(Breath of Life Theme Music)
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Breath of Life
Ministries Presents:
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Sermon #B622 - The
Message of John the Baptist
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PB: Mark chapter 1 verse 1 and
I'm going to read verses 1
through 8. If you have it, let
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me hear you say, amen.
[Audience: Amen.] All right,
Mark chapter 1, verse number 1,
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the word of God says, " The
beginning of the gospel of Jesus
Christ, the Son of God as it is
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written in the prophets,
"Behold, I send my messenger
before thy face, which shall
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prepare thy way before thee.
Verse 3, "The voice of one
crying in the wilderness.
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Prepare ye the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.? John
did baptize in the wilderness,
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and preach the baptism of
repentance for the remission of
sins. And there went out unto
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him all the land of Judaea, and
they of Jerusalem, and were all
baptized of him in the river of
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Jordan, confessing their what
everybody? [Audience: Sins.]
Come on, confessing their what,
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everybody? [Audience: Sins.]
Confessing their sins. "And John
was clothed with camel's hair,
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and with a girdle of a skin
about his loins and he did eat
what everybody? [Audience:
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Locusts.] Locusts and wild what?
[Audience: Honey.] And preached,
saying, There cometh one
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mightier than I after me, the
latchet of whose shoes I am not
worthy to stoop down and
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unloose. I, indeed have baptized
you with water but He shall
baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
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" Today, I don't want to spend
too much time but I just want to
challenge you with the subject,
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a message from John the Baptist.
A message from John the Baptist.
Now when most people talk about
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John the Baptist, what are they
talk about? What do they tell
you when they begin to talk
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about John the Baptist? What do
they say beyond the fact that he
is described as one who cries in
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the wilderness? If you would
have turned to your neighbor
right now and ask your neighbor,
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what can you tell me about John
the Baptist, they probably would
tell you a sundry of things.
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But if they begin to tell you
about John the Baptist at the
beginning of his life,
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they would tell you about John
the Baptist's miraculous
conception and his marvelous
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calling. What am I talking
about? You will remember that
John's parents, Elizabeth and
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Zechariah were Godly people.
What kind of people, everybody?
[Audience: Godly.] The Bible
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tells us that they were Godly
people. That they were both
righteous before the Lord and
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they live blamelessly according
to the commandments of the Lord.
But the Bible also tells us that
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Zechariah and Elizabeth were
childless and they were beyond
the childbearing years. Oh but
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prayer. I believe somebody knows
something happens when you keep
on praying. Do I have a witness
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in this place? [Audience: Yes.]
You see, before there were blue
pills like we have now, there
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was faith in God. Do I have a
witness on this place?
[Audience: Yes.] I believe if
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somebody knows that something
happens when you push, that
means you got to pray until
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something happens. Zechariah,
John the Baptist's father kept
on praying for a son. Zechariah
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kept on praying for the
impossible and one day, the
angel of the Lord, Gabriel --
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everybody say, Gabriel.
[Audience: Gabriel.] -- showed
up in the temple where Zechariah
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was serving and said, "The Lord,
Zechariah, has heard your
prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth
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will bear you a son and you're
to name him, John." Now,
Zechariah was an old man.
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Elizabeth was beyond
childbearing years but God can
do the impossible. Are you
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hearing what I'm saying?
[Audience: Yes.] In the
six-month of Elizabeth
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pregnancy, Gabriel was sent by
God to a town in Galilee called
Nazareth and he was sent to a
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virgin by the name of Mary who
was engaged to a man named,
Joseph. You all to hear what I'm
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saying? [Audience: Yes.] Gabriel
told Mary that she was to be the
mother of a son of God and when
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she ask, "But how can this
happen, I've never been with a
man? " Gabriel told her,
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"Nothing is impossible with
God." Your cousin who was said
to be barren but is now in her
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old age is 6 months pregnant. "
So Mary runs off and goes to see
her cousin, Elizabeth and when
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she walks in a room, read the
Bible, the Bible says that John
the Baptist leaped -- anybody
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knows what I'm talking about --
in Elizabeth womb. Do you see
what's going on here? I wish I
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had time to preach this,  I'm
not going to have that much
time. I'm going to get you out
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all the time but just being in
the presence of Jesus, just
being in the presence of Jesus
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in Mary's womb caused John to
live for joy in his mama's womb.
