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Matthew 11 verse 10 let's look there the Bible says for this is he of whom it is written behold I send my messenger before thy face which shall prepare thy way before thee barely I say unto you among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist not withstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he what we see here is some lofty praise coming from the Lord Jesus Christ to John the Baptist Jesus says there hath not risen a greater than John a greater man than John and you know in a world today where the wicked are being exalted in a world today in which a feminist hag like Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies and the world mourns for her where flags are brought down to half-staff and respect for somebody who promoted pro abortion anti God values a Jew right now is in hell burning forever praise God for that in a world in which celebrities are exalted in a world in which politicians are exalted in a world in which athletes these black lives matter promoters by the way you can't run away from politics even if you try watching sports with these athletes and these celebrities and these politician being exalted by the world today looked at as role models I think it's more important than ever as God's people to look to men like John the Baptist as our role models and look to men like John the Baptist as positive examples for us to pattern our behavior after which is why the title of my sermon is the positive example of John the Baptist the positive example of John the Baptist let me introduce you to a real hero somebody that we as Bible believing Christians should be looking up to not the celebrities and politicians and athletes who promote the wisdom of this world go to Isaiah chapter 40 Isaiah chapter number 40 I want to say first of all thank you to pastor Shelley for the opportunity to fill in here it's always an honor and a privilege to do so if you haven't heard his morning sermon by the way I'm sure the the p.m. sermon is gonna be good too but if you haven't heard his morning sermon go watch it I'll leave it at that as you turn to Isaiah 40 I'll read from Malachi 4 where the Bible says behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers lest I come and smite the earth with a curse Elijah the prophet would come the Bible tells us in Malachi chapter 4 we see that fulfilled in the person of John the Baptist how because Elijah was a picture he was a type of John the Baptist and I'll have more on that in a little bit but look down at your Bibles in Isaiah chapter 40 verse 1 this is a famous portion of Scripture here where the Bible tells us starting at verse 1 comfort ye comfort ye my people saith your God speak ye 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 place is 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 it that's powerful right there in Isaiah chapter number 40 and I wanted to start off showing you a prophecy of John the Baptist and who would come later on his ministry was revolved our should say his ministry revolved around the Lord Jesus Christ he came to prophesy of the Messiah that would come whereas we as Christians we look back at the cross that's what we do every time we go soul-winning as we exalt Jesus Christ by telling people about what he accomplished for the world at Calvary the primary role of John the Baptist prepare the way for the Messiah he was a voice crying in the wilderness this is quoted in several portions in your New Testament several places in your New Testament Matthew chapter 3 Mark chapter 1 we see this appear also in Luke chapter 3 John chapter number 1 as well the voice crying in the wilderness and what was he doing proclaiming the coming of the Messiah he looked forward to the cross go to Luke chapter 7 Luke chapter number 7 John was a miraculous birth foretold to Zacharias by an angel of the Lord and boy did he live up to that miraculous birth again to refer to as someone who was at the top of the food chain if you will by Jesus Christ that among women there is no one better think about that the magnitude of that compliment coming from God manifest in the flesh that's someone we could look to as a positive example my first point is John the Baptist was authentic John the Baptist was authentic what does it mean to be authentic it means to be genuine to be real not fake the opposite of someone who is fake you know there's a problem with Christianity today and it seems to be getting worse and worse every day what's the problem the problem is it's well it's got a problem with people who are fake there are a lot of fakes out there calling themselves Christians there are a lot of fakes out there who want the glory for themselves how about the holier than thou's how about the hyper spiritual brother Dylan preached about that recently brother Dylan I might take a few points from your sermon this morning it doesn't mean I ripped you off it was just we were thinking the same way you know these people that go around I'm so spirit praise everything that comes out of the mouth praise the Lord brother I'm so spiritual look at me talking all spiritual their fakes who are they behind the scenes who are they when people aren't looking at them when they don't have the spotlight I guarantee you they're not doing as much soul-winning as somebody who's just quiet and serving the Lord quietly to exalt Jesus Luke 7 verse 24 notice what it says and when the messengers of John were departed he began to speak unto the people concerning John what went ye out into the wilderness for to see a reed shaken in the wind you know it's a red flag for someone who is fake they're tossed about with every wind of doctrine and Jesus implies that John the Baptist wasn't that way what did you come to see a reed shaken in the wind someone who's just tossed about with every wind of doctrine someone who's gonna believe one thing on Monday and totally change it on Tuesday out of convenience no that was not John the Baptist that was not who he