Amen
All right. Look at Isaiah chapter number 40 in verse number one. It says come for ye come for ye my people
Say it's your God speaking comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned
For she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins the voice of him that crieth in the wilderness
Prepare ye the way of the Lord make straight in the desert a highway for our God
Every Valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill shall be made low and the crooked shall be made straight and the rough
Places plain and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together
For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken. The title of the sermon this evening is character analysis of John the Baptist
Character analysis of John the Baptist now go with me if you would to John chapter number one in Isaiah chapter 40
We see a prophecy of John the Baptist
This is a scripture that's commonly quoted in the New Testament in reference to John the Baptist and who he is
He's it says there the voice of him that crieth in the wilderness
Prepare ye the way of the Lord make straight in the desert a highway for our God
So what was the main purpose of John the Baptist ministry? Well, someone say he was like the forerunner for Jesus Christ
He was clarifying the road that led to Jesus Christ. He wasn't making it crooked. He wasn't making it foggy
He wasn't making it indiscernible he was making it as plain as the nose on your face
He wanted people to know hey behold the Lamb of God, which should take away the sins of the world
He wasn't trying to confuse anybody. He wasn't trying to make it obscure or enigmatic
He wanted everyone to know this is Jesus Christ
Make the path straight
This is the voice crying in the wilderness and then it also tells us that he's that voice that shall be that people shall glorify
of
Excuse me, they shall glorify God in him. Look what it says in verse number
Five, excuse me verse number six of John chapter one
There was a man sent from God whose name was John
The same came for a witness to bear witness of the light that all men through him might believe
He was not that light but was sent to bear witness of that light. So what do we see?
We see that throughout John's ministry people were constantly confusing him for whom for Jesus
Why is that because he was a burning and shining
Light the Bible says and he constantly had to tell people I am NOT that Christ, you know, I am NOT him
He constantly had to deny the fact that he was not Jesus Christ
But that was due to the fact that he was a burning and shining light
He was a man of God who the Spirit of God was upon
He was being used greatly of him to do great exploits for him. And this is why people glorified God
Why is that because he showed he was showing forth that light of the gospel now go with me
We went to Matthew chapter number 11
I want to talk about John the Baptist this evening and
Just talk about his characteristics and some of the things that he did and some principles that we can learn from his life
John the Baptist embodied the spirit of the prophets
In fact, he was the last of the prophets, but he was very unique in the sense that John did no miracle
So he was never used of God to feed
5,000 to raise the dead to do great exploits like Elijah or Elisha
He was never used like any of the prophets of old to do great things such as that
But he was used to see a lot of people saying he was used to make the path straight and this is why
He was one of the greatest men in the Bible. Okay. This is why Jesus Christ said of him
You know that he was one of the greatest men born of women because of the fact that he testified of Christ
He decreased that Jesus Christ might increase what makes us great
Well, what makes us great is when we decrease in order for Jesus Christ to increase when we get out of the way
And we glorify Jesus Christ
That's what makes a person great. And I think John the Baptist is one of those characters that we should look up to him, man
You know, even though he existed 2,000 years ago. This should be a modern-day hero
You know today we have Christians who have unbelievers as heroes
You know last Sunday
Kobe Bryant
Died in a helicopter accident, you know and you know people I'm talking about Christians now look obviously
We can't necessarily point to something in Kobe Bryant's life to say. Oh, he was just a wicked person
I'm sure he was prideful. I'm sure he was arrogant
I'm sure he had the pride of life, but in the world according to the world standards, you know
He was a moral guy so to speak and then even then I don't really think so because there wasn't he involved in some
sexual
You know controversy
Adultery yeah
So here's the thing is but people looked up to that guy
Christians
You know Pattison, right?
He posted a picture with Kobe Bryant Pattison pastor pastor Pattison
I just feel dirty saying it, you know
He took a picture with Kobe Bryant and he's just like oh this is a great guy rest in peace
What in the world rest in peace. That's Catholic theology right there. What do you mean rest in peace?
There is no rest for the wicked saith the Lord
And I'm not saying you know, we should just get on and make videos condemning him and stuff like that
But when you have a pastor getting up and saying oh and by the way talk nothing about God
Said nothing about him and his so-called relationship with God
All he did was glorify the fact that he was a successful basketball player that he was able to throw a basketball into a hoop
Okay, that's not a great accomplishment folks
You know, you have millions of people who you say well, yeah, but he was famous people made him famous
You know buying his brand buying his shoes or whatever making him popular, you know
Christians should not look up to people like that as heroes
Why because they're not saved they're not Christians, you know and at best at best
I think he was just a Catholic and that's that's at best. Okay, and obviously that's not the best
You know today we should have living men of God as our heroes
You know preachers of the Word of God people who stand up for the truth people who go soul-winning
Churches that are doing great things for God. This should be our example
And you know what more so even the examples of the people in the Bible
You know look up to a man like David and Elijah Elisha Moses John the Baptist Jesus Paul
Peter these should be the men of God that we look towards and say these are great men of God
I want to exemplify their godliness. I want to be able to mimic what they were doing in order for God to basically recognize me
You know the Bible tells us that that which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the eyes of God
So think about you know
Suck on that for a second suck on that lemon for a second and think about this. Hey God
Thinks that those people are abominable
Think about that. Oh, yeah, but he was such a good guy, but God says if they're highly esteemed among men
They're an abomination in the eyes of God
Why is that because of the fact that God
Wants to be glorified. He doesn't want others to be glorified instead of him
You know people look and look I know the sincere people out there that love Kobe Bryant and stuff and and you know they
Idolized him and they it was he was like a role model to them
But you know at the end of the day at the end of the day. He was not glorifying God
Yeah, but you shouldn't say things like that. Well. I just did
So it'll be posted tomorrow on YouTube for everyone to see
What I'm saying is this is that a man like John the Baptist should be someone that we look towards
That we look up to okay
Living men of God today should be our examples, okay
So I just wanted to chase that rabbit for a little bit go to Luke chapter number one if you would Luke chapter number one
Luke chapter number one now what can we learn from Kobe Bryant's death well
Here's something we can learn from Kobe Bryant's death
You know what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul
Right you know I guarantee you Kobe Bryant was not saved
He did not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and I guarantee you all of those championship rings that he got mean zero to him
right now
Zero okay, I was gonna say Chris. What are you doing, man, but it says it says soul winner right yeah
It looks like I said Lakers or something
And look I don't care if you like Kobe Bryant or if you like the Lakers what I'm saying is this is that you know
When we hear about something like that
We need to see it through a biblical perspective and not separate that from what the Bible actually says about people
Okay, hell still exists heaven is real
And you know what we should esteem and hold valuable that which God esteems and holds valuable, okay?
