Let's look this morning in the word of the Lord in the gospel according to St. Matthew, if you'll turn with me in your Bibles, in the gospel according to St. Matthew. And I want to read a few verses from this gospel this morning and from this chapter in chapter number three, if you'll turn with me in your Bibles. And I want to preach about a character in the Bible that is one of the greatest in the word of the Lord. The one that says that, the scripture says that. And Jesus said that, that he was the greatest born of a woman. And he said, nevertheless, the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And I may take time later to explain more about that, but may it be simple to say that he is the last Old Testament prophet, though his ministry recorded in the New Testament. and after he is gone, Jesus comes on the scene, since he is the forerunner to Christ, and those who are born again have something in their lives, in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and something in their lives, and having lived on this side of Calvary, knowing about the, and having recorded in hindsight, the death, the burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, that John the Baptist only looked forward to and eagerly anticipated. And we can look back and say, praise God, he has done what he promised that he would do. And so that's why he said that the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. We are in that kingdom of heaven. We are part of that eternal kingdom that was purchased with the blood of his own son. And though we are in ourselves no measurement by any means to this great man John the Baptist, but the blood of Christ makes the difference for us. And we are grateful for his blessings. John the Baptist is our topic today and our message. If you'll look with us in the book of Matthew chapter three and beginning in verse number one, if you're able and willing to stand with us, I would invite you to do so. And we'll reverence the reading of the word of the Lord. Matthew chapter three and in verse number one, the word of the Lord says, in those days came John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he, speaking of Jesus, or speaking of John, for this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leather girdle about his loins, and his meat was locusts and wild honey." Now that would fit in real well in all of our fellowship meetings and down there at the pastor's breakfast and so forth on Monday morning, wouldn't it? The same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and we're not talking about one of them nice camel's hair coats like Brother Randy. you know, brag zone. This camel's hair and a leather girdle about his loins, and his meat was locusts and wild honey. You can be seated this morning. Thank you for standing with us while we read the word of the Lord. I'll not cover everything in the life of John the Baptist this morning. but I wanna try to cover these four verses in the scriptures and talk a little bit about this character from the Bible, John the Baptist, and we may again reference him and come back to him some in the message tonight. Now, John the Baptist is called this for being a baptizer. The Bible said he's the greatest born of a woman, according to our Lord's account in Matthew chapter 11 and verse 11. He was filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb, according to Luke chapter one and verse 15. I don't know how to explain all of that. I'm not certain that I know how to even wrap my mind. around a man being filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb, but that is what your Bible says in Luke 1 and 15. His preaching was predicted by Isaiah over 700 years before John the Baptist ever came to earth. Matter of fact, it's interesting, John the Baptist has told us about In the scriptures, in the 40th chapter, in the third verse, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Isaiah 40 and three. And then the 40th book of the Bible is Matthew, the third chapter is where we are, and the voice of one crying in the wilderness is here. It is the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah 700 plus years beforehand. And God gave revelation to John the Baptist about who the Lamb of God was through the descent of the Holy Spirit like a dove on him. He said the one upon whom you see the Holy Spirit descending like a dove, he it is. that is come to take away the sin of the world, and before he baptized him, he said, looked up and saw Jesus coming unto him, and he said, behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world. That's John chapter one, verse 29. One of the greatest verses in the Bible and is really the message of all salvation. John was a man that had wisdom like a serpent. John was a man that had courage like a lion. John was a man that had the boldness of a thief. John was a man that had the meekness of Moses. and he was a man that had the oratorical nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was so much like Jesus in his preaching that when Herod heard Jesus preaching after John's death, he thought it was John risen from the dead, amen. And when he preached, he preached like Jesus preached, amen. Oh, my friend, and Jesus endures the message of John the Baptist in the ministry. of John the Baptist, and I'm not preaching on this part, but I'm gonna tell it to you. I wrote it down while I was in Sunday school, just sort of come to me here. Jesus endorsed John's ministry when it came to outreach. John's ministry outreach was to sinners. He dealt with sinners. It didn't matter how bad they were, how far gone they were, far off they were, John dealt with sinners. He called for men to repent, to turn from themselves, to turn from their wicked ways, and to turn unto the Lord Jesus, to get things ready to meet the Lord. He dealt with sinners, and Jesus endorsed John's ministry. He endorsed John's ministry not only when it came to outrage, but when it came to outcry. Had my friend John the Baptist cried out against sin? John the Baptist cried out against Satan. John the Baptist cried out against self and stubbornness, and he called for men to repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Jesus endorsed John's ministry. When it came to outlook, John's outlook, my friend, was one that he saw a savior. He said, there is one that is coming that is better than I am. He is preferred before me, and he was before me, and I'm not worthy to unloose his shoes. John's ministry was one that saw a Lamb of God. And he said, behold, the Lamb of God. The outlook is, look at him. They asked him and John, what do you have to say for yourself? He said, I have nothing to say for myself, but let me tell you about one that is preferred before me. Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. His outlook was toward the Savior, the Lamb of God. His outlook was toward salvation that takes away the sin of the world. That's what his outlook was toward. Sin's going to be taken away. His name shall be called Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sin. His outlook was toward the Spirit. He said, I indeed baptize with water but there is one coming after me that is greater than I, whoso lacks it, I'm not worthy to unloose, and he will baptize you with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and the fan is in his hand. His outlook was toward the Spirit of God. John the Baptist was full of the Spirit from his mother's womb, and yet he lived under the law before the Holy Spirit of promise was sent. to indwell every believer. I don't know exactly all of what John had. I don't know all how it worked. I don't know how he was filled with the Holy Spirit, the way that he was, in the dispensation that he was, and how that he was. But John the Baptist had something in him that the crowd around him did not have. And he said, one of these days when this one that's coming is done, all of you are gonna be baptized in the Holy Ghost. Every one of you will know why I get so excited about this, Jesus, because what lives in me and has lived in me since I was in my mother's womb is gonna live in each one of you, and he's gonna baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and you're gonna have a fire burning inside of you. Holy Ghost and with fire. And not only that, he's got a fan in his hand. And once in a while when the fire gets down, he'll wave a little bit and blow that fire and get you stirred back up again. That's our Jesus that is coming. And this is the person that John the Baptist is. And he's the one that Jesus endorsed his ministry. And said that he's the finest, the greatest born of a woman. in our text this morning, we find really four things about John the Baptist that I want to capitalize on and speak about this morning. And I don't even have a few things about those things, just those four things. And unless we get into them and preach about John the Baptist, you'll figure out that we probably couldn't handle things about those things anyway. John the Baptist was a man of God. He was a man sent from God, according to John chapter one, a man sent from God, whose name was John, and he was not sent to be that light, but to bear witness of that light. That light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world. Brother Thomas read portions of that this morning in his opening in Sunday School. Jesus is the light, but John came to bear witness of that light. And so there's really four things this morning we want to talk about with John. I wanna talk about John's method, John's message, John's mission, and John's mantle. John's method, his message, his mission, and his mantle. In verse number one, let's look at John's method this morning. The Bible said in those days came John the Baptist. Preaching in the wilderness of Judea. I want to say John's method was one of preaching. John was a preaching man. His mark was not made in the corporate world. His mark was not made in the world of politics or in the realm of religious hierarchy. but his preaching shook those worlds. His manner was to reach men through the preaching of thus saith the word of the Lord. John the Baptist didn't hold picnics, race camels, have fundraisers, write books, or go on speaking tours to the largest coliseums in the Roman Empire. I don't criticize all of those things, but I want to tell you the greatest man ever born a woman Please God, by preaching what God gave to him, haven't I ought to tell us something and remind us of something in this day? While the fog of religion is so thick that you can hardly see what the purpose of the church and the believer is any longer. May we learn from John and get back to preaching the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. God has not put me in the business of selling raffle tickets. God has not put the minister of the gospel in the business of having spaghetti suppers and fundraisers and yard sales and garbage sales and garage sales. God has not put the preacher in the entertainment business, or the nightclub business, or the coffee shop business, or in the business of pleasing everybody and everything, but God has put us in the preaching business, amen. And may the Lord give us some men of God that'll get back to having a ministry like John's, where our method is the preaching of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, hallelujah. 1 Corinthians 1 and 21, for after that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God. It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching. It saved them that believed. Our ministry as ministers of the gospel is not to argue, it is not to debate, it is not to fuss, it is not to contend, but rather it is to declare the gospel of Christ. And to those who will receive it, I will rejoice in that. Those who will embrace it, I will rejoice in that. And for those who will refuse it, I will have to shake the dust off of my feet and move on to someone else who is interested in hearing the gospel, amen. Oh, hear me. You want to argue, fuss, I'm pretty good at it. My nature is to want to argue, want to get into a debate. I want to fuss, I don't do it. I would like to do it. I don't do it. It's not what God put me here for. That's not why that I am here. And my friend, the gospel is not a plea. It is a proclamation. I am not trying to convince you of the gospel. I am declaring the gospel. You will accept it or refuse it, and that's between you and God. And my friend, whether or not I preach it, is between me and God, and I must preach that preaching which he has bidden me to preach. May God give us some men that will again do like John and get in the ministry of the preaching of the gospel. Oh, we're in such a day that men will say such things about preachers, trying to give them compliments, saying, well, you know, they're not much of a preacher, but they're a real good pastor. You know, they're really not much of a preacher, but they've got a strong ministry. These things are impossible. The most important thing a preacher can do is to preach. There is no other thing that is involved in his life that is of a higher importance. and preaching the word of God. Now certainly a man can help himself by having a well-rounded nature, by being good with people, learning music, learning how to, leadership qualities and these things, oh that's great. but when it comes right down to it, God didn't call me to sing, and he didn't call me to babysit, and he didn't call me to lead the shopping sprees, and to the Tanger Outlet Mall. He didn't call me, my friend, and put me in the ministry to take the kids to Six Flags, but he put me in the ministry to preach, thus saith the word of the Lord, and there is nothing else that I will do on planet Earth while my heart beats than to preach the word of the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no higher office, no higher calling, no higher purpose, and our preachers are so distracted with everything