John Who?

John one and Mark one. So, we are going to begin reading in Mark chapter one. This morning. We lest the Lord leads me differently. I do not have my mic turned on.

Alright. Now, is it on? Alright. That was allowed. Alright.

Lord willing, I'm going to be teaching through the gospel of Mark. This year on Sunday mornings, we will alter that schedule from time to time. Due to other things that that maybe going on. But Lord willing, that's what I would like to do and we are going to start with Mark one and verses one through 11 this morning. Mark one verses one through 11.

There we go. Got my slide up to where I am. Mark one one, in the beginning of the the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the son of God. Now, Imma stop there for just a moment. This tells us what this book that Mark wrote is all about.

There are many things you can write about. Mark wrote specifically about who? About Jesus Christ, the son of God. These are not merely the words of Mark. These are also the words of God.

The Bible says in first Peter that holy men of God were carried along led to write the words, to pin the words that they did as they were moved by the holy spirit. So that these are not merely their opinions or interpretations that these are indeed the very word of God. All scripture is given by inspiration of God. That means that it is given as it were directly from who? From God.

The word inspire means to breathe out and God breathe out these words through these men who pinned his word so that it is infallibly the word of God and not just the word or opinions of men and that makes a big difference. There are many millions of books out there but there is only one what? There's only one Bible. There is only one word of God. When a man writes a book based upon his opinions and interpretations, it reflects his imperfections but not the word of God because it's his word.

It's God's account of Jesus Christ, not just Mark's and of what Jesus Christ who is and Mark wants us to know from the get go here. He is the son of God. He is not a mere man. He is not just a good teacher. He is not just another prophet.

He is uniquely the only begotten son of God that sets him apart from all others. The son of God, Jesus, the name Jesus means Jehovah is salvation. The one who came to bring salvation. He is the Christ which is the Greek equivalent of the Old Testament Hebrew Messiah. He is the Messiah, the promised one of Israel.

That is who Mark is writing about. The beginning of the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, the son of God and that's what we're going to be studying over the next several Sundays from the book of Mark but now moving on to verse two, we'll get to the context of specifically the answer to this question up here, John who? Mark begins his gospel by talking about this man named John. As it is written in the prophets, behold, I send my messenger before thy face which shall prepare thy way before thee, before, before who? Before the coming of Jesus Christ, the son of God.

There's a messenger that will be sent before him. Verse three, the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Prepare you the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. The wilderness is the Judean wilderness or desert. If you go to Israel and you go South Of Jerusalem, it becomes more and more desert like.

It is desert as much as any other desert pretty much in the world. It is a wilderness. There aren't a whole lot of people living in the desert it and that's where John was crying was ministering during his ministry in Jerusalem and South. Verse four, John did baptize in the wilderness and preached the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. There was one primary river that flowed through the Judean wilderness into the Red Sea and that would be the Jordan River.

Verse five and there went out unto him all the land of Judea and they of Jerusalem and were all baptized of him in the River Jordan confessing their sins. John was clothed with camel's hair and with a girdle of skin about his loins and he did eat locusts and wild honey. In other words, he he didn't live in a nice plush house. He lived sort of nomadically in the desert where people would come out to hear him and therefore, his clothes were were born and and rustic and he lived off of the land so to speak of those things he could find. Verse seven, and he preached saying, there cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.

So, his message was not about himself. His message was concerning somebody else who was coming, who was greater by far than he. He said in verse eight, I indeed have baptized you with water but he, this one that is coming after me, shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and it came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized of John in the Jordan and straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens open and the spirit like a dove descending upon him and there came a voice from heaven saying, thou art my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. Let's go to the Lord in prayer once more. Dear heavenly father, thank you for your word.

May you direct as we look into it today and as I relay relay it Lord in word. I pray that you would guide me and I pray Lord that you by your holy spirit would take it and use it Lord to open our eyes to see the truth of the gospel Lord to teach us in your ways to draw us closer to you to show us your will and Lord may you be honored and glorified may Jesus Christ be exalt today In this service, we pray. For it's in Jesus name, amen. Amen. So, John who?