So let's talk about John the Baptist well first and foremost
Let's look at a couple things that he did and first and foremost the beginning of his life
Let's talk about his miraculous birth
You know John the Baptist is a very unique person in the sense that he was a product of a miraculous birth
He was in a sense likened unto Jesus the difference being that he was not born of a virgin however
His mother was barren look at verse number five of Luke chapter number one says there was in the days of Herod the king of
Judea a certain priest named Zacharias of the course of Abaya and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron and her name was
Elizabeth and there were both righteous before God walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless
So what do we see we see that he had?
Spiritual parents a priest for a father and his mother was of the daughters of Aaron
Hey young people you know who should be your role models your mom and your dad
How about that?
You know if your mom and dad go to church. They're in the Bible
They're doing their best to raise your right for the for the things of God that should be your idol there in a sense
Okay, not idol in the sense of idolatry, but I'm saying that should be your role model
That should be the people you look up to you exemplify you look towards you admire
Why because they're living for God oh, but they're not famous. You know they're famous to God
And they should be famous to you as well
So his father was a priest his mother was of the daughters of Aaron his parents were spiritual people
But his mother was barren look at verse number seven
And they had no child because that Elizabeth was barren and they both were now well stricken in years
So they're up there in years, and you know as you get older the less likely you are to have children
So that's why it's a miracle the fact that he they were able to bear John
It says in verse number eight and it came to pass that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his
Course according to the custom of the priest's office his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord
and the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense and
There appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense and when Zechariah saw him
He was troubled and fear fell upon him
But the angel said unto him fear not Zechariah's for thy prayer is heard and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son
And thou shall call his name John now
His birth wasn't a miraculous birth like Jesus
But it was still miraculous in the sense that his mother was barren she could not have children
But in spite of that God still blessed that woman you see a lot of similarities between him and Jesus in that regard
Look at verse 15
It says for he shall be great in the sight of the Lord speaking of John the Baptist and shall drink neither wine nor
Strong drink and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost even from his mother's womb. This is this is amazing
So he was filled with the Holy Ghost. He was filled with the Spirit from his mother's womb now
That's kind of interesting. Is it not because of the fact that we think about us today
You know only safe people can have the indwelling spirit dwelling within them, right?
The Bible tells us that after we believe on Christ that we're sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise
He is the earnest of our inheritance unto the redemption of the purchased possession the Bible says
But you got to keep in mind that this is taking place during the Old Testament
When the Holy Spirit did not indwell believers, but he did come upon them
He could fill people whether saved or unsaved
We have examples of people in the Old Testament not only of saved people but even of unsaved people
Who had the Spirit of God come upon them and still use them?
Etc. So we see this taking place even with John the Baptist
The Bible says in Luke chapter 1 verse 80 and the child grew and waxed strong in spirit and was in
Deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel
So just right off the bat godly parents had a miraculous birth
He was filled with the Spirit from the womb and the Bible says that as he began to grow in age he waxed strong in
Spirit and he was in deserts until his showing unto Israel go to Matthew chapter number three if you wouldn't Matthew chapter number three
Matthew chapter number three. What does it mean to wax strong in the spirit? That means he was mighty in spirit
He walked in the spirit. He didn't fulfill the lust of the flesh
He was filled with the power of God and this definitely showed forth in his preaching
You know, you can tell when preaching his spirit filled and when it's not
You can tell when preaching is powerful and when it's weak and you know what John the Baptist is preaching was powerful and
It's obviously obviously because of the fact that he was waxing strong. He was growing in his knowledge of the Word of God
Etc. Now, let's look at his gospel. Okay, because isn't John the Baptist accused of having a different gospel
Just because it says that he preached repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand
I mean look at Matthew chapter 3 verse number 1
It says in those days King John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea saying repent of your sins
That's what everyone wants to insert there by the way
Repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Let me just give you a news flash
Just because the Bible says repent it doesn't mean always mean of your sins
And in fact, you'll never even find that phrase in the Bible repent of your sins
Now the concept of repenting of your sins is in the Bible
Repenting of wickedness, but you'll never find it in relation to salvation
You'll find repentance from dead works and faith toward God, which is something completely different
You know and people
Primarily dispensationalists will use something like this to say well, you know back in these days. This was a different gospel
You know, John the Baptist preached the baptism of repentance
They have to repent of their sin
And then once that was over now, we're in the church age and you know
We have where we're Pauline Christians and we're preaching salvation by grace through faith
And then when we get into the end times, it'll be by works again. You have to repent of your sins false wicked heresy stupid
Say repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is at hand
For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah saying the voice of one crying in the wilderness
Prepare you the way of the Lord make his paths straight now
Go to Acts chapter 19. Hold your place there go to Acts chapter 19
I'm gonna read to you from Luke 3 3 which is a parallel passage to what we just read
It says and he came into all the country about Jordan preaching the baptism of repentance
for the remission of
Sins so make no mistake about it. His message was repent in order to be saved to receive the remission of sins
But it's just not repentance of sin
The repentance there is to repent from what they're trusting in for salvation to believing on the Lord Jesus Christ
That is the message that he had that was his gospel presentation. It's not different Gospels
Okay, look at Acts 19. Let's prove this verse number four
It says then said Paul John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance
Saying unto the people that they should believe on him which should come after him that is on Christ Jesus
So acts 19 for works as a commentary on Matthew chapter 3 Luke chapter 3
So when we see when he said repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is at hand acts 19 for defines for us
What specifically he said in that message, which is what to believe on Jesus Christ?
Not to repent of your sins
Okay, and look anybody who believes that or anybody who teaches that from the pulpit they're they're they're hypocrites
They are a bunch of hypocrites why because what they mean by that is you need to repent of the sins that they repented on
You know and isn't it interesting then many of these preachers are overweight
They're 500 pounds overweight
They want you to repent of your cigarettes of your alcohol of whatever sins that they repented of
But yet they still haven't repented of gluttony
And being overweight, you know having their belly as their God
But yet they want to go ahead and just have the self-righteous attitude this holier-than-thou
Attitude towards others and say you need to repent of your sin in order to be saved
And then when you approach them with it, so I said well well not repent
But you just got to at least want to let go of your sin
It's just like good night in the morning. You know, you cannot repent of your sins to be saved
It's impossible because of the fact that you didn't even know all the sins of your committee
Okay, you know when people say repent of your sins, it's like which ones the sins of omission or sins of Commission
You know, are you talking about, you know, the Ten Commandments which by the way, there's more than Ten Commandments
The Bible is filled with Commandments folks
You know when we get saved we don't become sinless Christians in spite of what the Calvinists say
Okay, they think that as soon as they get saved that batteries come included
You no longer have to struggle with sin, you'll no longer desire certain things, you know
Well, you know at that point so you mean you're dead basically. Oh, so you mean you're not alive anymore. Okay?