was because he was real you know one minute we have guys out there preaching in their joke churches one minute church planting is biblical and then another minute it's not I wonder what changed and you probably know who I'm referencing his name's Adam Fannin when he's the leader of a church plant it's biblical it's righteous when he's begging other pastors to take him on because he failed as an evangelist well church planting in that scenario totally biblical as soon as he realizes he has no choice but to have a bunch of bozo clowns lay hands on him and call him pastor then all of a sudden oh well the satellite church model is the antithesis of what the Bible teaches it's garbage you want to know why he says that because he's fake that's the mark of a fake person that's the mark of someone who doesn't believe anything that comes out of their mouth because they're willing to change their doctrines and just be tossed about with every wind of doctrine based only on what benefits them personally you know I'm glad to go to a church where the pastor is gonna believe the Bible whether it's popular or not whether it benefits him personally or not I used to go to a church in Jacksonville before Pastor Shelley took over in which there were different factions you had one group over here that was right on the Trinity and you had another group on a different side of the church that was confused on the Trinity and they were tossed about with every wind of doctrine make no mistake about it one day I'd walk into church and they would talk about how you know what I see what the Bible says about this doctrine now and you know what I think these oneness people are out to lunch and then the next week I would go to church and they would say oh but you know Elliot Ray put out this video and I'm not sure how to refute it and all of a sudden they were confused again they want from being confused to getting it right to being confused to getting it right and it was this endless cycle because they were tossed about with every wind of doctrine fakes is what they were a lot of people they'll just check which direction would be appropriate for them to go before deciding what they believe you know there's people out there they believe the gap theory one day the next day they wake up they believe the day age theory the next day they wake up they go on YouTube they watch a video belonging to a guy eating 50 pounds of ice cream every day and his mommy's basement making videos about the Nephilim and all of a sudden they believe that why because their foundation on which they build their doctrine is not the Word of God and so that's how they end up getting tossed about with every wind of doctrine that does not describe John the Baptist and that's strongly implied here in verse 24 look at verse 25 but what we what went ye out for to see a man clothed in soft raiment behold they which are gorgeously appareled and live delicately are in Kings courts John the Baptist he was not wearing soft raiment that you would find in Kings courts but rather he wore a raiment of camel's hair rather he emanated in the wilderness but rather he didn't live a lavish lifestyle that describes John the Baptist he didn't live a lavish lifestyle you weren't gonna find him in long robes that you would see from the religious Pharisees of that time and of today as well they still wear that kind of garment in 2020 no flashy spiritual attire you wouldn't catch John the Baptist wearing that he didn't graduate from some fancy theological seminary with his doctrine of divinity degree no go to Amos 7 I want to show you an example Amos chapter 7 John the Baptist didn't necessarily stick out from a crowd you wouldn't think that he was who Jesus Christ described as the greatest among those who were born of women if you saw him in an airport you wouldn't necessarily be able to pick him out as the man who would preach sermons that would usher in the Messiah Amos 7 is where I had you turn Amos chapter 7 when you get there look at verse 14 Amos chapter 7 let's look at an example of a prophet of God who didn't necessarily meet the description of someone who you would look at and see as an individual who sticks out from a crowd Amos 7 verse 14 the Bible says then answered Amos Amos 7 verse 14 then answered Amos and said to Amaziah I was no prophet neither was I a prophet son but I was a graduate of the theological seminary where I attained a master's of divinity degree is that what that says no then answered Amos and Amaziah I was no prophet neither was I a prophet son but I was an herd man and a gatherer of sycamore fruit and the Lord took me as I followed the flock and the Lord sent it to me go prophesy unto my people Israel Amos was what a herd man he was an ordinary man who was given this opportunity by God to prophesy to Israel and in fact he got in trouble for doing so because when you stand for the truth you're gonna receive backlash we'll see that in the life of John the Baptist momentarily but God looks for ordinary people that's what he looks to use why because ordinary people tend to be the most authentic the most real you don't have to worry about them preaching deceitfully now go to Luke chapter 20 Luke chapter 20 like John the Baptist Amos wasn't exactly someone who you would look at and pick out from a crowd as someone who looked outwardly like they were special in some way he was a simple man he was a herd man a gatherer of sycamore fruit you say well I'm just a simple man I'm a plumber I work with my hands God could use you don't think just because you don't have a gold boat just because you don't have a giant mansion that God isn't gonna be able to use you Luke 20 Luke chapter number 20 look at verse 45 when you get there Luke chapter 20 verse 45 the Bible says Luke chapter 20 verse 45 then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples beware of the scribes which desire to walk in long robes and love greetings in the markets and the highest seats in the synagogues and the chief rooms at feasts which