JOHN THE BAPTIST

A MAN WITH PURPOSE

John 1:6-9; 19-23; 29-30; 3:22-30

INTRO: John the Baptist is a man who appears on the stage of history for a brief period. Even in that brief appearance he was a man with a purpose and went about doing it.

THE PURPOSE ANNOUNCED (John 1:6-9)

   A man (his humanity –vs.- divinity of Jesus)

   Sent from God (divine commission)

   To testify about the Life giving Light.

THE PURPOSE ACKNOWLEDGED (John 1:19-23)

   John's baptizing caught the attention of the Jewish leaders.

   They sent investigators out to see him.

   Who are you? Not the messiah!

            Elijah?  --  "I am not." Prophet? – "No."

   Then who are you?

            A voice crying in the wilderness ….

               "Prepare the way of the Lord"                           

THE PURPOSE FULFILLED (John 1:29-30)

   Baptism to prepare the way for Jesus to come.

   Pointed people to Jesus: "Behold the Lamb of God,

                                     Who takes away the sin of the world."

   He prepared people to receive Jesus. He pointed people to Jesus.

        Then he withdrew from the spotlight.

A CONTINUING PURPOSE (John 3:22-30)

   Two other events of John's life are mentioned.

   In John 3 we see his continuing ministry.

     Still pointing people to Jesus.

      "He must increase, I must decrease."

   In Matthew 11, we see the account of his arrest, imprisonment and eventually death.

   Sometimes it may seem that our ministry is past.

            Never! As long as we live we will continue having purpose as God places us where he wants.

            Our first purpose is to hear God's call and come to Him through Jesus Christ. – Then we must point others to Him.

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For delivery January 10, 2010, Greenville Southern Baptist Church

Pastor Fred Kerr