There Was A Man Sent From God: Part 2

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The True Light: Part 3

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There was a man sent from God. There was a man sent from God. Please bow with me in prayer.
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Oh God our Heavenly Father Hallowed be thy name
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Lord we come To you through the blood sacrifice the precious blood of the
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Lord Jesus Christ Who loved us and loves us to the end and gave himself for us
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May not a day go by each and every one of us and and that we do not think about this great love and everlasting love
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Lord we Now come boldly with confidence To the throne of grace
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Lord that we may obtain mercy Your compassion
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And find grace Lord to help in time of need and Lord we pray now
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For help Lord, I confess that I'm weak Lord.
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I confess Lord That in my self Jesus I can do nothing without you
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As we look to you we look to you alone For thy help and power through your blessed
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Holy Spirit now Lord we pray That he alone would be the teacher The one that exalts and lifts up the
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Lord Jesus Christ Lord all is vain here Unless your Holy Spirit quickens us
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So we would ask Lord quicken us according to thy word So that we may live revive us
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Oh God Sanctify us we pray Lord by that truth.
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Thy word is truth This is what we desire Lord, you're Cleansing upon our heart you're
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Sanctifying us setting us apart to be used of your glory
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For thy kingdom and Lord we pray this in the name of Jesus for thy glory and honor
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And his name Amen John chapter 1 verse 6
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There was a man sent from God whose name was John John Baptist John Baptist was a man and only a man
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Sent from God he was commissioned from God and He was commissioned from God alone
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He had a call that was holy set apart Just as all the
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Apostles were but John Baptist was unique He was last of the
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Old Testament prophets He had a special privilege like no other man ever had and this is why he was great and we're going to look at that but yet this man was if he was here today, he would not be accepted and he would not call himself great because He saw himself before God as he was not worthy to even unlatch at the shoes of Jesus He was sent from God he was commissioned from God a
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Strong contrast here is being made between what has been said about Jesus Christ and what is now being said about John Baptist Notice what it says.
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He was a man sent from God a man a mere man Christ Was not just a mere man
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He was the son of man the Son of God Christ was in the beginning
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He was with God and he was God That's what the context actually says
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John 1 verse 1 and 2 John Baptist however was a
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Man, we need to remember this he was a man and Who had come into existence at birth?
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He had a beginning Jesus had no beginning. He is the beginning he is
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The capital M man He is the
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Alpha he is the Omega John Baptist had a it's a beginning at Birth like we all do but his birth was miraculous because God's hand was upon him to send him as a forerunner for Jesus Christ and And just as all men like all of us we all have a beginning of our existence at birth yet John was a man small him
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Whereas Jesus was the son of the Living God John was
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Not a divine being He was a human being but not a divine being
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Come incarnate. He was not even an angel
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But he was a mere man a mere man yet a man sent from God He had a call of God upon his life unique like No other man
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Now we're going to look at him today as an example of humility with what the text has to say
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And we're going to look at several scriptures, but ultimately Jesus is the greatest example of humility, right?
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We know this But we're going to stay with the text John the Baptist was commissioned as we looked at last
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Lord's Day he was commissioned sent from God and He also had a mission and his mission was very special a man of high calling a
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Man that had a mission of enormous responsibility and enormous accountability
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He was a man sent by God from God And not sent by man like most so -called preachers today
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Hard to find men of God. I told a God this here not long ago that this one particular guy.
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He was mentioning. I know him in the retail business and calls himself pastor
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Pastors a church as I do and and I told him and he was talking about how Terrible and unholy this guy's life is and he really is
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He buried does not bear the marks of a child of God. It's sad That he bears the name of Jesus But yet does not bear the marks of a true
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Christian the true child of God a true disciple of Christ That has not denied himself and taken up his cross and following Christ And I said my friend there is a difference between a person that says he's a pastor and a person
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That is a true man of God. I Said what you want to see is a man of God.
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I said not not a perfect man I said only Christ is the perfect man but a sanctified man a man of God a person a man that is sent from God and a person that has a passion for God and loves
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God a Lot of people can call themselves pastor and just preach sermons, but not have a burden of the
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Lord upon their heart and soul sad Hey, man, brother
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Keith, it's called holiness and that is lacking in churches within our nation
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It's really saying but think about this John the Baptist came on the scene the courtroom of of The earth to bear witness of Jesus Christ who is the true light?
