The Testimony of John

TEXT:  John 20:30-31;  1:6-8, 15

INTRODUCTION:

A.      THE PURPOSE OF THE BOOK - "THAT YE MAY BELIEVE."

B.      THE THEME OF THE BOOK( John 1:14 ).

C.      EVIDENCE IN THE TESTIMONY OF JOHN.

I.      JOHN IN PROPHECY.

A.      Isa. 40:3     -        -        -        Luke 3:3-6.

B.      Mal. 3:1;  4:4-6   -        -        Matt. 11:10-14.

C.      Luke 1:13-17.

II.     BIRTH OF JOHN AND HIS VOW( Luke 1:5-25, 57-80, 15 )

III.    THE PREACHING OF JOHN.

A.      IT WAS FEARLESS.

          1.       To the Jews( Matt. 3:7-10 ).

          2.       To Herod( Mark 6:17-18 ).

          3.       Jesus speaks of John's courage( Matt. 11:7-9 ).

B.      IT HAD A PURPOSE.

          1.       He preached baptism( Matt. 3:5-6;  Luke 3:3;  significance:  John 3:2-26 ).

          2.       So baptism was of repentance unto remission of sins - purifying

                   ( Luke 3:7-14 ).

          3.       How did this baptism remit sins?  It looked forward to something else.

                   ( Matt. 3:3, 10, 11-12 ).

C.      IT WAS PROPHETIC.

          1.       It looked forward to the kingdom( Matt. 3:1-2 ).

          2.       It looked forward to Christ( Matt. 3:11-12 ).

IV.   THE BAPTISM OF JESUS AND THE RESULTANT

TESTIMONY.

A.      WHAT DID JOHN SEE?( Matt. 3:13-17 ).

B.      WHAT DID JOHN SAY ABOUT IT?( John 1:29-34, 35-36;  3:28-30 ).

C.      THIS WAS INDEED JOHN'S PURPOSE( John 1:6-8, 15 ).

V.    WHEN JOHN HAD DONE HIS WORK, HE MET HIS DEATH.

A.      HIS DEATH WAS A RESULT OF HIS PREACHING( Mark 6:14-29 ).

B.      JOHN LOOKED FORWARD, PERHAPS, TO HIS FATE( John 3:30 ).

VI.   BEFORE THE DEATH OF JOHN, JESUS TALKS OF THIS

GREAT PROPHET'S WORK( Matt. 11:7-19 ).

A.      HE SPAKE OF HIS COURAGE( vs. 7-9 ).

B.      HE SPAKE OF HIS MISSION( vs. 10 ).

C.      HE SPAKE OF HIS STATURE( vs. 11 ).

          1.       He was the greatest of all who ever lived.

          2.       He could not live to see the establishment of God's spiritual kingdom.

D.      HE SPAKE OF HIS REJECTION( vs. 12-19 ).

CONCLUSION:

A.      JOHN THE BAPTIST HAD A MISSION.

B.      SO DOES JESUS( Matt. 11:28-30;  Mark 16:16 ).