Part One of a three part series

 

 Where did the Word of God come to John the Baptist? In the wilderness.  What was the Word? Repent and be baptized for the remission of sins - in the Jordan river, flowing in the wilderness away from the thoughts and the ways of men, away from organized religion  - the people had to travel away from all of that to meet with the man God had sent. Before this amazing moment in time, they had to go to a Priest to repent - carrying a sacrifice,  typically a blood sacrifice  - which was a foreshadow of Jesus - typifying his life's calling - to be a one time, once and for all blood sacrifice for the remission of sins - but now, to usher in and prepare for his arrival,  the people went in droves to the wilderness,  away from the Temple, away from the Synagogues (churches) of their day - away from all that man had built - to that which was untouched by man, unspoiled by man.

 Pharisees (pastors) felt threatened by John and rightly so - when John saw the Pharisees and Sadducees,  the religious leadership of his day, he soundly rebuked them , saying to their face - "O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wratg to come?" He told them of the coming of Jesus and he warned them that if they did not bring forth the fruit of repentance they would burn forever as chaff with unquenchable fire. Yet they challenged and resisted him as they would later do with Jesus,  as they will do to anyone who threatens their position of power and authority unto this day. False leadership  - put in place by man - will always try to kill and destroy leadership raised up and put in place by God  - even as Herod did when he first heard of Jesus - or as Pharoah did when Moses was about to be born. Leadership after the flesh will always despise and dishonor leadership after the Spirit.  They are full of pride, selfish,  more concerned with their position then promoting and exalting the people to the positions God has birthed them to fulfill.  The people of God cried outto Him for a king - and when he told them that was not his will for them - they cried out all the more - ignoring the wisdom God offered them - and today - they are doing the same - seeking a man, a king, flesh to rule over them because they themselves are fleshly, carnal - not seeking God's wisdom or his ways - nit seeking the baptism of the Spirit John had prophecied Jesus would bring " he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire" Luke 3:5 - this verse speaks of things being made level, or equal - crooked being made straight,  rough being made smooth - all the result of transitioning from Satan's kingdom to God's  - in their pride (Satan's original sin - man's final sin) men exalt themselves over other men - those lifted up in pride shall be brought low, those abased and abused by men shall be brought high - till all are equal,  with only Christ being exalted in our midst - and too, Christ will straighten every crooked way in us - every path of perversion  - till the only path our hearts trod is the path of righteousness  - the straight and narrow way. Once all tjis happens - "all flesh shall see the salvation of God" - some to their everlasting shame, others to their everlasting joy. When only Christ is exalted in our congregations,  He will exalt the humble and humble the proud. The unity his Spirit and presence will bring will be a powerful witness of our Father's reality to this wicked generation,  maybe the world's last, or next to last.

Part two Friday - apostle Chris