Yeah, we're not alive spiritually
No
You're still alive physically folks and because your life physically you have the flesh the flesh
Lesseth against the spirit the spirit against the flesh
These are contrary the ones of the other city cannot do the things that you would the Bible says, you know
Don't give me this nonsense. Oh, I don't desire to smoke cigarettes, even though I smoke cigarettes for 20 years you liar
Now look, will there be times when you don't desire to smoke?
Yes, but you know what as long as you're in that flesh you will desire that every once in a while
Okay, don't tell me that you've been drinking alcohol for 15 years you get saved and God just takes that desire away
You know, he might take it away, you know, it's your intervals
But I guarantee you there'll be times in your life when you want to drink again because you live in the flesh
You know, oh man I got saved and I no longer wanted to smoke weed I
No longer wanted, you know to smoke pot and get high God just completely removed that from me
You are self-righteous and you are misled my friend
That's a that's a sin
You probably struggle with for the rest of your life and I'm not saying there's not gonna be times in your life where you feel
Victorious you don't desire those things you have replaced those desires with godly habits and godly actions
But you know as long as you're in the flesh you're gonna desire to do those things. Okay?
So this repenting your sins nonsense is just that it's nonsense
What God wants you to do when it comes to salvation is to turn from what you're trusting in and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
Okay
Repentance from dead works and faith toward God and look this is what John the Baptist is doing. He made it clear
He was making straight the ways of the Lord, you know, why is that?
Well, because he his ministry started at the apex of the Pharisees ministry
Which were teaching a false doctrine about salvation
They were teaching that they have to obey the law Moses, you know, they were completely perverting the ways of the Lord
Therefore he came to make those crooked ways straight
He came to set people straight to correct people on that doctrine and make sure that they weren't listening to this generation of vipers
Okay, he made the way of salvation clear. He made it straight
The Bible tells us of the lawyers
Woe unto you lawyers for you have taken away the key of knowledge
He entered not in yourselves and then that we're entering in ye hindered and look it's no different today
Today you have pastors today. You have the ray comforts of this world who seek to pervert the ways of the Lord
They're taking away the key of knowledge. What is the key of knowledge? It's that it's by faith alone
without works
You know, they're perverting the ways of God now look go to Matthew chapter number three if you would
So, what was his gospel his gospel was this same gospel that you guys were preaching in the afternoon same gospel that we preach every
single week same gospel that
Believers have always preached from the beginning of time until now believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
By the way, it might not have been Jesus Christ by name in the Old Testament, but it was believe on the Lord
Same God, okay
Because people say oh, you know, yeah the gospels to believe on Jesus Christ
What do you say about those in the Old Testament Jesus Christ is the Lord
There you go, but it doesn't say Jesus Christ. It's okay. It says the Lord
Okay, and in fact Romans chapter number 10 is quoted in the Old Testament
So we not only see his miraculous birth we see
His his gospel presentation, but now let's look at his fruit inspection
Okay, he did some fruit inspection and you know what he would not be popular today with a lot of people
Look what it says in Matthew 3 verse 5 then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region around about Jordan
And were baptized of him in Jordan confessing their sins
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism he said unto them Oh
generation of vipers
Who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come now? This is not a nice thing to say
A viper is a snake
Who does the snake remind you of the devil?
He's like you guys are a generation of vipers. You're a bunch of snakes. Oh
That's not very, you know, you're not gonna build the church like that John
John that's not how you're gonna reach people like that calling people snakes and vipers. It's not very nice
You got to make sure you win their hearts
That's not what he said. He's like who warned you to flee from the wrath to come. I
like that
now
What is he's to look at verse number eight bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance and think not to say within yourselves
We have Abraham to our father for I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto
Abraham now people who want to use this scripture to say
you know, that's why we need to make sure that people bring forth fruits and to repentance and what they the way they
Interpret that is that they're basically saying, you know someone who gets saved they need to produce works
You know if they're really saved they're gonna come to church if they're really saved they're gonna do good works
If they're really saved they're gonna start reading their Bible. They're gonna start getting their life, right?
These are the fruits meet for repentance. That's not fruit meet for repentance
Fruit in the Bible is when you win someone to Christ, right? It's what you produce
Okay, so when we go out so many and we lead someone to we'd lead someone to the Lord that person is our fruit
That's what we're bearing. Okay
Not to be confused with the fruits of the Spirit
Excuse me, the fruit of the spear which is singular. Okay
Fruits in the Bible in relation to the Christian is when we get someone saved that person is our fruit
It's what we're bearing. Okay, and this is the byproduct of abiding in Christ when we're abiding in Christ
He's dwelling in us and we in him we bring forth much fruit the Bible says
So he said well then why is he telling the Pharisees this then? Why is he telling them?
Hey, I'm not gonna baptize you you need to bring forth fruits me for me for repentance
Well because of the fact that the Pharisees and the Sadducees were spiritual leaders
So the way we determine if an individual is saved or not is based upon their tip their testimony
You know if I asked them, you know, I asked a couple people this morning
I said are you gonna present sure that if you die today you go you'd go to heaven. They said yes
I said, how do you know he said it's by faith alone. I believe them Lord Jesus Christ
And I said, can you ever lose your salvation they said absolutely not I said great so that was my inspection of their salvation
However, when it comes to a pastor a spiritual leader who is preaching the Word of God on a weekly basis
Who is using the Bible?
To teach doctrine. He has a position of spiritual leadership
Now the standard has changed
You understand so now the standard is not what do you have to do to be saved now?
We need to look at that person's fruit
Who are the people in that person's church? Okay, you look at if the people are saved or not now
Let me just start. Let me just say this
there are certain churches that have saved people and
our excuse me, there are safe pastors that have churches with unsafe people and
One of the reasons for that is because they're just not thorough
They're not thorough or they're just not a soul winning church. They're more
Concerned with bringing people in the church and making sure they warm a sea or whatever
They're not necessarily concerned with the salvation of the personality. It's bad. It's wicked. It's wrong to do that
You know a pastor should have the heart to see everyone in this church say amen and here at our church
We try to make sure that everyone, you know when visitors come that we check on their salvation
It will make sure that they're saved and they hear clear presentation of the gospel if they're not
However, when it comes to a leader though
Leaders are held to a different standard and the way you can tell if a leader is saved or not is based upon the people
That attend that church, okay
So if you go to a church and you start having conversations with people and you ask them
Hey, so what do you have to do to be saved and they give you they give you this answer
Why are you asking me that?