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John was a light but he's like a lamp in comparison to the brightness the son
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John was a man sent by God not by man that says so much doesn't it?
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We see this in the gospel of Matthew chapter 3, I believe I read from it last Lord's Day, but let's revisit it go to Matthew 3 and I love the way chapter 3 begins a
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Matthew it speaks about John the Baptist prepares the way and that was his
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That was his mission, right? in those days verse 1 John Baptist John the
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Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea First thing we see and saying
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What what is this message? Here's this message repent repent
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For the kingdom of heaven is at hand same message Jesus preached
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This prophet of God comes out of the wilderness Preaching in the wilderness of Judea repent
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Turn But the kingdom of heaven is at hand But this is he who was spoken by the prophet
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Isaiah Saying the voice of one crying in the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord make his past straight
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Now John himself was now now tells about his clothing his diet Listen, this was clothed in camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist and his food was locusts and wild honey a true
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Nazarite called of God separate He's not like the priest He's a man of God.
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He's sent from God Then Jerusalem all Judea and all region around the
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Jordan went out to him And were baptized by him and the Jordan confessing their sins
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And 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 and Do not think to say to yourselves
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We have Abraham as our father for I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones listen to this man's message folks and Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees
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Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
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I Indeed baptize you with water unto repentance Now notice his shift in his message and this is what his message is really all about He's preaching repentance, but his main mission is to prepare the way of the
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Lord the King But he who is coming after me is mightier than I Whose sandals
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I am not worthy to carry He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire and that fire is speaking about here this unquenchable fire
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He's about to speak up is talking about judgment His willing fan is in his hand and he will thoroughly
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Clean out his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn But he will burn up the shaft with unquenchable fire, which is speaking of judgment now.
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I Want you to think about this Anytime John the Baptist preached he's always pointing people to Jesus Christ He's the one that said behold the
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Lamb of God Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world behold the
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Lamb of God Look, there's the man. There's the Lamb of God. He's the one he's the one of whom
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I'm speaking about He is the one he is my part. He is everything that I'm speaking about and that was
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John's mission That's his mission So we read that John the
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Baptist was a man sent from God as the text says he was commissioned from God with the mission from God His mission is found in verse 7 in John chapter 1 back to our text his
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Mission is right here folks What is it verse 7?
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This man came for a witness apostle John Comments on this and by the Holy Spirit says he came for a witness to bear witness of the light
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The light we know who the light is the Lord Jesus Christ that all through him might believe that's the purpose of the ministry of John the
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Baptist to point people to Jesus Christ that all Through him might believe and as we would continue later on as you'd be noticing
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John the Apostle breaks this down. He came into his own his own did not receive him verse 11 verse 12 and 13
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Speaks about that belief but as many as received him to them He gave the right to become the children of God to those who?
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Believe in his name there it is who were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh
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Nor of the will of man, but of God. It's all of God Belief to believe in the
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Lord Jesus Christ His mission was to bear witness
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To bear witness of the light to testify of the light or to declare. That's what it means to declare
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Jesus Christ This is what every minister should be doing whether he'd call be called to be evangelist
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Will it be called to be a pastor teacher? He is to bear witness to testify to declare to the people that Jesus Christ is the only way the truth in the life and no one comes to the father but by him
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I had the opportunity to get to tell someone of this that the the general manager at a cracker barrel mentioned there was a lady that came out and He just outright says this this this young lady needs to hear the gospel and that's who really we all do and Because he's been surrounded by he said by Catholics by primitive
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Baptists and it's really mixed up and I had the opportunity and she was Mentioning about her grandmother that practiced voodooism
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Satanism and so forth and I said tell your grandmother just open the Bible Just read the
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Bible And then I had the opportunity I said Jesus Christ is what the Bible is all about and Jesus said of himself
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He says I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me And I commented on that.
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I said there's three things. I like to give you three L's I like to leave you with Jesus was liar or he was a liar or a lunatic or he's
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Lord and I say I assure you that the last is the truth He's Lord So that's our mission that just as John the
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Baptist we point people to Jesus, right? John the Apostle Uses words translated witness
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Listen is 33 times as a verb and 14 times as a noun in his gospel speaking about the word witness witness
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The term is particularly important to his purpose Which is to record?