Who was John the Baptist this this person that Mark is talking about here. Well, first of all, he was not John the son of Zebedee, one of the 12. There are two primary John's mentioned in the New Testament. One is John the Baptist, the other is John the son of Zebedee. John, the son of Zebedee, whose brother's name was James, was a fisherman on the Sea Of Galilee that Jesus called to be one of his 12 disciples.

John the Baptist and John the son of Zebedee are two distinctly different characters in the story of Jesus's life and ministry. So, don't get the two of them confused. The other books in the Bible, the Gospel of John and first, second, and third John and the Book of Revelation were all written by John the son of Zebedee, not by John the Baptist. So, keep those two distinct and then he was also not John Mark. John Mark is the nephew of Barnabas, associate of Paul, and the other 12 disciples.

It was John Mark who is the one who penned the words of this gospel. We know him most often as Mark which the gospel bears its name Mark but he was also called by the name John. In some places by both names, John Mark but again, this is a different person. So, we have John, the son of Zebedee. We have John Mark who actually penned these words as led by the Holy Spirit and then, we have John the Baptist who is the subject of our text this morning.

He as we see here in our reading was the forerunner of Christ. He is the forerunner of Christ. The forerunner was one who went before the king or dignitary to prepare the way for his coming. That is what a forerunner does. He he runs ahead and he prepares the way for the coming of the king or the coming of the dignitary.

He make sure that arrangements are made for the coming of this important person and he make sure that people know so they can give the king or the dignitary a proper welcome. That is what John the Baptist did. He was the forerunner of Christ. He was sent to Israel a few years in his ministry before Christ to prepare the way for the king of kings and Lord of lords. To prepare the way for the Messiah, to prepare the way for the ministry of Jesus Christ.

To make sure that people knew so they could give him a proper welcome and there was much to John's ministry in preparing that way. John the Baptist was chosen of God to be this person. He did not choose himself. He he didn't decide, hey, I want to be the forerunner of Jesus Christ. He was chosen before his birth to be the forerunner of Christ by God himself for this very important task.

He is the last of the Old Testament prophets. Come in the spirit or likeness, manner of Elijah. Elijah lived in the wilderness. A good deal of his ministry. He did not have a home.

He preached messages of repentance to Israel as John did here as well and so he is likened unto Elijah and his coming as well as the coming of the Messiah were both foretold in the Old Testament. Let's start by looking at Isaiah chapter 40 and verse three. Mark is alluding to this passage here as he writes Mark one. Isaiah wrote, the voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, prepare you the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. There, Isaiah foretold of one who would come, who would be the voice that crieth in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord.

In Malachi three and verse one, this is the last book of the Old Testament. This was the last book written in the Old Testament over three hundred years before the incarnation of Christ. There, Malachi writes, behold, I will send my messenger and he shall prepare the way before me and the Lord whom you seek shall suddenly come to his temple even the messenger of the covenant whom you delight in. Behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. There, Malachi writes that he will send a messenger to prepare the way for the Messiah and then in the last chapter of Malachi, the closing verses of Malachi say this, behold, I will send you Elijah, the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

He shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. So, Malachi prophesied as well as Isaiah of the coming of this one who would be the forerunner and prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah to Israel. He would come in the likeness of Elijah and in Luke chapter one, you want to hold, you want to turn there. You don't have to. Imma read just a few verses from Luke one.

Luke one gives us the message that was given to John the Baptist's father. His name was Zacharias. He was a priest. He was serving in the temple. And the angel Gabriel came to him with a message He like Abraham was up in years and him and his wife had had no children there was a purpose in that because God wanted him to know that the son that he was going to give them was miraculous.

That son would be called John and become the one we know as John the Baptist and this is what the angel had to say to Zacharias in Luke one verse 13 but the angel said unto him, fear not, Zacharias, for thy prayer is heard and thy wife, Elizabeth, shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He shall be filled with the holy ghost even from his mother's womb and many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God and he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias. That's the same, that's the Greek for 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. That's what the angel told Zechariah about the son he was going to have that he was to name John. He was the fulfillment of these promises made to Isaiah and by Malachi and here made to Zechariah by the angel concerning the son. He was to have. He was sent not as the Messiah but to bear witness as of a of the light to bear witness of the light, the true light, the Messiah before Israel and to prepare them for the coming of Christ.