else that we have forgotten the most important thing for us to do is to praise the word of the Lord. John's method was preaching, amen. The scripture said in those days came John the Baptist rolling the bus through town promoting his latest book and selling T-shirts and hats and albums and CDs. Oh no, it said in those days came John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness. You know why people went out to hear John? It was not because he had pretty women singing in the praise team. and they didn't go out to hear John. My friend McCall said that he was the most popular person in town. They didn't go out to hear John. My friend soothed their conscience. They went out to hear him because John was a lather-lung preacher that had the anointing of God on his life, and he came preaching. Hey, Jesus said, what did you go out in the wilderness for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment, those were in king's houses. What'd you go out to see? A reed shaking in the wind. What'd you go out to see? My friend, a man that had a soft message. A prophet, yeah, I'll say it to you more than a prophet. John the Baptist was a preaching man. We have so belittled the preaching office in this day that most people don't want to call themselves preachers who are supposed to be preachers. They want to call themselves elders, reverends, pastors, ministers, speakers, lay speakers, philosophers, motivational talkers, all sorts of things, but they don't want to be called a preacher. It's almost as if it were a derision to someone to be called a preacher. Well, look up in here this morning. You are looking at an old-fashioned, Hell, fire, and brimstone, Bible belief, and a two-by-four Baptist preacher. I'm not ashamed to be called a preacher, not ashamed to be labeled as one of his. I did not do nothing in my life more important than what I'm doing right now. And may God give us some young men in this generation, some young preachers in this generation that'll realize preaching is more important than pacifying people, patting them on the back and patting their pockets. Oh God, help us to get some men that go back to the method of preaching the word of God. Amen, that's right. Hallelujah. Brother John said a while ago that you need to get up every morning and eat a bowl full of I don't give a real pack. I'll get you some gunpowder and mix it in with your Cheerios. I haven't had Cheerios, I had gunpowder straight this morning, amen. Hallelujah, praise God. How we need some men that'll get back to preaching again. My friend, my people die for lack of knowledge. Jesus, the Bible said there'd come a time when there'd be a famine, not of food nor of water. We're fat on the things of this world, but we're in a famine. I'm hearing the word of God. And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except he be seen? And my friend, these little fellows with their soft raiment and their pinky fingers stuck up in the air. Oh God, help us. And their soft voices and their soft messages and their compromising ways. are not preachers, and our people are dying because we need Holy Ghost filled. God called Bible belief and leather long, a sin denouncing preaching in this generation. Amen, that's exactly right. And what I'm preaching right about now is about as popular in this generation as a porcupine in a balloon factory, that we need it desperately. We need God to fill some men with the Holy Ghost, Give them the boldness of a lion, amen, and send them forth to preach the word of God. That's so important, we're supposed to pray for the Lord to do it. We are to pray the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labors into the harvest. Is that not what Jesus said? We ought to pray for God to save some people. Haven't been to call them to preach. Haven't been to fill them with the Holy Ghost. And when he does, instead of saying to the preacher, lighten up, we ought to say, God, put it on him. Amen. And God, help us to pray for preaching. Amen, hallelujah. Titus chapter one, verse number three, the Bible says, but hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Savior. Oh my my. Somebody said, but you don't have to be so bold and so loud and so much in my face. I don't ever even come down amongst the pews, let alone get in your face. Isn't it amazing how when I'm preaching the word of God with the John, folks will tell me that I'm in their face and I'm at least 10 feet away from the closest people in the building this morning? Amen, that's right. You know who's in your face? That militant lesbian crowd. That's the crowd that's in your face. That bunch of God deniers, they're in your face. Those that don't believe in creation, they're in your face. Amen, that's right. I tell you it's about time for the man of God to rise up and cry aloud and spare naught and be a preaching man again. Hallelujah, John 10 and 41, and many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle, but all that did John speak of this man were true. John didn't work miracles. John was not in the business of putting on a magician's act. And John just was in the preaching business. But they said we watched Jesus and everything John said about Jesus was right. Everything John said about Jesus was true. Hell, that's what preaching is about. It's not about lifting up yourself. It's not about bragging on yourself. It's about pointing men to Jesus. Everything he ever said about Jesus was true. God's witnesses need not work miracles. I don't have any handkerchiefs to sell to you. I got some handkerchiefs, but they ain't no better than your handkerchiefs, amen? Matter of fact, these two that's up here has been used a little bit this morning, amen? You might not want them, but they make a trip through the washing machine. Oh, but I'm telling you, I'm not selling handkerchiefs. And I'm not in the business of blowing on people, waving my coat at them, my friend, amen. Oh God, help us. The showmanship that has eaten up the ministry is just as devilish as the deadness that's eaten it up. And I'm telling you, God has a way of working with his people, using them, using their personalities, their ways. Have my friend to communicate to the hearts of people. And he does not need Hollywood evangelism, and he does not need showmanship, and he doesn't need clowns and jugglers and motorcycles, and my favorite shows, and puppets, and all this to do it. What he needs is men of God with fire in their bosom, and the Holy Ghost in their hearts, and the Word in their minds, and a willingness to praise the Word of God. Amen. Hallelujah. Hallelujah, and if that's stronger medicine some of you wants to listen to, we just made it through about half of point number one, amen. John the Baptist was a preaching man. John's method, John's method was preaching. I bet I want to tell you that his method upset a lot of folks, but his message bothered people even worse, amen. I mean, in verse number two, the Bible says, and he came through the