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I wonder if you've ever thought 
about what it means to have a a 

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surefire successful ministry. 
How would you define that? 

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What would that look like in in 
your mind? 

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What would a sensational 
ministry look like? 

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As I was thinking about that 
this week, I I came up with some

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some principles that will help 
you define and articulate a 

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successful ministry. 
Number one, if you would like to

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have a, a successful ministry, 
make sure that you never go to 

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where the people are. 
You make them come to you. 

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And when they come to you, they 
they go to the most inconvenient

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spots possible. 
In fact, when they come to you, 

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make sure that there are no 
conveniences. 

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So when they sit, they had to 
sit on the ground or the asphalt

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or the grass or the sand or the 
dirt. 

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Make sure there are no chairs. 
Make sure there are no umbrellas

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for when it's hot. 
You want them to experience the 

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heat of the sun when it's cold. 
After all, they can always wrap 

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themselves in something warm. 
After all, you don't want to 

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minister to weak infant and 
people, You want them to be 

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strong. 
If it rains, no big deal, they 

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won't melt. 
Let the rain pour down upon 

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their head. 
This is a surefire way to have a

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successful ministry #2 
deliberately wear things that 

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are unattractive. 
Never wear the things that are 

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truly in and cool and everyone 
adores. 

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Make sure you wear things that 
are completely out of the 

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ordinary. 
In fact, the smellier they are, 

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the better they are. 
Fill your your clothes with with

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animal skins and the smellier 
the better. 

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And when you gather people 
together and you have a potluck,

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make sure you take insects and 
you wrap them in pure honey and 

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pass them out to everyone who is
hungry. 

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This is a surefire way of having
a successful ministry #3 make 

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sure that when you speak, you 
always speak offensively. 

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Make sure that you assault and 
insult all of your listeners. 

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Make sure they are greatly 
offended every time you speak. 

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A perfect sermon would be simply
what in the world are you doing 

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here? 
Why would you even come here? 

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You people who think you're 
better than everybody else, 

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That's a surefire way of having 
a successful ministry. 

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And then make sure that you 
always expose and embarrass 

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every top government official, 
you know, make sure you expose 

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every hidden sin, everything 
they're trying to keep away from

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the public. 
Put it out there for everybody 

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to hear it and to know how 
wicked your leaders are, 

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especially in private. 
And then make sure you only 

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minister for a very, very short 
time. 

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Don't, don't go beyond 18 
months. 

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A year is good, maybe 18 months,
but don't go beyond that. 

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And then and then when it's all 
said and done, when all these 

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people are coming to you, 
because if you follow these 

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guidelines, you will have a 
surefire successful ministry. 

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And because all these people are
coming to you, make sure that 

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you pass them off to another 
preacher down the road. 

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That's a, a guaranteed great 
ministry. 

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And you would think that the 
elevator in my brain doesn't go 

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to the top floor. 
You would think that your pastor

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has snapped the twig, but that's
not the case. 

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Because you see, that was the 
ministry of of John the Baptist,

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of whom it was said among those 
born of a woman, there has not 

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arisen anyone greater than John 
the Baptist. 

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He may have been unconventional,
he may have been strange, but he

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was extremely effective. 
He wrote the book on successful 

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ministry because there was never
a preacher like him. 

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There was never a prophet like 
him. 

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He was the best ever. 
And yet we think of those things

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and say, who in their right mind
would ever do what John did? 

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And then we wonder why our 
ministries are unsuccessful and 

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not successful. 
Interesting. 

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But what was it that made John 
great? 

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Was it his methodology? 
No, no, it was the man himself 

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that made the ministry great. 
It wasn't the methods that he 

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used. 
It was the call of God up on his

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life. 
So the Bible says, and John one 

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verse number six, there came a 
man and we're going to stop 

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right there. 
We're not going to get any 

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further in the verse. 
Just simply there came a man 

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sent from God. 
What kind of man was he? 

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He was not an ordinary man. 
He was an extraordinary man. 

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He was a man unlike any other 
man. 

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He was a man that was 
unparalleled to any other man. 

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And so over this week and next 
week and the week following, at 

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least, I want to help you 
understand the identity of this 

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man. 
And then I want you to 

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understand, understand the 
ministry of this man, the 

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testimony of this man, and the 
legacy of this man. 

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After all, of all the men born 
of a woman, he's the greatest. 

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So best we know his identity, 
his ministry, his testimony and 

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his legacy. 
But before we do all of that, 

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there's something else you need 
to know, and that is the 

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peculiarity of the man. 
What made him so peculiar? 

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What made him the way he is? 
And I want to give you 8 

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principles that will help you 
understand why this man John was

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so peculiar, so unique, so 
extraordinary. 

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And then, and then if you're a 
man in the audience, I want you 

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to match your life against his 
life. 

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Because after all, of all the 
men born of a woman, he's the 

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greatest. 
So if you want to be great, 

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match your life against John's 
life, the greatest man ever born

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of a woman. 
And then you can understand 

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whether or not you are ever 
going to be great or whether or 

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not you will ever have a 
successful ministry. 

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Because you see, John is the 
barometer for greatness and the 

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barometer for a successful 
ministry. 

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And so you need to be able to 
compare yourself to the 

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standards of the Scriptures. 
What does the Bible say about 

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this man? 
We know what Jesus says about 

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the man, so how does the Bible 
describe him? 

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So as we look at this 
peculiarity of the man, we will 

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see eight different principles 
#1 the man was uncompromising in

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his message, uncompromising in 
his message. 

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We get that from John chapter 1,
which states these words. 

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In verse number six. 
There came a man sent from God 

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whose name was John. 
He came as a witness to testify 

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about the light, said all might 
believe through him he was not 

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the light, but he came to 
testify about the light. 

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His whole life was about 
speaking about the light. 

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In fact, the Bible says in John 
chapter 10, these words about 

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John, it says while John 
performed no sign. 

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Isn't that interesting? 
A successful ministry is defined

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by the inability to perform a 
sign. 

