John the Baptist - A Preparer of Christ’ way and a voice for Him.
PRAYING MARANATHA: COME, O LORD. 1 Cor16:22, Rev 22:7, 12.
Between Malachi and the New Testament there is a gap of 400 years for the Messiah to be born. There was a gap of 30 years between the birth of Jesus Christ and His ministry, and 33 years between His birth as man and His ultimate Sacrifice on the cross. In between these years that the accursed life has ruined and destroyed lives and God’s work, was the birth of John the Baptist.
He was the cousin of Jesus and an only child of Zechariah and Elizabeth. John was the son of their old age. He was born into the family of priest. Luke1:5-25
For Maranatha to take place, there is the need for human hands, either Maranatha in terms of Revival in the nation, or Maranatha for our individual life circumstances or Maranatha as His coming in the clouds of glory there is the need for humans to preach the gospel of the Kingdom just as John was sent prior to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
THESE ARE THE DAYS OF ELIJAH
1. These are the days of Elijah
Declairing the Word of the Lord
And these are the days of Your
Servant Moses
Righteousness being restored
And though these are days of
Great trials
Of famine and darkness and sword
Still we are the voice in the desert crying
Prepare ye the way of the Lord
Chorus: Behold He comes riding on the clouds
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call
Lift your voice it's the Year of Jubilee
Out of Zion's hill salvation comes
2. These are the days of Ezekiel
The dry bones becoming as flesh
And these are the days of
Your servant David
Rebuilding a temple of praise
And these are the days of the harvest
The fields are as white in Your world
And we are the laborers in Your vineyard
Declaring the Word of the the Lord
Chorus: Behold He comes riding on the clouds
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call
Lift your voice it's the Year of Jubilee
Out of Zion's hill salvation comes
John in prophecy
Isaiah 40:1-4 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. 2 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. 3 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. 4 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:Mal 4:5-6 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.
Luke 1:13-17 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.17And 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.
What Christ said about John the Baptist
Matthew 11:11-14 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. 10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.11Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he 12And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.14And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.John the Baptist as a voice and preparer for Christ (A proclaimer of Maranatha)
Mark1:1-3 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; 2As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 3The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.John1:23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
John 1: 26-37 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; 27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. 28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. 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. 30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. 31And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. 32And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it 33And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 34And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. 35Again 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! 37And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
i. He recognised Himself as a voice
ii. He recognised Himself as the messenger and not the sender
iii. He was in tune with He that sent him to baptise. John 1:33
iv. He preached the Kingdom and repentance. Matt 3:1-2, 8-10, Luke3:11-14
v. He made the crooked way straight. Luke 3:12, 14
vi. He prepared the heart of men for the soon and coming king. Luke 3:7-18
vii. He must decrease, but Christ must decrease. John 3:30
viii. He introduced Jesus as the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the whole world. John
1:29
ix. His baptism ministry was to know Christ. John 1:33
x. He bore record that Christ is the Son of God. Joh 1:34
xi. He was willing for His disciples to follow Christ and for Christ ministry to overtake his.
John 1:35, 3:26-31
Prayer focus
Prov 25:13 As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them thatsend him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.
- Make me a faithful messenger of yours to my children, husband, wife, brethren, colleagues etc.
- Make my life a refreshment for you my master.
- As long as I am on this side of eternity, let me be your light to those waiting for you.
- Help me to walk in you the light of the world so that my light will not become dim.
- Lord, just as John declared your generation, let me declare your generation to this untoward generation.
- Give me the courage to cry Maranatha!
- Help me not to neglect this role you have called me into as your “REMEMBRANCER”
- Don’t let the business of to shift me away from this role of your “REMEMBRANCER”.
- Give me the wisdom and strength to prepare the way for your coming.
- Help me to discover and fulfil that which is written concerning me.
- US election tomorrow
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