Somebody knows that something
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special happens when you come
into presence of Jesus. Demons
tremble in the presence of
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Jesus. Satan is speckled in the
presence of Jesus. Babies leap
in their mother's wombs in the
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presence of Jesus. John the
Baptist had a marvelous calling
on his life before he even left
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his mother's womb that's why the
Lord told us, "Before you even
born I knew you. While you were
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yet in your mother's belly, I
had already set you apart. I've
already ordained you to be a
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prophet to the nations. " Let be
those who see Him right now.
Don't you ever forget that
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before you were born, before
your parents got together,
before grandma knew grandpa,
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understand God had a plan for
your life and there is no devil
in hell that can stop God's plan
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for your life because what God
has for me, it is for me. So
number 1, we can learn from John
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the Baptist life, what is his
message? Understand he has a
miraculous conception but not
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just a miraculous conception, he
has a marvelous calling. But not
only that, we can also learn
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from John the Baptist that he
had a unique wardrobe and an
unusual diet. John the Baptist,
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in other words wore some funny
clothes. He ate some funny food.
The Bible says he wore camel's
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hair. He ate wild honey and
locusts. How about that? Let
there be a lesson for somebody
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to be. Just because you eat
tofu, just because you eat Swiss
steaks, ready burger and
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grillers and haystacks, don't
let anybody call you crazy. Are
you hearing what I'm saying? You
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go some places and you order a
bean burger or better yet you go
to McDonald's and you order a
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veggie sandwich. Anyone ever
done that? You go to McDonald's,
"May I have a veggie whopper?"
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That's  Burger king. May I have
a veggie big Mac?" Come on say
amen. You can see I don't go.
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Hallelujah. But understand, can
I have a veggie burger on the
menu? "We'll that's not on the
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menu. You say, "Oh, but it is.
Just give me some bread, give me
some mayonnaise, give me some
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ketchup, give me a tomato, give
me some lettuce and because I'm
not vegan, give me some cheese,"
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and you tell them, "That's a
veggie sandwich." that's what
you want and because they love
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to see you smile, they'll give
it to you. Do I have a witness
in this place? Just because
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you're not rich and famous
doesn't mean you're less than.
You put on your clothes, just
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make sure they are clean and you
go on about your business. Are
you hearing what I'm saying? God
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uses ordinary people to do as He
commands because little becomes
much when you place it in the
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master's hand but not only that.
We also know from John the
Baptist life that John was a
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sho'nuff preacher. I said John
was a sho'nuff preacher. Now,
David was a singer. Are you
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hearing what I'm saying?
[Audience: Yes.] But John was a
son of preacher. John wasn't
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afraid to preach the word. John
was not afraid of the gospel.
John the Baptist wasn't afraid
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of people either. Some of you
will remember how he call the
religious leaders of this day a
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brood of vipers. That means a
pack of snakes. How about that?
Calling them the church leaders
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a pack of snakes. I was just in
D.C. this weekend NAD meetings,
I'm glad I didn't call people a
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pack of snakes. But john wasn't
afraid to call sin by its right
name and speak out on the
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political and social issues that
were in opposition to the will
of God. Most people miss that
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about John's ministry. They miss
that aspect of his ministry. In
fact, if you read the Bible
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carefully, you would discover
that God's preachers and God's
prophets have always had a word
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from the Lord. A word from the
Lord about social justice and
politics. Think about it. It was
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politics, an insane political
policy that put Moses' people in
slavery. It was politics and a
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preemptive presidential decision
to murder all the little boys in
Egypt. You know what's that
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called? That's genocide.
Everybody say, genocide.
[Audience: Genocide.] Genocide,
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that was Germany was under
Hitler. Genocide, that's called
"darfur" in Sudan. Genocide,
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that's called apartheid under
Africano rule. That's Genocide.
