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Series Code: BOL
Program Code: BOL000622S
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00:01 (Breath of Life Theme Music)
00:08 Breath of Life Ministries Presents: 00:12 Sermon #B622 - The Message of John the Baptist 00:20 PB: Mark chapter 1 verse 1 and I'm going to read verses 1 through 8. If you have it, let me hear you say, amen. 00:28 [Audience: Amen.] All right, Mark chapter 1, verse number 1, the word of God says, 00:32 " The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God as it is written in the prophets, 00:38 "Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. Verse 3, 00:48 "The voice of one crying in the wilderness. Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.? 00:55 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. 01:00 And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, 01:04 and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their what everybody? 01:10 [Audience: Sins.] Come on, confessing their what, everybody? [Audience: Sins.] 01:12 Confessing their sins. "And John was clothed with camel's hair, 01:17 and with a girdle of a skin about his loins and he did eat what everybody? [Audience: Locusts.] 01:22 Locusts and wild what? [Audience: Honey.] And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, 01:30 the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. 01:35 I, indeed have baptized you with water but He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. 01:46 " Today, I don't want to spend too much time but I just want to challenge you with the subject, a message from John the Baptist. 01:53 A message from John the Baptist. Now when most people talk about John the Baptist, what are they talk about? 02:00 What do they tell you when they begin to talk about John the Baptist? 02:06 What do they say beyond the fact that he is described as one who cries in the wilderness? 02:14 If you would have turned to your neighbor right now and ask your neighbor, 02:17 what can you tell me about John the Baptist, they probably would tell you a sundry of things. 02:23 But if they begin to tell you about John the Baptist at the beginning of his life, 02:28 they would tell you about John the Baptist's miraculous conception and his marvelous calling. 02:34 What am I talking about? You will remember that John's parents, Elizabeth and Zechariah were Godly people. 02:43 What kind of people, everybody? [Audience: Godly.] The Bible tells us that they were Godly people. 02:48 That they were both righteous before the Lord and they live blamelessly according to the commandments of the Lord. 02:54 But the Bible also tells us that Zechariah and Elizabeth were childless and they were beyond the childbearing years. 03:06 Oh but prayer. I believe somebody knows something happens when you keep on praying. Do I have a witness in this place? 03:15 [Audience: Yes.] You see, before there were blue pills like we have now, there was faith in God. Do I have a witness on this place? 03:21 [Audience: Yes.] I believe if somebody knows that something happens when you push, that means you got to pray until something happens. 03:29 Zechariah, John the Baptist's father kept on praying for a son. 03:35 Zechariah kept on praying for the impossible and one day, the angel of the Lord, Gabriel -- everybody say, Gabriel. 03:43 [Audience: Gabriel.] -- showed up in the temple where Zechariah was serving and said, "The Lord, Zechariah, has heard your prayer. 03:51 Your wife, Elizabeth will bear you a son and you're to name him, John." Now, Zechariah was an old man. 04:02 Elizabeth was beyond childbearing years but God can do the impossible. Are you hearing what I'm saying? 04:13 [Audience: Yes.] In the six-month of Elizabeth pregnancy, Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth 04:22 and he was sent to a virgin by the name of Mary who was engaged to a man named, Joseph. You all to hear what I'm saying? [Audience: Yes.] 04:29 Gabriel told Mary that she was to be the mother of a son of God and when she ask, "But how can this happen, I've never been with a man? 04:38 " Gabriel told her, "Nothing is impossible with God." Your cousin who was said to be barren but is now in her old age is 6 months pregnant. 04:50 " So Mary runs off and goes to see her cousin, Elizabeth and when she walks in a room, read the Bible, the Bible says that John the Baptist leaped 05:03 -- anybody knows what I'm talking about -- in Elizabeth womb. Do you see what's going on here? 05:08 I wish I had time to preach this, I'm not going to have that much time. I'm going to get you out all the time 05:11 but just being in the presence of Jesus, just being in the presence of Jesus in Mary's womb caused John to live for joy in his mama's womb. 05:23 Somebody knows that something special happens when you come into presence of Jesus. Demons tremble in the presence of Jesus. 05:32 Satan is speckled in the presence of Jesus. Babies leap in their mother's wombs in the presence of Jesus. 05:40 John the Baptist had a marvelous calling on his life before he even left his mother's womb that's why the Lord told us, "Before you even born I knew you. 05:49 While you were yet in your mother's belly, I had already set you apart. I've already ordained you to be a prophet to the nations. 