Sunday, July 5

OUR BAPTIST MISSION



Luke 1:76, 77  “And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,”

Our Baptist Mission

            The Baptists Should be a certain kind of people.  Like John we should be filled with the Spirit.  See verse 15, "For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb." and Eph. 5:18, "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; "
           
            Baptists should also be fearless in dedicated preaching.  See Verse 17, "And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

            We also have a certain message.  John's was a message of repentance.   "Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham."  Luke 3:8

            Our message must be of like sort.  O How we need strong preaching today on repentance!  Our preaching must also point men to Christ as John's did.  See Luke 3:16, "John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:" and 1 Cor. 1:23  "But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;"

            John's purpose in life and preaching was to prepare the way for the coming of Christ.  See Luke 1:17, "And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."  It was also to give knowledge of salvation to the people, Luke 1:76, 77, " And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;  To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,"

             Is our purpose any less?  Let us give to men the knowledge of our Lord's salvation and prepare the way for His second coming.  

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