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KEY VERSE:
Matthew 3:1-6 (ESV)
1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’”
4 Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
Introduction:
A voice deep in the desert came calling to the people of Israel. Scores of them answered the call of the God through the prophet John. A new age was beginning, the age of the Kingdome of Heaven!
I. THE BAPTIST JOHN.
Matthew 3:1
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
A. John was NOT the same John who wrote the Gospel of John.
B. John was born to devout parents who belonged to the priestly line. They were also well advanced in age when he was born.
C. John’s baptism was one of repentance. Not the same as Christian baptism today.
D. Although John was NOT born of a virgin, his birth was announced by an angle, signifying God’s unique influence over his ministry and life.
II. GOD’S KINGDOM ANNOUNCED.
Matthew 3:2
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
A. The main theme of John’s message was that the messiah has arrived!
B. John was straightforward in his preaching. He told the people “WHAT” to do and “WHY” to do it.
C. Repent means to turn away. God wants us to turn away from sin and toward Him.
D. All sin in one way or another hurts people. All sin leads to temporal joy, satisfaction, happiness and pleasure. Only God offers eternal Life with all the above attractions.
E. When we repent we change our moral and spiritual attitude concerning God. We accept that WE are the ones who need to be SAVED and that God is the One who Saves!
F. The kingdom of heaven has come near to people in the person of Jesus (the Messiah).
III. PREPARING THE WAY.
Matthew 3:3
For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’”
A. In this verse, John is quoting:
Isaiah 40:3
A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
B. John fulfilled many prophecies, one in particular is:
Malachi 4:5
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.
John vs. Elijah
Both were men of the desert.
Both withdrew themselves from mainstream society.
Both wore the clothing of the desert.
Both shattered the prophetic silence of many years and spoke on behalf of God.
Both had fiery personalities and, boldness.
Both fearlessly confronted the religious leaders of their times.
Both put their lives on the line by confronting the political leaders of their day.
Both fell into despair and doubted God.
IV. BUGS AND HONEY FOR DINNER.
Matthew 3:4-6 ESV
4 Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him,
6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
A. John’s clothes were simple and practical for desert living.
B. The honey John ate would have given him life sustaining energy.
C. The locus were plentiful in that region and would have given John plenty of protein.
Leviticus 11:21-22
21 Yet among the winged insects that go on all fours you may eat those that have jointed legs above their feet, with which to hop on the ground.
22 Of them you may eat: the locust of any kind, the bald locust of any kind, the cricket of any kind, and the grasshopper of any kind.
D. Scores of people came out to the desert to here God’s Message through John and they even got baptized in the chilly waters of the Jordan river.
Conclusion:
From these verses we learn that a bad things happened because of the birth of Christ. But it is not God who is to blame. Rather it is Mankind’s reaction to God. People have a tendency to reject God. But even now, through Christ He is Calling us. Will you come to Him or will you reject Him?