05:58 " Let be those who see Him right now. Don't you ever forget that before you were born, before your parents got together, before grandma knew grandpa, 06:07 understand God had a plan for your life and there is no devil in hell that can stop God's plan for your life because what God has for me, it is for me. 06:20 So number 1, we can learn from John the Baptist life, what is his message? 06:24 Understand he has a miraculous conception but not just a miraculous conception, 06:30 he has a marvelous calling. But not only that, we can also learn from John the Baptist that he had a unique wardrobe and an unusual diet. 06:40 John the Baptist, in other words wore some funny clothes. He ate some funny food. The Bible says he wore camel's hair. He ate wild honey and locusts. 06:52 How about that? Let there be a lesson for somebody to be. Just because you eat tofu, 06:59 just because you eat Swiss steaks, ready burger and grillers and haystacks, don't let anybody call you crazy. 07:07 Are you hearing what I'm saying? You go some places and you order a bean burger or better yet you go to McDonald's and you order a veggie sandwich. 07:15 Anyone ever done that? You go to McDonald's, "May I have a veggie whopper?" That's Burger king. May I have a veggie big Mac?" Come on say amen. 07:23 You can see I don't go. Hallelujah. But understand, can I have a veggie burger on the menu? "We'll that's not on the menu. You say, "Oh, but it is. 07:34 Just give me some bread, give me some mayonnaise, give me some ketchup, give me a tomato, give me some lettuce 07:42 and because I'm not vegan, give me some cheese," and you tell them, "That's a veggie sandwich." that's what you want 07:47 and because they love to see you smile, they'll give it to you. 07:53 Do I have a witness in this place? Just because you're not rich and famous doesn't mean you're less than. 07:58 You put on your clothes, just make sure they are clean and you go on about your business. Are you hearing what I'm saying? 08:03 God uses ordinary people to do as He commands because little becomes much when you place it in the master's hand but not only that. 08:11 We also know from John the Baptist life that John was a sho'nuff preacher. I said John was a sho'nuff preacher. Now, David was a singer. 08:20 Are you hearing what I'm saying? [Audience: Yes.] But John was a son of preacher. John wasn't afraid to preach the word. 08:27 John was not afraid of the gospel. John the Baptist wasn't afraid of people either. 08:33 Some of you will remember how he call the religious leaders of this day a brood of vipers. 08:38 That means a pack of snakes. How about that? Calling them the church leaders a pack of snakes. 08:43 I was just in D.C. this weekend NAD meetings, I'm glad I didn't call people a pack of snakes. 08:49 But john wasn't afraid to call sin by its right name and speak out on the political and social issues that were in opposition to the will of God. 08:59 Most people miss that about John's ministry. They miss that aspect of his ministry. 09:04 In fact, if you read the Bible carefully, you would discover that God's preachers and God's prophets have always had a word from the Lord. 09:14 A word from the Lord about social justice and politics. Think about it. It was politics, an insane political policy that put Moses' people in slavery. 09:27 It was politics and a preemptive presidential decision to murder all the little boys in Egypt. You know what's that called? That's genocide. 09:35 Everybody say, genocide. [Audience: Genocide.] Genocide, that was Germany was under Hitler. Genocide, that's called "darfur" in Sudan. 09:46 Genocide, that's called apartheid under Africano rule. That's Genocide. It was politics and a crazy political decision to kill all the boys of one race. 09:59 Genocide that made God call Moses out of a bush and he said, "Moses, go tell mean old pharaoh to let my people go. 10:09 " God's preachers and God's prophets have always had a word from the Lord about social justice and politics. Read your Bible. 10:16 People get mad of me and brother live, you preach too much about social justice and politics. But that's what the world is all about. 10:22 Isaiah preach against the governmental policies that oppressed the poor and help people in captive. 10:29 Jeremiah preached against the government's reliance on military might 10:33 Amos preached against the government's home made religion that had nothing to do with God's will, 10:38 God's righteousness or God's justice and John the Baptist preached the same. 10:43 When John the Baptist win against the government, John spoke out against the government 10:48 because the government was operating an opposition to the will of God. And whenever the government operates in opposition to the will of God, 10:55 whether it's and Pharaoh's Egypt or Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon, wherever the government operates an opposition to the will of God, 11:03 whether it's slavery in Goshen or slavery in Alabama, whether that's genocide in Sudan or genocide in Rowanda, 11:12 whether the government operates in opposition to the will of God, the man of God or the woman of God, 11:18 has to speak truth to power and has to speak to the word of God, 11:22 even if that word is not popular. That's what John did. John, preached the word. John's preaching got him put in jail. 11:34 John the Baptist spoke out saying, "Thus say the Lord." As a result John the Baptist was thrown into prison. 