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adequate witness to Jesus as the Messiah So that individuals might believe in him
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So John's gospel really is an evangelistic gospel that's we have chosen these tracks to give out it is
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Evangelistic. This is one of the greatest Gospels when it comes to evangelism that you can give to somebody to read
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So it's evangelistic notice in verse 8 The Apostle John says is he speaking of John the
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Baptist here was not that light John the Baptist was not that light, but he was sent to bear witness of that light
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So he's the servant of God, right? He's the servant of God and a humble servant he has one primary purpose one purpose in life and that purpose and that mission is to lead men to point people to They delight the light of the world the
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Lord Jesus Christ Isaiah 49 6 says this indeed he says
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It is too small a thing that you should be my servant. Now if you look at the text there
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My servant is capital M capital s speaking of Christ to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore
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The preserved ones of Israel I Will also give you as a light to the
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Gentiles That you should be my Salvation to the ends of the earth
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So this servant the Lord Jesus Christ The servant of God the suffering servant of Christ.
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He comes to the earth world enters into the world and the world in which he made
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When we see this in verse 10 He was in the world and the world was bathed through him and the world did not know him he comes to fulfill the call of Abraham the nation of Israel to be a blessing to the other nations and Jesus's death and after the death of Jesus, I'm sorry and Resurrection after his resurrection the
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Great Commission of global evangelism is carried on by his apostles and those who succeed us
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Succeed him. I'm sorry succeed them which is us who believe?
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to the ends of the age until Jesus comes again So we see the great humility of Jesus Christ the
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Messiah. He is really the the one that has the greatest humility of all He is the
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Lord of glory in Scripture But John the Baptist who was the Lord's forerunner the last of the
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Old Testament prophet. He says a lot here And The Scripture says a lot about him.
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He's the he's actually according to the Word of God the greatest man According to Jesus Christ that ever lived that was ever born of women
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Up until that time now, I would say the greatest man next to Jesus Christ, of course
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That's a given But he was the greatest man that ever lived Beloved the supreme lesson of John the
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Baptist his life is summed up in one word humility Humility Now we could learn a lot from John the
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Baptist and that's what I like for us to look at it his ministry John John's ministry is a role model for us in the lesson of humility in ministry in ministry
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Now Jesus Christ again, I can't say this enough is the ultimate example, of course
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But we don't want to discredit John John was used of God and from the
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Word of God we see this We also need to see how John Baptist set an example of humility for Jesus as We should do there could be no more vital message actually that we all need to hear that God hates pride
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I Cannot remind myself of this every day that I that I live and walk on this earth because God is a
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God that is absolutely holy and he hates pride above all things and actually if you look in Scripture We won't have we won't go there.
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But you know This is what turned an archangel into a devil Pride is actually satanic
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I believe it's the one sin above all that God hates It actually says in the list the seven the six things that's abomination to the
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Lord seven Goes on with the seventh and number one a haughty look
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God used John Baptist because he was He was a humble man. He was willing to obey the
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Lord And by the Spirit of God He cultivated a life of humility
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Humility True humility. We're not talking about false humility. This man was truly humble. We're gonna see his humility
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John Baptist was a man sent from God and he truly was a man and he even declared and wit
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Testified that he's not that light. Jesus is that light? That's our message
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He was a man He was great But he was not the light also,
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I like for you to remember this that I Like the way John MacArthur and it's a message
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I would really encourage each and every one of you to listen to if you can In your spare time the first law of ministry by John by John MacArthur really good and he speaks about the life of John Baptist and it's the role model for ministry.
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He really goes into some serious good very rich detail on this subject
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But scripture says a lot about John Baptist, let's go to another passage of scripture from Matthew's gospel chapter 11
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And let's hear what the Lord has to say the Lord himself about John Baptist This is very good.
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A Lot of said about John Baptist and that's why I'm breaking this up in different parts John Baptist actually here sends messengers to Jesus and Champ at chapter 11 of Matthew Look at verse 1 now it came to pass when
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Jesus finished Commanding his 12 disciples that he departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities and when
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John Mr. John Baptist had heard in prison about the works of Christ he sent two of his disciples and Said to him
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Are you the coming one or do we look for another interesting question, isn't it?
