Sermon Central
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Messiah Is Coming
Contributed by Dan Cormie on Dec 6, 2010 (message contributor)
Summary: Messiah is coming - The message of John the Baptist
Dakota Community Church
December 5, 2010
Messiah is Coming
1 The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2 It is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way” — 3 “a voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”
4 And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: “After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
“See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the LORD Almighty.
A voice of one calling: “In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.4 Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. 5 And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it.
1. Repentance and forgiveness
4 And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
John was sent to preach a message of preparation because the Messiah was coming.
The church is sent to preach a message of preparation because the Messiah is coming again!
The Christian gospel is not that God is offering you a mulligan.
Jesus did not come to offer us a second chance to live right – He came to live right for us and then took the punishment for living wrong on the cross.
You don’t need a second chance – you need saving from a hopeless predicament. And so do I.
Not impressed with the Christians you have encountered? Welcome to the club.
What about your dirty little secrets?
Why can’t humanity stop the wickedness?
Why can’t we evolve beyond selfish greed and ambition?
Why can’t you stop the wrong you are doing?
Post secret phenomenon sheds light on a society that is pretending not to require absolution.
2. King and kingdom
Mark 1:7, 8
7 And this was his message: “After me will come one more powerful than I… 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
John did not come to preach about himself – and neither does the church.
John’s message was about a coming King – and so is ours.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
5 Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the law: “The man who does these things will live by them.” 6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11 As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”
Only through the King can we know we will not be put to shame!
3. His greatness not ours
…the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie…
They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”