devour widows houses and for a show make long prayers the same shall receive greater damnation you say is that is it possible for somebody to suffer more torments in hell than usual yeah it says right here they'll suffer they'll receive rather greater damnation why are they wearing long robes for a show why do they engage in long prayers for a show doesn't mean they love God more than you it's just a show they want to be seen of men the Matthew 6 individual you know there's a mechanism on Facebook that allows you to broadcast to the world the charity that you decided to donate to yep that's on Facebook and I see it all the time look at me I donated to so-and-so charity it's probably fake charity anyway but everyone wants to be seen event why for a show to virtue signal that's what the that's what these corporate conglomerates are doing right now with the black lives matter garbage virtue signaling to be seen of men their works are to be seen of men and that's what these religious Pharisees the scribes and Pharisees were fake people this is what they're gonna do they're gonna grandstand about all their works in front of the entire world John the Baptist wasn't a grandstander John the Baptist was a simple man and I'll tell you this some of you might not like this but I'll go ahead and say it anyway John the Baptist wouldn't be standing up buying the highest hilltop he can find to grandstand about how he's still going to church in the middle of a pandemic he wouldn't be doing that you know what he would do he would quietly serve the Lord like he would have done whether there's a pandemic or not that's what he would have done oh I don't like that well don't grandstand them we want me to tell you the hyper spiritual they'll lay it on thick all over social media they're in genuine they're fake don't fall for it go to Matthew chapter 3 Matthew chapter 3 meanwhile I'll read from Matthew 23 as you go to Matthew 3 the Bible says there but all their works they do to be seen of men they make broad their phylactries and enlarge the borders of their garments here's another attribute of the fake person they enlarge the borders of their garments all right that's not how John the Baptist dressed all right because that he had that raiment of camel's hair now I don't want fake friends I don't know about you guys but I do not want fake friends I want friends who are real I want friends who have authenticity to them okay I don't you know here's the thing I want friends who have a zeal for God who have a zeal for the things of God who have a zeal for the Lord Jesus Christ and for soul winning and for church not a zeal for public affirmation that's the difference I don't want to have friends like that I don't want to surround myself with people like that and you shouldn't either Matthew 3 look at verse 1 in those days came John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is at hand but this is he that was spoken of by the prophet of sighs saying the voice of one crying in the wilderness prepare ye the way of the Lord make his past straight and this same John had his raiment of camel's hair and a leather and girdle about his loins and his meat was locusts and wild honey so again no long robes no no flashy clothing raiment of camel's hair a leather and girdle this was the antithesis of the scribes and the Pharisees the total opposite of the scribes and the Pharisees because unlike them he was genuine he was real now my second point is that John the Baptist didn't live to gratify the flesh John the Baptist did not live to gratify the flesh instead he served God with his life his raiment and his diet it exemplified an individual who put God first who didn't live to gratify the flesh at himself he was rugged you would never find John the Baptist wearing skinny jeans he was a rugged man a masculine man a real man not these skinny jean wearing fake pastors at the fun centers today they don't resemble John the Baptist they don't resemble any of the prophets of God who did mighty works his life didn't resolve didn't revolve around superfluous delicacies that wasn't who he was go to Proverbs 30 Proverbs 30 Bible says in Proverbs 23 labor not to be rich cease from thine own wisdom I know it was covered this morning but I'll add to it there's a difference between laboring to be rich and laboring to feed your family there's a difference the difference is what are you living for if you're living for those riches you're not right with God Proverbs 30 I think this one right here describes John the Baptist to a T look at verse 8 remove far from me vanity and lies give me neither poverty nor riches feed me with food convenient for me John ate food that was convenient for him he ate locusts and wild honey that's not an extravagant meal folks you're not gonna find that at a super expensive restaurant or anything like that it was food that was convenient for him his diet proved that he didn't need to perennially feed the flesh that he didn't live for materialism and for the carnal things of this world but rather he prioritized that which is spiritual and we should do that as well we should do that as well now I did some online shopping at Neiman Marcus very famous place to go shopping of evidently and so I went online I went to their VIP section okay I just this is all I typed I just clicked shirts that's it just simple shirts okay and this is what I found Brioni this is the brand Brioni sounds like it like an Italian pizza parlor or something Brioni men's silk medallion sport shirt $1,375 imagine spending that much money on a shirt I could go to a thrift store and get one for $5 and be perfectly fine I think this is where this came from I don't even know where it came from I've had a lot of my clothes for way too long I'll just say that there's pictures of me in high school with the same anyway let's just move on from that st. Laurent men's leopard sheer silk shirt sounds effeminate to me a thousand two hundred ninety dollars for this thing thousand two hundred ninety dollars and if