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But I'm going to show you from the text in just a few minutes. This is not a a lack of faith
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This is not wavering faith. I do believe that John Baptist was confused
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But he there was not a lack of faith in who Jesus really was Because he understood that Jesus was the
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Lamb of God, right? We know that Notice in verse 4 Jesus answered and said to them go and tell
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John the things which you hear and see Now I'll read on quite a bit here the blind see the lame walk the lepers are cleansed the deaf hear the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them and blessed is he who is not offended because of me and As they departed
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Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John At this time you got to realize that John has decreased folks
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Jesus is increasing and that is exactly what John the Baptist desired Even though he's in prison
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He's he sends these two disciples to Christ There's there's there's something there in his mind that's going on and he doesn't quite understand
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But Jesus basically sets it straight Notice what Jesus says about John Baptist. What did you go out into the wilderness to see a reed shaken by the wind
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But what did you go out to see question a man clothed and soft garments
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Indeed those who hear soft wear soft soft clothing are in Kings houses
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This man was rugged Powerful a man of God set apart verse 9, but what did you go out to see notice?
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Jesus constantly is asking this a prophet Yes, I say to you and more than a prophet
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For this is he of whom it is written Jesus quote scripture and it wonderful to hear the living word quote the living word
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I mean the living word quote the written word behold I send my messenger before your face who will prepare you your way before you
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Jesus is speaking of himself Verse 11 surely I say to you among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the
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Baptist But he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he From the days of John the
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Baptist and to now Please brother Ben's favorite verse here the kingdom of heaven suffers violence and The violent take it by force.
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What a verse for all the prophets and the law prophesied until John Jesus is telling us.
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He's basically the last of the Old Testament prophets and Verse 14 and if you are willing to receive it, he is
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Elijah who is to come Jesus is basically Answering that and He who has ears to hear let him hear
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But what do I what shall I like in this generation? What a question it is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their
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Companions and saying we played the flute for you and we did not dance.
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We mourn to you and you Did not lament For John came neither eating nor drinking and they say he has a demon the son of man came eating and drinking and they say look a glutton a winebibber a friend of tax collectors and sinners, but Wisdom is justified of her children.
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Let me stop right there very interesting Very interesting
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John the Baptist Basically Comes on the courtroom scene and Here he is decreasing just so that Jesus may increase
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Jesus's popularity has risen and rises and it continues to rise and John's has decreased
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There's great lessons. We can learn here pastor. John MacArthur says this from Study notes on the study
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Bible and I like this quote He says quote John the Baptist had introduced
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Christ as one who would bring a fierce Judgment and burn up the shaft with unquenchable fire in chapter 3 verse 12 he was understandably confused by the
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Turn of events That he was imprisoned and Christ was carrying on a ministry of healing and not judgment in Galilee 16
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Far from Jerusalem the city of the king and not finding a completely warm reception there
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According to John 8 34 John wondered if he had misunderstood
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Jesus's agenda This is interesting. Listen to what MacArthur says
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It would be wrong to interpret. This is a wavering of his faith in verse 7 in quote
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It would be wrong to interpret. This is a wavering of his faith Now if you notice in verse 4
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Jesus said this To the disciples that John the Baptist sent
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Go and tell John the things which you hear and see And he goes on and gives the answer
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To give John assurance of who Jesus who he is that he is the
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Messiah Go tell John go tell John the blind see
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Verse 5 the lame walk the lepers are cleansed the deaf hear the dead are raised up the poor have the gospel preached to them and Blessed is he who is not offended the cause of me
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It's interesting that our
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Lord does not offer any further explanation To John the
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Baptist that's pretty much the answer why?
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That's a good question, isn't it? Why I? Really believe because our Lord knew exactly how strong John's faith was
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He knew who Christ was it was just he had somewhat not doubt
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But he was confused. That was what Jesus's message was he thought as many thought as the disciples thought
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That as Jesus comes he's going to bring this kingdom as we are going to see Lord willing if Jesus Christ comes back in the second coming what
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Christ is going to do at the second coming This is basically what the Messiah was promised to do the
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King but how God ordained things that Christ were to die on the cross was really beyond What we would think how
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God would bring everything together even though John the Baptist really understood that he was the Lamb of God He was this he was
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God's Lamb But he didn't understand. He didn't understand a lot. What was going on about the works of Christ So he sends two of his disciples
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Are you the coming one or do we look for another? Very human. He's a man, right?
