Making the Right Move

The Forerunner, Baptism, Temptation

IV. The Forerunner: John the Baptist

Name (Heb. "Yohanan"- "Hanan" = grace & favor of God) He is seen as a prophet of Judgment in the New Testament. His message is of judgment before the Messiah comes and urge the nations to repent. He is a major forerunner of Jesus. (put to death by Harried)

A. Birth and Early Years (Luke 1)

1. Fulfillment of prophecy (Isaiah 40:1-3)

That God would prepare the way for the Messiah by sending the forerunner, which was John the Baptist

2. A Nazirite (Luke 1:15): John was a Nazirite before his birth, one who was specially dedicated or separated on to God. Two things he could not do get his hair cut that was a clear sign that he was separated or set apart. Two he was not to drink wine or grape juice or drink anything of the vine, and he was not to touch anything dead or dead bodies.(Number Chapter 6)

3. Remained in obscurity until his ministry began (Luke 1:80, 3:2) He was in the dessert, and God bypass the priesthood because of the wickedness that was with in the priest.

B. John's Appearance (Mt. 3:1-4)

1. The Elijah of the Old Testament; He was a prophet of judgment and fire; this is the same as John. He says that God will baptize with water or fire. Most people do not pray for the fire. They look at it as judgment.

2. His appearance; He was a very hairy man, just like Elijah

a. Camel's hair, locusts, and wild honey His garment was made of camel's hair. And he ate locusts and wild honey. Back in those days Locust was allowed to be eaten and was considered good for you and had high protein.

b. In the wilderness; John chapter 1.

C. John's Message; Prophet always way sent to the Jewish of people of Israel . Jesus was the last prophet of God.

1. Repent; That was the message of all prophet, this was to turn the people back to God and the Jewish laws, they were the watch dogs. To the nation to turn away and repent or face judgment. Matthew chapter 3

2. "The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand" It means to be obedient, does not mean to go to heaven when they die. It is to let them know that they need to repent and turn back to God and his law. Which they did not do. And they killed many righteous people.

D. John's Baptism

1. Baptism was not unique to John; John was not the only to practice baptism, it was a common thing of the Jews.

2. John's baptism was itself unique in that it symbolized three things:

a. Repentance(Matthew 3; 11-14, Luke 177, 117) John baptized them instead of immersing themselves. In the water of Jordan , And he was baptizing these people himself.

b. Big part of his baptism was publicly confessing there sin. He turned down the Pharisees came to be baptized them because he said their was no sign of inward change in them.

c. The Kingdom of God, they never believed that baptism would save anyone. But it was a sign that someone already saved or signified a righteous change.

E. John's Imprisonment and Death (Mark 6:14, Matthew 11:1-3) John did not understand the significant of the Messiah. He sent some of his disciple to Jesus and asked if he was the one or was there another one to come after you.

1. He himself ( John 3;22-36) said the John the Baptist would decrease and Jesus would increase. He said to his disciple to follow Christ. The Pharisees was trying to bring conflict between Jesus and John when they told him that Jesus was baptizing. John said he does not care and it was fine if people wanted to follow Jesus.

2. He was executed very shortly after the beginning of Jesus increase

3. He understood clearly that his purpose was to announce the Messiah.

F. John the Baptist and the Essenes; He was not one of the Essenes,

V. The Baptism of Jesus

A. Related passages

1. Mark 1:7-11 (notice the brevity)

2. Matthew 3

3. Luke 3

4. John 1:28-34 - (John does not describe the actual baptism. If the reader did not have access to the synoptic gospels, the reader would not have a record of it. Maybe John assumes that the reader has access to the synoptic gospels. But again, maybe not).

B. Jewish Baptism (the Mikveh)

Baptism was certainly practiced by the Jews.

1. Modes of Baptism