It was politics and a crazy
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political decision to kill all
the boys of one race. Genocide
that made God call Moses out of
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a bush and he said, "Moses, go
tell mean old pharaoh to let my
people go. " God's preachers and
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God's prophets have always had a
word from the Lord about social
justice and politics. Read your
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Bible. People get mad of me and
brother live, you preach too
much about social justice and
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politics. But that's what the
world is all about. Isaiah
preach against the governmental
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policies that oppressed the poor
and help people in captive.
Jeremiah preached against the
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government's reliance on
military might Amos preached
against the government's home
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made religion that had nothing
to do with God's will, God's
righteousness or God's justice
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and John the Baptist preached
the same. When John the Baptist
win against the government, John
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spoke out against the government
because the government was
operating an opposition to the
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will of God. And whenever the
government operates in
opposition to the will of God,
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whether it's and Pharaoh's Egypt
or Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon,
wherever the government operates
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an opposition to the will of
God, whether it's slavery in
Goshen or slavery in Alabama,
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whether that's genocide in Sudan
or genocide in Rowanda, whether
the government operates in
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opposition to the will of God,
the man of God or the woman of
God, has to speak truth to power
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and has to speak to the word of
God, even if that word is not
popular. That's what John did.
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John, preached the word. John's
preaching got him put in jail.
John the Baptist spoke out
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saying, "Thus say the Lord." As
a result John the Baptist was
thrown into prison. John the
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Baptist was a political prisoner
just like Nelson Mandela but the
only difference being Nelson
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Mandela walked out of prison and
John the Baptist was killed in
prison. But most of you
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remember, popular by John the
Baptist was that he had the
privilege of baptizing Jesus.
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When he saw Jesus coming to be
baptized, he said, "Behold the
lamb of God who takes away the
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sins of the world. " I mean God
has bless me and privilege me to
able to sea a lot of people get
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baptized and baptized a lot of
people but can you imagine
baptizing Jesus? Baptizing the
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King of kings and the Lord of
Lords?" When John pulled Jesus
up out of the water that heavens
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opens up, the holy ghost
descended like a dove. A voice
came from heaven saying, "This
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is my beloved son in whom I am
well pleased." John, number 1,
had a  miraculous conception.
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John number 2, had a marvelous
calling. John number 3, ate
different. John, number 4, he
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dress funny. Number 5, he preach
the word. Number 6, he was
thrown in prison but number 7,
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he baptized Jesus and number 7
is completion. But in this text,
Mark 1, the spotlight on John's
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preaching. John's message is on
getting ourselves together. Get
yourself right. In the text,
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he's not speaking to the
political but in this text he's
speaking to the personal. In
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other words, despite of what's
going on around us, despite
what's going on with election
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ballots and results in the state
of Florida, despite what's going
on with the election in the
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state of Georgia, despite what's
going on with wildfires in
California, despite what
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everybody else is doing in their
lives, there's some personal
stuff we must address in our own
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lives. Before you look at
somebody else look at your own
self in the mirror. Before you
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point your finger at somebody
else, make sure you understand
there are three fingers pointing
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back at you. When it comes to
personal stuff, John says, "We
need to start with repentance. "
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John the Baptist appeared in the
wilderness preaching proclaiming
the baptism message of
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repentance for the forgiveness
of sin. Now, the first thing I
want to know and I'm almost
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done, is that the message that
John the Baptist preaches is
number 1, a break from the
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traditions that shaped him. A
break from his upbringing. A
break from the traditions that
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John, found himself growing up
in. Now, remember, study the
word, John's father was a
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priest. John's mother came from
a long line of priests traced
all the way back to Aaron, the
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high priest. That tradition
taught that the forgiveness of
sin came only by the sacrificing
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of animals. Blood atonement pay
the price for human beings like
you and me to be forgiven but
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John's message that he preached
was a break from that tradition.