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He's a man. John Baptist is truly high. He's a humble man and beloved No matter where what else we do in our lives true humility
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If true meal humility humility, I get it out is not ours Personally, then
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God will resist anything else that we will do Opposes it he resists us
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God hates pride God is and I'd like to say it like this is a moment by moment in a personal warfare against the pride of life it is sin and I really believe it is the most hated sin as you will look throughout the entire
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Word of God that God hates pride. We see it almost in every on every page just about It's all over it is a it is a
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Terrible sin it could be forgiven and there's something even a child of God has to work on in sanctification
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Till he goes to be with the Lord It's not the unfit unforgivable sin blasphemy against the
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Holy Spirit is the unforgivable sin, right but God hates pride It is a sin that is horrible
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Proverbs 18 12 Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty and before honor is humility
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Proverbs 15 33 the fear of the Lord is The instruction of wisdom and before honor is humility
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Proverbs 16 18 Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall and listen to verse 19
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Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly Than to divide the spoil with the proud
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Proverbs 16 5 everyone Proud and listen to this everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the
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Lord Though they join forces none will go and punish verse 6 in mercy
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I'm so thankful he the Word of God the Spirit of God put it put it in God in his Word here in mercy and truth
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Atonement is provided for iniquity and by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil
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So John Baptist pointed to Christ Giving us an example to follow
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By using John Baptist as a role model for ministry. God demonstrates the essence of humility in John we see humility in John and I really believe that that is the key to God's real blessing and our lives and ministry is true humility
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It's not to be seen But to be hidden for Christ to increase that we may decrease
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John Baptist was prepared by God as a man sent from God Why because John was used of God in such a great way
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He was refined
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He was shapen by God in the wilderness Interested why
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God was working on John Jesus was an obscurity. He wasn't he was hidden for 30 years
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John comes on the scene God uses John Because He's a man of humility
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Let's look at from the scriptures what testifies to us and what the scriptures testify by the
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Spirit of God of John's Secret to his humility go with me to John gospel
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John back to John to our text and we're going to look at his
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Character his character Look at John chapter 1 look at verse
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We will look at verse 20 I'm sorry.
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I'm sorry verse 19 to the end of the chapter now Before we get started in this
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Scripture tells us and reveals John's character as he sought to serve the Lord To be his humble servant the key to constantly keep before us is it is grace that gives this humility and Christ is to increase and John saw it that he must decrease that should be our hearts cry
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That's the essence of true humility just as every sin starts in pride every virtue begins in humility
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Humility always allows us to see ourselves as We really are
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Because it shows us before God as he is So the life of John the
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Baptist gives us seven principles. I like for us to look at a true humility
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Again, I like what pastor MacArthur said in the first law of ministry is Jesus the rising of the
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Sun comes up John is like the bright star that is dying and fading away fading away the
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Sun rises Christ but the star fades
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The First thing we see a John the Baptist about his humility because he was used he used his life
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I should say as a as a ministry to others His life was used his entire life
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Was a ministry to others His entire life was a ministry to others
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John chapter look at verse 19 now, this is the testimony of John when the
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Jews sent priests to the Levites from Jerusalem to ask him. Who are you and He confessed and did not deny
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But confessed I am NOT the Christ We see him constantly saying this
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I am NOT the Christ They asked him what then are you
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Elijah he says I am NOT are you the prophet
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He answered no Says a lot about John the
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Baptist. Oh, there's humility right there You know a lot of people would come up to Priests and so -called priests and pastors.
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They are you are you such and are you dr. So -and -so? Oh, yes. I'm dr. So -and -so That's sad
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Isn't it God hates pride They even asked if it are you are you the the prophet no, no,
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I'm no I'm not the prophet I'm Notice what he leads to this then then they said to him are who are you?
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That we may give an answer to those who sent us What do you say about yourself?
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verse 23 He said I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness
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Make straight the way of the Lord as the prophet Isaiah said
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That was his answer That was his answer Let me read a little further now those who were sent were from the
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Pharisees and They asked him saying why do you why then do you baptize if you are not the
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Christ or Elijah nor the prophet? John Answered them saying I baptize with water, but there stands one among you whom you do not know
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Notice how he instantly points to Christ It is he who coming after me is preferred before me whose sandal strap
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I am not worthy to lose there's humility and these things were done in the
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Beth of Arba beyond the Jordan where John was baptizing you know keep in mind in ancient times before a king visit any part of the river's rim a
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Messenger was always sent before him to prepare the way This is the way it happened this included both repairing the roads and preparing the people for the
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Arrival of the king and by calling the nation Israel to repentance John Baptist prepared the way for the
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Lord Jesus Christ. That was what he was sent to do So he prepared the way of the
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Lord so he is a man of true humility He gives his life as a ministry to others
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Secondly, we see John the Baptist was humble because he closed his mouth to complaining
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He Closed his mouth to complaining Did you notice that notice without recognizing it
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John's disciples were putting him into a situation of competing against the Lord Jesus Christ? unintentionally and yet John Baptist had no problem with this the disciples or the one was basically saying in Verse 26 and Go with I'm sorry the chapter 3 go to chapter 3.