Don't judge judge not that they you know, lest he be judged
It's like, okay
Check that one off. By the way, no one should ever get offended at that question if you're saved. I
Mean how many times have you been to a door and you've had people say that to you?
You like are you 100% sure if you died today you go to heaven you like that's personal. Of course. I'm safe
Why would you ask me that? I?
Went to Bible college
So
You know, what does that mean, you know
If you get offended at that
It's it's a red flag that you're probably not safe because like anybody if someone asked me
Hey pastor, are you 100% sure that if you died today you go to heaven? I'd be like, yep
I believe on the Lord Jesus Christ conversation done
You like aren't you offended by that, you know, you're a pastor not really because it's the truth I
Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and look I don't think that person sure now
I don't think anybody here would ask me that and and if you ask me that now
Okay, and you've been in our church for like two years and you're just asking me, you know
There's probably a problem with that
But you know if a new person comes to our church and says pastor are you 100% sure you died today you go to heaven
But yeah, I believe them Lord Jesus Christ. You can't lose your salvation
I give them all the verses I explained to him what I believe now if you ask a pastor that
And they get offended at that then there's a problem
You know, I'm sure you've run into people out there where you know, you ask them like of course I'm a pastor
Shut my mouth, I'm sorry. I
Didn't know that. Okay, so pastors have a different way of salvation than anybody else
They get a different type of ticket into into heaven than anybody else, you know, it's nonsense
You know, I've talked to people at the door where they literally said, yeah, of course. I went to seminary
Of course I went to seminary, you know, I read the Bible
You don't have to tell me go tell someone who needs this, you know, don't they say that?
You need to go take this to someone else who needs this. I know the Bible. It's like yeah, but you haven't quoted anything
You know, you're basically showing me your lack of understanding of the Bible, okay
You know deacons look I remember when we first went to Compton. I let a deacon to the Lord
You know and he was very receptive towards the gospel
He was he was very open towards the gospel and he told me he was a deacon he was a deacon for years
But apparently his pastor his church was not teaching the right way of salvation salvation is important folks
Preaching the right salvation is important
You know having the right gospel is important
We can't have a church that's divided where the front row believes is faith alone
The back row believes is repenting of your sins. The other row just believes in oneness doctrine
You can't have a church split like that. We need to believe the same thing
We need to be unified in regards to the gospel the doctrine of salvation
Okay, so he was inspecting their fruit, you know, he's willing to baptize people
But as soon as the Pharisees and the Sadducees came he's like huge generation of vipers
Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come he was harsh on them because he knew how wicked they were
Okay
Now, how did he know about their fruit? Well the same way Jesus knew about their fruit
He said Jesus said of the Pharisees that they cross come past sea and land to make one proselyte
And after he hath made them he they make them twofold more a child of hell than themselves
You know often unsafe pastors produce some of the most wicked people
Some of the most wicked evil people. This is what the Bible teaches. Okay?
Look what it says you're in Matthew chapter 3 go down to verse 10
And by the way, what what were the Pharisees depending on in order to be saved that they were descendants of Abraham
This is about this while this is why he says think not to say within yourselves
We have Abraham to our father, you know, God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham
Hey Pharisee, it's not about your Jewish race
Your Jewish race doesn't get you saved
You need to be a believer in Christ. It's not about race. It's about the grace of God
And these bunch of racists here because that's exactly what they were
Bunch of racist, you know leaders and Pharisees
They thought that they were better than everyone else because they had some sort of covenant with God that they violated by the way
You know
They thought that they were gonna get to heaven based upon the fact that they were physical descendants of Abraham
Oh, yeah, but I was in the Bible Jews. They're not like that today. Oh, yes, they are. I
Went soul winning in Montebello the city where I live and I ran into a Jew a Mexican Jew mind you
They come in all sorts of colors folks
And I'm not I'm not kidding you he literally
He answered the door. He had that that beard. Okay, he had the skull cap and
Then you know, I say you're 100% sure you died today you go to heaven. He's like
Give me a second close the door. He came out with this little tassel and his coat and then I asked him again
He's like, of course. He's like I got a covenant with God
You know and then he begins to like mock Christianity
He's like we like you guys because you guys are gonna help us rebuild the temple. I'm like screw that
I'm not helping you do nothing
What are you talking about?
I'm not hoping you've rebuilt nothing and I even told him I was like, I'm more of a Jew than you are
And he and he thought like he thought I was just gonna be bound down in his feet
Worshipping him because he even told me he goes we like Trump. He's gonna help us rebuild that temple. So we like you Christian
He's like we like you Christians, you know, and I'm like, I'm not for Trump
She's like, you know, I'm like, no, I'm not I'm a Christian, you know, and so don't give me this
Oh, that was them back then that's not them now. No, that's exactly what they believe now
And in fact, you know don't and don't come at me with all we need to use the Old Testament to be able to win
Them they reject the entire Word of God and in fact this same Jew this so-called rabbi
Told me you need to read the Talmud
And I was like no
That blasphemous book that says that Jesus Christ is currently in hell today. No, thank you. Okay
What message that John the Baptist had for them look at verse 10 and now also the axe is laid into the root of the
trees
Therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. What is he talking about?
He's like he's basically telling you guys are going to hell
He's basically telling the Pharisees go to hell Pharisees. I
Indeed baptized you with water. He's being a little facetious here now
I indeed baptized you with water into repentance, but he that cometh after me is mightier than I whose shoes
I'm not worthy to bear he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire
Now who is he baptizing with the Holy Ghost believers? Who's he baptizing with fire these people?
Okay, what he's basically saying is like, you know, Jesus Christ, you're not gonna be void of Jesus Christ's baptism
You're just gonna get a different baptism. It's called health. You're gonna be engulfed in the flames of hell. He's pretty rough
Right people today would be like, hey, no, we can't have you preach at our church anymore
You're a little rough on God's chosen people
Okay, you can't speak like that to God's chosen people tell them they're going to hell and stuff like that
How are you gonna win them? Apparently he didn't care
Right. Does anybody see anywhere in here where he cared about these people the Pharisees and the Sadducees? No, he's hitting them where it hurts
Whose fan is in his hand and he will thoroughly purge his floor and gather his wheat in the Garner
But he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire
He's basically telling me you're like the chaff and you're gonna be burned with unquenchable fire. It's a hard preacher
I like this guy go to Matthew chapter 7. This is why I say we should look up to him
And let me just say this this man existed
He's a man of like passions
Okay, and we ought to desire the spirit of John the Baptist. We had a desire the spirit of Elijah, right?