you think that was bad how about this one this is a Stefano Ritchie t-shirt right here I don't know what this is but Stefano Ritchie apparently is a highly valuable a button-down sport shirt button-down sport shirt four thousand three hundred fifty dollars on their website right now you'd have to finance the thing to afford it this is vanity folks the the chapter we're memorizing right now the words of the preacher the son of David King in Jerusalem vanity of vanity saith the preacher all is vanity will folks this is not going to fill the void it's not gonna fill the void and you know what this is not what John the Baptist concerned himself with wasn't wearing the expensive clothing that you would see in Kings courts know that Neiman Marcus doesn't have a John the Baptist section that'd be in the dollar store okay go to the dollar store you'll probably find things that he would approach now here's the thing again I'm not and this was covered in the morning I'm not saying if you have riches you're not right with God we learned in Genesis 13 already about Abraham he was wealthy Boaz would fit that description as well job would fit that description as well and here's the Abraham he was called a friend of God according to Isaiah chapter 41 see what matters is what are you given to John was not given to materialism that's why I bring this up he was not given to materialism go to 2nd Kings chapter 1 this is what you have to understand austerity is not a sign of someone who was more spiritual than you keep that in mind austerity is not a sign of superior spirituality if you will with John the Baptist we know and this is why he would be a positive example he didn't live for riches he was fed with food that was convenient for him he lived for God he lived for Christ he had the bare minimum think about this he had the bare minimum as small as you can get as far as values and and and riches the bare minimum carnally but he abounded spiritually and so that's the good news if you're someone who isn't abounding carnally if your bank account isn't very impressive but you are able to feed your family guess what you could abound spiritually and you know what abounding spiritually is a heck of a lot more important anyway Matthew 3 says and the same John had his raiment of camel's hair and a leathern girdle about his loins and his meat was locusts and wild honey I want to focus on that here first of all we know that he wore a raiment of camel's hair well 2nd Kings 1 we see that this is actually typified through Elijah now the context here Ahaziah the king of Israel his messengers had received a prophecy from Elijah concerning his death concerning his future and when he asks about it he says in verse number 8 2nd Kings 1 verse 8 said well who gave you this this prophecy and they answered him he was an hairy man I can relate to that one a different topic for a different time he wasn't it you guys should have seen baby John I mean I knew that was my son I'll just leave it at that that was a hairy baby on his in the exact same spots I had it too like on the arm and back interesting those Middle Eastern genes I'm telling you 2nd Kings 1 8 and they answered him he was in hairy man so that would be the coat that's a picture of the coat of camel's hair that John wore and girt with a girl of leather about his loins just like John the Baptist wore the exact same thing and he said it is Elijah the Tishbite so Elijah being hairy that was a foreshadowing of the raiment that John the Baptist would wear in the future a raiment of camel's hair we also know that he consumed locusts and wild honey what did these things symbolize I have a theory on this if you would go to Deuteronomy 28 Deuteronomy chapter 28 first of all the girdle well where in the New Testament does it talk about a girdle well Ephesians chapter 6 and Ephesians chapter 6 the Bible tells us in verse 14 as you turn to Deuteronomy 28 it says stand therefore having your loins girt about with truth and having on the breastplate of righteousness I think that's what the leather girdle would symbolize with respect to John the Baptist the idea that he was girt about with truth he loved the truth he was girt about with that truth and that's one of the attributes of the prophets of God that they stood for the truth even if it put them at risk of facing physical harm which that did happen to John the Baptist and I'll cover it later on in the sermon so it was girdle right symbolizing what I think we read there in Ephesians chapter 6 verse 14 but what about the locusts if you read your Bible locusts often times are the product of God's wrath and we see that in Exodus chapter 10 it was used as a component of the plagues that you that you know God used to judge Egypt revelation chapter 9 talks about this as well it says in there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth and unto them was given power as the scorpions of the earth have power this is a particularly frightening component of God's wrath which is coming in the second half of Daniel 70th week locusts from hell tormenting people and in Deuteronomy 28 we see that locusts are promised to the children of Israel as a curse it says in verse 38 Deuteronomy 28 38 thou shalt carry much seed out into the field and shall gather but little in for the locust shall consume it so the locusts would eat up the produce of the land if the children of Israel rebelled against the Lord their land would be cursed with a lot more than just that by the way but that was a component of the curses that God promised to the Israelites if they transgressed him it was used to judge the nation it was a curse on Israel so locusts associated with God's wrath and his judgment what about the wild honey well the Bible tells us in Psalm 119 how sweet are thy words unto my taste yea sweeter than honey to my mouth we see that honey throughout the scriptures often used to typify the Word of God God's Word so with that in mind we know John the Baptist he ate locusts and he ate wild honey why well the locusts represent the judgment of God his wrath I believe that the honey could represent the sweeter part of God's Word now when we go soul winning what are we feeding people locusts wild honey what's the locust for the wages of sin is death that's God's wrath what would be the wild honey but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord you see mercy and you see judgment so what's the lesson we can extract from this John the Baptist was a hard preacher who preached both positive and negative he preached both locusts and wild honey go to Matthew chapter 3 and we'll prove it Matthew chapter 3 Bible says in John 3 as you turn to Matthew 3 he that believeth on the Sun hath everlasting life there's your honey and he that believeth not the Sun shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him that's the locust right there and you need to make sure that when you go out so winning you're feeding people locusts and wild honey they need to know that they deserve hell before they can taste the sweetness of God's Word that's how we get people saved John the Baptist was well balanced as a preacher you know what came in locusts and wild honey you know what came out both mercy and judgment both positive and negative there are some preachers out there they're just all locust kind of rare but especially today and there are other preachers just all wild honey just all positive never anything negative everything is just lovey-dovey rainbows and daffodils and flowers and everything's gonna be okay God loves you I love you you're doing everything right I would throw up in the middle of a service like that Matthew 3 look at verse 5 then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region round about Jordan 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 all generation of vipers who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come bring forth therefore fruits meat for repentance and think not to say within yourselves we have Abraham to our father for I stand to you that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham and now also the axe is laid on the root of the trees therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire what are we reading about here we're reading about judgment we're reading about wrath fire the unfruitful trees would be cast into the fire I believe the context here if you read this in context the fruit that's being described would be words because it says and think not in verse 9 and think not to say within yourselves it's the words that he's talking about and oftentimes that that is what fruit is pointing to but notice he isn't a limp-wristed compromiser is he no and that's what spirit-filled men of God are like in your Bible they're not skinny jeans wearing compromising sissies they're willing to preach the whole counsel of God and that's what John the Baptist was all about your spirit-filled men of God in your Bible you know what they preached about oftentimes very frequently in fact they preach judgment they preached fire and brimstone and wrath they didn't hold back they thundered forth God's Word and you know what if John were alive today you know what he would say about what's going on in our country right now he'd be condemning it he'd be condemning the wicked you think that he would support any Dylan I'm sorry but I'm gonna go ahead and it's my turn now okay you think he would be supporting John MacArthur you think that he would care about John MacArthur's Church being shut down because the coronavirus he'd be celebrating it he'd love it you know what he would say to John the Baptist I'm sorry you know he would say to John MacArthur he'd say go jump in a lake you false prophet heretic that's what he would say to John MacArthur because guess what he preached fire and brimstone he preached judgment he preached wrath he said to the Pharisees and the scribes he said Oh generation of vipers who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come there's no one worse than a false prophet and he wouldn't be soft on them it's Constitution they get to say I want John MacArthur Church needs to stay open to the Constitution your First Amendment let me here's my First Amendment okay I'm gonna show you my First Amendment Galatians chapter 1 is my First Amendment okay here we go right Galatians chapter 1 it says in verse 8 but though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed that's my First Amendment and you know it trumps yours by the way I like this better as we said before so say now again if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that we have received let him be accursed that's the Word of God today that's what the Bible says in Galatians chapter 1 and you'll never convince me that it's a good thing that a bunch of Mormons riding on their stupid bicycles and Jehovah's Witnesses and Calvinist work salvation heretics going around and preaching a false gospel is a good thing because Constitution you know what I like better than the Constitution it's called the Bible it's called the Word of God and I appeal to this and if there's a conflict between the Constitution and the Bible guess which one I'm gonna pick every single time it's called your King James Bible so you'll never convince me it's a good thing for John MacArthur it's church to stay open I would hope that it gets burned to a crisp I would hope that the church belonging to Ray Comfort who's not going to be very comfortable when he's burning in hell I would hope that his church would burn to a crisp I would hope Adam Fannin I would hope Adam Fannin's church would burn to a crisp to that the different topic go to Mark chapter 6 Mark chapter 6 these people they use their platform to indoctrinate people into believing a false gospel which sends them to hell and if you think I'm being a little over-the-top here then you need to get in your Bible today you need to reprioritize your life and figure out what actually matters is it just a bunch of political talking points is that what really matters today if a pastor