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Introduction:
Context:
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The
birth of John (Luke 1:57-58)
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The
naming of John (Luke 1:59-63)
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The
prophecy of Zecharias (Luke 1:64-79)
Names:
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John
– the Lord is gracious
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Zecharias – The Lord remembers
The Highest:
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Five
times in the Bible (Psalm 18:13; Luke 1:32, 35, 76;
6:35)
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Three times in Luke 1
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The Son of the Highest (v.32)
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The power of the Highest (v.35)
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The prophet of the Highest (v.76)
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Isaiah 57:15 – For thus saith the high and lofty One
that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in
the high and holy place, with him also that is of a
contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the
humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS SENT: (John 1:6)
I.
TO PREPARE THE WAYS OF THE LORD (1:76)
A.
Before the Face of the Lord
1.
A place of prayer (1Kings 13:6)
2.
A place of judgment (1Peter 3:12)
B.
To Make Ready a People Prepared for the Lord (Luke
1:17)
C.
To Prepare the Way of the Lord (Luke 3:3-5; Isaiah
40:3-5)
D.
Importance of Preparation (Proverbs 16:1; 24:27;
30:25)
II.
TO GIVE THE KNOWLEDGE OF SALVATION (1:77-78)
A.
By the Remission of their Sins (v.77)
1.
A dispensational work to bring the Jews (“his
people”) to a readiness to receive their Messiah
2.
A reminder to us that repentance is an important part
of our salvation (Acts 20:21; 2Corinthians 7:10; 2Timothy
2:25)
B.
Through the tender mercy of God (v.78)
1.
God’s mercy leads to His grace (Hebrews 4:16)
2.
God’s mercy led Him to send His Son
a.
The dayspring from on high
1)
Description of the morning (Job 38:12)
2)
The day star (2Peter 1:19)
3)
The arising sun of righteousness (Malachi 4:2)
b.
Hath visited us (1John 4:10)
Around the World to Save a Soul – “A dying
publican’s wife, in England, recently gave the
following encouraging testimony, as narrated by
the evangelist who visited her. He says: ‘I was
asked to go to a public house in Nottingham and
see the landlord’s wife, who was dying. I found
her rejoicing in Christ as her Saviour. I asked
her how she had found the Lord. “Reading that,”
she replied, handing me a torn piece of paper. I
looked at it and found that it was part of an
American newspaper containing an extract from
one of Spurgeon’s sermons, which extract had
been the means of her conversion. ‘Where did you
get this newspaper from?’ I asked. She answered:
“It was wrapped round a parcel which was sent me
from Australia.” Talk about the hidden life of a
good seed! Think of that, a sermon—preached in
London, conveyed to America, an extract printed
in a newspaper there, that paper sent to
Australia, part torn off (as we should say,
accidentally) for the parcel dispatched to
England, and, after all its wanderings,
conveying the message of salvation to that
woman’s soul. God’s Word shall not return unto
Him void.” [Isaiah 55:11] –from Spurgeon:
Prince of Preachers by Lewis Drummond (p.
326).
III.
TO GIVE LIGHT TO THOSE IN DARKNESS (1:79a)
A.
To Them That Sit in Darkness (John 8:12; 12:46)
B.
To Them That Sit in the Shadow of Death (Psalm 23:4;
107:10-16)
Not Killed by Water Baptism – This story is told by
the Baptist preacher John Taylor of an incident that
occurred in Kentucky during the 1780’s: “I was
invited to baptize some people there [on Silver
Creek in Madison County, Kentucky]. I think five
were baptized at the time and among them an old man
the name of Wilson, apparently far gone in a
consumption. This became a great trial to my faith.
I found [that] the old man could only speak a little
above a whisper. And though he had been much of a
singer and a prayerful man in his family, all had
been laid aside perhaps for a twelvemonth for want
of breath.
“I had lately been reading Mr. [David] Rice’s
pamphlet on infant baptism, where he had aver[r]ed
that it was instant death to wet a man allover in
the last stages of a consumption. If all this is
true, thought I, which I did not know to the
contrary, in this thing I had great perplexity.
“This old man came foremost to the water. And I
[was] almost ready to tremble with fear, but in we
went. As quick as he recovered from the water, he
raised his hands [and] with pretty strong voice
cried, ‘Glory to God! Glory to God!’ The first
thought I had was, ‘Old man, you are not yet
killed.’
“A handsome, little revival of religion went on.
This old gentleman’s voice was so far restored that
he resumed worship in his family and became a
pleasant singer in public worship. And [he] lived
after this for several years, so that wetting him
allover did him no harm.” –from Baptist on the
American Frontier: A History of Ten Baptist Churches
by John Taylor (p. 192).
IV.
TO GUIDE INTO THE WAY OF PEACE (1:79b)
A.
To Guide our Feet (Psalm 32:8; 48:14)
B.
Into the Way of Peace
1.
Not Known by those who reject God (Romans 3:17)
2.
Given to those who receive Christ (John 14:27)
Conclusion:
Nightly Meetings with Bwana – The English missionary C. T.
Studd (1860-1931) established and operated the Heart of
Africa Mission in his later years. He was known to the
African nationals and the other missionaries as Bwana. His
work with the other missionaries was amazing. “Probably the
times with Bwana which will live most in their memory are
the nightly meetings at Ibambi. More than anything else they
kept the Mission on the true foundation of all spiritual
work—the Bible and prayer. There were no time limits, but he
just opened the Bible, read maybe two or three chapters, and
then talked. The Epistles were his favourites. One hour, two
hours, in Conference days till after midnight, night after
night, it was always the same, our hearts burned within us
as we met with Jesus. The greatest of all the lessons that
we learned there was that if Christian workers want
continual power and blessing, they must give time to
meet together daily, not for a short, formal meeting, but
long enough for God really to speak through His Word, to
face out together the challenges of the work, to deal with
anything that arises to hinder unity, and then to go to God
in prayer and faith. This alone is the secret of victorious
and spiritual warfare. No amount of hard work or earnest
preaching can take its place.” –from C. T. Studd:
Cricketer & Pioneer by Norman Grubb (p.218).
Step out of your comfort zone. Or, as the Bible says, launch
out into the deep Luke 5:4). Find out what wonderful things
God has for you.