THE WITNESS- - JOHN 1:6-8, 14-36

THE WITNESS

JOHN 1:6-8, 14-36

Introduction:

There have been few men like as John the Baptist. The Lord Jesus honored him after John had been martyred by saying, “Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist:” Matthew 11:11a.

John was God’s chosen witness to the Lord Jesus Christ. He was a man sent from God with a message and a mission.

I. A MAN SENT FROM GOD

A. His name was John and his title was The Baptist, Matthew 3:1, “In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,”

1. He would be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth, Luke 1:15, “He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.”

2. Many of the people of Israel would he bring back to God, Matthew 3:5-6, “Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, 6And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.”

B. He was more than a Prophet, Matthew 11:9-10, “But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. 10For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.”

C. He was God’s messenger, Malachi 3:1, “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.”

II. A MAN WITH A MESSAGE

A. The message was like the fire of God in the Prophet Jeremiah, Jeremiah 20:9, “Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.”

B. His Message: “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 3:1-2, “In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

1. God had been silent for 400 years.

2. Now a Prophet that had come in the spirit of Elijah, Luke 1:17, “And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

III. A MAN WITH A MISSION

A. Prepare the Way for the Christ, John 1:22-23, “Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? 23He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.”

B. To make ready a people prepared for the Lord, Luke 1:17, “And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

1. To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, Malachi 4:6, “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.”

2. To turn the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, Isaiah 29:24, “They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.”

C. To Identify the Lamb of God…

1. For the people of Israel, John 1:29, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

a. The religious crowd, John 1:19-20, “And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? 20And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.”

b. The common folks, Matthew 3:5-6, “Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, 6And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.”

2. For John’s the Baptist disciples, John 1:35-36, “Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; 36And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!”

a. Here was the Messiah, John 1:41, “He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.”

b. Here was the Author and Finisher of their faith, Hebrews 12:2, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

CONCLUSION:

John the Baptist was a great witness for the Lord. His life and ministry was short, but he fulfilled the will of God in life. Few men have had the dedication and consecration that John the Baptist had during his life. He was totally sold out to the Lord Jesus Christ.

1. John prepared a people for the Lord.

2. He identified the Christ for his disciples.

3. He said, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30.