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Let's jump a couple of chapters Let me read verse 22
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This is where I meant after these things Jesus and his disciples came into the land of Judea and there he remained with them and baptized
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Now John also was baptized in an Enon near Salem Because there was much water there
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Wow, I could sit I could really go to town with that much water I would think immersion right, but we won't go there right now and they came and were baptized
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For John had not yet been thrown into prison and there arose a dispute Between some of the
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John's disciples and the Jews about purification Now there's there's no complaining here to John Notice notice what he says the scripture says and they came to John and said to him rabbi
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He who was with you beyond the Jordan to whom you have testified behold. He is baptizing and all are coming to him
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John answered and said a man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven
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What an answer John's disciples is basically putting him in a situation of Competition against the
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Lord Jesus Christ, you notice that verse 26
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Behold he's baptizing and all are coming to him It's interesting to note that for the greatest man in the entire
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Bible Outside of Christ now Jesus is the greatest but even he had this situation
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Faced the same problem in comparison and competition Moses and numbers chapter 11
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John the Baptist here in chapter 3 Jesus we see in Luke 9 and in Paul even
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Paul in chapter 1 of Philippians But my question is this
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How did John Baptist handle this controversy? That's really the question.
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How did he handle it? He didn't complain. He wasn't proud
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So he didn't grasp on to his ministry like Most preachers would do he knew that he was just a voice in the wilderness
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He realized that his mission was to prepare the way of the Lord This controversy revealed a deeper level of humility actually in John's life
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He said he said a man can receive nothing unless has been given to him from heaven. That was his answer if he's been given this gift and And if it comes from above and it's of God and he's basically saying
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I rejoice I rejoice about it. The third thing we see is
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John Baptist was humble because he was obedient to the will of God. He was obedient to the will of God again, verse 27 a man can receive nothing
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Unless it has been given to him from heaven John Baptist was an obedient man to God's will
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He did the will of God should not we do the will of God be obedient to the will of God?
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John saw that his duty in life and his purpose in life was to love God and to obey God You could summarize the
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Christian life. Did it really down to those two things? all important desire is
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To love God and to obey God to be obedient to the will of God to be obedient to the voice of God to God's will
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Whatever the cost may be of discomfort It did not matter to John and by the way, he proved that they threw him in prison for preaching repentance and All he desired in life was to be obedient to the voice of God to his words simply in childlike faith and Humble service to the
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Lord Jesus Christ to the King of glory in which he prepared the way for the Lord Jesus Christ He realized all ministry and blessing came from God.
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That's why I love this verse 27 a man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven and actually since all of our gifts from from God every good and perfect gift comes from above the father of lights and which is no
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Variable is the shadow of turning whatever God does it's within those gifts through us through a means through us in which
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God uses people sinners That's all he has really to work with For his will for his honor for his glory so John really had a
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Love to God and to be obedient to his will fourth We see John the
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Baptist was humble because and I love this one He had eyes for Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone.
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I Think that should be the hallmark and the one of the great marks of the Christian. We have eyes for Jesus and Jesus alone
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We don't follow men. We follow Christ How do we know that he had eyes for Christ and Christ alone?
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Look at verse 30 He must increase But I must decrease
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Let's back up a little bit verse 27 as Mentioned a man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven
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You see and then he says is you yourselves bear witness that I said I am NOT the Christ But I have been sent before him.
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He knew he was sent. He knew his mission. He knew his commission He knew why and notice what he says it rejoices in this verse 29
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He who has the bride is the bridegroom But the friend of the bridegroom who he stands and hears him hears and rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice
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Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled Jesus Christ was his joy
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He must increase I must decrease Can't hear that enough
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John the Baptist had longing for Jesus Christ to be magnified exalted and lifted up and by the way
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Let me insert this here since I'm a pastor a teacher Folks I'm telling you and I heard
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Stephen Lawson say this and he's absolutely right the greatest compliment that you could compliment Myself a pastor any pastor preaching the gospel is and don't get me wrong.