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The the opportunity to have a 
sensational ministry is not 

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based on signs and wonders and 
the spectacular. 

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We we live in a world today 
where we want everything to be 

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big and spectacular and awesome.
Incredible thinking that that's 

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going to attract people and draw
people, but it does not. 

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Oh, it great. 
Gets a crowd. 

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Yeah, it does. 
But for John, the sensationalism

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was gone. 
That's not what he was about. 

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He was about speaking the truth.
So it says in John 1010 verse 

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#41 while John performed no 
sign, yet everything John said 

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about this man to Christ was 
true. 

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Everything John said was true. 
He had an uncompromising 

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message. 
So his message was absolute. 

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His message was accurate. 
His message was authoritative. 

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His message was even 
apocalyptic. 

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He said, said, why are you here?
Who, who told you to flee from 

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the wrath to come? 
I baptize you with water, but 

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there's one coming who's 
mightier than I, who's going to 

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baptize you with unquenchable 
fire? 

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He spoke apocalyptically. 
Because all great messages focus

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on the judgement, focus on the 
end, so people know how to 

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escape the judgement of God. 
That was John. 

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He just came to to testify about
the light. 

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He just came to be a witness. 
He became the person who spoke 

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the truth. 
He was certainly the last Old 

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Testament prophet and he is now 
the first New Testament 

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preacher. 
No wonder he was the greatest 

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man. 
Whoever lived there hadn't been 

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a prophet who had spoken in over
400 years. 

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And all of a sudden John shows 
up in the wilderness, coming out

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of the wilderness like a like a 
locomotive fast approaching. 

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He came with all kinds of 
explosive statements. 

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His message was uncompromising. 
I love, I love what the Bible 

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says in in Matthew Chapter 11 
verse #8 when Jesus says this 

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verse #7 what did you go out 
into the wilderness to see? 

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What were you looking for? 
A Reed shaken by the wind. 

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Is that what you were looking 
for? 

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And around the Jordan, there are
all these kinds of reeds that 

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were very bendable and would 
just go with the breeze and the 

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blow of the wind. 
They would go to the left and to

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the right, front and back, 
always, always bending. 

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And Jesus says what? 
You go out to see somebody who 

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would bend to the left and and 
bend to the right who took no 

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stand at all. 
Is that the kind of guy you were

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looking for? 
Oh, that's not John. 

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He says this. 
But what did you go out to see? 

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A man dressed in soft clothing. 
Those who wear soft clothing are

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in King's palaces. 
But what did you go out to see? 

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A prophet. 
Yes, I tell you. 

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And one who is more than a 
prophet. 

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Here was one who came, and when 
he spoke, he never dumbed down 

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the message. 
He was a man when he spoke, 

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never backed down from the hard 
truths of the message. 

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Here was a man who for all 
practical purposes was not 

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sensational, was not 
spectacular. 

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But Luke 1 says that when he 
comes, he will come in the 

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spirit and power of Elijah. 
Elijah was the great Old 

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Testament prophet. 
Remember it was Moses and Elijah

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who appeared on the mountain. 
Transfiguration. 

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Moses was the great lawgiver and
Elijah was the great law 

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protector. 
And this one, John would come in

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the spirit of the of, of, of 
Elijah. 

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He would speak forcefully. 
He would speak faithfully, He 

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would speak fervently, he'd even
speak ferociously because he was

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the great prophet of God, 
pointing people to the Messiah. 

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This is a man who's 
uncompromising in his message. 

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He was He was the one who 
embodies embodies Proverbs 2323 

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Buy truth and never sell it. 
Do all you can to obtain the 

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truth because it's going to cost
you everything that you have. 

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And once you spend all that you 
have to obtain that which is the

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most priceless and valuable 
commodity this side of eternity,

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the word of the living God by 
truth. 

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Never sell it out, never 
compromise it, never back down 

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from it. 
Do all you can to obtain it. 

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Wisdom, instruction and 
understanding. 

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Solomon goes on to say that was 
John uncompromising in his 

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message number 2. 
He was unorthodox in his 

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mannerisms. 
Unorthodox in his mannerisms. 

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Over in Matthew chapter 3 it 
says this now. 

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Now John himself had a garment 
of camels hair and a leather 

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belt around his waist, and his 
food was locusts and wild honey.

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Then Jerusalem was going out to 
him and all Judea and all the 

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district around the Jordan, and 
they were being baptized by him 

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in the Jordan River as they 
confessed their sins. 

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Very unorthodox in his 
mannerisms. 

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You see, his whole dress was the
antithesis of the religious 

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establishment. 
His whole mannerism of the way 

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he lived his life spoke against 
the self indulgence of people in

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leadership because he lived a 
life of self denial. 

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Remember, he's the son of 
Zacharias the priest. 

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So John's in line to be a 
priest. 

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He could have followed his 
father into the priesthood. 

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He could have been in the 
temple, he could have been 

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wearing the robes of a priest, 
he could have been in the 

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comfort of the temple. 
But no, not John, Oh no. 

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His whole lifestyle screamed 
against that because he knew how

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hypocritical it was in the days 
of Jesus. 

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So we made sure that everything 
about his life spoke against the

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self indulgent society in which 
he lived in because he lived a 

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life of complete and total self 
denial. 

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That was John. 
His whole life was a a visual 

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protest to to the religion of 
his day. 

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He didn't care about fitting in.
You know, today we, we have 

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preachers who wear $1000 
sneakers and wear jeans with 

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holes in them. 
I guess that's still in style. 

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I guess. 
I don't know. 

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And they those tight shirts that
you can see their muscles 

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00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:15,520
bulging all the time, you know, 
and they want to get in front of

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00:20:15,560 --> 00:20:17,280
the audience and be really cool,
like, right. 

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That's not John. 
No, he wouldn't do that. 

