A Wilderness Experience
Matthew • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Let’s Get into todays Message. Let Us Pray
Pastor Rustan has done a great job getting us From the Birth of Jesus to the His Return to Nazareth.
We don’t know much about Jesus’ Childhood except for a visit to Jerusalem at the age of 12 found in Luke. He know he would have had a Bar Mitzvah at the Age of 13.
BarMitzvah means “son of commandment” and is a ceremony that signifies that a Jewish Boy is now a man and has all the rights and obligations of a Jewish adult and can now participate in synagogue services.
He would have most likely also taken on an apprenticeship with his earthly Father Joseph as a Carpenter.
Matthew doesn’t hit on any of this and I believe it is because he is intentionally sticking to Prophecy being Fulfilled.
This is why he goes straight from Nazareth to John the Baptist.
Let’s pick up with today’s scripture reading.
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.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.
9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.
10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Today I want to answer 3 Questions
1. Who was John the Baptist?
1. Who was John the Baptist?
2. What was his purpose?
2. What was his purpose?
3. What can we learn from his ministry?
3. What can we learn from his ministry?
John son of the Priest Zechariah and Mary’s cousin Elizabeth.
He is a child born out of promise.
He is the Prophet promised in Isaiah.
3 A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.
5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
6 A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.
Check this out.
66 books of the Bible 39 Old Testament 27 New Testament
Isaiah has 66 chapters 39 about Israels Old Testament situation. 40-55 all speak of new Testament Prophecy.
1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
For four hundred years God has been silent and now he is speaking through a weirdo no body in the the desert next to the Jordan River.
He was sent tor the Wilderness, taught in the Wilderness and the message came out of the wilderness.
2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Kingdom of Heaven all other translations say Kingdom of God.
Jews didn’t speak God’s name
Repent means to have a changed mind.
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.
Baptism was generally used to signify a gentile was converting to Judaism.
But now these Jews are being Baptized to wash of the sins of their nation.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.
Changed Mind Plus Changed Life
9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.
10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Prophesy of the coming Baptism of the Holy Spirit
12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Don’t get burned up.
What does this mean for us?
What area of my life do I need repentance?
Maybe we need to Start this year in the Wilderness?
21 Days of Prayer 6am beginning tomorrow
End with Communion.