John said, "You don't have to
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get a lamb but anymore for the
forgiveness of your sins. You
don't have to get a goat,  a
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sheep, a bullock to be cleanse
from sin. Behold the lamb of God
which takes away the sins of the
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world. He says, "Jesus was the
perfect sacrifice. " He said,
"Jesus, who knew no sin became
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the sacrifice for our sins that
to he's shed blood we might
receive forgiveness from sin. "
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Jesus, -- he said -- came from
the bosom of the Father to the
bosom of a woman. Jesus put on
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humanity so that we might put of
divinity. Jesus became the son
of man so that we might become
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the sons of God. Jesus came from
heaven where the river never
freeze, winds never blow,
00:18:42.22\00:18:45.32
flowers never fade, nobody's
ever sick. In infancy, he's
startled a king; in boyhood, he
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puzzled wise men. In manhood, he
ruled the course of nature and
in death, He gave life. I have
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come that you might have life,
that you might have it more
abundantly. Now, I must be
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honest, I don't know why God
gave John this message to preach
repentance for the forgiveness
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of sin I believe that God called
him to preach this relevant
message for such a time as this.
00:19:08.28\00:19:12.18
He needs to preach repentance
for the forgiveness of sins. But
I do believe it had something to
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do with the fact that he needs
to preach this message for the
times in which he lived. You
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see, friends, traditions have
sometimes a way of getting in
the way. Sometimes we get
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trapped in our traditions.
Listen to me carefully. We get
trapped into doing just stuff
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because it's the way we've
always done it and nobody knows
the meaning of the tradition
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what is symbolized in the
tradition? What stands behind
the tradition or the real power
00:19:37.84\00:19:40.38
of the tradition? We do it, just
to be doing it. We can still be
doing 8-track ministry in the
00:19:40.41\00:19:49.78
internet download society
because we've always done it
that way. I wish I had time but
00:19:49.82\00:19:55.06
I must stop right there. John
saw the people sinning in his
day. He then saw them observing
00:19:55.09\00:20:01.93
the traditions of animal
sacrifices to get their sins
forgiven. But then John saw the
00:20:01.96\00:20:09.90
people going right back and
doing the sin thing they had
asked forgiveness for. They had
00:20:09.94\00:20:19.71
what we called a jailhouse
salvation. You know how
jailhouse salvation? That's when
00:20:19.75\00:20:24.75
some people are in prison, when
they are in jail, they want to
give their lives to the Lord
00:20:24.79\00:20:31.66
because they're in jail but some
of them, just as soon as they
get out, they go back doing the
00:20:31.69\00:20:43.54
very same thing that got them in
jail in the first place. Going
right back to doing whatever it
00:20:43.57\00:20:46.34
was they were doing before they
came to the church house. John
saw the people in his day
00:20:46.37\00:20:50.61
sinning, getting forgiveness for
sin through the tradition of
animal sacrifices. But then they
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went back and did the same sin
that they did before they asked
for forgiveness. Now, we don't
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have  animal traditions in our
day. We don't have sheep, lamb,
bullocks or goats but we have
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communion every quarter. We get
dressed in our black and white
because we don't wear black and
00:21:03.49\00:21:04.03
white for somebody they think
that's a sin. We posses in the
church. We're seeing the blood
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and all that's good. We do
observe the tradition or
remembering how our sins are
00:21:05.63\00:21:07.50
forgiven. The bread reminds us
of Jesus' body. The grape juice
reminds us of Jesus' blood. What
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can wash away my sins, we say.
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
We go to that tradition every
00:21:11.90\00:21:17.17
quarter and then some of us go
right back out doing the same
thing we were doing before we
00:21:17.21\00:21:19.87
observe that tradition.  Now,
you all going to look at me like
I'm crazy all you want. Look at
00:21:19.91\00:21:24.51
me holy all you want but
somebody knows what I'm talking
about. We go back doing the same
00:21:24.55\00:21:30.82
things after communion we were
doing before communion. Let's
get real; some of you have
00:21:30.85\00:21:38.39
numbers programmed in your cell
phone that you should have
deleted a long time ago.
00:21:38.43\00:21:43.90
Somebody you're looking at me
right now on Sabbath morning. On
Saturday night you got some
00:21:43.93\00:21:49.07
mischief already planned while
I'm preaching, you're plotting.