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00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:26,080
That even to be next to him, 
he'd smell the high heaven that 

233
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was John. 
He wasn't looking to looking to 

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00:20:29,560 --> 00:20:36,960
impress anybody because he had 
an audience of 1 the Messiah and

235
00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:38,680
he only wanted to please his 
God. 

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00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:42,760
So he wasn't interested in 
looking like everybody else. 

237
00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:45,040
Fitting in was not important to 
him. 

238
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Being a part of the society was 
not important to him. 

239
00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:51,560
That's why I love what what 
Peter says in First Peter 

240
00:20:51,560 --> 00:20:54,360
chapter 4. 
He says in verse #3 for the time

241
00:20:54,360 --> 00:20:56,040
I already passed, it's 
sufficient for you to have 

242
00:20:56,040 --> 00:20:57,960
carried out the desire of the 
Gentiles. 

243
00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:01,480
Having pursued a course of 
sensuality, lust, drunkenness, 

244
00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:06,360
carousing, drinking parties, and
and abominable idolatries and 

245
00:21:06,360 --> 00:21:10,720
all this, they are surprised 
that you do not run with them in

246
00:21:10,720 --> 00:21:14,440
the same excess of dissipation 
and they malign you. 

247
00:21:15,920 --> 00:21:20,360
That's the believer. 
You've been saved from all that.

248
00:21:21,120 --> 00:21:24,280
You're not interested in fitting
in to the world you were saved 

249
00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:27,360
from. 
You're not interested in being 

250
00:21:27,360 --> 00:21:31,240
like the people used to hang 
around with in your unsafe 

251
00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:36,200
condition and they see that you 
don't run with them in the same 

252
00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:39,560
circles and they malign you. 
So Peter says. 

253
00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:47,040
I'm sure that John was, was 
maligned on many occasions, not 

254
00:21:47,040 --> 00:21:50,440
just because of what he ate or 
the way he dressed, how he 

255
00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:56,880
smelled, but just because he was
completely unorthodox in his 

256
00:21:56,880 --> 00:22:02,920
mannerisms. 
He wasn't unorthodox just to be 

257
00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:07,960
that way. 
No, there was a a, a method to 

258
00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:11,560
his madness. 
He wanted to make sure that his 

259
00:22:11,560 --> 00:22:16,960
life was a total contradiction 
to everything around him. 

260
00:22:19,120 --> 00:22:27,440
Today we we love to to be a part
of the world. 

261
00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:33,480
We love to fit in at work. 
We love to fit in at school. 

262
00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:35,400
Nobody wants to be on the 
outside. 

263
00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:37,960
Nobody wants to be the odd one 
out. 

264
00:22:37,960 --> 00:22:42,760
And then we wonder why our lives
are not great. 

265
00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:49,920
We wonder why our lives are the 
way they are, too busy trying to

266
00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:52,600
be like everybody else around us
instead of trying to be like 

267
00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:55,560
Christ and honor him and glorify
his name. 

268
00:22:56,320 --> 00:23:04,120
This is John, John the Baptizer,
which leads to the second aspect

269
00:23:04,120 --> 00:23:07,720
of what he was unorthodox about,
and that was it's so baptism. 

270
00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:13,440
People were flocking to the 
wilderness down by the Jordan 

271
00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:17,960
River, which is about down by 
the, the city Jericho and and 

272
00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:23,160
beyond in the wilderness. 
It was hot, hot people were 

273
00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:25,720
coming. 
They were, they were coming. 

274
00:23:25,760 --> 00:23:27,480
He wasn't going to them. 
He could have administered in 

275
00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:30,160
the temple, but he wouldn't have
been welcome there. 

276
00:23:30,160 --> 00:23:33,360
So he administered in the 
wilderness, the Judean 

277
00:23:33,360 --> 00:23:36,120
wilderness. 
And if you've ever been there, 

278
00:23:36,120 --> 00:23:38,640
it's it's hot, it's barren, it's
dry. 

279
00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:44,440
Oh, it's nasty. 
People came to him. 

280
00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:49,440
He didn't go to them. 
They came to hear John. 

281
00:23:50,320 --> 00:23:55,520
They came to see John because he
was completely, uniquely 

282
00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:58,080
different than everything and 
everyone else. 

283
00:23:58,080 --> 00:24:01,560
Surmount them. 
They challenged them. 

284
00:24:01,560 --> 00:24:05,560
Repent. 
Repent and be baptized for the 

285
00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:10,440
Kingdom of heaven is at hand and
he would challenge them to be 

286
00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:12,680
baptized. 
And that's so interesting 

287
00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:15,920
because we know what baptism is.
We know as as believers that 

288
00:24:16,040 --> 00:24:19,760
that we are baptized because we 
are identifying with the Christ 

289
00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:23,960
who was, who was, who was 
killed, buried and, and rose 

290
00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:25,920
again. 
That's why we we going down into

291
00:24:25,920 --> 00:24:29,280
the water because we, we are 
buried with him in the likeness 

292
00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:31,680
of his death and then we are 
raised with him in the likeness 

293
00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:35,880
of his resurrection. 
Everything about about baptism 

294
00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:41,680
is symbolic and, and, and it's 
not what's baptism does because 

295
00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:47,840
baptism doesn't do anything. 
It's what baptism says, what it 

296
00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:51,600
says about your life and your 
commitment to follow the Lord 

297
00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:54,440
Jesus Christ. 
So we understand that about 

298
00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:58,080
baptism. 
But Jesus hadn't died and Jesus 

299
00:24:58,080 --> 00:25:01,560
hadn't been buried and Jesus 
hadn't been raised from the dead

300
00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:05,480
yet. 
So what is John doing? 

301
00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:12,320
He's baptizing these people and 
challenging them to confess 

302
00:25:12,320 --> 00:25:16,840
their sins. 
And what he's doing is only done

303
00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:22,920
to Gentiles, Gentiles who want 
to convert to Judaism, Gentiles 

304
00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:24,880
who realize that they're, 
they're not a part of the 

305
00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:27,440
covenant people of God. 
And they realize that they're 

306
00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:30,400
separated from the true and 
living God and they're not 

307
00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:33,880
descendants of, of Abraham and 
they're outside the, the 

308
00:25:33,880 --> 00:25:36,760
national covenant given to the 
people of Israel. 