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I prayed that What I preach and from the Word of God ministers to you and uplifts you and encourages you and points you to Jesus But I do not want any pat on the back and I really mean this
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I just want to know it is it is it exalting Jesus Christ and Stephen Lawson said this the greatest compliment you could compliment and tell a pastor is is
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Christ Christ is being lifted up Thank You pastor for Making Christ lifted up and exalted and making
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God bigger That's what it's about not the praises of men actually if I desired the praises of men,
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I'm not a I'm not a God called man. I should be hiding behind the cross the shadow of the cross as Christ is being lifted up and Every minister needs to have that same
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Agenda for all to see Jesus Christ and not John. That's what he's saying.
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He must increase I must decrease He who comes from above is above all
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He was of the earth is earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all
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Notice that he's insulting Christ and it's not that what the ministry of the
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Holy Spirit really does He he drew he draws people to Christ. He lifts up Christ That's how we know that The Holy Spirit is in our midst
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Christ is being exalted Christ Spurgeon says if you don't preach
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Christ, he says sir, go home and don't preach again until you have something to preach about Let it be his last sermon.
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Amen If he's not preaching Christ, it should be his last sermon
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John Baptist desired all attention to Jesus Christ and not himself
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Beloved that's the desire of every One that is truly humble
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All Glory belonging to Jesus Christ the supreme desire of those who minister
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Humbly in the power of the Spirit of the Living God should it point people to Christ?
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Staying close to the cross of Christ staying close at the to the feet of Jesus and on his feet and before his feet
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Kissing his feet worshiping at his foot his feet and being crucified
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This is Paul's Great desire if you go to 1st Corinthians, uh, we read it quite often here
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But what did Paul say in chapter 2? Notice this in chapter and verse
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I just read five verses and I brethren when I came to you I did not come
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I did not come with excellence the speech or of wisdom declaring the testimony of God Verse 2 tells it for I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
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I Was with you in weakness and fear and much trembling in my speech and my preaching were not persuasive words of human wisdom
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But in demonstration of the Spirit and a power that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men
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But in the power of God Look at 1st
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Corinthians 3 verse 5 who then is
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Paul Who is Apollos but ministers through whom you believe as the
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Lord gave to each one question I planted Apollos watered
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But God gave the increase. Did you see that you hear that God's to be glorified.
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We're just Vessels Paul saying we just who is Paul who's
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Apollos? They had this dispute I Planted Apollos watered
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God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything Nor he who waters but God gives the increase
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Now he who plants and he who waters are one and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor
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For we are God's fellow workers You are God's field you are God's building according to the grace of God which was given to me as a wise master builder
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I have laid the foundation and another one builds on it, but each let each one take heed how he builds on it
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For no other foundation anyone lay Then which then that which is laid which is
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Jesus Christ That's the true church He's the head of the church and now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold silver precious stone wood hay straw
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Each one's work will become clear for the day now He's not about judgment will declare it because it will be revealed by fire and the fire will test each one's work of what sort
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It is. I like what Ravenhill said here about Preachers he said
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Corinth could really relate to this because a fire went through Corinth and He said, you know if you think of it when fire is laid to everything that is seen above ground
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Like what? Wood hay and stubble That's everything that's seen ministries that are seen ministry.
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They even has numbers But what about what is it seen? Below the ground hidden and obscurity that people don't recognize but God sees it
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See, that's what he's saying Gold silver precious stones gold silver precious stones put the fire to both.
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What do you got? The wood hay and stubble it like Ravenhill says you you'd be knee -deep in ashes
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But if you put the fire to gold silver and precious stones, well, you still got the value It's hidden below the ground
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If anyone's work which he has built on it Endures he will receive a reward if anyone's work is burned.
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It will suffer loss But he himself will be saved yet as through fire And then he says is do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the
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Spirit of God dwells in you Wow, that's that's that's really what Christianity is the
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Spirit of God abides and dwells and habits us It is Christ in you the hope of glory if anyone were to come to us.
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Why are you a Christian? You know what? Our answer should be Christ lives in me That's the answer
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Not because I do this or do that because I go to church and I did I studied the Bible will pray and those are fruits
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By the way, but let me say this it's Christ in us the hope of glory. Amen If anyone defiles the temple of God God would destroy him for the temple of God is holy which temple you are
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Wow sobering but John the Baptist He had that great desire
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He had that great desire that Jesus Christ must increase he must increase My time is almost gone fifth
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John the Baptist was humble because he had a heart He had a closed heart.