11:42 John the Baptist was a political prisoner just like Nelson Mandela 11:46 but the only difference being Nelson Mandela walked out of prison and John the Baptist was killed in prison. 11:52 But most of you remember, popular by John the Baptist was that he had the privilege of baptizing Jesus. 12:00 When he saw Jesus coming to be baptized, he said, "Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. 12:08 " I mean God has bless me and privilege me to able to sea a lot of people get baptized and baptized a lot of people but can you imagine baptizing Jesus? 12:16 Baptizing the King of kings and the Lord of Lords?" When John pulled Jesus up out of the water that heavens opens up, the holy ghost descended like a dove. 12:28 A voice came from heaven saying, "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased." John, number 1, had a miraculous conception. 12:37 John number 2, had a marvelous calling. John number 3, ate different. John, number 4, he dress funny. Number 5, he preach the word. 12:46 Number 6, he was thrown in prison but number 7, he baptized Jesus and number 7 is completion. 12:54 But in this text, Mark 1, the spotlight on John's preaching. John's message is on getting ourselves together. 13:05 Get yourself right. In the text, he's not speaking to the political but in this text he's speaking to the personal. 13:13 In other words, despite of what's going on around us, despite what's going on with election ballots and results in the state of Florida, 13:25 despite what's going on with the election in the state of Georgia, despite what's going on with wildfires in California, 13:33 despite what everybody else is doing in their lives, there's some personal stuff we must address in our own lives. 13:41 Before you look at somebody else look at your own self in the mirror. Before you point your finger at somebody else, 13:50 make sure you understand there are three fingers pointing back at you. When it comes to personal stuff, John says, "We need to start with repentance. 13:58 " John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching proclaiming the baptism message of repentance for the forgiveness of sin. 14:05 Now, the first thing I want to know and I'm almost done, is that the message that John the Baptist preaches is number 1, a break from the traditions that shaped him. 14:14 A break from his upbringing. A break from the traditions that John, found himself growing up in. Now, remember, study the word, John's father was a priest. 14:27 John's mother came from a long line of priests traced all the way back to Aaron, the high priest. 14:33 That tradition taught that the forgiveness of sin came only by the sacrificing of animals. 14:39 Blood atonement pay the price for human beings like you and me to be forgiven but John's message that he preached was a break from that tradition. 14:48 John said, "You don't have to get a lamb but anymore for the forgiveness of your sins. 14:54 You don't have to get a goat, a sheep, a bullock to be cleanse from sin. 15:00 Behold the lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world. He says, "Jesus was the perfect sacrifice. 15:09 " He said, "Jesus, who knew no sin became the sacrifice for our sins that to he's shed blood we might receive forgiveness from sin. 15:19 " Jesus, -- he said -- came from the bosom of the Father to the bosom of a woman. Jesus put on humanity so that we might put of divinity. 15:28 Jesus became the son of man so that we might become the sons of God. 15:33 Jesus came from heaven where the river never freeze, winds never blow, flowers never fade, nobody's ever sick. 15:40 In infancy, he's startled a king; in boyhood, he puzzled wise men. In manhood, he ruled the course of nature and in death, He gave life. 15:52 I have come that you might have life, that you might have it more abundantly. 16:00 Now, I must be honest, I don't know why God gave John this message to preach repentance for the forgiveness of sin 16:05 I believe that God called him to preach this relevant message for such a time as this. He needs to preach repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 16:07 But I do believe it had something to do with the fact that he needs to preach this message for the times in which he lived. 16:21 You see, friends, traditions have sometimes a way of getting in the way. Sometimes we get trapped in our traditions. Listen to me carefully. 16:31 We get trapped into doing just stuff because it's the way we've always done it and nobody knows the meaning of the tradition what is symbolized in the tradition? 16:40 What stands behind the tradition or the real power of the tradition? We do it, just to be doing it. 16:46 We can still be doing 8-track ministry in the internet download society because we've always done it that way. I wish I had time but I must stop right there. 