. 

501
00:38:50,320 --> 00:38:54,080
The standard is the word of God.
The standard is John, the 

502
00:38:54,080 --> 00:38:57,800
greatest man, whoever lived. 
So you must ask yourself the 

503
00:38:57,800 --> 00:38:59,760
question, how do I measure up to
that standard? 

504
00:39:00,720 --> 00:39:07,520
Because that is the standard. 
And this man was sent from God. 

505
00:39:08,600 --> 00:39:12,160
So too are you sent from God. 
If God has called you into his 

506
00:39:12,160 --> 00:39:15,520
marvelous Kingdom, you've been 
sent by him. 

507
00:39:17,120 --> 00:39:23,000
You've been sent by him to your 
family, to your church, to the 

508
00:39:23,000 --> 00:39:26,040
world, to your friends, to your 
community. 

509
00:39:26,440 --> 00:39:30,680
God has sent you. 
And how are you? 

510
00:39:31,520 --> 00:39:34,840
How are you communicating the 
gospel to those people? 

511
00:39:34,840 --> 00:39:38,000
How are you representing the 
Christ to those people? 

512
00:39:39,600 --> 00:39:46,240
Do you do it powerfully? 
Do you do it passionately, or do

513
00:39:46,240 --> 00:39:48,640
you do it passively and 
impotently? 

514
00:39:50,160 --> 00:39:52,240
That's the question we got to 
ask and answer ourselves. 

515
00:39:52,240 --> 00:39:54,960
I can't ask. 
I can ask you that question, but

516
00:39:55,000 --> 00:39:57,840
only you can answer that. 
I can't answer it for you. 

517
00:39:57,840 --> 00:40:03,840
But my prayer for all of us is 
that there would be this driving

518
00:40:03,840 --> 00:40:11,160
force behind us. 
The love of Christ, our 

519
00:40:11,160 --> 00:40:15,280
relationship with the living God
that compels me, that moves me, 

520
00:40:15,640 --> 00:40:20,760
that constrains me, that 
motivates me to get up every 

521
00:40:20,760 --> 00:40:23,920
morning. 
Today's a new day. 

522
00:40:24,640 --> 00:40:29,120
To fulfill my purpose of 
communicating the gospel. 

523
00:40:30,160 --> 00:40:34,720
Today's a new day to 
passionately represent my God. 

524
00:40:35,680 --> 00:40:43,320
Today's a a new day to be able 
to help others understand how it

525
00:40:43,320 --> 00:40:47,160
is they can be in a relationship
with the living God like I am. 

526
00:40:49,560 --> 00:40:56,400
There is no greater force than 
that to drive you to get up 

527
00:40:56,400 --> 00:41:03,320
everyday to be used by the Lord.
God so desperately wants to use 

528
00:41:03,320 --> 00:41:05,400
His people. 
That's why I saved you. 

529
00:41:07,000 --> 00:41:08,760
Does He need you? 
No. 

530
00:41:09,840 --> 00:41:12,360
Does he want to use you? 
Absolutely. 

531
00:41:13,160 --> 00:41:15,480
Absolutely. 
Will you be used by him? 

532
00:41:17,240 --> 00:41:23,120
When you go home today and you 
go through your day and you lay 

533
00:41:23,120 --> 00:41:27,960
down at night, just say this to 
yourself. 

534
00:41:30,040 --> 00:41:37,440
There was a man sent from God, 
and just insert there was a 

535
00:41:37,440 --> 00:41:45,800
woman sent from God whose name 
was Sue, whose name was 

536
00:41:47,160 --> 00:41:53,760
whatever, but there was a person
sent from God. 

537
00:41:55,040 --> 00:41:57,600
Will you be that person? 
Will you be that man? 

538
00:41:57,600 --> 00:42:03,120
Will you be that woman and say 
to yourself, I've been sent by 

539
00:42:03,120 --> 00:42:07,360
God and you will later say to 
the disciples, as the Father has

540
00:42:07,360 --> 00:42:14,200
sent me, so send I you. 
We've been sent to go into all 

541
00:42:14,200 --> 00:42:19,360
the world and make disciples. 
What a great purpose for living 

542
00:42:19,360 --> 00:42:22,560
every single day. 
Let me pray with you, Father, we

543
00:42:22,560 --> 00:42:25,280
thank you for all that you do 
and all that you say and all 

544
00:42:25,280 --> 00:42:27,840
that you are. 
We thank you that Lord we can 

545
00:42:28,040 --> 00:42:30,880
understand more about this man 
and how it is you sent him. 

546
00:42:31,400 --> 00:42:35,520
And pray, Father, that we would 
be the kind of people that would

547
00:42:35,520 --> 00:42:39,920
represent you well every day, 
knowing that you've called us to

548
00:42:39,920 --> 00:42:44,000
be used by you for the glory of 
your Kingdom until you come 

549
00:42:44,000 --> 00:42:48,400
again, as you most surely will, 
in Jesus name, Amen.