We read in John chapter one a few minutes ago in verse six, it says, there was a man sent from God whose name was John, okay? He was sent from who? He was sent from or sent by God for this purpose. The same came for a witness to bear witness of the light that all men through him might believe. He was sent to bear witness as to who Jesus was.

The last prophet of the Old Testament of the Old Covenant to proclaim, to identify to Israel who their Messiah was. He was not the light but was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world. This is the primary ministry of John the Baptist is to be the forerunner and prepare the way for the Messiah, the coming of Jesus Christ. Part of that had to do with his baptism.

Part of it had to do with his baptism. He is the forerunner of Christ and he is John the Baptist, the baptizer and will be the baptizer of Christ. We'll see here in just a few minutes. Now, when we say John the Baptist, we're not talking about religious denomination, okay? He was not a Baptist opposed to a Presbyterian or opposed to a Lutheran or a Methodist, okay?

He was called John the Baptist because his ministry included the ministry of baptizing those who came to him expressing repentance for their sin and repentance toward God. He baptized them publicly as a demonstration, a public demonstration, confession of their faith in the Lord and their repentance over sin Thus, he is called John the Baptist we are not baptist because of John the Baptist okay? There are some Baptist that try to trace the Baptist denomination all the way back to John the Baptist. I don't think you can do that but even if you could, I am not first and foremost a baptist. I'm a Christian.

I'm not a follower of John the Baptist. I'm a follower of who? I'm a follower of Jesus Christ. We are Christians first and foremost. We follow the Lord Jesus Christ.

The church is his body. It is built by him. Jesus said, I will build what? My church and the gates of hell will not prevail again. Not John's church.

Jesus's church. Though our baptism which is Christian baptism is very similar in mode and meaning to that of John the Baptist we are not followers of John. We are followers of Jesus. Though John is a very good example set forth for us in scripture. He was a baptizer who preached the need of for repentance of sin and used the ceremonial washing of baptism as a symbol of repentance.

Look if you would in Mark one verses four and five. John did baptize in the wilderness and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins and there went out unto him all the land of Judea and they of Jerusalem and were all baptized of him in the River Jordan confessing their sins. You see, in the Jewish law, under the old covenant, under the law of Moses, specifically given to the nation of Israel. Under the old covenant before Jesus came and died on the cross and rose again, they had to make sacrifices for their sins. They had to bring a lamb and shed its blood.

An innocent lamb to take their place so to speak. Symbolically, to cover their sin. Jesus Christ did that finally and totally on the cross of Calvary. So, we're under the new covenant through the blood of Jesus Christ and we no longer bring the blood of bulls and goats as sacrifices but before Christ came under the law of Moses, under the old covenant, they had to do this and before they could bring sacrifices and before they could approach God, they would ceremonially wash themselves. Not because they so much because they were physically dirty but to represent the need to be cleansed and washed from their what?

From their sin. It was a reminder. Of the corruption. Of the flesh. The corruption of man.

That only Jesus Christ can cleanse. So, whenever they came to worship, they had to ceremonially wash themselves. If they had touched a dead body or if they had touched someone who was corrupted by a disease like leprosy, they would have to wash themselves and wait so many days before they could come to worship or be around other people. The Lord put that in place not only for symbolic reasons but also it cut down on disease in in the nation of Israel. In John's day, if a Gentile wanted to become a worshiper of the God of Israel.

They would require him to cleanse himself, to wash himself. Totally. What that meant was rather than just washing your arms or legs or washing your body or pouring water, they would be immersed. They would be taken totally under the water and they would come out the other side and this was a custom in Judaism of John's day and it represented the Gentile or even the Jew who had turned from Judaism and now wanted to come back into Judaism. It represented this full heart, this total repentance, this total turn from whatever they had believed in and whatever they were were serving to fully be totally in repentant in heart and then turn to Judaism.

Okay, that's what the Jews were practicing and they used whole body immersion to do that. John was taking the same symbol and he wasn't asking Gentiles to be immersed, to become Jews, or to worship as proselytes of the gate. In Judaism, no, he was asking who to be baptized all over. Jews. He was telling Jews.

Jews who had been Jews all their life. Born that way. Jews who had been practicing Jews their whole life. He was asking them to follow the same practice as they asked Gentiles to do. As a sign of repentance, as a sign of an acknowledgement of their what?

