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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/william-skates/a-man-sent-from-god/
Let's turn to the Gospel of John again, this time in chapter 1, a little word further about our service. And we'll take a look at this man, John, verse 6. There was a man sent from God whose name was John.
The same came for a witness to bear witness of the light that all men through him might believe. He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
Now the Lord will bless the reading from his word. There are many other scriptures concerning John the Baptist that we could read, could refer to them as we go through. There was a man sent from God whose name was John.
So I just want to look at it this way. There was a man, we'll think about the design of his birth, the design of his birth. God was at work. There was a man sent. We want to think about the development of his life.
A man sent. A man sent from God. We think of the devotion of his service. And there was a man sent from God whose name was John. This is written many years later, and that brings us to think about the death of the servant, the man whose name was John.
Now John's birth was designed by God. He had part in a divine plan. He is spoken of prophetically way back in the prophecy of Isaiah chapter 40, the voice of him crying in the wilderness. Malachi chapter 3, I will send my messenger before my face and he shall prepare before me my way before me.
So John's birth, his coming into the world, his coming was designed of God and it was pre-planned. I wonder, dear brother or sister, has the wonder of this scripture so that you and I as believers in our Lord Jesus Christ have a part in a divine plan?
The book of Ephesians chapter 1 reminds us that we were chosen in him before the foundation of the world. God had a plan mapped out. Having predestinated us unto sonship through Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will, being predestinated according to the purpose of him that worketh all things after his own will.
It's marvelous to think of how God had me in mind to place me as a son in the family of God and to be a part of that family eternity, to have a part in the divine plan of all the ages. That's marvelous to think of, isn't it?
John had a part in God's plan. Then not only that, but I want you to see that his birth was the proof of divine power. The proof of divine power. Elizabeth was barren and she and Zacharias were well stricken in years and naturally speaking the case was hopeless.
I mean, how could they possibly have a child? Like others in our Bible, there was Sarah and Rebecca and Rachel and Hannah. Well, we notice in all of these cases what nature could not achieve in its deadness, divine power could.
And when God was at work, there was nothing impossible for him to do. And so John was born as a result of divine power. You know, you and I have loved ones and their sins and sometimes we look on them with this thought in our head, well, it's a case that's hopeless.
But we remind our hearts today, as we've been already reminded, that divine power can reach them and God through Christ and by the power of his Holy Spirit is in the business of saving souls and we would be encouraged to keep praying for them and bringing them before the Lord.
Because we notice as well that John's birth was the product of prayer. Fear not, Zacharias, said the angel, for your prayer is heard and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear a son. They had prayed for I don't know how long, but those prayers reached into the very presence of God and in spite of the barrenness, they prayed on and God heard and God intervened and God worked.
So let's not give up on praying, let's keep at it. Rachel, she was in a similar condition and she cried out one day, give me children or I die. But God remembered Rachel and hearkened on to her and opened her womb.
God works. Samuel, for this child I pray, God heard and the child Samuel was born. So we think of John and we notice the design of his birth and we thank God that ever we were born into the very family of God.
But I must say a word about the development of his life. There was a man sent. Whenever he was born, it wasn't too long until his progress was noted. When he was born, it was said, what manner of child shall this be?
And sometimes when we look at new converts, we wonder, I wonder what God just has in store for them. Well, we read that the hand of the Lord was with him. We read that the child grew and waxed strong in spirit.
For those that were observing, there was a growth physically in John. There was a growth spiritually in John. And we would expect even today to see those two things in children that profess to be saved.
It's good to see them grow physically, but we should expect that they will grow spiritually. And just a word now for younger believers that are here, I know that a day at a conference can be long, even when you're saved sometimes, but I would encourage you to wing yourself off of reading books and playing games when the Word of God has been taught.
Because God has saved you for a purpose, that you might grow spiritually. And you'll never grow unless you're taking in truth from God's Word. So he is marked by growth, not only his progress, but his place.
He was in the desert, we read, until the time of his showing unto Israel. Now that's interesting to think of because John's outlook on the world, literally, as he looked around him, all he could see was a desert.
All he could see was a wilderness. That's what this world was to John, just a wilderness. It was a desert. He wasn't the first man of God to be in God's school in a desert. There was Moses, there was Israel, there was Elijah, there was Paul, they all had their schooling here in a scene of outward barrenness.
And yet they were learning God, and they were learning from God. They were isolated from companions, yes, but they were enjoying intimate communion with God. One of our brethren mentioned AMS Gooding yesterday, and we benefited much from his ministry in earlier days.
These men are, in some sense, irreplaceable. But he made a choice early on in his life that he would go in for the things of God, and even legitimate things while they were being carried on, he was alone with God, and it showed later in his ministry.
So he was a man so humble, with a leathern girdle, found in the desert, sandaled feet, locusts and honey, no need for money, preaching, warning, from wrath to flee, his place in the desert. The verses of this poem that I'm quoting interspersed with our remarks were written by my father about 40 years ago, so there's more to come.
Then there was his presentation, the time of his showing unto Israel. And so we read in Luke chapter 3 that the word of the Lord came unto John in the wilderness. And so John would not be restricted merely to time alone.