16:55 John saw the people sinning in his day. He then saw them observing the traditions of animal sacrifices to get their sins forgiven. 17:05 But then John saw the people going right back and doing the sin thing they had asked forgiveness for. They had what we called a jailhouse salvation. 17:17 You know how jailhouse salvation? 17:19 That's when some people are in prison, when they are in jail, 17:22 they want to give their lives to the Lord because they're in jail but some of them, 17:26 just as soon as they get out, 17:28 they go back doing the very same thing that got them in jail in the first place. 17:36 Going right back to doing whatever it was they were doing before they came to the church house. 17:42 John saw the people in his day sinning, 17:46 getting forgiveness for sin through the tradition of animal sacrifices. 17:50 But then they went back and did the same sin that they did before they asked for forgiveness. 17:58 Now, we don't have animal traditions in our day. We don't have sheep, lamb, 18:04 bullocks or goats but we have communion every quarter. We get dressed in our black 18:11 and white because we don't wear black and white for somebody they think that's a sin. 18:17 We posses in the church. We're seeing the blood and all that's good. 18:23 We do observe the tradition or remembering how our sins are forgiven. 18:29 The bread reminds us of Jesus' body. The grape juice reminds us of Jesus' blood. 18:36 What can wash away my sins, we say. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. 18:42 We go to that tradition every quarter 18:45 and then some of us go right back out doing the same thing we were doing 18:51 before we observe that tradition. Now, you all going to look at me like I'm crazy all you want. 18:56 Look at me holy all you want but somebody knows what I'm talking about. 19:03 We go back doing the same things after communion we were doing before communion. 19:08 Let's get real; some of you have numbers programmed in your cell phone that you should have 19:12 deleted a long time ago. Somebody you're looking at me right now on Sabbath morning. 19:17 On Saturday night you got some mischief already planned while I'm preaching, you're plotting. 19:25 After somebody commits today to returning tithe and offering, 19:28 somebody's going to go right back out of this church robbing God for what is his when you 19:32 leave here today. After hearing this message on John the Baptist message, 19:37 after hearing both of our choirs today, 19:40 somebody is going to run out here today go to the dinner table at the church crucify the preacher, 19:49 barbecue the elder, roast the deacon and they're going to curry the choir. 19:55 Do I have a witness in this place? We practice the tradition but we leave out of here and go 20:01 and do the same thing. I'm tired of going through another year of usher day, deacon day, 20:09 alumni weekend, graduation revival and there's no change. Does anybody what I'm talking about? 20:19 But John's message was a break from a tradition folks had gotten used to. 20:24 Sin; go get forgiveness from sin from an animal sacrifice and then go back 20:31 and do the very same thing again. John, says, "Enough is enough. The game is over. Stop." 20:43 But then there is one more thing. I'm not saying I want to call to your mind. 20:46 Attention about John's message of repentance for the forgiveness of sin. 20:50 John's message was not only a break from tradition but John's message number 2, 20:55 also call for some changes in behavior. 20:57 Now, the word repentance John uses in the Greek is "metanoia." Everybody say, metanoia. 21:03 Audience: Metanoia. 21:04 Come on say, metanoia. 21:05 Audience: Metanoia. 21:07 Metanoia means to think differently. I means to reverse. Change the direction you've been going in 21:11 and go in the different direction. This change requires a change in your behavior. 21:17 It's not about what the sacrifice did for you. 21:19 It's all about changing my behavior to show gratitude for the sacrifice that has being offered to me 21:24 right now. I changed my mind. I'm not calling that number. 21:30 I changed my mind. I'm not going there anymore. I changed my mind. 21:38 I'm not sitting around the dinner table anymore in loose talk. I've changed my mind. 21:43 I've changed my direction. When the prodigal son in Luke chapter 15 came to himself, 21:49 he came to his mind. Metanoia; he changed his direction. He changed his behavior. 21:54 He got up and he returned home. But that word, "metanoia" also suggest starting with confession. 22:02 Any counselor would tell you, the first step in problem solution is problem recognition. 22:08 I have to admit to myself, I have to admit to God. You know what? 22:13 I've been going in the wrong direction. I'm doing what hurts me. I'm doing what hurts you. 22:17 I have to first repent. I have to change direction and then I have to return. 