309
00:25:37,280 --> 00:25:41,040
And they want to come into that 
covenant relationship and they 

310
00:25:41,040 --> 00:25:44,920
want to be baptized into all 
those things and, and confess 

311
00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:48,760
that they are not a part of what
Judaism represents. 

312
00:25:51,120 --> 00:25:56,560
But John's not baptizing 
Gentiles, he's baptizing Jews. 

313
00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:02,960
And Jews weren't baptized, but 
they were all coming down to be 

314
00:26:02,960 --> 00:26:08,000
baptized by John because John's 
telling them, listen, I know 

315
00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:09,480
that you're a descendant of 
Abraham. 

316
00:26:09,760 --> 00:26:11,400
I know that you're into the 
rituals. 

317
00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:12,960
I know you're into the 
circumcision. 

318
00:26:13,120 --> 00:26:16,480
But none of that saves you. 
I know that you're the covenant 

319
00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:18,680
people of Israel. 
I know that you understand 

320
00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:22,520
Abrahamic and Davidic covenants.
I understand you know all those 

321
00:26:22,520 --> 00:26:24,640
things. 
But none of that's going to get 

322
00:26:24,640 --> 00:26:28,840
you into heaven. 
You need to be prepared to meet 

323
00:26:28,840 --> 00:26:33,280
the Messiah and therefore you 
need to confess your sins. 

324
00:26:33,360 --> 00:26:35,840
You need to confess the fact 
that you're outside of a 

325
00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:39,880
relationship with God. 
For you to hear that is 

326
00:26:40,360 --> 00:26:44,840
astounding. 
That's why he was uncompromising

327
00:26:44,840 --> 00:26:49,000
in his message and unorthodox in
his mannerisms. 

328
00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:54,280
See, And people were being 
confessing their sins, being 

329
00:26:54,280 --> 00:26:57,280
baptized. 
Unfortunately, it was only 

330
00:26:57,280 --> 00:27:01,120
temporary. 
A lot like people, some people, 

331
00:27:01,120 --> 00:27:03,800
not all people, but some people 
get baptized and are baptismal. 

332
00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:07,640
They'll come and they'll make a 
profession of faith and they'll 

333
00:27:07,640 --> 00:27:10,440
get baptized and they'll want to
identify with Christ. 

334
00:27:10,440 --> 00:27:12,840
But next thing you know, they're
they're walking away from the 

335
00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:14,160
Lord. 
They don't care about the Lord. 

336
00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:17,600
And their commitment was a 
temporary commitment because the

337
00:27:17,600 --> 00:27:21,000
cares of this world choke out 
the trueness of their 

338
00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:23,400
commitment. 
And the affliction comes and 

339
00:27:23,400 --> 00:27:25,360
persecution comes. 
They can't stand it and they 

340
00:27:25,640 --> 00:27:28,560
fall away. 
Matthew 13, The rocky soil and 

341
00:27:28,560 --> 00:27:34,200
the thorny soil, a lot of people
were temporary because when they

342
00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:40,160
met the Messiah, heard what the 
Messiah said, they didn't like 

343
00:27:40,160 --> 00:27:43,960
the message. 
So they crucified him, see. 

344
00:27:45,040 --> 00:27:49,640
So unfortunately, it was only a,
a temporary, temporary 

345
00:27:49,640 --> 00:27:52,680
commitment on their part. 
It was a, it was a commitment of

346
00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:55,960
convenience instead of a 
commitment of conviction. 

347
00:27:56,240 --> 00:27:59,920
A lot like people today in the 
church, we we have a commitment 

348
00:27:59,920 --> 00:28:03,000
of convenience. 
I'm committed to church as long 

349
00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:06,400
as it's convenient, as long as 
it's close, as long as I, I 

350
00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:11,720
don't spend 550 a gallon of gas 
to get there, as as long as it's

351
00:28:11,720 --> 00:28:14,200
at the right time that I wanted 
to be there or I'm not on 

352
00:28:14,200 --> 00:28:17,320
vacation or I'm not doing this 
or that something else more 

353
00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:21,640
important on Sunday. 
I, I have a, a commitment of, of

354
00:28:21,640 --> 00:28:24,760
convenience, not a commitment of
conviction. 

355
00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:30,680
These people had to convenience,
everybody else getting baptized,

356
00:28:30,680 --> 00:28:32,440
everybody else confessing. 
They said let's do this thing. 

357
00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:37,480
But then when the Messiah comes,
Messiah begins to speak and says

358
00:28:38,440 --> 00:28:40,800
if any man came to me, let him 
deny himself and think of his 

359
00:28:40,800 --> 00:28:45,360
cross and follow me. 
You mean like John denied 

360
00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:48,800
himself? 
I'm not sure I want to do that 

361
00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:52,680
really. 
And they crucified the Messiah. 

362
00:28:54,520 --> 00:28:58,720
Here is John uncompromising his 
message. 

363
00:29:00,280 --> 00:29:07,320
I wonder if you as as a man back
down on the message of the 

364
00:29:07,320 --> 00:29:12,520
Gospel. 
I wonder if you as a man are 

365
00:29:12,520 --> 00:29:19,240
ashamed of the Gospel. 
I wonder if you as a man kind of

366
00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:25,520
are like to read down by the 
Jordan River, sway back and 

367
00:29:25,520 --> 00:29:28,880
forth depending upon what crowd 
you're with and what kind of 

368
00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:32,080
associates you have. 
And you'll say this in one crowd

369
00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:36,600
and that in another crowd, or 
you always stand strong on the 

370
00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:39,760
truth, never compromising what 
Jesus says. 

371
00:29:42,800 --> 00:29:45,520
John the Baptist was 
uncompromising in his message, 

372
00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:51,480
and he was unorthodox in his 
mannerisms. 

