August 1, 2010
Evening Service

Matt. 3

 

Review:

Chapter two: 

1.       We saw the visit of the wise men.  Revealing the prophecy of where the Christ would be born.  Bethlehem.  We commented on how they were watching.  Something that the Lord tells us to do over, and over in His teachings.

2.      Joseph is warned in a dream to take his family to Egypt.  Again fulfilling a prophecy.  Hosea 11:1.

3.      Herod kills all the children two years, and under.

4.      Jesus returns to Nazareth a town where the people were not well thought of.

 

Tonight we meet one of the dynamic duos of the Bible. 

 

Chapter 3:

 

Mat 3:1-17  In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea,  (2)  And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 

• This is a very prevalent message for today’s time.
• Never in the history of the church has the second coming of the Lord been so close.
• The message today is still repent, turn from your way of living, and follow the Lord.

John is fulfilling prophecy:

(3)  For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 

• In ancient times, it was customary in the march of armies to send messengers, or pioneers, before them to proclaim their approach; to provide for them; to remove obstructions; to make roads, level hills, fill up valleys, etc. Isaiah, describing the return from Babylon, uses language taken from that custom. A crier, or herald, is introduced. In the vast deserts that lay between Babylon and Judea he is represented as lifting up his voice, and, with authority, commanding a public road to be made for the return of the captive Jews, with the Lord as their deliverer. “Prepare his ways, make them straight,” says he. The meaning in Isaiah is, “Let the valleys be exalted, or filled up, and the hills be levelled, and a straight, level highway be prepared, that they may march with ease and safety.”
• And John does a wonderful job of clearing the way for the Savior.

(4)  And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leather girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. 

• This is said of John in Luke’s gospel:  The angel speaking to Zacharias.

Luk 1:15-17  For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.  (16)  And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.  (17)  And he shall 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.

• I believe John was a Nazarite. 
• Elizabeth, and Mary were cousins.  This would have made Jesus, and John related.  John was 6 months older than Jesus, and I can just imagine the times they had at the family reunions.   John with his rugged attributes, and Jesus with His tender loving Spirit.

 

 

(5)  Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan,  (6)  And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. 

• Matthew Henry describes John’s baptism like this:   It was a solemn rite of washing, significant of cleansing from their former sins, and purifying them for the special service of Yahweh. John found this custom in use; and as he was calling the Jews to a new dispensation - to a change in their form of religion - he administered this rite of baptism (washing), to signify the cleansing from sin, the adopting of the new dispensation, or the fitness for the pure reign of the Messiah.

• Jesus used the authority of John’s baptism one time to shut up His criticizers.
• John’s baptism was the cleansing agency at the appointed time.  He is preparing people for the receiving of the Messiah.  Remember, a lot of people are watching for the signs of the time.  And this is one of the big ones.
• And we find out as we study, John’s day, and baptism is short lived.  However, it accomplishes what God wanted it to accomplish.  He prepared the way.

(7)  But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  (8)  Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:  (9)  And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 

• The religious leaders.  These keepers, and dispersers of the law of Moses.
• Flee from the wrath to come.  Many were adhering to John’s message of repentance, but John is saying, let me see a change in your way of living, then I will baptize you.
• Fruits meet for repentance:  Luke says this in respect to fruits worthy of repentance.

Luk 3:10-14  And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?  (11)  He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.  (12)  Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?  (13)  And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.  (14)  And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.

These are the fruits that John was looking for in a changed life.

 

(10)  And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 

• Many parables are used by the Lord in teaching the importance of living a life that is pleasing to the Lord.  The casting into the fire John refers to is none other than the lake of fire in Revelations.  Hell fire.
• Rev 21:8  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

(11)  I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: 

• Hopefully we can understand John is saying “my day, and baptism is about over, and you will be listening to Jesus to do what He tells you to do.  I have paved the way, and now He will lead you into the new dispensation that God has for mankind.”
• Baptism in Jesus name, or authority is now the proper baptism.  The one true Christian baptism, described in Ephesians 4.
• Jesus bestowed upon His Apostles power beyond our imagination.  We see from the examples given in the Scriptures the power they had to work miracles. 
• Jesus left in the hands of those nurturing, and caring for the church the authority to make certain important decisions regarding the church.  He told them;  Joh 20:22-23  And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:  (23)  Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

John goes on:

(12)  Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. 

• Jesus gives the parable of the wheat and tares. 

(13)  Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.  (14)  But John forbade him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? 

• It always comes to my mind how John and Jesus would talk at the family gatherings, how that more than likely they both new what the angels had told their mothers, and fathers. 

(15)  And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him. 

• It was only right for Jesus to acknowledge the authority of John at this point.  This act of cleansing would prepare Jesus for His earthly ministry.  The authority at the time.

(16)  And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:  (17)  And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

 

Jesus has now taken the torch from John, and John will soon leave the picture.  He will never be taken from our minds, and one day we will see him, and marvel at one of the world’s greatest servants of God.