agrees with you on politics if a pastor agrees with you on what's going on with the corona virus does that supersede what they teach about how to get to heaven is that where we're at today that we prioritize that over the gospel of Jesus Christ folks it's a spiritual warfare right now not a physical one so I will always care more about doctrine not their political views I'll take someone who completely disagrees with me on kovid if they actually believe the right gospel over John MacArthur any day of the week guy denies the blood of Christ thinks he could take the mark of the beast and get saved he thinks salvation is is difficult because it's difficult because by works according to him gonna split hell wide open let him be accursed the Bible says in Galatians chapter 1 Bible says in Luke 3 and many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people and but Herod the tetrarch being reproved by him for the for Herodias his brother Philip's wife and for all the evils which Herod had done added yet this above all that he shut up John in prison his messaging John's messaging where did it get him sent to prison how if you're one of these skinny Jean guys how do you even apply them oh you know if we love the sodomites we could get sent in prison no that's not how it works you get promoted by television and radio actually no way to apply that if you're one of these lame people mark 6 verse 14 look at verse 14 and King Herod heard of him for his name was spread abroad and he said that John the Baptist was risen from the dead and therefore mighty works do show forth themselves in him others said that it is Elias and others said that is a prophet or as one of the prophets but when Herod heard thereof he said it is John whom I be headed he is risen from the dead for Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John and bound him in prison for Herodias sake his brother Philip's wife or he had married her where John it's said unto Herod it is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife so Herodias gets him killed is Hillary Clinton here gets him killed for standing for the truth again there's an inherent risk of backlash of physical harm for you standing for what's right that's what John did in the face of political degeneracy saying it's not lawful for you to have your brother's wife and what's he quoting Leviticus 18 verse 16 which is thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father or I'm sorry thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother's wife it is thy brother's nakedness he appeals to Leviticus that's what John the Baptist does and if Leviticus is good enough for him it's good enough for me too it's good enough for you as well that should be what we appeal to the law of God that's exactly what John did and he was beheaded for it you say oh that'll never happen to us you know there's actually a time coming where we might end up getting decapitated for speaking the truth it's called the tribulation and when the abomination of desolation is set up and there's 75 days of Great Tribulation it all will happen to those who refuse the mark of the beast contrary to what John MacArthur says if they refuse the mark of the beast they will be decapitated and if they take it contrary to what he says they'll go straight to hell they'll be reprobates but there is coming a time in which we could be beheaded for preaching the truth we know John the Baptist was and here's the thing people will blame the man of God oftentimes for what the Bible says now you can get up and preach Leviticus 2013 and they think it's your opinion you're quoting the Bible that's what you're doing when we go out sowing and we tell people hey you know you're not saved they'll think that we came up with that on our own no no we're doing it based on the authority of Scripture there's a difference but in the carnal mind they can't understand that and so they'll assign us with the responsibility for what the Bible says for what God's judgment has already been pronounced we know John the Baptist he appealed to God's law and he preached against the deviancy of the political establishment at the time of the political leadership at the time this is why I like it when preachers get up and they're preaching against the Democrats I like it when they preach against the Republican Party establishment I like it you know when they preach against these puppet politicians today when they rebuke them from the Bible I like hearing that because it's the same attitude that John the Baptist had now why why would I like to hear this because folks just assures it wasn't lawful for Herod to have his brother's wife it's not lawful for our government to be going around starting a bunch of wars all over the world for the benefit of the military-industrial complex not lawful for that I like it when preachers call that out it's it's not lawful for our government to promote the sodomites all over the world and to send sodomite ambassadors all over the world to try and convince countries that haven't been as defiled as we have been over the last several decades to change their laws on the sodomites and make it legal it's not lawful for us to promote that filth all over the world according to the law of God it's not lawful for the government to murder hundreds of thousands of unborn babies every single year courtesy of Planned Parenthood which harvests their organs by the way according to the Center for Medical Progress it's disgusting it's filthy and it's funded using government dollars not lawful it's sick it's twisted and by the way it's not lawful for us to teach other nations to do the exact same thing and cloak that with this fake meaningless platitude known as women's rights it's a woman's right to choose to murder her own baby no it's not proverbs 28 says they that forsake the law praise the wicked but such as keep the law contend with them now the preacher that gets up and rips on the Republican establishment that rips on the Democratic Party establishment they're