THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 4 – (JOHN THE BAPTIST)

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THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST 4 – (JOHN THE BAPTIST):

MAtt. 3:1-12; MK. 1:1-8; LK. 3:1-20. JN. 1:19-28:

Jesus came into the world at a time of universal moral decay and spiritual deadness. And so for him to be accepted there must be a period of preparation. For this very purpose John the Baptist was born see. Luke.3:4-6.

John the Baptist shook his generation as Elijah did during his time. John’s appearance was startling, his voice was electrifying, his message was both disturbing and marvelous. it was not simply that he looked like Elijah or that multitudes were pulled to the Jordan river to hear him; he preach with the prophets spirit and power. All Jerusalem became stirred and went out to see and hear this man of God.

For the first in their lives they were able to see a man on fire for God. And in his flashing eyes they saw the urgency of their own need, and a religion that was more than a shadow or a shell, but something vibrant, vital, and alive.

Finally, the religious leaders went to see him, may be to scoff and sneer him. But John was not intimidated by them and did not spare them, for he told them plainly not to hide under the fact that they are Abraham’s children that they need to repent like the publicans and sinners.

All who did repent, were immersed in the river Jordan by John and this new rite he called “Baptism”

John was the last Old Testament evangelists; he was a link between the Old Testament and The New Testament.
He ignited his hearers so much that they supposed him to be their long awaiting Messiah.

In response, John said he was not the Messiah but a voice crying in the wilderness to move people prepare for the coming of the Messiah.

II. THE BAPTISM OF JESUS:

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Matt. 3:3-17; Mk. 1:9-11; Lk. 3:21-23:

The way was ready the hour has come. At the age of thirty, his time obscurity over, Jesus went from Nazareth to Bethany for there was river Jordan, and there he was baptized by John.

At first John refused, but demanded that Jesus rather baptize him, however, when he saw the significance of ministering this rite to the one who never did any sin and needed repentance, he now accept to baptize him.

Jesus was baptized to set an example for all men to follow, and thereby signified his own death and resurrection and also to fulfill all righteousness.

III. THE RELATIONSHIP OF JESUS AND JOHN THE BAPTIST:

1. John was forerunner of Jesus Christ. He serve as the fore runner who prepared the heart of the people.
2. And Jesus continued from where John stopped. After the baptism Jesus withdraw himself into the wilderness. The wilderness serves as school.

IV. THE TEMPTATION OF CHRIST:

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To us and many people retirement means relinquishing of responsibility. But to Christ retirement means preparation for action. His coming was to battle with the forces of evil. 1Jn. 3:8.

So, his first encounter was a contest with the prince of evil matt.4:7-13. In baptism he received confirmation of his mission. In temptation he received the strength which comes directly from trials and testing.

POINT TO NOTE:

His temptation was from without and not from within as ours’ often is; this means that Jesus has not in him any evil desire that can draw him into temptation, but Satan brought this to him as a suggestion.

But we, as fallen men always have the evil desire that can open door easily to Satan to tempt us.

Christ was a pattern for us all: He had taught us to gain Holiness by overcoming temptation; Heb. 2:18; the whole world revolves around Adam and Christ.

Adam at the beginning was tempted and he failed. Therefore the whole world failed. Christ at the beginning also was tempted, (a repetition of the temptation of Adam) but he overcome. The world today through him overcomes temptation.

V. FIRST TEMPTATION:

1. He was tempted to satisfy his hunger by using the power of his miracle work. Note; many crime has been committed in human history because men were driven by hunger.
2. He was tempted to doubt his sonship because of hunger. “if thou at the son of God” (ref. to Matt. 22:40) practical application Heb. 4:15.

VI. SECOND TEMPTATION:

Temptation to pride and egotism. The devil suggest to Christ to take a short cut 9Ps.91:11-12) to win the world which was by doing something spectacular and to forget the tedious ways to win the world which was by the cross.

Note:

People want the spectacular today that is why some ministers have gone to collect means and concoctions in order to give people what they want.

His response, Matt. 4:7; compared it with Luke 11:29; the people of Jesus day are like the people of today they have not much interested in the truth that sets one free but signs (miracles).

VII. THIRD TEMPTATION: LUKE. 4:5-7:

What the devil said here means that by Adam’s disobedience he legally handed over his authority to rule this world initially committed into his hand to Satan. He became the prince of this world in place at Adam. John. 14:30; 1Jn. 5:19.

Here is the stand of Jesus concerning this world. Jn. 6:15; 18: 36; 2Pt. 3:5-8; that is why he responded thus:

10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Matthew 4:10 (KJV)

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