22:23 "Father, " the prodigal son says, "I have sinned against heaven and I've sinned against you. 22:32 First John, 1:9 says it clear, if we confess our sins, he is faithful 22:39 and just to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 22:45 Isaiah 55 says, "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near. 22:52 Let the wicked forsake their ways. That's a change of direction. That's a change of behavior. 22:58 Let the righteous change their thoughts. That's a change of mind and then let them return to the Lord. 23:04 So God is saying through His prophet, John the Baptist, repent and then return. 23:11 Change the way you've been going and then come home. 23:15 Repentance means you got to commit to a change and behavior and when you break from tradition, 23:20 when you break from what you used to be doing, when you change your behavior, 23:23 there are some powerful benefits. What are the benefits? Your sins are forgiven. 23:31 Powerful benefit. Your slate is white clean. Powerful benefit; 23:38 God cleanses you from all unrighteousness. Powerful benefit, 23:43 you get to experience the faithfulness of God. Powerful benefit; 23:48 you got to experience the grace of God. 23:52 Powerful benefit; you experience the mercy of God. Powerful benefit; 23:57 you got to experience the pouring of God. That's a powerful benefit and when we return to the Lord, 24:05 it's just like the prodigal son in Luke 15, we then get to experience the presence of the Father 24:12 and that's the most powerful. For in God's presence, there's fullness of joy, 24:17 and His right hand there are pleasures forever more. 24:20 You see when there is a break from what you used to be, to what God what have you to be, 24:27 when there is a change in your behavior, it's time then to rejoice. It's time then to get happy. 24:34 It's time then to shout. The prodigal father said, "Kill the fatted calf. Bring the finest robe. 24:43 My son was lost but is now found. Was blind but he now sees. He's now come to his father's house. 24:52 He's come to his father's presence and when I get in God's presence I get overwhelmed just 24:58 because of who God is. That's a benefit from me. When I come into his presence I humble myself. 25:05 I lift my hands and I begin to worship Him, "Lord, you are the source of my strength. 25:10 You are the strength of my life. I lift my hands in total phrase to you. 25:16 Let me tell you, just the privilege of worshiping Him is a powerful benefit. 25:23 Worshiping Him with no need to pretend anymore. 25:26 Worshiping Him not worried about whether you're accepted or not. 25:30 Worshiping Him not worried about who's looking at you and who's not looking at you. 25:35 Worshiping Him not worried about how you look and what people say. 25:38 I worship God because God accepts me for who I am and that's a reason to rejoice. 25:46 I said that's a reason to rejoice. Repent, return and then I'll rejoice. I understand. 25:54 I rejoice because He's God. Do I have any rejoice presence in this place right now? 25:59 Don't fool me today. Stop putting on errors today. Stop trying to be cute. 26:05 Stop trying to be pretending and if you are a worshiper, if you are a rejoicer, 26:10 can you just worship God for a few minutes? I know it's past 1 o'clock 26:15 but I'm going to get you out early today. But God is not on your timetable. 26:19 He may not come when you want Him but He's always right on time. Forget about time 26:24 and learn to worship God. Repent, return, rejoice. If you'll worship Him, 26:30 you'll get a powerful benefits. 26:32 Somebody needs us to forget was somebody else is thinking. Forget what somebody else is saying. 26:38 For all He's done for me, redeemed and set me free just because, just because He's is God. 26:50 Oh, we take God for granted but I'm going to worship Him right now. Been traveling all week long, 26:56 worshiping God right now. Got up this morning at 4 a.m. on my way to Oakwood University I preached 27:02 God's words. Got in the car with Daniel and Carissa, we're driving down the street, 27:07 somebody comes down the road. They don't stop at the red light; keep going through. 27:11 I mashed on my breaks, the angel of the Lord [Inaudible] round about them that fear Him. 27:16 I just came to worship Him today. Blessed the Lord, all my soul and all that is with Him, 27:23 be blessed His holy name singing unto the Lord a new song. Let his phrases filled the temple. 27:28 He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Bow down before Him. My soul does magnify the Lord. 27:34 I said, my soul does magnify the Lord. My soul will make boast to the Lord. 27:40 The Lord is my strong tower. The Lord in my shepherd. he Lord is my refuge. 27:46 The Lord is my strength. The Lord is my life, my salvation, Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. 27:55 Let me tell you, thank you John, for showing me, it's okay to break my past. 28:06 Thank you very much for tuning in to this week's Breath of Life broadcast. 28:10 We hope and pray that you've been blessed by Dr. Byrd's inspirational message. 28:15 If you would like to hear this sermon in its entirety, please feel free to visit us at 28:20 www.breathoflife.tv. 28:23 Or, call us at (256) 929-6460. 28:29 [End] |
Revised 2021-11-10