contending with the wicked leaders of this world and that is a token of the fact that they're following God's law that they haven't forsaken God's law so John the Baptist did go to John chapter 1 John chapter 1 what about those who would praise leftists for example they forsaken the law it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out these people are insane but who contends with the with the wicked well according to Proverbs 28 such as keep the law my next point is John the Baptist exalted Jesus Christ John the Baptist exalted Jesus Christ and he did this by preaching biblical repentance by the way a lot of people will throw John the Baptist's preaching on repentance in our face to shove a work salvation down our throats but what John the Baptist meant when he said and I'll just quote this you could stay where you're at in John chapter 1 but you know he did preach repentance I'm not gonna deny that but when he did so he wasn't preaching a work salvation says in Matthew chapter 3 in those days came John the Baptist preaching the witness of Judea of Judea and saying repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is at hand so he did preach repentance but what exactly did does that mean well Acts chapter 19 actually will give us our answer because repent just means to turn it doesn't mean repent of all your sins it means to turn and in the context of salvation it's talking about turning away from your unbelief to belief turning away from whatever you were trusting in before to get you into heaven and rather trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ alone acts 19 and verse 4 says then said Paul John verily baptized with the baptism repentance saying unto the people that they should believe on him which had come after him that is on Christ Jesus remember John exalted Jesus he didn't preach a work salvation because that would be the opposite of exalting Jesus it would be removing the power of the death burial and resurrection of Christ I would challenge you to ask this question to someone who's hard-hearted about salvation by faith so do you think the death burn resurrection was not enough is that what you think and they'll stumble over their words oftentimes in response to that question because they're not exactly sure how to answer it without coming off as a complete you know psycho I mean how could you how do you answer that oh well no that Jesus we have to what he did wasn't enough we have to add to it no one would readily admit that unless they're just totally gone a total false prophet maybe one of these street preachers but John 1 it says in verse 22 then said they unto him who art thou that we may give him I'm sorry that we may give an answer to them that sent us what sayest thou of thyself he said I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness make straight the way of the Lord as said the prophet of sighs and they which were sent were of the Pharisees and they asked him and said unto him why baptize this now then if thou be not that Christ nor Elias neither that prophet John answered them saying I baptized with water but there standeth one among you whom you know not he it is who coming after me is preferred before me whose shoes latch it I am not worthy to unloose so John says he isn't even worthy to when Lou to unloose Christ's shoe latch it but that right there I believe is an example of his humility and it's further proof that he exalted Jesus Christ above all else it was all about Jesus that's what his ministry revolved around all about Jesus not about himself now let's look at John chapter 3 John chapter 3 I want you to notice the reverence notice the esteem the respect that he has for Jesus the respect that he has for the Lord Jesus Christ and we see that further in John chapter 3 verse 22 look at verse 22 after these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea and there he tarried with them and baptized and John also was baptizing in Enon near to Salem because there was much water there and they came and were baptized for John was not yet cast into prison then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying and they came on to John and sent it to him rabbi he that was with thee beyond Jordan to whom God bears witness behold the same baptize it then all men come to him they're trying to make John envious another guy baptizing all men come to him he seems to be attracting a large crowd now a lesser man would be perturbed by that it would make him anxious a little bit of anxiety would creep in upon finding out this news but what does John say well verse 27 John answered and said a man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven know what he says he affirms that he's doing exactly what God tasked him to do a man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven so be it verse 28 ye ourselves 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 with the friend of the bridegroom which standeth and heareth him rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice this my joy therefore is fulfilled notice this part right here verse 30 he must increase but I must decrease how can I sum that statement up he exalts Jesus he exalts Jesus above all else he also talks about how he rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice even though he's not necessarily a major part of that wedding he's still rejoicing at the voice of the bridegroom now somebody may come up to you and say hey you know there's this there's this preacher in Arizona and he's getting a lot of people saved and all men you know they seem to be listed he's got a huge following online although of course his YouTube channel was taken down recently but before that happened he's got a big following you know what I mean and he seems to be attracting a lot of people his sermons always get the most views and he's succeeding in the Christian faith you know a wicked person would then be envious of that is that what John the Baptist did no what he said he must increase I must decrease you know what you