wilderness of Judea and saying, repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. John's message. was not about your best life now, how to influence friends or influence people, the power of positive thinking, name it and claim it, get rich quick, or how to become happy with who you are. His message was repent or perish. His message was turn or burn. His message was get right or get left. His message was turn from sin, Satan's sensual lust and stubborn will, and turn to the Savior of all men, and do it now, do it now. and that stills to be the message that the gospel preacher still preaches in this generation. Amen. Acts chapter 17, verse 30. The Bible said in the times of this ignorance, God winked at, but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. While men in pulpits all over the world today are trying to soothe men by telling everyone that they're okay, But my friend, as they are, the gospel preacher declares the need to become a new creature in Christ Jesus. Listen to what I'm about to say, and if I could say this in bold face, italicized highlight, at all caps, I would this morning, amen. You are not okay as you are. Are you listening to me this morning? You are not okay as you are. Our Jesus died for no purpose. He came to make something out of you that you are not. You'll first have to turn from who you are before you can ever be who God wants to make you be. If you were all right already, then Jesus had nothing to do when he came to planet Earth. He came to save you from who you are. I know that flies, I mean, face first into the face of all of diabolical, dialectical, secular humanism. But my friend, it's a fact. We'd spend all of our time trying to cause people to love themselves. They don't need to love themselves. They need to turn from themselves, turn from their flesh, turn from their sin, turn to Jesus, and get right with God, amen. That's exactly right. Positive thinking won't fix us. Getting right with God will fix us, amen. Oh, you just need to feel better about yourself. You need to get right with God's what you need, amen. My friend, hey, and I'm preaching right now a specific way, how to get a specific effect, and I'm gonna tell you more about it in just a minute. You are not okay as you are. Amen. I remember when I started preaching early in my preaching life, I had some who came to me and said, you know, people would like you better. Amen. Folks would listen to you more and they would receive you better if you would quit saying you all the time and start saying we or some people. It's just too combative. It points men out. It confronts where he is. And I remind you, that is the way preaching transpired in the word of God. Verse number two, and saying, the greatest man that's ever born a woman, that Jesus said was a preacher and more than a prophet, he said, repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. You know why a lot of folks don't mind going day and night, week after week, Sunday after Sunday, year after year to some of these little churches and big churches and whatever where the pastor's got on a turtle neck or wearing short breeches and walking around all the time and dancing and playing and whatever else, because he don't ever say you, amen. He said, never says, hey, you need to get right with God. Hey, you are full of sin. You need to repent. You are gonna go to hell if you don't get right with God. But Bible preaching says, repent ye. You know what Bible preaching does? It says, you must be born again. You know what Bible preaching says? It says, you need to get right with God. You need to be saved. You need to come to the Lord. You are gonna go to hell if you don't get right with the Lord this morning. And now is that truth the same for me? Absolutely. And my friend, hey, but this morning, no need in all of us saying, well, everybody's the same, everybody's in the same shape. And this morning, Holy Ghost preaching, and Holy Ghost conviction makes it personal, points a finger at you, and says, it's not my brother, it's not my sister, but it's me, oh Lord, standing in need of prayer. And Bible preaching says, quit worrying about everybody else, and you get right with God. Hallelujah. Is anybody listening this morning? Hallelujah. Oh, my, my. And I know some of you are thinking probably about leaving, but you're afraid to, so just hang in here with us. Buckle your seatbelt, hold on to your neighbor or something or other, and pray God will help you. Amen. Oh, you know what Bible preaching does? It says you must be born again. Bible preaching says you have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain the Lord of glory. A Bible preaching says you stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears. You do always resist the Holy Ghost. As your fathers did, so do you. That's what Bible preaching is. Those are verses, by the way, from the scriptures, in case you didn't know what that was. Hallelujah. The gospel message confronts us, and that's what people don't want. They don't want to be confronted. They don't want to be confronted with their sin. They don't want to be confronted with themselves. They don't want to be confronted with their sensual lust. They don't want to be confronted with their stubbornness. But Bible preaching, the gospel of the Bible, confronts us. And the Bible preaching is not subtlety. That's the way Satan works. Satan works in subtlety. Satan works in simplicity. Satan works in tricks and psychology. Bible preaching is blunt, straightforward. Hits you square between the eyes. Points his finger in your face and tells you the truth. Does not leave you to make excuses when you get to judgment day and say, Lord, if I'd only understood, if I'd only known better, I'd have done differently. Bible preaching leaves you standing before God and saying, I heard the message. I'm without excuse. I should have gotten right, but I got mad and I walked out and I did not heed the gospel. Amen. Bible preaching opens the heart of them that will receive it and shuts the minds of them that will refuse it. Amen. Gospel demands repentance. Repent. You. Do it. Do it now. The kingdom of God's at hand. If you're gonna get right with God, you better do it now. If you're gonna do anything for God, you better do it now. If you're gonna love the Lord, you better do it now. Do it now, the kingdom of God's at hand. There is a sense of urgency in Bible preaching. This philosophical foolishness of, well, you know, my kids, I'm not going to tell them to do nothing for God, you know. They'll make up their own minds and I don't want them to do anything like they're coerced to do anything, you know. And I want them, you know, to make up their own minds about everything. It's amazing how you didn't let them make their own minds up as to whether or not they want to brush their teeth. or whether or not they want to take a bath more than once a week. You made up their minds for them. You said, get in there and get yourself