Of their sin. You see, the Jews thought because they were Jews that they automatically were accepted by God but the Gentiles, all they were, they were way out there. God didn't want to have anything to do with Gentiles but I'm a Jew and therefore, God accepts me. Well, John was trying to teach the Jews and preparing them for the coming of the Messiah that they too were sinners and that they too needed to repent. They too needed to turn to the Lord from their sin, from their self righteousness to receive the righteousness that is of God that would come through the death and resurrection of who?

Of Jesus Christ, the Messiah and so he wasn't baptizing Gentiles. He was baptizing Jews and they were coming to him acknowledging many were coming to him acknowledging their sin and one of the gospels, some of the Pharisees came and he looked at them and said, why are you coming? Are you repentant in your heart? You see, the Pharisees were self righteous. They didn't think they needed a savior.

They didn't like Jesus when he came because he exposed who they were. They were sinners and they didn't want to accept that. This baptism that John was doing represented the repentance of heart of the people who came to him. He made that that very clear and in doing so, he was preparing the people's hearts. For the coming of Jesus Christ.

Who would save them from their sin. John's water in the Jordan River could not save them from their sin. It was symbolic but Jesus Christ who was coming If they would come to Christ in faith, he could do what the waters of John could not do. He could save their soul. He could forgive their sins and so he prepared them through the ceremony of baptism reminded them of their sin.

Isaiah sixty four six Isaiah writing to Israel said, but we are all as an un thing and all our righteousness are as filthy rags and we all do faith as a leaf on our iniquities like the wind have taken us away He wrote in Isaiah 53, all we like sheep have what? Gone stray. Reminded in Romans three twenty three, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. We are all sinners in need of a savior. And that's what John was preaching.

That Israel, the Jews were sinners. They were in need of repentance. They were in need of a savior themselves. And he would be the one. To identify that savior.

When he came on the scene. So now, Jesus at the age of 30 years old comes to John to the Jordan River and so, we see John as the forerunner of Christ. We see John as the baptizer, the ba and we see John as the introduce of Christ to Israel Look if you would in Mark chapter one verses nine to 11 again and it came to pass in those days that John came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized of John in the Jordan and straightway coming out of the water, he saw the heavens open and the spirit like a dove descending upon him and there came a voice from heaven, thou art my beloved son, and whom I am well pleased. How did Jesus choose? How did God choose to introduce his son to to the nation of Israel, to the world?

He chose to introduce him at the baptism of who? At the baptism of John the Baptist. As Jesus obeyed his heavenly father, went down into the waters of the Jordan to be baptized of John the Baptist who happens to be his second cousin. And there God declared publicly that this man is not just a man but that Jesus is the son of God. So, John the Baptist became the introduce through his baptism of Jesus Christ to the world.

Now, John the Baptist baptism was a baptism of repentance Then, why did Jesus need to be baptized Did he need to repent No. A matter of fact, when Jesus came to John to be baptized and asked him to baptize him, John said, why do you ask to be baptized of me? It should be the other way around. John recognized that he was a sinner. He also recognized that Jesus Christ was not and he said, shouldn't it be the other way around?

And Jesus said, no. This is the way my father in heaven wants it to be. You see, the baptism of John was a baptism of repentance. They used the ceremonial washing practice of Judaism to represent this turn from sin to the Lord but Christian baptism represents even more because it represents the death and burial of Jesus Christ and his what? Resurrection from the dead.

See, Christ didn't need to get baptized because he was a sinner who needed to repent. By Jesus being baptized, he acknowledged the mission of his father publicly and he gave us a representation of what was to come. As he would die on the cross for our sins and would then what? Rise again from the dead and when as Christians, we are baptized, yes, we are saying, we are demonstrating, testifying before others that we have repented of our sin and trusted Christ as our savior but we're also identifying ourselves with the death, burial, and resurrection of our savior, Romans chapter six. As we are raised to walk in what?

Newness of life in Jesus Christ. We who have come to Christ and put our faith and trust in him as Lord and savior have been given a new life. We have been born what? Again, by his spirit, through his son, Jesus Christ. Baptism doesn't save anybody but what it does is it testifies before others who we are now that we have put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ and that we are a new creature in Jesus Christ and we now serve and live for him.

