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1. It is unnerving to feel or be unprepared.
2. And, when it comes to our lives and what happens after this life is over, it’s important for us to know God’s heart for us, that He doesn’t want us to be unprepared for the moment we stand in His presence.
3. In fact, from John 1:19-34 we will discover what God has done to help us prepare for that moment, how He has, in essence, made “straight the way,” so that we will be ready and joyful when we behold God for the first time.

John 1:19-34

Context
1. Two weeks ago, we started a new study through the Gospel of John.
2. During our study of John 1:1-13, we noted how John boldly declared that Jesus is eternally God the Son, the Agent and Sustainer of Creation, the Life and the Light of men.
3. Then during our study of John 1:14-18, we noted that John also declared that Jesus Christ is fully human.

John 1:14, And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us. . .

4. This means that Jesus Christ has two natures, divine and human, which were joined into one being, so that He is fully God and fully man.
5. This doctrine is called the hypostatic union, the joining of Jesus’ two natures.
6. This is an essential doctrine of the historic Christian faith.
a. If Jesus is not fully God, then we do not have a perfect, sinless Savior whose life is of infinite worth to pay the penalty for the sins of the world.
b. And, if Jesus is not fully man, then we do not have a Savior because He could not truly identify with fallen humanity and represent us on the Cross at Calvary to pay the penalty for our sins.
c. But since Jesus is fully God and fully man, we have a Savior, One who represents God to us and us to God.
7. Which bring us once again to the Apostle John’s purpose in writing his Gospel. . .

John 20:31, but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that
believing you may have life in His name.

8. In keeping with the purpose of his Gospel, the Apostle John next introduces us to the first of seven eyewitnesses in his Gospel who testify to Jesus Christ being the Son of God; his name was John the Baptist.
9. John the Baptist is a unique figure in the Bible because he is mentioned in all four Gospels.
10. Since John the Baptist plays such a significant role in the Gospels, it is important for us to understand who John the Baptist was and his testimony about Jesus Christ.

Transition – First, when it comes to who John the Baptist was, it is important to note that. . .

I. John Prepared the Way for Messiah

• God promised Israel that He would raise up prophets, like Moses, to lead His people after Moses died.

Deuteronomy 18:18, I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.

• God faithfully raised up prophet after prophet to direct Israel just as He had promised.
• But that all changed after the prophet Malachi; there were four hundred years of silence because God did not raise up a prophet for Israel.
• Now, God warned Israel that this was going to happen through the prophet Amos for he prophesied about a period of silence over three hundred years before it happened.

Amos 8:11, “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord God, “When I will send a famine on the land, not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, but rather for hearing the words of the LORD, But they will not find it.”

• What was God’s purpose in not sending a prophet to Israel for four hundred years?
ILLUS – The “Silent Treatment” is unnerving.

APPL – So God was quiet for four hundred years because Israel was not listening to His prophets.
• In many ways, there was a divine message in the heavenly silence.
• What was God’s message? “Listen to My prophets!”
• You see, God does not play games with us.
• There is too much at stake when it comes to the eternal destiny of every soul that has been made in God’s image.

Transition – What were some of the last prophetic words that Israel heard through the prophet Malachi?

Pastor Rich Jones
Pastor Matthew Dodd
Rich Jones Calvary Chapel
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Calvary Chapel Hillsboro
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