John the Baptist

March 27, 2016

Sidekicks of the Bible

John the Baptist (Jesus)

Today we are starting a new sermon series called “Sidekicks of the Bible” where we’ll be looking at the supporting characters of the Bible.  When you tell a story there is always a main character that you connect with, but often there is a sidekick that does great things also.

There is often a sense of thinking the main character is important and the secondary character is just filler, but without the secondary character, the main character can’t do what he/she was called to do.

When you look at the “main characters” in the Bible, most people know about Jesus, Moses, David, Joshua, and Paul, but not a lot is talked about with their “sidekicks.”

Jesus

In Genesis we see God create the world, and then he creates his most treasured thing: people.  Everything he created was about having relationship with people.  If you’ve read Genesis, you know that a couple chapters later Adam and Eve do the one thing they weren't supposed to do - they sin against God.

Romans 6:23
23 For the wages of sin is death

There are 2 options for all of us when we die:
Heaven - which is living for eternity with God
or Hell - which is living for eternity apart from God

John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Jesus is God’s son, and he lived a spotless life, and died a death that WE deserved. God knew that covering sin was only going to go so far and the sin had to be paid for to have relationship with God.

That’s the meaning of Easter… On a Friday, about 2000 years ago, Jesus died a sinner’s death, so that You would have the option of life! On the 3rd day (Easter Sunday), he defeated death and resurrected back to life opening the gateway for you to have true relationship with Him.

John the Baptist

Mark 1:3
“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way”
“a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”

God chose John the Baptist to prepare the way for Jesus, the messiah, the one who came to pay the price for our sins.  What kind of person would God pick to prepare the way for Jesus?

#1 - John was WILLING TO LOOK DIFFERENT

#2 - John dedicated himself to prayer, to HEAR GOD

Luke 7:24-28
24 After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 25 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is the one about whom it is written: “ ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ l 28 I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John

#3 - John was HUMBLE

Luke 3:15-16
15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Some early church fathers had this to say about John the Baptist:

John was the light; Jesus is the sun.
The Baptist was the voice, Christ was the Word.
One is the friend; the other is the spouse.

Easter Sunday

John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

God loved YOU so much that he sent Jesus to give his life so you have have life with him forever. That means that from the day that Jesus rose from the dead, everything changed.  Now, you and I can’t try to cover our sin anymore, Jesus paid the price. But, we have to accept that gift.

Romans 10:9-10
9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

2 Corinthians 5:17-19
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation

When you accept that free gift, everything changes.  It opens up a new line between you and God and you don’t have to be alone - that void gets filled.

If you have already made that decision in the past, then the rest of that verse is for you:

2 Corinthians 5:19-20
19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

Easter is not about us, it’s about the amazing weight of the love of Jesus for us.

Communication Card

- I prayed to receive Jesus’ gift of salvation for the first time tonight.

- I want more information about giving my life to Jesus.

- This week, I will strive to be a humble, obedient person like John the Baptist.