373
00:29:52,960 --> 00:30:03,240
But not this #3 he was 
unequalled among men. 

374
00:30:05,560 --> 00:30:15,680
He was unequalled among men. 
Turn, if you would, in your 

375
00:30:15,680 --> 00:30:20,560
Bible to Luke's gospel. 
As you recall, we spent nine 

376
00:30:20,560 --> 00:30:26,240
years in Luke's gospel. 
It was quite a journey, took us 

377
00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:30,720
a long time. 
But I want to give you the 

378
00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:37,760
ultimate gender reveal story. 
We're all into gender reveal 

379
00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:40,840
today, right? 
Everybody wants to do something 

380
00:30:40,840 --> 00:30:45,760
big on Instagram or on Twitter 
or some kind of mechanism by 

381
00:30:45,760 --> 00:30:51,680
which I can get out to the world
the gender of my baby. 

382
00:30:53,000 --> 00:30:55,440
Well, I'm going to give you the 
ultimate gender reveal. 

383
00:30:55,800 --> 00:30:58,480
It's in Luke chapter 1. 
Here it is. 

384
00:30:59,840 --> 00:31:01,720
Angel of the Lord appeared to 
Zacharias. 

385
00:31:01,720 --> 00:31:04,840
This is verse 11, chapter 1, 
standing at the right of the 

386
00:31:04,840 --> 00:31:07,600
altar of incense. 
Zacharias was troubled when he 

387
00:31:07,600 --> 00:31:09,520
saw the Angel and fear gripped 
him. 

388
00:31:09,520 --> 00:31:12,600
But the Angel said to him, do 
not be afraid Zacharias, for 

389
00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:15,680
your petition has been heard and
your wife Elizabeth will bear 

390
00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:21,800
you a son. 
Wow can have a boy, she's just 

391
00:31:21,800 --> 00:31:27,800
not going to be pregnant. 
She's going to have a boy and 

392
00:31:27,800 --> 00:31:29,360
you will give him a name. 
John. 

393
00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:33,800
They didn't have to even go to a
baby book and forgot a good 

394
00:31:33,800 --> 00:31:36,960
name. 
They didn't have to even even 

395
00:31:37,160 --> 00:31:40,560
try to figure out what what kind
of name fits with with our 

396
00:31:40,560 --> 00:31:42,360
family. 
No, the Angel. 

397
00:31:42,360 --> 00:31:45,960
Gabriel named him the Angel and 
Abriel told him that it's going 

398
00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:47,920
to be a boy. 
This is the ultimate gender 

399
00:31:47,920 --> 00:31:51,200
reveal. 
You're going to have a boy. 

400
00:31:51,200 --> 00:31:55,440
His name is John, and it says 
this. 

401
00:31:56,360 --> 00:31:59,520
You have joy and gladness, and 
many will rejoice at his birth, 

402
00:32:00,040 --> 00:32:02,120
for he will be great in the 
sight of the Lord, and he will 

403
00:32:02,120 --> 00:32:05,640
drink no wine or liquor, and he 
will be filled with the Holy 

404
00:32:05,640 --> 00:32:11,960
Spirit while yet in his mother's
womb, unequalled among men. 

405
00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:16,840
No other man was filled with the
Holy Spirit while in their 

406
00:32:16,840 --> 00:32:23,760
mother's womb, but John was, and
he will turn many of the sons of

407
00:32:23,760 --> 00:32:25,320
Israel back to the Lord their 
God. 

408
00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:27,800
It is he who will go as a 
forerunner before him in the 

409
00:32:27,800 --> 00:32:31,080
spirit and power of Elijah, to 
turn the hearts of the Father's 

410
00:32:31,080 --> 00:32:34,040
back to the children, and the 
disobedient to the attitude of 

411
00:32:34,040 --> 00:32:39,040
the righteous, so as to make 
ready of people prepared for the

412
00:32:39,720 --> 00:32:46,360
Lord. 
This man is unequaled among men.

413
00:32:46,360 --> 00:32:54,320
He had a very privileged 
calling, like Jeremiah, like 

414
00:32:55,120 --> 00:33:02,000
Paul, he was set aside in his 
mother's womb for unique and 

415
00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:07,240
special ministry. 
He would be the personal herald 

416
00:33:07,240 --> 00:33:11,760
of the Messiah. 
He'd be the one that would point

417
00:33:11,760 --> 00:33:18,080
to the Messiah so that all would
know who the Messiah is. 

418
00:33:19,240 --> 00:33:22,960
Nobody else had that privilege, 
but John did. 

419
00:33:27,120 --> 00:33:29,160
He came in the spirit and power 
of Elijah. 

420
00:33:30,680 --> 00:33:37,440
No one else did. 
He was set apart personally by 

421
00:33:37,440 --> 00:33:48,040
the Messiah. 
He would hear this later in 

422
00:33:48,040 --> 00:33:51,640
life. 
First Father said these words. 

423
00:33:52,920 --> 00:33:57,440
You child, will be called the 
prophet of El Elian, the Most 

424
00:33:57,440 --> 00:33:59,320
High God. 
Wow. 

425
00:34:01,160 --> 00:34:04,720
For you will go on before the 
Lord to prepare His way to give 

426
00:34:04,960 --> 00:34:08,639
to His people the knowledge of 
salvation by the forgiveness of 

427
00:34:08,639 --> 00:34:13,040
sins. 
Wow, that was John's ministry. 

428
00:34:14,360 --> 00:34:22,600
So we lived his, his life. 
It was so unique, so peculiar. 

429
00:34:23,520 --> 00:34:30,719
It was unequaled among men. 
He would see the Holy Spirit 

430
00:34:30,719 --> 00:34:32,880
descend upon Jesus, That is 
baptism. 

431
00:34:33,120 --> 00:34:35,560
He was the one who baptized 
Jesus. 