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I should say to be in self -sufficient and self -seeking Again I must just decrease
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Jesus must increase I must decrease he said Humility destroys self -absorption
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Self -preoccupation self -sufficiency self -reliance Self self self must die our desire
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To become nothing compared to Christ which becomes everything. He must increase he must increase
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Philippians 121 for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain Galatians 220
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I have been crucified with Christ nevertheless is no longer I that lives but Christ lives in me again there and the life
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Which I allow live in the flesh. I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me The sixth
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John Baptist was humble because he had a desire to spend time much time with God in prayer
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Luke 11 1 How do we know this Look at Luke 11 1.
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This is interesting now. It came to pass as he was praying in the certain place Wow, this is the
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Lord and when he ceased One of his disciples said to him
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Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his disciples I really believe what urged him to Say that we don't know which one of the disciples said this one of his disciples
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But we do know that John knows what he says Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his disciples
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John had a life of prayer. We know that by that by that text don't we but also
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I believe that They heard Jesus He is the model Prayer he is the one they wanted to really model after but John the
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Baptist did have a prayer life He loved the Lord. He prayed and I really want believe this
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God's people who set their heart to pray They love to pray not to be heard of men or seen a man, but because they pray to God in secret
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And then of course Jesus gives us the model prayer father in heaven Hallowed be your name your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven give us day by day our daily bread and forgive us our
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Sins as we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us and lead us not to temptation, but deliver us from the evil one
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That's the kind of model praying John was a man of prayer but Jesus Simplified that most of all our
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Lord Jesus Christ Don't have time. I got to skip some things here because time is running out, but Jesus was perfect Son of God in time and time again
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If you read through Luke's gospel, you see his life his prayer life given out The very son of the
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Living God if he saw to it to spend much time and prayer
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Jesus in the days of his flesh folks. How much more do we need to pray?
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I Think about that often if Jesus saw it that it was so important to pray constantly and Meet with the
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Father in heaven. How much more shall we weak? Feeble fleshly mere men
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Need to pray and call on God Seventh the seventh and final one is
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John the Baptist was a man Because when he opened his mouth, he opened his mouth to praise
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God If you go to mark one We see this mark chapter 1 verse 7 and 8 mark 1 7 and 8 and he preached saying there comes one
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After me who is mightier than I? Whose sandal strap I'm not worthy to stoop down and lose
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I indeed baptize you with water and he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit He was a man that pointed people to Jesus Christ this marked him
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As a man sent from God beloved, there's nothing more powerful about humility in Worship to the
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Son of God Nothing more powerful Remember how
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Paul described true believers as humble worshipers Humility and worship go they're tied together
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Philippians 3 3 for we are the circumcision who worship God in the spirit and Rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh
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The arm of flesh will fail us like the song we sung today
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The arm of flesh now, let us lean on Christ With everything we have and cling to him
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Worship always flows from true humility folks from true humility. It's not about us, right?
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Not unto us not unto us Matthew 23
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Application to this what about us? Matthew 23
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Here it is verse 12
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Let me back it up a little bit verse 11, but he who is greatest among you shall be your servant
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And whoever exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted Psalm 34
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Psalm 34 18 the
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Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and saved such as of a contrite spirit Psalm 51 17
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The sacrifices of God over a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart these
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O God you will not despise James 4
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All familiar verses to us, but will we apply this to our lives?
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This is strong from James. Of course, you know James gets right down to the business
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James 4 Listen to verse 7 to 10 therefore submit to God resist the devil and he will flee from you
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Draw near to God and he would draw near to you cleanse your hands you sinners purify your hearts you double -minded lament
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Mourn and weep listen to that. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom
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Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and he will lift you up. There it is first Peter 5
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We've been here before haven't we but praise God we need to be reminded Verse 5 likewise you younger people submit yourselves to your elders.
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Yes, all of you be submissive to one another Be clothed with humility
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For God resists the proud and but gives grace to the humble therefore
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Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time Casting all your care upon him for he cares for you
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Let's pray Father we thank you Lord We need to be reminded of these words and The ministry
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We thank you for the ministry of John the Baptist that he had one desire and that was for him to decrease in Jesus to increase
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Help us Lord to live this out in our lives day by day by your grace and for your glory