ought to say to somebody like that who's trying to tempt you into falling into envy they say hey you know what praise God if he's preaching Jesus Christ then it's Jesus Christ who's being exalted therefore it's a good thing we're all the same team here if it benefits the cause of Christ then praise God for it why because it's all about Jesus it's all about Jesus we're all sinful men trying to do the best we can here to serve Christ that includes the pastors in this quote-unquote movement but let me tell you something right now I will never turn on a man of God who's serving Christ to the best of his ability who's preaching the right gospel who's preaching against sin it's never gonna happen no matter how envious you might end up being it's never gonna happen because it's all about Jesus about us thought about gaining a following not about popularity so what great I think it's awesome that people are gaining a following for preaching the gospel verse 33 he that hath received this testimony had said to his seal that God is true for he whom God hath sent speak at the words of God for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him the Father love of the Son and have given all things into his hand the John affirms that Jesus has all power and all authority completely a hundred percent filled with the Holy Spirit because he exalts Christ so here's my question for you why are you here what's the purpose why are you even here tonight why are you even here at steadfast Baptist Church attending regularly Sunday morning Sunday night and Wednesday night why what's the purpose you know some might answer by saying well you know my friend comes here so I just go to fellowship with him some might answer and say I like the the free ice cream when we have the record the attendance record breaking I like to get that free ice cream that's kind of sad to go buy it at the supermarket so I don't know why you would come here just for that but somebody might answer that way some might say I'm just being dragged here by my spouse that's why I'm here some might say I'm here because the church is convenient for me in terms of location so that's why I'm here and all those answers wrong wrong if you answer anything other than Jesus Christ you need a change you need to renew your mind you need to change your mind a little bit you need to renew your mind with the Word of God remember what was the purpose of John's ministry was it for himself was it to exalt self was it to blow the trumpet was it to gain a following no it was about Jesus wasn't it it was about Jesus why do we go soul winning is it for self no it's for Jesus we go soul winning to exalt Jesus and that's the beautiful thing about salvation by grace through faith alone it exalted Jesus alone not our own works I'm always baffled by those who would not even mention the name of Jesus when you ask them how they know for sure they're going to heaven they don't even mention him why go all-in on the Christian life and receive persecution from this world and have people look at you like you're some kind of weirdo for Jesus that's why we do it for Jesus to demonstrate our love for God that's why we do it we do it so we can raise our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord rather than putting them in front of a television set and watching them get brainwashed every day with the world's fill that's why we do it we do it to reach people with the gospel of Christ to be sent out and to get people saved that's why we do it we do it to advance the cause of Christ with all thy might so I would warn you today that there are people out there who are going to confuse the issue they're gonna be people out there who seemingly forget why we even come to church to begin with and for them it's not about Jesus for them it's about forming a clique for them it's about you know causing sewing division in the in the local church speaking against the pastor speaking against other people railing and gossiping and and talking and backbiting talking behind other people's back so that they can try and stymie the work being done in the local church there are people out there who forget about why we're even here for them it's about a clique it's about a group it's about a claim it's about exalting themselves and they've forgotten that the reason why we're here it's not for ourselves it's not so we can look spiritual it's not so that we can brag about it all over social media we're here for Jesus it's all about Jesus the reason why we go soul winning is Jesus the reason why we live for God is Jesus it's all about him and John the Baptist recognized that so I said here in this sermon John the Baptist was authentic I said that he didn't live to gratify the flesh I said that he was a hard preacher and you know what else I said the final point I made is that John the Baptist exalted Jesus let's take that example and apply it into our lives never forget the reason why we come to church not about a church building not about being entertained by the preacher it's not about any of that it's about serving the Lord Jesus Christ and earning some rewards in heaven so I would hope that you know reading about the exploits of John would provoke you and it would provoke you to want to be more like him rather than the prophets who pattern themselves after the world because there are many of them out there and they're only growing each and every single day let's pray father we thank you for our church Lord I pray that you would help us to take some of the positive attributes from John the Baptist's personality apply it to our lives Lord and be more like him rather than you know the celebrities and false prophets out there and the watered-down preachers and father I just pray that also that you would just help us to keep the main thing the main thing understanding that we're here for Jesus to serve Jesus and and Lord that you know we just never forget that and keep being steadfast and understanding what matters most which is you Jesus name I pray amen