432
00:34:36,120 --> 00:34:40,920
Talk about unequaled among men, 
seeing the Holy Spirit descend 

433
00:34:40,920 --> 00:34:44,480
upon the Messiah and then to 
hear the voice from heaven. 

434
00:34:45,280 --> 00:34:50,719
This is my beloved Son with whom
I am well pleased, unequaled 

435
00:34:52,639 --> 00:34:58,320
among men. 
This is John the Baptist, very 

436
00:34:58,320 --> 00:35:03,000
peculiar person, very unique in 
his ministry. 

437
00:35:04,720 --> 00:35:08,480
So he was uncompromising in his 
his message. 

438
00:35:08,480 --> 00:35:13,040
He was unorthodox in his 
mannerisms. 

439
00:35:13,040 --> 00:35:20,640
He was unequalled among men. 
He was unlimited in his mission.

440
00:35:22,480 --> 00:35:28,880
His mission had no limits. 
Over Luke chapter 3 verse #18 

441
00:35:29,720 --> 00:35:36,960
These words were spoken. 
So with many other exhortations,

442
00:35:37,120 --> 00:35:40,000
He preached the gospel to the 
people. 

443
00:35:41,440 --> 00:35:45,480
He didn't pick and choose what 
people because his message was 

444
00:35:45,480 --> 00:35:48,520
unlimited to everybody who came 
to him. 

445
00:35:49,920 --> 00:35:53,000
Didn't pick and choose whether 
they were the religious elite or

446
00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:59,200
whether they were they were poor
blind people made no difference.

447
00:35:59,320 --> 00:36:03,440
It was the same message, same 
gospel about the same person all

448
00:36:03,440 --> 00:36:06,760
the time. 
It was unlimited. 

449
00:36:07,360 --> 00:36:10,320
He was unlimited. 
His mission, verse 19 of Luke 3.

450
00:36:10,400 --> 00:36:16,360
But when Herod the Tetrarch was 
reprimanded by him because of 

451
00:36:16,360 --> 00:36:19,560
Herodias, his brother's wife, 
and because of all the wicked 

452
00:36:19,560 --> 00:36:24,760
things which Herod had done 
again unlimited in his mission, 

453
00:36:25,880 --> 00:36:30,480
he was willing to speak to an 
Idumean, a descendant of Esau, 

454
00:36:31,600 --> 00:36:33,640
people who hate the Jewish 
nation. 

455
00:36:35,040 --> 00:36:38,360
He would speak to Herod, he 
would reprimand Herod, he would 

456
00:36:38,360 --> 00:36:45,800
exhort Herod, he would reprimand
Herod the king because his 

457
00:36:45,800 --> 00:36:51,240
mission was unlimited. 
He wanted everybody to hear the 

458
00:36:51,240 --> 00:36:56,480
message. 
Which leads me to our our fifth 

459
00:36:56,480 --> 00:37:03,920
point, and that is this. 
John was peculiar because he was

460
00:37:04,000 --> 00:37:12,960
uninhibited in his ministry. 
Uninhibited in his ministry. 

461
00:37:12,960 --> 00:37:21,160
In other words, nothing kept him
from fulfilling his call, even 

462
00:37:21,160 --> 00:37:23,240
when it came to reprimanding the
king. 

463
00:37:23,960 --> 00:37:27,520
Herod remember Herod, he was 
Herod the tetrarch. 

464
00:37:27,520 --> 00:37:31,720
He was a ruler over 4 aspects of
the of the king or one of four 

465
00:37:31,720 --> 00:37:38,280
rulers and and he would build 
Tiberius on a on a, a graveyard.

466
00:37:38,400 --> 00:37:43,080
He would honor it, give honor to
it by naming it after Caesar 

467
00:37:43,360 --> 00:37:46,240
Tiberius. 
Caesar Tiberius is on the Sea of

468
00:37:46,240 --> 00:37:48,800
Galilee. 
Jesus, by the way, never went to

469
00:37:48,800 --> 00:37:53,160
that city because it was built 
over a a graveyard. 

470
00:37:54,400 --> 00:38:02,320
But Herod was a man who was 
wicked and Herod had had married

471
00:38:02,320 --> 00:38:06,080
his brother's wife, who was 
really his half sister. 

472
00:38:08,680 --> 00:38:11,360
And Herod knew that. 
I mean, John knew that and 

473
00:38:11,360 --> 00:38:16,880
confronted him on that and 
listen to what it says in in 

474
00:38:16,880 --> 00:38:21,320
Matthew's Gospel, in Matthew 
chapter 14. 

475
00:38:23,080 --> 00:38:25,640
At that time, Herod the 
tetroarch heard the news about 

476
00:38:25,640 --> 00:38:28,400
Jesus. 
John's gone off the scene now 

477
00:38:28,400 --> 00:38:34,800
and Jesus is is is preaching, he
said to his servants, this is 

478
00:38:34,800 --> 00:38:37,080
John the Baptist. 
He thinks Jesus is John the 

479
00:38:37,080 --> 00:38:41,200
Baptist. 
He was risen from the dead and 

480
00:38:41,200 --> 00:38:44,440
that is why miraculous powers 
are at work in him. 

481
00:38:45,800 --> 00:38:50,920
Herod is fearful of John. 
Remember what it says over in in

482
00:38:50,920 --> 00:38:56,440
Mark's Gospel and in the 6th 6th
chapter of Mark it says this 

483
00:38:57,400 --> 00:39:00,880
Herod was afraid of John verse 
20 knowing that he was a 

484
00:39:00,920 --> 00:39:06,080
righteous and holy man. 
Herod the king knew that John 

485
00:39:06,080 --> 00:39:11,120
the Baptist was a righteous and 
holy man separated unto God 

486
00:39:11,280 --> 00:39:15,760
living a righteous and pure life
and he kept him safe. 

487
00:39:16,440 --> 00:39:20,960
Remember John was in prison down
in Macarius which is 7 miles 

488
00:39:20,960 --> 00:39:23,760
northeast of the of the Dead 
Sea. 