Look if you would turn over to John chapter one. John chapter one. Look at verses 29 to 27. Remaining on the the point of John being the introducer of Jesus Christ. Not only did he baptism, baptize him and and the father in heaven acknowledged publicly who his son was.

John the Baptist went on to point out to others as he met them who Jesus Christ was. Look if you would in John one twenty nine. The next day, John see it Jesus coming unto him and say it, behold, the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said after me cometh a man which is preferred before me for he was before me. Now, wait a second.

Who was born first? John or Jesus? Do you know? John. John was born several months before Jesus.

He's less than a year older than than his cousin, Jesus because Mary and Elizabeth, their mothers were cousins. So, John was born first but John says here that Jesus was what? Before him. Well, how can that be? If John was born before Jesus, how can Jesus be before John?

Because Jesus didn't begin when he was born. He didn't begin at his conception. It says in John one one, in the beginning was the word, that's Jesus. The word was with, the word was with God, word was with God and the word was God. All things it says in verse three were made by him and down in verse 14, it says, and the word became flesh and dwelt among us.

You see, Jesus didn't start on Earth. He started where? In heaven, in eternity past with the father. He came to Earth and became a baby. That he might grow up to be a man.

That he might die in our place. On the cross of Calvary The perfect God man and mediator between God and man. So, John says here, he was before me. Verse 31 and I I knew him not but that he should be made manifest to Israel. Therefore, am I come baptizing with water.

At first, John didn't know when they were kids running around in in Nazareth that Jesus was the son of God. He knew he was his cousin. But now he knows different. Verse 32, John bear record saying, I saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove and it abode upon him and I knew him not but that he sent me to baptize with water. The same said unto me, upon whom thou shalt see the spirit descending and remaining on him the same as he which baptizes with the Holy Ghost and I saw and bear record that this is the son of God and again, the next day, John stood and two of his disciples looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, behold, the lamb of God and the two disciples heard him speak and they followed Jesus.

John the Baptist had followers. He had disciples. He was a teacher. They were the what? Students.

And when Jesus came by that day, Jesus pointed out to his students, there he is. The man I've been talking about. The lamb of God will take away the sin of the world and so they left following him and they started following who? Jesus. Did John go and say, oh no, you can't follow him.

You're supposed to follow me. No. Because the whole purpose of John's ministry was to introduce people to who? To Jesus the son of God and the Messiah of Israel and that he did The forerunner of Christ, the Baptist, and the introducer of Christ. And then fourthly this morning, the humble servant of Christ.

John made it abundantly clear over and over again. It was not about him. It was all about Jesus. In Mark chapter one verses seven and eight, it says, and preach saying, there cometh one mightier than I after me. The latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and on loose.

I indeed baptize you with water but he he shall baptize you with. The Holy Ghost. John made it abundantly clear. He was not the Messiah. They asked him, are you the Messiah?

He said, no. I am not the Christ. I am not the Messiah. He made clear that his purpose, his mission, who he was, was the one who was sent ahead to bear witness, to point others. To Christ.

To prepare them for the coming of Christ That was his purpose That was his mission He was not the master He was the servant The servant sent ahead by the master. To tell others, the king is what? The king is coming. Prepare yourselves. The king is coming.

That was his job He did it well He was privilege What a privilege to be chosen by God Before your birth to be the introduce of Christ to the world. His baptism was symbolic While the baptism that Jesus would bring was spiritual and final. His baptism was not from Earth. His baptism was from what? From above.

He said, I have baptized you with water, merely symbolic. But Jesus, he will baptize you with what? The Holy Ghost. Big difference. Big difference.

In John chapter three, Jesus said to Nicodemus, he said, that which is born of flesh is flesh, that which is born of spirit is spirit. He said, marvel not that I say unto you, you must be one. Born again. That can also be translated born from above. He said, marvel not Nicodemus, I tell you, you must be born again.

You must be born from above. You must be born of the spirit. You see, the Bible says in Adam, all what? Die. But in Christ shall all be made alive.

We inherited sin from Adam and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned but we have received by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, the righteousness of God by him. Whereby we are saved. As we have been baptized by his spirit into his body. And are one in him. Having become the children of not Adam but having become now the children of God.