cleaned up. I'm not going to have some stinking pig around this house. You brush your teeth and comb your hair and take a bath. We're not a bunch of hogs living in a barn. You're going to be a civilized human being? Put your clothes on. Quit running around like a savage. I mean, that's a way that you dealt with those things. Then why, when it comes to church, do we say, well, you know, if he wants to go, I'll let him make up his own mind when he gets to be a grown-up. That is foolishness, that's out of hell, friend. The Bible approach is, it's urgent. Hell is, my friend, hell is moving. Death is coming, hell is moving. Our children are in trouble. Can you bear to let them go? There's a sense of urgency to Bible preaching, amen. Bible preaching causes us to get in the altar and weep over our lost loved ones. Amen? Bible preaching calls for a change. John's message is one of change and urgent change. Do it and do it now. Jesus preached just like him. Luke chapter 13, Jesus said they were present at that season, some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. Jesus answering said unto them, suppose ye that those Galileans were sinners above all Galileans because they suffered such things? Do you think that those Galileans were not right with God because they came under suffering? Jesus said, nay, I say unto you, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. You know what Jesus said? Quit worrying about your brother and your sister and your neighbor and everybody else, and you get right with God or you're gonna go to hell, sure as the world. or those 18 upon whom the tower of Siloam fell? And slew them, think they were sinners above all men in Jerusalem? I tell you nay, but except you repent, you shall all likewise perish. Turn from who you are. How Romans 2 and 4, how despises thou? Do you despise the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering? Not knowing the goodness of God, leadeth he to repent us? You gotta repent and God wants you to. And he's merciful just to allow you to. There was a time when preachers preached on sinners and hands of an angry God that turned this nation upside down with it. Now we would turn the preachers out for it. There was a time when men who preached like that became icons in American culture and history. And now they have become outcasts, even amongst religious circles. And brother, it ain't a problem with the preacher and it's not a problem with the preaching, it's a problem with us. John 1 and 29, the next day John see a Jesus coming unto him and saying, behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. You have a sin problem that needs dealing with and Jesus is the only one that can do it. John's method, John's message, number three this morning, John's mission. Verse number three, the Bible says, for this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his path straight. What was John's mission? to fulfill the prophecy. The prophecy said there would be one, only one. It had been 400 years since they had one. It had been 400 years since the last prophet of God was sent unto his people, Malachi. And by the way, the last message he preached was, there's one coming that'll be the forerunner of Christ. The last message he preached was about John. And the next preacher that came on the scene was John. And the next preacher was just one preacher. There was nobody else doing it. Nobody else was preaching the gospel except for John. Nobody else was preaching that Jesus was coming except for John. But praise God, there was one, amen. When there was only one, there was one. And if it gets down in this day to where there's just one, I wanna be the one. John's mission was to preach, and not only preach that Jesus was coming, but to preach to prepare you the way of the Lord, make his path straight, get things right with God. Jesus is coming, make the path straight. Now when it says to make the path straight, this word straight comes from a word meaning to be leveled off. It's like it gives the idea of a motor grader coming through and pushing all the humps out. You know, you ride on some of these highways, you can tell that they were built several years ago because they do like this. I mean, all the way down through there. I mean, it's just like riding waves in the ocean. I mean, just up and down and up and down and up and down. And they are straight. You could draw a string line on them. I mean, they're that straight. But they're just up and down and up and down. It might be 25 miles between towns, but you'll drive 70 miles getting there just climbing up and down. I mean, it's a sight. Up and down, up and down. You know what they'll do in these days? My daddy goes out there for years building roads. They'll cut the top of the hill off and dump it in the valley. And then they'll take the top of the next hill off and dump it in the valley. You know what they're doing? They're leveling it off. And all around you might be up and down and up and down and up and down, but I'll tell you where the way is, it's trade. It's level, it's equal. Whether you are rich or poor, the way is trade. Whether you are educated or uneducated, the way is trade. Whether you're Jew or Gentile, the way is trade. Black or white, the way is strange. It means to be level, to be made even, to be put on equal footing. It carries with it the implication that this must be done urgently, immediately. The religion of the day was layered with self-righteousness. of the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Scribes. The law demanded sacrifices of sorts that could not bring redemption of salvation. The government of the time was a tiered system with Romans and Jews and rulers and subjects, big and small. But John's message was the way is straight. Hence the ground is level at Calvary. Oh, praise God. His preaching declared all men everywhere to repent. His message was to remind us that all men are sinners in need of a savior. His message was your only hope is God, and your only way to God is through his son, Jesus Christ. Oh, praise his sweet name. John 1 and 22, then said they unto him, who art thou that we may give an answer to them that sent us? What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I'm the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord. As said the prophet Isaiah, our mission is much the same as John's, not to draw attention to ourselves, but declare the one of the gospel Jesus Christ, that there's salvation in him and in no other, friend, no other. You being a Baptist does not make you any more fit subject for heaven than it would be if you were Hindu. Amen? You could serve false gods and grow up in a Sunday school room at Truth Baptist Church and be just as lost either way. The ground is level. What will you do with Jesus is what's gonna matter. Amen? Matthew 28, that's what our gospel's supposed to be. Same as John's. It's what our mission is to be. Jesus speaking to them saying, that is to the church