Who is your favorite New Testament Character -- Besides Jesus Christ?
John, the Baptist:
Matt 11:11, Luke 7:28, John 10:41
Mentioned 90 times in the New Testament
“None greater . . .” “John did no miracles” John, disciple -- 35 times
John:
• never lived in a big house or palace (desert)
• never had nice clothes (covering of camel’s hair-leather belt)
• never married or had children
• never pastor of a church
• never wrote a book
• never drank wine or a strong drink
• never had angelic vision
• never called fire from heaven
• never parted the sea
• never walked on water
• never raised from the dead
• never went on a missionary journey
• never spoke in tongues
I. Miraculous Birth (Not a virgin birth, like Jesus)
A. The Situation
1. Father, Zachariah -- Priest
2. Mother, Elizabeth -- Luke 1:6 (“both righteous”)
3. barren -- “well stricken in years” (well advanced)
4. social stigma -- seen as a sign of a divine disfavor
5. Luke 1:9 -- “his lot was to burn incense” (high honor)
a. supreme moment in lifetime of priestly service
b. timing of God to announce the birth of John
c. only opportunity to minister at altar of incense
B. The Visitation
1. Luke 1:11 -- Angelic visitation
2. Luke 1:13 -- “Don’t be afraid,” “thy prayer is heard,” “Elizabeth shall bear thee a son,” “call his name John”
3. verse 19 -- “I am Gabriel,” “You will be silent and not able to speak”
4. Reminder -- Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 17 & 18 -- they laughed
C. The Prophecy
1. Luke 1:14-17 -- Angel -- “will bring you joy, “he will be great in the sight of the Lord,” “Elizabeth shall bear thee a son,” “drink neither wine nor strong drink”
2. “filled with Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb”
3. “go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah,” “to make ready a people prepared for the Lord”
D. The Affirmation
1. Luke 1:41
2. Mary’s voice, John leaped in the womb, Elizabeth filled with the Holy Spirit
E. The Birth
1. Luke 1:57 -- John born
a. Zachariah and Elizabeth affirm name
b. Zachariah able to speak and praised God
2. Luke 1:80 -- “child grew . . . was in the desert until the day of his showing into Israel”
II. Monumental Mission
- 1st Christian witness, 1st Christian prophet, 1st Christian preacher, 1st Christian martyr
A. Fulfilled Prophecy
1. Matthew quotes Isaiah 40:3
2. Mark quotes Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3
3. Jesus quotes Isaiah 40:3
4. Angel, Luke 1:17: “he shall go before him in the spirit of Elijah”
a. turn hearts of fathers to children
b. disobedient to wisdom of just
c. to make ready a people
5. Zachariah -- Luke 1:76-79
a. to prepare His ways
b. to give knowledge of salvation
c. to give light to them that sit in darkness
d. to guide our feet into the way of peace
e. Paul, Acts 13:25, “John fulfilled his course”
B. Preached Truthfully
1. 1st sermon
a. Matthew 3:2: “Repent . . .”
b. Matthew 3:8: “Bring fruits for repentance”
2. Mark 1:7, coming Messiah
3. Mark 1:8, Baptism in the Holy Ghost
4. John 1:29, 36, “sinless Savior dealing with sin” (Lamb of God)
5. John 1:7, “bear witness of the Light” (6 times in John 1, “bear witness” concerning Christ)
6. 3 times (John 1:15, 1:27, 1:30) “for he was before me” -- eternal uniqueness of Christ
7. John 3:30, pre-imminence of Christ -- “He must increase . . . “
8. John 3:36 & Matthew 3:10,12
a. eternal life in Christ
b. eternal suffering in rejection of Christ
C. Lived Holy
1. Mark 6:30 -- “Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man . . .”
2. Luke 11:1 -- “John also taught his disciples” (to pray)
3. Matthew 21:32 -- Jesus said, “John came unto you in the way of righteousness”
III. Martyr's Death
A. Incarceration
1. Matthew 4:12 “John cast into prison”
2. 10 months because he rebuked Herod’s adultery
B. Instruction
1. Matthew 14:1-12 -- Herod’s birthday
2. daughter of Herodias danced, pleased Herod, promised her anything
3. instructed by mother, get John the Baptist’s head
C. Execution
1. Mark 6:14-29, “executioner . . . went and beheaded him in prison” (v 27)
2. Mark 14:10, “and he (King Herod) sent, and beheaded John in the prison”
3. Luke 9:9, Herod said, “John I have beheaded . . .”
4. Matthew 14:12, “his disciples came, took the body, buried it, went and told Jesus”
5. No record of discussion, reaction, or emotion
6. Imagine:
a. middle of the night
b. John asleep
c. awakened by the jailer -- “You have a visitor”
d. “Who?” “The Executioner!”
e. “Is this the way it’s going to end? I’m alone. No good-byes, no friends, no prayers, no Jesus. He said I was the best preacher ever.”
f. John walking through the gates of heaven and the Lord saying, “None greater born of a woman.”
If you knew you were going to be persecuted for Jesus, would you do it?
If you knew you were going to be martyred for Jesus, would you do it?