We had a desire to be like these men of God in times of old. Oh, but that's in the Bible
No, God expects us the Bible talks about the testimonies of the Lord
He expects us the reason he gives us these examples is because real men like this kind of stuff
You know real men don't like limp-wristed sissy faggotry
Amen real men don't like you know, the Mohawk faggoty looking pastor with the skinny jeans ripped knees
You know man bun
They don't like that stuff, you know, why those churches are filled with women because that's what women like
Not what men like?
men like John the Baptist
Men like a pulpit that has a John the Baptist behind the pulpit not some sissified little skinny Jean weenie
It's the truth
Look at Matthew 7 verse 15 beware of false prophets
Which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves
Ye shall know them by their fruits do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit
But a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit
Neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit
Every tree that bringeth not forth fruit good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. It seems as though John the Baptist spent a lot of time with Jesus
Message is exactly the same here. They should be cast in the fire. You know, you shall know them by their fruits
Now go back to Matthew chapter 3 if you would Matthew chapter 3
So we saw his gospel presentation. We saw how he did his fruit inspection. Okay?
And look in our church we need to check on people's salvation, okay
Sometimes you'll have people who just slip in and slip out and we don't get a chance to talk to them for the most part
We try to do our best to check on people's salvation
But you know when it comes to so-called pastors, we need to look at their fruit. Okay?
Matthew chapter 3, let's look at his preaching. I know I already talked a little bit about his preaching
But let's look at his preaching look at verse number 3 says for this is he that was spoken of by the prophet of Zias
Saying the voice of one crying in the wilderness
Prepare you the way of the Lord make his past straight and the same John
Had his raiment of camel's hair and a leather girdle about his loins and his meat was locust and wild honey
You see John the Baptist, you know, the gospel was not the only message that he was bringing
He was not just only preaching repent and believe the gospel. He wasn't just preaching the baptism of repentance
He was preaching the entire word of God. He was preaching on sin. He was preaching against politicians
he was preaching everything that he could and
verse number four
basically embodies
The content of his preaching because it says there that his raiment his clothing
Was camel's hair and a leather girdle about his loins and his meat was locust and wild honey
Now, why does it say camel's hair and a leather girdle? Well because in the Old Testament
That's how the prophets used to dress and more specifically you think of Elijah
Who was good about with a leather girdle as well. And this is basically symbolic of being rough
Okay, you think of camel's hair leather things that are coarse. It's rough. It's the opposite of being smooth, right?
Well in the Bible smooth is synonymous with lying
With deceit and in fact you look throughout the book of Jeremiah
For example the false prophets of that day they were preaching the seats and lies there were smooth preachers
And I think of Jacob not this Jacob
Jacob in the Bible, you know, he was a smooth man
Okay, he was a smooth guy and you know what?
He was a deceiver a heel catcher
This guy was a deceiver and it the Bible is laying out for us the stigma that the word smooth has
You know and people's in prophets and in their messages
Okay, so you see the camel's hair and the leather and girdle. So this guy was rough
That means his preaching was rough. That means it was offensive
It wasn't smooth
Now, let's give some examples of smooth preaching. How about Joel's thing?
That's buttery smooth
That's like baby oil smooth
You know, it's filled with deceit. It's filled with lies. It's like cotton candy
Okay
You know Rick Warren is another example Paul Chapel is an example of smooth preaching
This is not preaching that it has camel's hair and a leather and girdle
Okay
The reason it says camel's hair is because of the fact God wants you to associate his preaching with Elijah's preaching
Do you guys remember Elijah's preaching how he mocked the prophets of Baal? He mocked their God
He's like, you know calling to your God. Has he gone away on a vacation? Maybe he sleep with or he slumbered
I mean, he's mocking them
That offends people
When I get up here and I start mocking false prophets people don't like that. There's people not not here
You guys love it
People out there like oh you shouldn't talk like that. You know, what's wrong with you?
You know why because they like smooth preaching they want baby oil is what they want for preaching
You know, but what God God's kind of preaching is the rough hard course preaching
It's the preaching that hits the heart
It's the preaching that changes lives preach the word begins to end season out of season
Reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine the Bible says notice that it says reprove and rebuke
It says exhort one positive two negatives. That means a lot of preaching has to be negative
That's not to say we're not going to exhort. We're not going to encourage people
We're not going to motivate you to keep going and go forward and not quit and not give up
But you know what at the end of the day sometimes God's people need a swift kick in the rear end
Then they need a fire to be lit under their hinder parts to get them going
They need them, you know
Their sin to be called out when they need to hear about the things that they're struggling with they need to be told repent of your
sins
To get right with God
You know women need to be told, you know, hey be a keeper at home
Men need to be told stop being effeminate
You know people need to be told to fulfill their biblical roles this is hard preaching and guess what it's not popular
Some people just don't like it. But here's the thing the people that don't like this type of preaching just just admit it
You don't like the Word of God
You give me an example of a nice preacher in the Bible
Every single one of them were offensive every single one of them were hard every single one of them were hated by their own people
Jesus Christ included
Don't give me this weird image of Jesus this faggoty long-haired Jesus Caesar Borgia
Then he was just nice all the time and you know, he wore a dress and he was just so kind
You know what Jesus Christ embodied kindness and meekness, but you know what you better read the book of Revelation
You better read when he comes back if you think he's all you know
roses and daisies
Then you haven't read Revelation chapter number six the day of the Lord where the people are literally saying
Hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb
For the great day of his wrath has come and who shall be able to stand
When the people are literally saying to the rocks and to the mountains fall on us and hide us
That doesn't sound
Like he's coming nicely
When you have people in the world telling the rocks in the mountains fall on us and hide us from the wrath of the Lamb
This means he's coming and he's ticked off
Okay
We need to have a right perspective of Jesus and Jesus is like the prophets of old amen
Says he had Raymond speaking of John the Baptist
Raymond of camel's hair and a leather girdle about his loins, but I want you to notice and his meat was locusts and
wild honey
This is a man's man. I've never eaten locusts before
I'm here you have you've ever eaten locusts. Has anybody ever eaten locusts? We're from LA. Okay. Oh you have of course Glenn has
bugs
What kind of bugs oh
Yeah, of course I have no idea what I'm never eating any bugs ever in my life, okay
Now by the way, Leviticus 11 22 permits eat the eating of locusts, okay
Locusts have protein a man. So he's just getting the bare basics what I'm picturing
He's just grabbing the locusts dipping them in honey and just eating them like that, you know
This is a man's man right here eating locusts
Making it happen
Now the reason I believe it says locusts and wild honey. I believe this is basically symbolic of his preaching as well
Because what is locusts represent in the Old Testament?
