JOHN THE BAPTIST
Luke 7:18-35
- JOHN WAS GREAT BECAUSE HE SOUGHT TRUTH (18-23)
Habakkuk 1:1-4
- JOHN WAS GREAT BECAUSE HE CALLED PEOPLE TO REPENTANCE (29-30)
SIN – CORNELIUS PLANTINGA
“THE BIBLE PRESENTS SIN BY WAY OF MAJOR CONCEPTS, PRINCIPALLY LAWLESSNESS AND FAITHLESSNESS, EXPRESSED IN AN ARRAY OF IMAGES: SIN IS THE MISSING OF A TARGET, A WANDERING FROM THE PATH, A STRAYING FROM THE FOLD. SIN IS A HARD HEART AND A STIFF NECK. SIN IS BLINDNESS AND DEAFNESS. IT IS BOTH THE OVERSTEPPING OF A LINE AND THE FAILURE TO REACH IT—BOTH TRANSGRESSION AND SHORTCOMING. SIN IS A BEAST CROUCHING AT THE DOOR.
IN SIN, PEOPLE ATTACK OR EVADE OR NEGLECT THEIR DIVINE CALLING. THESE AND OTHER IMAGES SUGGEST DEVIANCE: EVEN WHEN IT IS FAMILIAR, SIN IS NEVER NORMAL. SIN IS DISRUPTION OF CREATED HARMONY AND THEN RESISTANCE TO DIVINE RESTORATION OF THAT HARMONY. ABOVE ALL, SIN DISRUPTS AND RESISTS THE VITAL HUMAN RELATION TO GOD.
REPENTANCE – A TURNING AWAY FROM SIN AND TOWARD GOD
Joel 2:12-13
I. CONVICTION
II. CONFESSION
III. TURNING AWAY
IV. RESTITUTION
V. RECONCILIATION
3. JOHN WAS GREAT BECAUSE HE ENDURED HIS ENEMIES (31-35)
CONCLUSION: THE LEAST IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS GREATER THAN JOHN
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