The Voice Part 3

The Voice 

John the Baptist

Matthew 3:1-12

v1 – in those days – speaks of the time when there was no voice from the Lord

     – in those days speaks of the days when Israel turned away from the Lord

John the Baptist came – @ the right time John was sent from God with a God message

preaching – this speaks of a person having emotion, passion, excitement

-John preached for 6 months

– it is the cry of a town herald or public crier

-wilderness – represents a dry spiritual time in Israel

v2 – Repent – means to change ones mind/to reconsider/think differently

a. the unbeliever repents to be saved

b. the believer repents to stay in close fellowship with the lord

The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand – 

-It is now.  It is the coming of Jesus.  It is the chance for eternal life…

v3 – this verse is from Isaiah 40:3

-John was a voice to Israel and the surrounding nations

-Johns voice was a Word from the Lord

-the Lord talks and is alive

-Isaiah 55:8-9 – you never what the Lord is going to say…

-Surrender to the voice of the Lord and do not resist it…….

v4 – Provision – the Lord provided everything for John

-food, clothing, health, water

v5 – people came from Jerusalem to see and hear John – a 4,000ft descent…

-his message need turned people away.  

v6 – confessing their sins – means to say the same thing the the Lord says/to agree with God

a. there is a personal confession – the word confession means not to do it again

b. there is a public confession – this is water baptism

v7 – John calls the religious leaders snakes.  They were under the judgment of the lord

v8 – they were telling John that they were Christians, but there was no fruit

v9 – John knew what the religious were thinking.    Someone who is Jewish cannot be saved just by being a descendant of Abraham.  You must be born again…

vs10-12 – 

     v10 – the judgment of God will come unless Israel repents

     v11 – 2 baptisms

a. Holy Spirit – the power of God

b. fire – the judgment of God

v12 – fan – this was a huge shovel

threshing floor – this was where the grain was separated from the chaff by oxen and the shovel

the barn is heaven and the chaff is hell……..It’s time to make a choice…….