judgment, right
Locusts was always representative of God's judgment
Upon a people when he would send the locust in Exodus in Egypt, he would always destroy the crops
It's symbolic of God's judgment. Okay, and you know what John the Baptist preaching was it was judgmental
It brought a lot of judgment upon the nation of Israel. So what about the wild honey? The wild honey is
symbolic of the Word of God the sweetness
Of the Word of God go to Revelation if you would revelation chapter number 10
So what can we say about his preaching it was bittersweet
Right. Why was it bittersweet because it was hard. But yeah, what did he do? He pointed people to Jesus all the time
So yes, it was hard and it was hateful. It was hateful preaching
You don't call people you love generation of vipers
Right, it was pretty hateful
But you know, it was very sweet at the same time because he would say behold the Lamb of God
Who should take away the sins of the world?
he brought the love of God to a lost and dying world and
So we can say that his preaching was balanced, right? It had love but it also had a lot of judgment
Righteousness and even hatred why because the Bible says he that loved the Lord hate evil. Okay?
Look at Revelation 10 9 says and I went into the angel and said unto him
Give me the little book and he said unto me take it and eat it up and it shall make thy belly
Bitter but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey
You know the Word of God is sweet
When you read it, it's sweet when you when the Holy Spirit teaches you the Word of God, it's sweet, but no one can I
Mean be honest out of it out. We understand that the Word of God can be bitter at times
Preaching can be bitter
It doesn't sit well with us sometimes
Why maybe because we're not right with God or we're involved in sin or maybe you're effeminate or maybe you know
You're not fulfilling your role and it's bitter towards you. Well, that's exactly what the Word of God is supposed to do
So we see that his preaching was balanced, you know, he had judgment, but he also had wild honey
He was also it was a bittersweet type of a mixture and look this is the type of preaching we need today. Okay?
The vast majority of it especially when he comes to church. Hey, we need to preach bitter stuff
We need to preach judgment
Righteousness when you talk about hell we need to talk about false prophets and lame preaching
We need to call sin sin
abomination abomination
We need to make sure that we just cover everything that God says is abominable and preach it from the housetops
The bitter things of the Word of God we need to cover
But you know what in like manner we need to take that locust and dip it in wild honey and speak the truth and love
Right speaking the truth in love
How do we do that by preaching the gospel?
Okay. Now look you said what about in church? I want to hear about the love of God in church
Well, here's the thing if you're saved, you know about the love of God
Right
If you're saved, you know the love of God
How do you know the love of God God commended his love toward us and that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believed in him should not perish but have everlasting life
You know, the love of God is already shed abroad in your heart
We know the length breath depth and to know the love of Christ with which passeth all knowledge the Bible says we already know about
These things how can we effectively give out that wild honey?
Well, we have so many times when you go out and talk about the love of God. In fact, I believe our church
Talks a lot about the love of God
In fact, I would go as far as to say is that our church talks more about the love of God
Than I talk about the judgments of God because there's more people in here
Going out so winning than people who are standing behind this pulpit preaching the judgments of God
right
Multiple times throughout the week people go out and they talk about the love of God to see people saved
Hey, that's wild honey right there
You know, I think about Thursday when we went out so winning on Thursday
and I was with my my fellow Aussies right over here and
Actually Rams was with Mark and I was with these two two brothers right here
and we're we were just standing there waiting for waiting for them to finish their gospel presentation and
We're just standing this lady just walks out right? She just walks out and she's like
you
guys are like an answer to prayer and
She basically was just like what must I do to be saved?
And I'm just like is this real
you're just gonna like just come up to me like that and
She was speaking in Spanish and she basically said like
She was saying, you know
Last night. She said I was literally praying. I
Was literally praying she said God, please send someone to tell me about salvation
She's like, I know I'm not saved. I know I'm condemned. I know I'm going to hell, but I'm trying
I'm trying to keep your commandments. I'm trying to obey the Word of God
I'm trying the best that I can and you know what God answered her prayer by sending a hateful preacher
To come just I'm just like waiting there and you know, she comes and we got we got to get her saved
She was in tears, right? She was in tears
She was just rejoicing over salvation. She gave us all a hug, right?
You know and to be honest, she brought me to tears
Just because just to see her rejoice over the fact that she felt like God answered her prayers and look I was quoting her
I was like, you know the Bible says Romans 3 23 for all I've sinned and then she would go and fall short of the glory
of God
Yeah, okay
And then I said, you know Romans 6 we did for the wages is in his death and she would finish it
But the gift of God is eternal life to Jesus Christ our Lord. I'm like ma'am. Can you shut up? No, I'm just kidding. I
Didn't say that I didn't say that
But I'm thinking myself she knows the Bible the only thing that she was struggling with was the salvation was not by works
She thought that it was she thought you had to repent of your sins, you know
And she had been going to some lame church for an entire year and they didn't tell her about the gospel at all
This is wicked
Well, you shouldn't judge that church if she would have died. She would have split hell wide open
You call that loving nothing. That's not loving
You know, but we got her saved
That's love right there folks. Yeah, love is when we give them the gospel
We talk about the love of God. It's that wild honey. It's that sweetness
Okay, and this is exactly what we see with John the Baptist is that he had the the the locusts
He preached the judgments of God, but he also had the honey. He spoke the truth in love. Okay?
But he also called the names now
the Bible says I'm seeing turn with you to
Go to Luke chapter 3. Are you in Luke chapter 3?
Go to Luke chapter 3 if you wouldn't
So he came in the spirit and power of Elijah. Okay, I
Like what it says in 2nd Kings chapter 1 verse 7 it says and he said unto them what manner of man
was he which came up to meet you and told you these words and they answered him he was a hairy man and
Girl with the girdle of leather about his loins and he said it is Elijah the Tishbite
It's like who's the guy who came to you and said all these things he said well
He was hairy and he had a leather girdle and they're like, it's Elijah
That's great. So everyone knew him
Because of this now obviously this is symbolic right? This is symbolic of his manner of preaching
His preaching was hairy. It wasn't smooth
Look what the Bible says in Luke 3 verse 14 and the soldiers
Likewise demanded of him saying and what shall we do and he said unto them do violence to no man
neither accused any falsely and be content with your wages, so
We see that John the Baptist preached the gospel. He pre he had hard preaching, but he also preached righteousness
He preached practical ways to live as a Christian to live righteously because he tells them there
Hey, don't accuse anybody falsely be content with your wages
He says in verse 15 has the people were an expectation and all men mused in their hearts of John whether he were the Christ or
not now
Go to Matthew chapter 11 if you would Matthew chapter number 11
So he preached righteous living
He told people to get right with God
Let's see here
Now
This type of preaching got him in a lot of trouble
because of the fact that he called out Herod who was the political leader of that day and
It caused him to basically get thrown into jail and ultimately beheaded
So what do we know about John the Baptist? He counted the cost
He was willing to put his life on the line
To preach the Word of God to give all the truth, even if it meant it would cost him his life
You know, this is the reason why a lot of pastors they stay away from this type of preaching because they love their lives
They want to stay alive. They love living
Whereas John the Baptist was willing to just give up even his life
This is a man we should look up to should we not
This man loved the Bible. He loved the Word of God and he loved the truth even to the point where he was willing to lose
His own life
So that it would go out
You know, this is an example that we should take and think upon ourselves to say man, how much do I love my life?
Do I love it so much that I would be willing to die for the truth
You know, we should be as John the Baptist to say, you know what? I can't count my life dear unto me
I should be willing to lose it
for his sake if need be and
As we near the end times it could possibly come to that point now
I believe that those who live for God who serve God, you know
God will keep them from the hour of temptation
But who knows, you know if this so happens in our lifetime and your life is in jeopardy
Are you willing to just lose it all the light your life in the life of your family to preach the truth?
That's a wake-up call is enough. It's a sobering thought to think of to say that this man was willing to just
Put it out on the line his own life to preach the truth
What I have you turn
Go to Mark chapter 6 go to Mark chapter 6 if you would
It says in Mark chapter 6 verse 16, but when Herod heard thereof he said it is John whom I beheaded
He has risen from the dead. So not only was John the Baptist mistaken for Jesus. Jesus was mistaken for John the Baptist
Because when he heard of Jesus when they heard of Jesus Herod thought that it was John
He's like man, it's John's he's come back from the dead. I behead that guy. I took his head off and he's still back
Well, it's just that they just they're just prophets. Okay
It kind of reminds me of this. Okay now look
I'm no pastor Anderson, and I know that I'm Bruce Mihia. I'm no Jack Hiles
I'm no, you know, but here's the thing
I find it funny that I'll preach a sermon and literally people will put on the comment section. Oh, this is Steven Anderson
I'm like, I'm Bruce Mihia. What are you talking about?
Like literally I'll put a sermon and people will like start calling out pastor Anderson as though he's the one who's preaching it
And I'm thinking to myself like I take that as a compliment then if you're mistaken me for him
You know or people mistake other people for me. Hey great. It just means that we have the spirit of the prophets
Right, you know, they say all these bunch of Andersonites what they're saying is basically this these bunch of Christians
Bible believers, okay
You know, don't be ashamed to be associated with us. I
Kind of like to listen online, but you know, I just you know, I just don't want to be seen in public with you
You know, you know, you're like you're watching a sermon on your phone. Then your your family comes
What are you watching? Nothing? Nothing Paul Chapel Paul Chapel
What do I owe the joltson joltson
Don't be ashamed
You know, we are not to be ashamed of the men of God in our lives. Amen
And look if they if they say if you tell them you go to first works Baptist Church
And they're like, oh you go to first works Baptist Church be like, yep churches bomb. I
Love that church
You know, I just I go to I go to first works where first works Baptist Church
Hey, I go there every once in a while, you know, I just
Speak up man. I
Go to first works BC
That's my church. I
See you throwing gang signs up there
But I like that he said that he says who might beheaded he is risen from the dead
He thought it was John the Baptist for Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold on
Upon John and bound him in prison for Herodias to sake his brother Philip's wife for he had married her
For John had said unto Herod. It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife
Hey, John, you're stepping out of bounds here
Hey, you shouldn't be talking about the political leaders. We're having you know American hero Sunday coming up soon
We're trying to get Herod to come to church, you know, we're not gonna be able to win him
John if you're preaching against his sin
He's like you are an adulterer you're a wicket
Baptists today who's the equivalent to Herod Trump
right
Trump is like the equivalent and you have all these Baptist pastors who are just bowing down before hair before Trump
You know, even though he's a he's a major adulterer
You know, no one wants to you know
No one wants to talk about all the perversion
Perverted things that he said in the past and all the perverted things that he was involved with
All these Baptist pastors they would they would love to have him just come to the church on American hero Sunday. He's wicked
Yeah
Be a John the Baptist pastor be a John the Baptist and say it's not lawful for you to be the president of the United States
You're wicked
Therefore Herodias had a quarrel with against him and would have killed him
But she could not for Herod feared John
Knowing that he was a just man and holy and observed him and when he had heard him
He did many things and heard him gladly
Of course, we know that he ended up dying because of it now go to John chapter number three. We're almost done
John chapter number three, he preached against the political parties. He was not fearful of them. He
Preached it from the housetop. He told him to his face
Okay, you know pastors today. They want to have the mayor at their church
They want to have the mayor the governor. They want the clout. I
Want God I
Want Jesus Christ to sup with us
Right John to revelation chapter number three behold I stand at the door and knock, you know
That's what I want for our church. I can care less. I don't want any politician to ever come to our church
Bottom line, you know when
Politicians come and they put those stupid little signs around our church. I take them on I throw them away. Oh
But it's for Omani I could care less
This is not a Republican Church nor a Democratic Church. It's a it's a Baptist Church
Anyways
Lastly we're gonna look at his greatness. Okay, and we've seen a lot of great things from him
Look at John chapter 3 verse 25 says then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying
And now also, oh, excuse me
And they came unto John and said unto him rabbi
He that was with thee beyond Jordan to whom thou barest witness behold the same baptizeth and all men come to him
John answered and said a man can receive nothing except to be given him from heaven
Ye yourselves bear me witness that I said, I am NOT the Christ
But that I am sent before him he that hath the bride is the bridegroom
But the friend of the bridegroom which standeth in here at them
Rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase but I must decrease
That's greatness right there. He's like I'm not here for the fame. I'm not here for the cloud. I'm here to direct people to Jesus
And that's why he became famous in the eyes of God
That's what's most important, right?