There would be a time when publicly he would carry his ministry to a wider sphere, and he would be known in Israel. And that's the way God works. He will use us publicly only after we have spent time alone in private with God, and enjoying communion with him.
So the development of his life. I want to say a thing or two about the devotion of his service. There was a man sent from God. He came from God. God was working in his case. Notice in his service the prominence and the preeminence that he gave to our Lord Jesus Christ.
We might say concerning John that he opened up the way for Christ. He was the forerunner. He opened up the way for Christ. And then he got out of the way for Christ. His ministry lasted just about six months or so, and had he have known the scripture that later would be written by Paul, he would have gladly confessed that in all things he might have the preeminence.
He must increase, but I must decrease. Camels hair clothing, sinners reproving, bring forth the fruits repentance to show, baptizing in water, but there's another, the latchet of whose shoes I would not undo.
So his ministry began. Christ was preeminent. And in his preaching, the prominence he gave to Christ, but in his preaching, we note that his preaching was pointed. He didn't mince words. He didn't hold anything back.
His preaching was plain. His preaching was precise, and we've had that emphasized for us. We need to be accurate in handling the scriptures. And his preaching was powerful as he spoke of sin, and he warned from the wrath to come and the need for repentance.
But above all, he pointed to Christ. The only savior of sinners, behold the lamb. This is the man who is before me ordained of God. He, the sin bearer, the only savior, imparting the spirit, divinity.
He is the bridegroom. Now, there is no room for any other. His is the bride. Now, I rejoice hearing his voice. He must increase immeasurably. That expresses something of the heart of John. He was marked by humility.
We could write over that his poverty of spirit. Really, John's character was in keeping with every true subject in Messiah's kingdom. Marked by poverty of spirit. He was genuine in his humility. It wasn't fake.
It wasn't put on. It wasn't standing, rubbing his hands, look at me and notice me, please, because I'm so humble. But his humility was real and genuine because he took his measure from the stature of Christ.
And he couldn't compare with one like that. He says, I am not the Christ. Are you the prophet then? No. He who comes after me, the strap of his shoes, I'm not worthy to stoop down and untie. He is preferred before me, for he was before me.
And that's always the remedy. I take it to natural pride that's in every one of our hearts. The remedy for false humility is really to take a look at Christ, to gaze upon him as he was, and to watch him as he trod.
And that gave John a true estimate of himself. He says, I'm just the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Not even taking credit for the words that he spoke, he said, I'm the voice, just the voice of one crying in the wilderness.
He said, this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase and I must decrease. Multitudes heard him, wondering at him, is this the Christ? Can this be he? Voice in the wilderness, smoothing the path of the one coming after me.
Only the oracle doing no miracle, yet the forerunner opening the door, baptizing Jesus, fulfills all righteousness, feeling his nothingness on Jordan's shore. The Lord Jesus gave him a personal commendation.
He said, among those that are born of women, there is not risen a greater than John the Baptist. He called him a prophet, and he said, he's more than a prophet. I take it the reason for that was that John actually lived to see the object of his prophecy embarking upon his ministry.
It was not that light, but nevertheless, he was a burning and a shining lamp. He was feeding off another energy. A lamp has an energy from another source, and we read that John was full of the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb.
You and I are exhorted to let our light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven. It's our calling as the sons of God. We are in the midst of a crooked and a perverse generation among whom ye shine as lights, luminaries in the world.
I wonder how our testimony does shine amongst our neighbors, amongst our friends and those that know us. If it's our calling, it's to mark us in our conduct. We are to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
We are to expose the unfruitful works of darkness by abstaining from them. I'm not going in with it. If it's our calling and it's to be our character, it is also our conduct also to mark us in our character.
Now are ye light in the Lord, walk as children of light. So Christ is the light, and he manifested who God is to men. And you and I, we bring the light of the very character of God in godliness, in testimony, in our service, into the communities in which our lot is cast.
So that's all I want to say about John in his service. Let's think for a moment about the death of the servant. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. Kings heard him gladly. Heard him, but sadly turned from his message, sealing their fate, cast into prison.
In famous decision, bring me the Baptist's head on a plate. His was a task performed. We come into the book of Acts, and Paul, speaking of John, says in Acts 13, John fulfilled his course. John finished well.
He finished his course. I wonder if John's ministry and his testimony and how he finished had an impact upon Paul himself. Because later on as Paul is writing to Timothy and he's about to lay down the pen of inspiration in 2nd Timothy in chapter 4, you remember that Paul said, I have fought a good fight.
I have finished my course. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge shall give to me in that day, and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
John had come to the end. He had fought a good fight. Sorry, Paul. And Paul finished well, just as John finished well. Wouldn't that be a tremendous goal for each one of us here in the Blue River Conference on this Sunday afternoon?
To go out with this resolve before the Lord, oh that we might finish well. There are many that have been in the race and some have not done so well along the road but oh that God would preserve us, that God would keep us, that you and I might shine brightly as lamps in this world to go through this world and to let others know that the King is coming.
He's coming and he's coming soon. Now spent his force, finished his course, silenced his voice, speaking to men. No greater prophet ever was raised up. Words of the Savior, spoken of John. May we as John who pointed others to Christ have a life and testimony also that will just do the same, to point others to Christ.
No greater calling than to be involved in the work of God. The Lord bless this work of ours.