489
00:39:23,760 --> 00:39:27,680
It was the palace of Herod. 
It was his summer palace. 

490
00:39:28,440 --> 00:39:33,840
He had two dungeons in it and 
that's where he kept kept John 

491
00:39:33,840 --> 00:39:37,480
the Baptist kept him safe. 
But note this. 

492
00:39:38,760 --> 00:39:43,880
And when Herod heard John, he 
was very perplexed. 

493
00:39:44,640 --> 00:39:47,200
But he used to enjoy listening 
to him. 

494
00:39:48,160 --> 00:39:50,320
That's just a an incredible 
verse. 

495
00:39:51,480 --> 00:39:57,440
Herod was perplexed. 
Herod was was attracted, 

496
00:39:59,120 --> 00:40:02,040
attracted by the message that 
John would give. 

497
00:40:04,360 --> 00:40:09,880
Until the message attacked the 
way Herod lived. 

498
00:40:11,680 --> 00:40:12,880
And then it was a different 
story. 

499
00:40:13,280 --> 00:40:16,200
It's like people in the church, 
they're very, they're attracted 

500
00:40:16,200 --> 00:40:19,040
to the message until, until the 
pastor says something about 

501
00:40:19,160 --> 00:40:22,200
their personal lives and, and 
they're very offended by that 

502
00:40:22,200 --> 00:40:24,680
and confronted by that. 
And they no longer want to go to

503
00:40:24,680 --> 00:40:27,280
that church because their, 
their, their life has been 

504
00:40:27,280 --> 00:40:28,880
exposed. 
Not that the pastor knew 

505
00:40:28,880 --> 00:40:31,120
anything, it's just that they 
didn't like what he said. 

506
00:40:32,840 --> 00:40:36,480
That was Herod. 
He was taken back. 

507
00:40:36,480 --> 00:40:41,440
He was, he was moved by John 
because of the message. 

508
00:40:41,440 --> 00:40:47,200
But when the message attacked 
Herod's relationship, his 

509
00:40:47,200 --> 00:40:52,640
incestuous relationship with his
brother's wife, well, they 

510
00:40:53,640 --> 00:40:58,040
didn't go over so well. 
So back in Matthew's Gospel it 

511
00:40:58,040 --> 00:41:01,480
says these words, When Herod had
John arrested, he bound him and 

512
00:41:01,480 --> 00:41:06,560
put him in prison because of 
Herodias his wife, the wife of 

513
00:41:06,560 --> 00:41:09,680
his brother Philip. 
For John had been saying to him,

514
00:41:09,680 --> 00:41:11,160
It is not lawful for you to have
her. 

515
00:41:11,800 --> 00:41:14,880
Although Herod wanted to put him
to death, he feared the crowd 

516
00:41:15,600 --> 00:41:17,160
because he regarded John as a 
prophet. 

517
00:41:18,760 --> 00:41:21,400
But when Herod's birthday came, 
the daughter of Herodias danced 

518
00:41:21,400 --> 00:41:25,600
before them, and pleased Herod 
so much that he promised with an

519
00:41:25,600 --> 00:41:27,800
oath to give her whatever she 
asked. 

520
00:41:27,800 --> 00:41:31,840
Having been prompted by her 
mother, she said, Give me here 

521
00:41:32,040 --> 00:41:34,560
on the platter the head of John 
the Baptist. 

522
00:41:35,400 --> 00:41:39,000
Although he was grieved, the 
king commanded it to be given 

523
00:41:39,000 --> 00:41:43,800
Because of his oaths and because
of his dinner guests, he sent 

524
00:41:43,800 --> 00:41:46,520
and had John beheaded in the 
prison. 

525
00:41:47,640 --> 00:41:50,240
His head was brought on a 
platter and given to the girl. 

526
00:41:51,240 --> 00:41:55,560
She brought it to her mother. 
His disciples came and took away

527
00:41:55,560 --> 00:42:03,000
the body and buried it, and he 
went and reported it to Jesus. 

528
00:42:05,320 --> 00:42:10,840
Here's a man who was uninhibited
in his ministry. 

529
00:42:12,320 --> 00:42:17,600
He had no inhibitions about 
anything, who he talked to, what

530
00:42:17,600 --> 00:42:22,320
he said, because he was 
interested in righteousness and 

531
00:42:22,320 --> 00:42:25,840
holiness and godliness. 
He only spoke the truth. 

532
00:42:27,480 --> 00:42:31,360
In fact, he did the most loving 
thing he could do, confront, 

533
00:42:31,360 --> 00:42:36,680
inherit on a sin. 
The most unloving thing he could

534
00:42:36,680 --> 00:42:39,960
do was just allow him to live in
sin without ever being 

535
00:42:39,960 --> 00:42:42,760
confronted on it. 
That's the most unloving thing 

536
00:42:42,760 --> 00:42:46,040
anybody can do. 
But the most loving thing you 

537
00:42:46,040 --> 00:42:53,680
can do is to call out the sin, 
call it what it is, and demand 

538
00:42:53,680 --> 00:42:55,920
that they repent of their sin 
and follow the Lord. 

539
00:42:57,320 --> 00:43:08,440
That was John uninhibited in his
ministry, so he was beheaded. 

540
00:43:11,080 --> 00:43:15,080
That the voice of John could be 
silenced. 

541
00:43:17,080 --> 00:43:25,120
But the truth that John spoke 
would carry on through Jesus, 

542
00:43:25,400 --> 00:43:30,880
through the apostles and all 
those who would hear the Gospel.

543
00:43:32,640 --> 00:43:39,040
So here is John the Baptist. 
He was the kind of person who 

544
00:43:39,040 --> 00:43:44,360
was uncompromising in his 
message, unorthodox in his 

545
00:43:44,360 --> 00:43:49,640
mannerisms, unequaled among men,
unlimited in his mission. 

546
00:43:50,880 --> 00:43:53,880
He was uninhibited in his 
ministry. 

547
00:43:55,440 --> 00:44:00,920
Number six, he was unpopular 
before the multitudes. 