By faith. So, John says, what I'm doing is good because it's preparing you but it's merely symbolic. What Christ will do, that will change your eternal destiny. From hell, to heaven. John says in John three, I am of the earth but Jesus is from above.

And he will baptize you with the holy spirit. John's ministry would fade as Jesus's ministry grew as he acknowledged in John three. John three verse 22, John says, after thee, it says, John, after these things came Jesus and his disciples in the land of Judea and there he tarried with them and baptized. Now, Jesus and his disciples were now baptizing people as well. Verse 23, John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salem because there was much water there and they came and were baptized for John was not yet cast into prison.

Then, there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying and they came unto John and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan to whom thou bearest witness, behold, the same baptizes and all men come to him. John answer and said, a man can receive nothing except be given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness that I said, I am not the Christ but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bride but the friend of the bridegroom which standeth and heareth him rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. This my joy therefore is fulfilled.

He must increase but I must what? But I must decrease because it wasn't about John. It was about Jesus. John was not the bridegroom. John was the friend.

Of the bridegroom. He was the one who went before to announce the coming of the bridegroom. The bridegroom is Jesus and the bride is the church, the redeemed of Christ Jesus John the Baptist was the friend the herald that herald the coming of the bride John said, my mission is what? Is fulfilled And I'm thankful. He will increase and I must decrease.

He acknowledged that. John was a witness. A witness who foretold the coming of Christ. A witness who introduced Christ to his fellow men, his brethren in Israel. But you know something?

John the Baptist is not the only witness and he's not the only one called. You are. You say but pastor, there's there's only one forerunner of Christ. That's right. We're not the forerunners.

We're the after runners. See, God called John to witness for Christ at his coming and before his coming but God has called us in Christ Jesus to witness to others that he has come and to introduce them to Jesus Christ as John introduced the people of his day to Jesus Christ as John introduced those in Judea and says, behold the lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world. It is our privilege to proclaim the message found in here of God's record that Jesus Christ has come. And to introduce them to Jesus through his word and by his spirit So that they too might be saved. That they too might put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

We are told to baptize new converts to Christ until the end of the age. A baptism that identifies them with who? Jesus Christ, their savior. It does not save them. What it does is it publicly tells, testifies of their faith in Christ.

Matthew 2,818 to 20, Jesus came and spake unto them saying, all power is given to man in heaven and earth. Go you therefore and teach all nations. Baptizing them in the name of the father, the son, and the holy ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have, whatsoever I have commanded you, and low I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Jesus said, before he left this world to his disciples, he said, as the father has sent me, so what? Send I you.

For the lost and dying world. To introduce them to Jesus, the Messiah, the savior of the world, who came and died on the cross, who would save their souls by grace through faith. If they will receive him. As Lord and savior. In John's day, some received him when Jesus came.

Some did not In our day some will many will not But it is our privilege To introduce them. To Jesus Christ, our savior. To tell them, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. We testify to that Proclaim that message at our baptism after we're saved.

We we demonstrate that in our lives as we choose to live for Christ in a wicked world. That has no fear of God before their eyes and we testify to that when we open our mouth and we tell other about Jesus Christ or when we hand them a track that'll tell them about Jesus Christ When we take em to the word or bring em to service where they could hear the preaching and hear the word of God. This is our privilege. This is our joy. This is what God has called us to.

What will you do? What will we do? We have a New Year before us. Will you take the message to the world? Will you fulfill the ministry that God has called you to?

As John did his. Will we be a better witness? This year. Than last. I pray that we will and I pray that if there's one here today that's never trusted Jesus Christ as savior.

I pray, I plead with you today. Will you come as we sing this hymn of invitation? And be saved. Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, we thank you Lord for your word.

We thank you for the testimony of John. And of his ministry that you called him to. We thank you for the ministry you have called us to. To tell others about Jesus Christ today. To share with them the word of God, the record that you have given, to share with them our personal testimony as to what you've done in our life to demonstrate it by our actions that we are indeed the children of God to others around us that there's something different in our life because you've changed us and made us your child and Lord, we pray if there's one here today that's never trusted in you that they would come.

The day they might be saved and receive your offer of salvation. For as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God. Even to them that believe on his name. In Jesus name, we do pray. Amen.

If you take your hymn books if you would, turn to M 204 and let's stand to sing. Turn