saying, all powers given unto me in heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Our mission must be the same as John's, to help every lost sinner know there is lost as lost can be, and there's one Savior that is their only and all-sufficient hope. And our preaching ought not to cause, when I say preaching in this sense, I don't just mean delivering the message, but our message, our gospel, our testimony, our witness, ought not to cause some folks to feel good about themselves and others to feel bad about themselves. It ought just cause everybody to look to Jesus. That's right. I don't preach this morning to make you feel good about being a Baptist. I know preachers who do that and I try not to invite them to come preach for me. Amen. That's exactly right. And I even tell some of them that I know are good preachers, but sometimes get off on riding that hobby horse, that I'm not interested in it. I am interested in people knowing Jesus. Amen. We're going to have a baptism this evening, and we may preach a bit about John's baptizing and what baptism is, but my friend, we're not looking to make Baptists out of people. Some of the meanest people I know are Baptists. Don't need to convert you to being a Baptist. Not real sure if I'm converted to being a Baptist. All I know is that I know Jesus and I'm in love with Him. He is your answer. It's not Baptist churches. It's not Truth Baptist Church. It's not preacher powers. It is Jesus that is your answer. And we need to quit speaking of ourselves and our denomination and our ideas and our thought processes and our philosophies and our doctrines and, my friend, our way of doing everything and point men to the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. Jesus, it's Jesus, it's Jesus. If I could say one thing, I would say he's the best thing. If I had only one word, Jesus would be heard. He's really all that matters. John's method, John's message, John's mission, number four, and I'm finished. Y'all can take a deep breath now. John's mantle. Verse number four of the Bible said in the same John, and that's important to know, because there's more than one John in the Bible when y'all read now. The same John had his raiment of camel's hair. What a jacket to wear. Do y'all remember somebody recently that we preached about who wore a coat of hair? Does anybody remember that? Elijah, that's right. He wore a coat of hair. The only person I can find in the Bible in the Old Testament that it said specifically about him that he wore a coat of hair. And I don't know exactly what kind of hair it was that he was wearing, but my guess is it probably was not sold off the rack at the storefront at Saks Fifth Avenue. My guess is that it would not have been on display in the window shops in Times Square. I mean, it probably was a little bit out of touch with the fashions of the day. The goofies that walked up and down the runways in Paris and New York and London would not have been wearing the latest version of Elijah's hair coat up and down those runways while they were modeling. Amen. By the way, those models wear some weird clothes anyhow. And if you wear what they wear, you're probably gonna look like a nut. Amen. I mean, back a couple of years ago, they had grown men modeling, hopping down them runways wearing onesies. Some of y'all see that kind of stuff? I mean, it looked like a set of coveralls with the sleeves and the legs cut out of them, amen. And this was supposed to be the latest in men's fashion. I sure am glad it didn't catch on, because I sure never would have wanted to have caught up with that fashion, amen. Looked like a 220-pound toddler, amen. Lord, have mercy at the foolishness they wear. John the Baptist didn't care if he fit in or not. John the Baptist, let's put it in to house in kind of Hebrew. John the Baptist was the kind of God that didn't mind wearing his liberty overalls to the preacher's meeting on Monday morning. Everybody kind of thought he was a little strange. Sat down with a smorgasbord to eat and he brought his own meal with him because he's a little bit of an oddball. They ask him, what did you bring? It must have been good. The buffet looks great up there. And he said, I don't eat off that thing. I don't trust all that food in these big places. Don't know who's been handling it, what kind of life they lead. Amen. Oh, some of you, you're worried if you drop an M&M on the floor and you eat at restaurants and there ain't no telling where that food's been. That's exactly right. And who's been handling it? Mm. I just pick my M&M up and blow it off him, things got a hard candy coating on them, amen. And they are precious, you don't want to throw them away. Hallelujah. TJ does the same thing with his Oreos. He picks them up and licks his finger and mashes all the crumbs to make sure they're not left on the floor. Isn't that right? Hallelujah. You laugh at us, John the Baptist brought locusts and wild honey with him. He's got his dried locust he caught in the wilderness. He's wearing his camel hair coat at the preacher's meeting, and he's dipping that locust in some honey that he caught out of a rock somewhere in the wilderness, and it's running down his hand, and he's licking his fingers, and somebody said, that right there is the biggest preacher in the country. Oh, somebody, there is no way. He's not Kuth, he's not refined. He don't fit in. He's just a little bit too much. I mean, he's excessive. He's a nut. He's far out. Oh, but he had God on his life. We are in a day where we think we've got to take a preacher and turn him into an automaton. We've got to make a Stepford wife out of him. We've got to make a GQ model out of him. Oh, and what we need is men full of the Holy Ghost and fire. I'm not opposed to wearing good suits. I'm wearing one this morning. Matter of fact, I think this one, that one here's got a Tommy Hilfiger label inside of it, amen. Bought straight off the clearance rack for 75% off, amen. Buddy, I'm telling you, I'm not against wearing a nice suit. I like wearing nice suits. I like wearing nice ties. I like wearing florescent wingtip shoes. But that does not make a preacher. There's a lot of fellows standing in the courtroom that drink all weekend long as drunks, and they're lawyers on the weekdays, and they wear nice suits and ties, and they're not full of the Holy Ghost. I want to have the power of God on my life. John's mantle was not so much in what he wore. What he wore discounted him. What he wore, his outward appearance, his nature, he was uncouth. He was a mountain man. He was a wilderness man. He was not the kind of person that would have caused everyone to stand up and salute when he walked into a room. The reason why that people paid attention to John was because he had a message from God and the Holy Ghost on his life. The mantle of hair didn't make him. It was the mantle of the Holy Ghost that made it happen in his life. Elijah was the same kind of guy, a sheep herder, a mountain