548
00:44:04,400 --> 00:44:12,280
The Bible says in Luke chapter 3
verse #20 these words. 

549
00:44:18,290 --> 00:44:27,400
Herod also added this to them, 
and he locked John up in prison.

550
00:44:28,840 --> 00:44:36,640
John was antisocial, he was 
politically incorrect, he was 

551
00:44:36,640 --> 00:44:43,080
insensitive, he was bothersome, 
he was irritating, he was an 

552
00:44:43,080 --> 00:44:46,400
outcast. 
He had no wealth. 

553
00:44:47,600 --> 00:44:58,320
He had no social prominence, he 
had no education, he had no 

554
00:44:58,320 --> 00:45:04,240
worldly status, no achievements,
backed by no organization, wrote

555
00:45:04,240 --> 00:45:10,160
no books, held no office, had no
physical prowess. 

556
00:45:10,160 --> 00:45:18,280
That we know of all the things 
that are completely different 

557
00:45:18,480 --> 00:45:22,000
than what we would determine as 
a great and successful man. 

558
00:45:23,680 --> 00:45:25,600
He would never win a Pulitzer 
Prize. 

559
00:45:27,240 --> 00:45:31,080
He would never win an Oscar. 
He would never win an Emmy. 

560
00:45:33,040 --> 00:45:36,240
He would never win a People's 
Choice Award. 

561
00:45:38,040 --> 00:45:40,480
He would never win a lifetime 
achievement award. 

562
00:45:42,600 --> 00:45:46,160
He'd be no MVP. 
He'd have no All Star honors, 

563
00:45:46,600 --> 00:45:51,680
He'd have no military medals, He
had no literary honors, He would

564
00:45:51,680 --> 00:45:57,320
have no educational honors. 
But he was the greatest man ever

565
00:45:57,320 --> 00:46:04,280
born of a woman. 
Not because I said so, not 

566
00:46:04,280 --> 00:46:11,280
because the Jerusalem Post said 
so, but because Jesus said so. 

567
00:46:13,440 --> 00:46:17,240
And #7 He was unforgettable as a
man. 

568
00:46:19,240 --> 00:46:24,280
He is written in the annals of 
Scripture, in the eternal Word 

569
00:46:24,280 --> 00:46:29,280
of God, be remembered forever. 
He truly lived out Ecclesiastes 

570
00:46:29,280 --> 00:46:33,120
7, one that the day of 1's death
is better than the day of 1's 

571
00:46:33,120 --> 00:46:36,000
birth. 
And everyone rejoiced at his 

572
00:46:36,000 --> 00:46:39,360
birth. 
The Angel Gabriel said so 

573
00:46:40,720 --> 00:46:43,640
they'll be filled with joy and 
everyone will rejoice. 

574
00:46:44,920 --> 00:46:49,640
But the day he died, talk about 
heaven's rejoicing. 

575
00:46:50,840 --> 00:46:56,920
Talk about his home and glory, 
his reward in heaven, an 

576
00:46:56,920 --> 00:47:01,880
unforgettable man. 
The Bible tells us the book of 

577
00:47:01,880 --> 00:47:06,720
Proverbs, the memory of the 
righteous will last forever. 

578
00:47:09,000 --> 00:47:15,400
And yet there is one more point.
I told you I had eight. 

579
00:47:16,040 --> 00:47:24,200
I've given you 7, that there's 
one more point that is extremely

580
00:47:24,200 --> 00:47:30,880
relatable to everyone in the 
room that you need to understand

581
00:47:30,960 --> 00:47:34,920
about John. 
It's a point that is 

582
00:47:34,920 --> 00:47:41,680
unimaginable because it was John
who had an unimaginable moment 

583
00:47:43,680 --> 00:47:49,640
unlike any other moment in his 
life that marked him, that 

584
00:47:49,640 --> 00:47:56,320
caused Jesus to say there's 
never been a man born of a woman

585
00:47:56,320 --> 00:48:04,200
greater than John in that 
unimaginable moment, which is 

586
00:48:04,200 --> 00:48:08,400
point #8 I'll talk to you about 
next week. 

587
00:48:10,080 --> 00:48:13,120
Let's pray. 
Father God, we thank you for 

588
00:48:13,120 --> 00:48:16,960
today and thank you for the 
ministry of John the Baptist. 

589
00:48:18,680 --> 00:48:21,840
Matthew records it. 
Mark records it. 

590
00:48:21,840 --> 00:48:26,000
Luke records it. 
John records it. 4 Gospels 

591
00:48:26,000 --> 00:48:29,120
highlight the ministry of this 
man. 

592
00:48:32,160 --> 00:48:36,520
Extremely peculiar, extremely 
different. 

593
00:48:38,080 --> 00:48:41,600
Nothing that we would deem 
successful in this day and age 

594
00:48:41,600 --> 00:48:44,680
for sure. 
Nothing that we would want to 

595
00:48:44,680 --> 00:48:47,120
put up as a model for others to 
follow. 

596
00:48:47,120 --> 00:48:54,680
But you did. 
And I pray that we would look at

597
00:48:54,680 --> 00:49:05,080
John and realize the impact that
he made in just an 18 month 

598
00:49:05,960 --> 00:49:08,200
ministry. 
That's it. 

599
00:49:09,960 --> 00:49:15,840
And then you took him home. 
And yet, Lord, the man's life 

600
00:49:17,400 --> 00:49:20,600
was incredible. 
Maybe learn from him. 

601
00:49:21,720 --> 00:49:27,120
Maybe learn to model him because
you said he was the greatest man

602
00:49:27,120 --> 00:49:30,720
born of a woman. 
And so, Father, we just ask that

603
00:49:30,720 --> 00:49:34,640
you go before us. 
You help us to live in light of 

604
00:49:34,640 --> 00:49:38,080
your word until you come again, 
as you most surely will, in 

605
00:49:38,200 --> 00:49:39,400
Jesus name, Amen.