Now go to Matthew chapter 11
And lastly I want you to notice that the reason he was great was because he was just a regular human being
You know, he was a great prophet he preached hard he knew the Bible he loved the Lord, but he had his times of doubts
He had his moments of relapse when his faith would have relapsed and he questioned at times and that's what really made him great
As well why because that means that's a person that we can relate to
All right, you know if John just never struggled and he never struggled he never had any doubts
It'd be difficult to attain to be a person like that, but we see him struggling even in his faith
He questioned he doubted and that's why he was great because look don't we all doubt sometimes
Don't we question whether God's provision is upon us whether his protection is with us whether his presence is with us
Of course, we do. It's normal
We were of like passions look at Matthew 11 verse 1 and it came to pass when Jesus had made an end of commanding his
12 disciples he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities
Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ
He sent two of his disciples and said unto him art thou he that should come or do we look for another?
Now let me just say this is that I don't necessarily believe that he's questioning his salvation, okay, and
The reason I don't believe that is because he's not saying like he's questioning whether he believes
He's just the reason he's questioning right now. He's saying are you are about the Christ? Do we look for another?
It's because he's in prison
So he's questioning the salvation of his body's what he's questioning whether he's gonna be rescued from this moment of temptation. Okay, and
The reason we know that the reason I know that it's because of the fact that what's the answer that Jesus gives
To his disciples to give unto John look at verse 4
Jesus answered and it sends him go and show John again those things which he's do here and see
The blind receive their sight and the lame walk the lepers are cleansed and the deaf here the dead are raised up and the poor
Have the gospel preached unto them and blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me
He's saying look here are the works that are being done. It's me is what he's saying now
I'm not saying that people don't doubt their salvation because there's times when people do doubt their salvation
Let me give you my take on that. Okay, if you're in here and you doubt your salvation
Then this is what you need to do. You need to come talk to one of us so you can get that nailed down
Now here's my problem if we nail it down and then three months from now, you're still doubting
At that point I'd say, okay, I don't know if you're saved or not
You know because if you if we show you from the Bible, we show you clear scriptures what the Bible says about it
We nail it down and yet you're still doubting
There's got to be a different reason why you're doubting your salvation other than the fact that maybe your backslidden or whatever
It may be, you know, you may be
Believing that it's by works as well or you're just not clear on something
But if you're constantly doubting your salvation at that point, I doubt your salvation as well
Okay, and look we're in a church where people are very thorough
When they give the gospel presentation
So I don't think we were gonna have people that constantly are doubting now
Well, there come people who just doubt their salvation because they came from a different church
They got backslidden they go into sin. Maybe they get into some heresy and they're like, I don't know if I'm safe
Yeah, of course, that's normal. And look they could be saved too
Maybe they're just not grounded in the Word of God
But after we give them assurance of that salvation by clearly explaining from the scriptures and they continue to doubt at that point
They're not trusting in Christ in my opinion. Okay
But in this particular instance, I believe that John the Baptist is just doubting whether Jesus Christ is gonna save him physically
Okay, cuz he's in prison and this is the reason why he's so great
Cuz I'm thankful for this
I'm thankful that we saw him struggle because he's such a great man. He did so many great things
He was Jesus Christ's forerunner and yet he himself
Doubting and you know what that means a lot to us because there's gonna be times in our life
But we're going through a dark path
We're going through a dark season. We're discouraged depressed going through a difficult time and you know what you question
There's gonna be times when you question God and you wonder man. Does God really love me?
I feel like nothing's ever turning out for me. I'm just not succeeding. I'm not prospering
Am I in sin is gotten out with me is his power not with me and you know what?
It's in those days that we need to look towards people like John the Baptist
Because he's a man of like passions passions meaning sufferings and understand. Hey, he went through that same thing
So it's not unique to you. It's not unique to him
It's just human nature to question to doubt to wonder and you know what?
Sometimes we go through that dark path because God wants us to in order to make us stronger
Okay in order to increase our faith, you know
Our faith needs to be tried and in order to to strengthen that faith
We there needs to be a time where God is not answering us
He's not answering our prayers because it's a time to basically evaluate our faith and say I believe he's there no matter what I
Believe he loves me no matter what I believe he's gonna provide for me no matter what happens, you know
I believe you know, though he slay me yet. Will I trust him, you know?
Even if I'm thrown into the furnace, I know God is able to deliver me
But if not, you know, I'm not gonna serve you never can answer
I'm just I'm gonna do what I'm supposed to do. And what does that do when God actually rescues you from that?
Your faith is increased
now look
Did God did Jesus rescue John the Baptist? Well, he's in heaven today
You
Know and guess what we get to hear and read about his martyrdom and be inspired by it say man
This guy was legit. Yeah, he got beheaded and he went out in style
You know, he's inspired millions of Christians
throughout many years and
He's great. Even though he didn't do a miracle
What did he do he suffered and his suffering gives us something that we can relate to when we're going through a dark time
You know, maybe tonight you're going through a difficult time
You know right now. I'm not giving you locusts right now. I'm giving you that sweet that that wild honey
Okay, you know you maybe you're going through a difficult time
You're going through a tough time and maybe no one even knows about it
Because you don't talk to anybody about it. You're going through a difficult time, you know, just think about John the Baptist
Where and he even said, you know
He's questioning all right out there without that Christ. What do we look for another? It's like God
Are you really there for me? Am I really doing the will of God? Am I really are you pleased with me?
But either way just stick it out. Okay, and so
What's that? What's the message tonight? The message tonight is this?
Hey
Let's look at John the Baptist as an example of something that we should attain to that we should strive to be like
He had a short ministry, but man he did so much during that time, you know
And he gave us a great example to live by let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer father
We thank you so much for your word. Thank you Lord for John the Baptist. I'm so thankful to be a Baptist
I'm so thankful that
That John was a Baptist and that he was one of the best preachers in the Bible
He did so much and he was such an example of someone who decreased that you may increase
I pray God that you'd help us
Throughout our lives to be bold to be filled with the spirit and filled with your power
To not be afraid what man could do unto us
Whether they take our lives or maybe even the lives of our family members that they would try to destroy our bodies Lord
may we have faith like John the Baptist and
Although his faith may have wavered a little bit and he questioned we knew that he was faithful even unto death
And I pray God that that the same could be said of us. We love you so much
And we thank you pray these things in Jesus name. Amen