man. Rough around the edges. Amen. Not schooled in the king's way of doing things in his court. Didn't always have the best manners. Pointed his fingers in the king's face. That's right. He'd eat food after the birds done flown it around. Didn't have the best manners. And I'm not preaching against having manners. I'm for them. You know anything about me, you know I am four manners. I get irritated at people with poor manners. I think you ought to learn the best you can. Amen. And you ought to try not to be grating on other people. You ought to try not to be imposing on them by your manner of being so poor. But the Holy Spirit was not in John's manner or in his physical mantle or his coat. His presence was in the Holy Ghost that dwelt on him. His mantle was special, not for his earthly value, but for the power that rested on his life. Luke 1 and 17, the Bible said, and he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, that is Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedience, the wisdom, the just, and to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Matthew Wilson, we gotta have a spirit-filled preacher. If we gotta deal with sinners who need the spirit to deal with their hearts, That sort of thing might deal with a savior. May we have some men of God full of power again. Matthew 11 and 14, if you will receive this, Jesus said, this is Elias, that is Elijah, which was for to come. He was like Elijah, he had a mantle of power about him. Does anybody remember what happened to the mantle when Elijah went away? The chariot of fire took him off into heaven. The Bible said that the mantle of Elijah fell from heaven. Oh, and there Elisha is. He said, I want a double portion. And Elijah said, it's a very hard thing you've asked. But said, if you'll be there when I go away, he said, I'll give it to you. That mantle fell from Elijah. Oh, you know what that mantle was? It was evidence that Elisha had been with Elijah when he went off into heaven. And he said, here it is. Elijah my master said, if I'd be here when he went away, I'd have the double portion. This lets everybody know I was here when he went away. Hallelujah. And he began to take that mantle and he held it up. went back to that river Jordan, and my friend got it ready to smite the rivers. And he said, where is the God of Elijah? And he smote the river. Hither and thither it parted. And the Holy Ghost of God reminded him that the same Spirit that dwelt upon Elijah had dwelt also in a double portion upon Elisha. If you will have it, this is Elijah, John the Baptist. And he said, is there a greater share of the Lord in a woman? Had no lift on the east of the kingdom of heaven. No east of the kingdom of heaven. No east of the kingdom of heaven. No east of the kingdom of heaven. Is greater than John the Baptist. You know why he is, come here son. You know why he is? Because he got a mantle. Had a double portion. I don't heal, but I have. Who do you praise the Lord? Hey, hey, oh, God, let's put that on this one. It was big enough for you. I'll put the mantle on, put the coat on. Don't ever be ashamed of that coat. Don't ever be ashamed, somebody said, oh, that old-time preacher. That old-time church, that old-time way is out of touch. It's just not fitting in an RV. A bag of candles, hair coats. It's not fitting. It's not what the world's calling for. It's not what everybody thinks of the stuff. It's not what they're wearing in Paris and Hollywood and in London and New York. Don't ever be ashamed to wear the coat. Don't ever be ashamed to put on the man coat. Don't ever be ashamed to be labeled as an old-time Christian, as one who follows Jesus. But we're not following John, we're following Jesus. John just gave us an example. And if we'll be like John, we'll also follow Jesus. Hallelujah. Don't be ashamed to wear the coat, amen. Don't be ashamed to put on the mantle. Amen. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Let me see just a minute here. I wish this morning, listen, matter of fact, every one of you young people that's 25 and under, I want you to stand up there. All of you that's 25 and under. I want you old folks like me to look around now and realize, We are almost outnumbered. The young ones are going to take over. Some of you can't. Y'all just stay standing there. Some of you can't give it to me. But don't ever be ashamed of what you've done. Don't ever be ashamed of what you've done. Are you listening? Kirsten, that's not real stylish. That's not real stylish for somebody that's as pretty as what you are. But listen to me. Don't ever be ashamed. to wear the coat. Come here, buddy. Get in here with mom and let her wrap that coat around you. And don't ever be ashamed to put it on your children. Amen. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Don't ever be ashamed to put on a coat, to wear the mantle. Are you listening to me? Praise God. Hey, hey, he looks even better than that than you did. Amen. Praise God. That looks so good on you. I'm about ashamed to take it back, buddy. Praise the Lord. Don't ever be ashamed. Are you listening to me? You little boys and girls, don't ever be ashamed to wear the coat. Amen. Don't ever be ashamed to let the Lord work in your life. Don't ever be ashamed. You children, come on in here close. Oh, look at that. And I know it's just the old preacher's coat. Matter of fact, it's sweaty and it's all sticky on the inside. Don't ever be ashamed of the old time coat. Don't ever be ashamed to wear it. This is not what I planned on preaching. Put that on right there. Y'all don't be ashamed ever to wear the mantle. Matter of fact, I know it looks like it's a little bit too big, don't it? It looks like it's a little bit too big. gentlemen here beside you and with the girls beside them. Let them put it on there. Don't ever be ashamed. Are you listening to me this morning? Those of you who are of many years, some of you have worn the mantle in days past. And right now in your life, you're living like you're ashamed to have it on. Put it back on. Rise up again and serve the Lord. Praise God, son, that's right. Caitlin, don't ever be ashamed. Don't ever be ashamed. These folks will tell you a million times over how sorry and no count, no good that your daddy and every other old-time preacher is. Don't ever be ashamed of the mantle, girl. Don't ever be ashamed. Pass it on down here and let these other boys and girls wear that mantle just a moment. Ain't nothing in my coat, wasn't nothing in John the Baptist's coat, but the mantle that was on him. Oh, Jake's so big he'll bust the seams. Put it on your shoulders at least. Don't be ashamed to wear the mantle. Don't be ashamed, hallelujah, to put it on. Had to be an old time Christian, amen. Praise the Lord. Are you listening to me? Am I preaching right this morning? Hallelujah, thank God. Some of y'all way under too big to wear the preacher's suit. But you're not too big to wear the mantle. Are you listening to