After somebody commits today to
00:21:49.10\00:21:54.38
returning tithe and offering,
somebody's going to go right
back out of this church robbing
00:21:54.41\00:22:02.95
God for what is his when you
leave here today. After hearing
this message on John the Baptist
00:22:02.98\00:22:08.62
message, after hearing both of
our choirs today, somebody is
going to run out here today go
00:22:08.66\00:22:13.60
to the dinner table at the
church crucify the preacher,
barbecue the elder, roast the
00:22:13.63\00:22:17.93
deacon and they're going to
curry the choir. Do I have a
witness in this place? We
00:22:17.97\00:22:23.34
practice the tradition but we
leave out of here and go and do
the same thing. I'm tired of
00:22:23.37\00:22:32.68
going through another year of
usher day, deacon day, alumni
weekend, graduation revival and
00:22:32.71\00:22:39.12
there's no change. Does anybody
what I'm talking about? But
John's message was a break from
00:22:39.15\00:22:45.39
a tradition folks had gotten
used to. Sin; go get forgiveness
from sin from an animal
00:22:45.43\00:22:52.63
sacrifice and then go back and
do the very same thing again.
John, says, "Enough is enough.
00:22:52.67\00:22:58.71
The game is over. Stop." But
then there is one more thing.
I'm not saying I want to call to
00:22:58.74\00:23:04.81
your mind. Attention about
John's message of repentance for
the forgiveness of sin. John's
00:23:04.85\00:23:11.52
message was not only a break
from tradition but John's
message number 2, also call for
00:23:11.55\00:23:15.72
some changes in behavior. Now,
the word repentance John uses in
the Greek is "metanoia."
00:23:15.76\00:23:20.16
Everybody say, metanoia.
Audience: Metanoia. Come on say,
metanoia. Audience: Metanoia.
00:23:20.20\00:23:23.67
Metanoia means to think
differently. I means to reverse.
Change the direction you've been
00:23:23.70\00:23:31.61
going in and go in the different
direction. This change requires
a change in your behavior. It's
00:23:31.64\00:23:38.01
not about what the sacrifice did
for you. It's all about changing
my behavior to show gratitude
00:23:38.05\00:23:43.65
for the sacrifice that has being
offered to me right now. I
changed my mind. I'm not calling
00:23:43.69\00:23:48.76
that number. I changed my mind.
I'm not going there anymore. I
changed my mind. I'm not sitting
00:23:48.79\00:23:52.53
around the dinner table anymore
in loose talk. I've changed my
mind. I've changed my direction.
00:23:52.56\00:23:57.53
When the prodigal son in Luke
chapter 15 came to himself, he
came to his mind. Metanoia; he
00:23:57.57\00:24:04.97
changed his direction. He
changed his behavior. He got up
and he returned home. But that
00:24:05.01\00:24:12.01
word, "metanoia" also suggest
starting with confession. Any
counselor would tell you, the
00:24:12.05\00:24:17.69
first step in problem solution
is problem recognition. I have
to admit to myself, I have to
00:24:17.72\00:24:20.89
admit to God. You know what?
I've been going in the wrong
direction. I'm doing what hurts
00:24:20.92\00:24:27.13
me. I'm doing what hurts you. I
have to first repent. I have to
change direction and then I have
00:24:27.13\00:24:34.77
to return. "Father, " the
prodigal son says, "I have
sinned against heaven and I've
00:24:34.80\00:24:43.28
sinned against you. First John,
1:9 says it clear, if we confess
our sins, he is faithful and
00:24:43.31\00:24:52.05
just to forgive us of our sins
and cleanse us from all
unrighteousness. Isaiah 55 says,
00:24:52.09\00:24:58.49
"Seek ye the Lord while he may
be found, call upon him while he
is near. Let the wicked forsake
00:24:58.53\00:25:05.83
their ways. That's a change of
direction. That's a change of
behavior. Let the righteous
00:25:05.87\00:25:10.77
change their thoughts. That's a
change of mind and then let them
return to the Lord. So God is
00:25:10.81\00:25:16.24
saying through His prophet, John
the Baptist, repent and then
return. Change the way you've
00:25:16.28\00:25:22.98
been going and then come home.
