1. The Proclamation of John the Baptist in the Gospel of John JR (Keith) Sheets December 7, 2008

2. What’s the Big Deal with John the Baptist  Luke 1:17 “And he will go before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous – to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”  “Never was there a fuller testimony borne to Christ upon earth, that that which is here borne by John the Baptist.” – J.C. Ryle – J.C. Ryle

3. What’s the Big Deal with John the Baptist  Matthew 11:11 “I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist…”  Moses, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joshua, Gideon, Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, David …  1 John 5:9 “We accept man’s testimony, but God’s testimony is greater…”

4. “Lamb of God…”  Isaiah 53:7 “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before here shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.”  The Passover Lamb

5. Passover Lamb  1 Cor 5:7 “Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new bath without yeast – as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.”  1 Pet 1:18-19 “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”

6. …who takes away the sin…  Lev 4:13-21 (repeated again and again)  “taking away sin” = atonement  Hebrews 9:24-28, 10:1-7, 11-14 (once for all!)

7. Atonement = Propitiation  1 John 4:10 –(NIV) “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” –(ESV) “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”  1 John 2:2 –(NIV) “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” –(ESV) “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”

8. Our Original Burden  Ephesians 2:3 “… by nature we were objects of wrath.”  Romans 1:18 “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men.”  BUT –Romans 3:25 (ESV) “… whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness.”

9. Belief in Jesus vs. Rejection of Jesus  John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:36 “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."

10. Hard to Handle?  Christ is our sacrificed Passover Lamb  Love of God demonstrated at the cross  God’s judgment and wrath flow from His love and justice –If no punishment (wrath); where would justice be?  John 18:11 “Jesus commanded Peter, "Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?"

11. Was John the Baptist a Universalist? No.  2 qualifiers of John 1:12  Rev 5:9  Not universalist… but whosever will… may have it  Jew/Gentile united in Christ

12. The Proclamation of John the Baptist in the Gospel of John JR (Keith) Sheets December 7, 2008