me? Hallelujah. Come here, son. You and Julie are small enough, y'all can get in it together. Hallelujah. Look at there, that's where we ought to be anyhow. Together, wearing the mantle, one with another. Anointed of God, serving the Lord. Somebody say amen. Amen. Thank God. Daddy, you know what you ought to do? You ought to take your children, put them up under that mantle. and gather them together with you and not be ashamed to wear the mantle of old-time religion and of being spirit-filled and having the Holy Ghost in your life. Hallelujah. Bring them on to church. Bring them on to Sunday school. Teach them about the things of God. Hallelujah. Oh, praise the Lord. Amen. Put the mantle on. Put the old-time way on. Live the old-time way. and don't be ashamed of it, amen. Thank God. Oh yes, this little one here I call shrimp all the time, scrimp usually. Don't ever be ashamed to wear the mantle. Don't ever be ashamed to be an old time Christian. Don't ever be ashamed of the old time preacher and the old time way. I mean always live for the Lord, pass it along here. Praise God. We're going to let every one of them try it on and wear it. Amen. Hallelujah. Don't ever be ashamed. Don't ever be ashamed to wear the mantle. Brother, you can't put it on, but you can lay it on. Hallelujah. That mantle, he'll outgrow my mantle there. Praise God. Don't ever be ashamed to have that mantle on your life, to wear the label of old time Christian. Don't ever be ashamed to put it on. Don't be ashamed to be identified in the old time way. Don't be ashamed to be noticed, to be recognized, to be pointed out, to be different. Dare to be a Daniel. Dare to serve God. Dare to be different. than what everybody else is to serve the Lord. Amen. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. We got some young people that's looking at getting married around here. Amen. Hallelujah. And you need to listen. This one here is going to get baptized tonight, and they're looking at getting married next spring. Don't ever be ashamed to wear the mantle, young man. Put on the mantle. Wear the label of old-time Christian. and never regret it and never turn back from it. Lead your family in the way of God. Be Spirit-filled. Love Jesus more than anything in the whole wide world. Amen. Pass the mantle on to that one that you're to lead in the ways of the Lord. Hallelujah. Don't ever be ashamed to wear the mantle, to be labeled as an old-time Christian, to say, yes, I am one of them. Don't be ashamed to wear the mantle. Let's pass it along. I've got a couple of others I want to give that same charge to here this morning. As I say, if someone's looking to get married, end it this morning. Don't ever be ashamed to wear the mantle, young man. Don't be ashamed to live for Jesus. Don't be ashamed to walk with God. Don't be ashamed to be an old-time Christian. Don't be ashamed to wear the coat that does not fit and does not go along with and does not belong in. and does not settle in with what the rest of this world does. And when you wear it, pass it along to that one that's looking to you for spiritual leadership. And together, hand in hand, hand to side by side, follow after the things of the Lord. I stay close to God in prayer, one with another in serving God. If I could tell you how much I love you, I really would. But oh, what I'd really like for you to do, stay near the cross. And then the Lord will take care of everything, and you are. Hallelujah. Praise God. Listen to me, young man. Wear the mantle. You got on a nice coat, but take it off. Hallelujah. Wear the mantle, young man. Wear the mantle. Put it on. Don't be ashamed. Some of y'all don't know this. Some of y'all don't understand what I'm saying this morning, but T.J. knows. Getting to follow me around all over the place and carry my coat and take my Bible in and out and whatever is a blessing and it's a curse. You get to know a whole lot of people and whatever. But there's people that loves him just because he's my nephew. Then there's folks that will hate him and never let him preach for them just because he's my nephew. And I am nothing but some of them hates the preaching that I'm preaching like I preached here this morning. But I want to tell you, don't be ashamed of my bonds and don't be ashamed to wear the mantle. Amen. Oh dear God, send a double portion. I'm the Lord and the Holy Ghost. Don't be ashamed to wear the mantle. Don't be ashamed of the bonds that come. Don't be ashamed of the label and the markings that come. But being an old time Christian, I've tried to preach what the Lord's laid on my heart and completely got off track of what I was preaching, but I've done what the Lord told me. Everybody stand. Everybody stand with us this morning. I'll preach what the Lord put on my heart this morning. Oh, John the Baptist, would somebody this morning look toward heaven and say, dear God, I need a double portion. Oh, I've got to have the Holy Ghost on my life. Wouldn't there be some young families, maybe some mamas and daddies, and maybe some people that's seasoned, been living for the Lord for a lot of years, but you've gotten cold and complacent, and careless and lackadaisical, and you're about halfway living for God, and halfway serving God, halfway worshiping, and you're not giving God your best, and you need to get again in this altar, and say, oh God, give me the mantle. Oh Lord, let me wear the lapel. Oh God, let your spirit move in my life. Make me your servant and help me to live for you. Somebody needs to pray. Everybody needs to pray. Anybody needs to this morning, you obey the Lord. Folks are coming around this building and should be and filling these altars this morning. Please be obedient to the Lord. If you've never been saved, there'll never be a better time in your life to get right with God than right now. There'll never be a better time in your life to repent for the kingdom of heaven's at hand than right now! And right now, if you need to pray this morning, I'd beg you to come. I'd implore you to be obedient to the Lord. Sing for us when you're ready. ♪ Have thy affections been nailed to the cross ♪ Oh God, have mercy. ♪ Is thy heart right with God ♪ Countest thou all things for Jesus the Lord ♪ Is thy heart right with God ♪ Is thy heart right with God ♪ Washed in the crimson flood cleansed and made holy, humble and lowly, right in the sight of God. Hast thou dominion over self and over sin? Is thy heart right with God? Over all evil, without and within, Is thy heart right with God? Is thy heart right with God? Washed in the crimson flood, Cleansed and made holy, Humble and lowly, Right in the sight of God. Is there no more condemnation for sin? Is thy heart right with God? Does Jesus rule in the temple within? Is thy heart right with God? Is thy heart right with God? washed in the crimson flood, cleansed and made holy, humble and lowly, right in the sight of God. Are you right with the Lord this morning? You obeyed the Lord in the meeting.