Repentance means you got to
commit to a change and behavior
00:25:23.02\00:25:26.76
and when you break from
tradition, when you break from
what you used to be doing, when
00:25:26.79\00:25:30.63
you change your behavior, there
are some powerful benefits. What
are the benefits? Your sins are
00:25:30.66\00:25:35.03
forgiven. Powerful benefit. Your
slate is white clean. Powerful
benefit; God cleanses you from
00:25:35.06\00:25:38.93
all unrighteousness. Powerful
benefit, you get to experience
the faithfulness of God.
00:25:38.97\00:25:46.54
Powerful benefit; you got to
experience the grace of God.
Powerful benefit; you experience
00:25:46.57\00:25:54.75
the mercy of God. Powerful
benefit; you got to experience
the pouring of God. That's a
00:25:54.78\00:25:59.05
powerful benefit and when we
return to the Lord, it's just
like the prodigal son in Luke
00:25:59.09\00:26:05.03
15, we then get to experience
the presence of the Father and
that's the most powerful. For in
00:26:05.06\00:26:10.07
God's presence, there's fullness
of joy, and His right hand there
are pleasures forever more. You
00:26:10.10\00:26:15.74
see when there is a break from
what you used to be, to what God
what have you to be, when there
00:26:15.77\00:26:19.84
is a change in your behavior,
it's time then to rejoice. It's
time then to get happy. It's
00:26:19.87\00:26:24.11
time then to shout. The prodigal
father said, "Kill the fatted
calf. Bring the finest robe. My
00:26:24.15\00:26:30.15
son was lost but is now found.
Was blind but he now sees. He's
now come to his father's house.
00:26:30.19\00:26:32.29
He's come to his father's
presence and  when I get in
God's presence I get overwhelmed
00:26:32.32\00:26:38.26
just because of who God is.
That's a benefit from me. When I
come into his presence I humble
00:26:38.29\00:26:50.41
myself. I lift my hands and I
begin to worship Him, "Lord, you
are the source of my strength.
00:26:50.44\00:26:56.61
You are the strength of my life.
I lift my hands in total phrase
to you. Let me tell you, just
00:26:56.64\00:27:02.82
the privilege of worshiping Him
is a powerful benefit.
Worshiping Him with no need to
00:27:02.85\00:27:07.42
pretend anymore. Worshiping Him
not worried about whether you're
accepted or not. Worshiping Him
00:27:07.46\00:27:11.83
not worried about who's looking
at you and who's not looking at
you. Worshiping Him not worried
00:27:11.86\00:27:16.90
about how you look and what
people say. I worship God
because God accepts me for who I
00:27:16.93\00:27:23.10
am and that's a reason to
rejoice. I said that's a reason
to rejoice. Repent, return and
00:27:23.14\00:27:28.68
then I'll rejoice. I understand.
I rejoice because He's God. Do I
have any rejoice presence in
00:27:28.71\00:27:34.82
this place right now? Don't fool
me today. Stop putting on errors
today. Stop trying to be cute.
00:27:34.85\00:27:40.76
Stop trying to be pretending and
if you are a worshiper, if you
are a rejoicer, can you just
00:27:40.79\00:27:46.39
worship God for a few minutes? I
know it's past 1 o'clock but I'm
going to get you out early
00:27:46.43\00:27:55.60
today. But God is not on your
timetable. He may not come when
you want Him but He's always
00:27:55.64\00:28:06.75
right on time. Forget about time
and learn to worship God.
Repent, return, rejoice. If
00:28:06.78\00:28:10.69
you'll worship Him, you'll get a
powerful benefits. Somebody
needs us to forget was somebody
00:28:10.72\00:28:15.49
else is thinking. Forget what
somebody else is saying. For all
He's done for me, redeemed and
00:28:15.52\00:28:20.16
set me free just because, just
because He's is God. Oh, we take
God for granted but I'm going to
00:28:20.20\00:28:23.87
worship Him right now. Been
traveling all week long,
worshiping God right now. Got up
00:28:23.90\00:28:29.77
this morning at 4 a.m. on my way
to Oakwood University I preached
God's words. Got in the car with
00:28:29.80\00:28:44.82