JOHN THE BAPTIST

What was his mission?What was his mission?

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Luke 1:13-15

But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.

33

Luke 1:16-17

"And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, '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."

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John the Baptist: What was his mission?John the Baptist: What was his mission?

Many thousands wear the name, "Baptist," today. But there is a great difference between them and the people who claim to be Christians only. We should study to see if God’s people should be distinguished as Baptists or as Christians only. If God intended for any of his people to be Baptists, in the modern sense, He intended for them all to be.

55

John 17:20-21

"I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me."

66

1 Corinthians 1:10

Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

77

Ephesians 3:14-15

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

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John the Baptist: What was his mission?

““All” and “whole” - Let us make a fair All” and “whole” - Let us make a fair investigation to see what God’s will is in investigation to see what God’s will is in the matter. the matter.

No one should be afraid to make such No one should be afraid to make such investigation but should be glad of investigation but should be glad of opportunity. opportunity.

No better place to begin than with John No better place to begin than with John the Baptist.the Baptist.

Let us make a fair and impartial Let us make a fair and impartial investigation of his mission to the world.investigation of his mission to the world.

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The Life of John the Baptist

A.His birth1. Was announced by an angel

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Luke 1:13

But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John."

1111

The Life of John the Baptist

A.His birth1. Was announced by an angel.2. Was miraculous.

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Luke 1:18

And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."

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Luke 1:36

"Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren."

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The Life of John the Baptist

A.His birth1. Was announced by an angel.2. Was miraculous.3. Was to good parents.

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Luke 1:5-6

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

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The Life of John the Baptist

A.His birth1. Was announced by an angel.2. Was miraculous.3. Was to good parents.4. Was under Law of Moses -

temple service -circumcision.

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Luke 1:8-9

So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

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The Life of John the Baptist

A.His birthB.His name

1. Was given by angel, therefore important.

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Luke 1:13

But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John."

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The Life of John the Baptist

A.His birth

B.B. His nameHis name

1.1. Was given by angel, therefore Was given by angel, therefore important.important.

2.2. Was regarded as important by Was regarded as important by both parents. both parents.

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Luke 1:60, 63

His mother answered and said, "No; he shall be called John."

And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, "His name is John." So they all marveled.

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The Life of John the Baptist

A.His birth

B.B. His nameHis name

1.1. Was given by angel, therefore Was given by angel, therefore important. important.

2.2. Was regarded as important by Was regarded as important by both parents. both parents.

3.3. Was John, not Baptist. Was John, not Baptist.

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John 1:6

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

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The Life of John the Baptist

A.His birth

B.B. His nameHis name

1.1. Was given by angel, therefore Was given by angel, therefore important. important.

2.2. Was regarded as important by Was regarded as important by both parents. both parents.

3.3. Was John, not Baptist. Was John, not Baptist.

4.4. Never was “a Baptist” in the Never was “a Baptist” in the modern sense.modern sense.

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The Life of John the Baptist

A.His birth

B.B. His nameHis name

C.C. His character.His character.

1.1. He lived a quiet life.He lived a quiet life.

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Luke 1:80

So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.

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The Life of John the Baptist

A.His birth

B.B. His nameHis name

C.C. His character.His character.

1.1. He lived a quiet life.He lived a quiet life.

2.2. He was a great preacher. He He was a great preacher. He had great audiences and great had great audiences and great influence on them.influence on them.

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Matthew 11:11

"Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist;"

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The Life of John the Baptist

A.His birth

B.B. His nameHis name

C.C. His character.His character.

1.1. He lived a quiet life.He lived a quiet life.

2.2. He was a great preacher. He He was a great preacher. He had great audiences and great had great audiences and great influence on them.influence on them.

3.3. He never performed a miracle. He never performed a miracle.

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John 10:41

Then many came to Him and said, "John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true."

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The Life of John the Baptist

A.His birth

B.B. His nameHis name

C.C. His character.His character.

4.4. Was humble. - Humble dress Was humble. - Humble dress and foodand food

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Matthew 3:4

And John himself was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

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Matthew 3:11

I indeed baptize you with water unto 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.

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The Life of John the Baptist

A.His birth

B.B. His nameHis name

C.C. His character.His character.

4.4. Was humble. - Humble dress Was humble. - Humble dress and food and food

5.5. Was pure - opposed sin in all.Was pure - opposed sin in all.

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Matthew 3:7-8

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,

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Matthew 3:9-10

and do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

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Luke 3:18-20

And with many other exhortations he preached to the people. But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him concerning Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, also added this, above all, that he shut John up in prison.

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The Life of John the Baptist

A.A. His birthHis birth

B.B. His nameHis name

C.C. His character.His character.

D.D.Had enemies.Had enemies.

1.1. Herod, Herod's wife, Herod's Herod, Herod's wife, Herod's daughterdaughter

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Matthew 14:1-4

At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus and said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him." For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. Because John had said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."

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Matthew 14:5-8

And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. But when Herod's birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod. Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, "Give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter."

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Matthew 14:9-11

And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her. So he sent and had John beheaded in prison. And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.

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The Life of John the Baptist

A.A. His birthHis birth

B.B. His nameHis name

C.C. His character.His character.

D.D.Had enemies.Had enemies.

1.1. Herod, Herod's wife, Herod's Herod, Herod's wife, Herod's daughterdaughter

2.2. Others who were not willing to Others who were not willing to repent repent

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Matthew 21:24-26

"The baptism of John--where was it from? From heaven or from men?"

And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'From men,' we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet."