In The Footsteps Of The Master: The Life and Times of Jesus Christ

In The Footsteps Of The Master:In The Footsteps Of The Master:The Life and Times of Jesus ChristThe Life and Times of Jesus Christ

An Inquiry From John the BaptistJuly 12, 2009

Matthew 11:2-19Luke 7:18-35

www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Quick JTB Recap• The forerunner of the Messiah

• His mother was “as good as dead” when she became pregnant

• Successful ministry of Repentance

• “Being Jewish doesn’t mean that you’ve got right standing in front of God...you had better repent.”

• Baptized Jesus

• Heard the audible voice of God

God to John the Baptist• You’re going to be homeless for My name,

and live in the woods,

• You’re going to wear animal clothes, you’re going to eat bugs and drink honey.

• Not going to touch wine

• You are going to be the antithesis of what everyone else pursues, and you’re going to be My voice.”

• He is obedient beyond you and I!!!!

Herod has issues!• John starts popping off about Herod and what

he’s doing is immoral• This is Rome, there isn’t a Bill of Rights or Free

Speech in Rome. • So Herod simply has him arrested and put in a

dungeon• He starts to wrestle with, “Hey, this isn’t going

like we planned it”• “Okay, so was that the Messiah?• I did everything I was supposed to do and I’m in

a dungeon

Encouragement• 18The disciples of John reported to him about all these

things.  19 Summoning two of his disciples, John sent them to the Lord, saying, "Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?" –

• 20When the men came to Him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to You, to ask, 'Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?'"

• Now in a dark moment finds his heart doubting• If the greatest man ever born of woman can

have a season of doubt, maybe we all will• Do you believe John the Baptist was in the

wrong to send his followers with the question?

What does Jesus do?• 21At that very time He cured many people of

diseases and evil spirits; and He gave sight to many who were blind.

•  22And He answered and said to them, "Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have the gospel preached to them.

•  23"Blessed is he who does not take offense at Me."

• Instead of saying “Oh you of little faith” Jesus encourages John

I am the One….• In the book of Isaiah there’s a series of

chapters that are messianic prophecies

• You can literally check these things off

• So instead of sitting in his doubts and letting those derail his faith

• He sends word to Jesus for clarity on what my doubts are.”

• Jesus, not offended at all, answers “I am the one. There will not be another.”

Jesus omits one…• Take the list of what Jesus is doing and

compare it to the messianic prophecies in the book of Isaiah,

• They match, except there’s one in Isaiah 42• 7 to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison

and to release from the dungeon those who sit in

darkness. Isaiah 42:7

• He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives……Luke 4

What was John thinking?• He is God and I have been His faithful

servant. • I have done everything He has asked me to

do. • I have been obedient since day one and

He’s God so we’re good.”• Then at any minute now the lock on my

door is going to be unlocked, and I’m going to walk out.

• Meet a nice Jewish girl, get a 3 camel garage, live long and prosper!!

How does it end?• Roll the video• That’s how John the Baptist’s life ends. And then

John has his head cut off.• Does anyone struggle with this story?• Does this story fly in the face of popular teaching

and belief about what the nature of God is? • That if we’ll just be obedient, we’ll just do thing

God’s way, then our bank accounts will get a little bit fuller and our health will be a little bit better and our kids will be better.

• The Prosperity Gospel???

A Few Pics

• According to the first century historian Flavius Josephus, Macherus was the location where John the Baptist was beheaded (Antiquities of the Jews, 18:5:2).

Machaerus, Jordan

Destroyed by the Romans (A.D. 57).

Coin of Salome• Daughter of Herodias, queen of Chalcis and Armenia Minor• Salome has become a symbol for dangerous female

seductiveness

Hollywood• Salome (1953) is a Biblical epic film*

• *Although based on the N.T. story, the film does not follow the biblical text

Why point this out• If you follow Jesus so that you can get a

better marriage, a healthier life, fill in the blank, if you’re following Jesus to get this end goal, you might be dabbling in idolatry.

• Watch you TV!

• We need belief that sustains joy, that will be enough to sustain your faith when the tragedies of this earth finally catch up to you

He’s Enough• God is seen as powerful, glorious, worthy

when everything’s gone wrong and He’s enough, He sustains us.

• When tragedy lands we cry out that God is enough, that He is sustaining

• We who believe in Him will always have in our hearts a mixture of the tragedies of this earth, and the treasure of heaven, which always keeps us looking to the future.

Treasure• This is the God of the Bible that sends

both joy and sorrow to detach our hands of the things of the world and to attach our hands to Him, the treasure that we really need

Jesus on John• 24When the messengers of John had left, He

began to speak to the crowds about John, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

•  25"But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who are splendidly clothed and live in luxury are found in royal palaces!

•  26"But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one who is more than a prophet.

•  27"This is the one about whom it is written,Behold, I send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you”          

High Praise• 28"I say to you, among those born of women

there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."

• 29When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they acknowledged God's justice, having been baptized with the baptism of John.

• Read Matthew 11:9-11

• John only announced the coming of Christ. Ushering in the Kingdom of God, a whole new era of salvation history began

Jesus Affirmation• Jesus wants his audience to understand

that John was more than just any prophet

• The messenger prophesied about in Malachi 4:5

• The very ministry of John the Baptist as forerunner affirmed the messiahship of Jesus.

Childish generation…•  30But the Pharisees and the lawyers

rejected God's purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John. 31"To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like? 32"They are like children who sit in the market place and call to one another, and they say, 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.'

Contrast•  33"For John the Baptist has come eating

no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, 'He has a demon!'

• John said….You have sin in your life you need to repent.” He was just bold and unafraid

• The Pharisees said, “Who is this guy to tell us we’re sinners?”

• So they’ve got to discredit him, discredit his message.“

• “Something’s wrong with him”

Contrast the Hypocrisy• And then Jesus reveals the other side of it,

He reveals their hypocrisy

• 34"The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'

•  35"Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children.“

Like Children• And I come eating and drinking and

forgiving people,

• The Pharisees say, “Ah, he’s just like them. This message is wrong too.’

• They found John’s demands too hard and Jesus’ grace too embracing of sinners.

• Easier to complain about the messengers than to respond in obedience to the message

Unpack this for today• Do you think this plays out in Christianity

today?

• Err in license or legalism????

• License – I can do whatever I want. Don’t you tell me I’ve got sin in my life. Don’t you tell me how to live my life.

• Legalism – Developing a list of behaviors that most of the time are not biblical, and then demand that everyone else obey their list

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Next WeekNext Week• TBD (Pulled from official class website)