NO GREATER PROPHET
OR
PREPARING THE WAY OF THE LORD
SUNDAY OCT. 6, 2019
Scripture To Consider:
“When the messengers of John [the Baptist] had departed, Jesus began to speak to the multitudes concerning John: ‘What did you do go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.’”
“This is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.’ For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist, but he [or she] who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
“And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him [John the Baptist].” Luke 7.24-30
Something To Consider:
Jesus waited until John’s disciples had left before praising John the Baptist and hailing him as the greatest of all prophets. His series of rapid-fire questions were meant to awaken the people’s memories of John as a man of God, and as more than just a prophet. In doing so Jesus quoted from the prophet Malachi, whose name means messenger of Jehovah.
Jesus quoted from the words found in Malachi 3.1, the last book of the Old Testament record, and they speak clearly of John the Baptist and of whom Jesus was according to God and according to the Word of God. “Behold, I [God, LORD Jehovah] send My messenger [John the Baptist], and he will prepare the way before Me [God, Lord Jehovah in the person of Jesus].” God could be no clearer as to the person and mission of John the Baptist and of the coming of Himself in the person of Jesus.
And according to the testimony of Jesus there is no greater prophet than John the Baptist. According to Jesus, John the Baptist fulfilled his mission as a messenger and as God’s mouthpiece of truth. Also, according to Jesus and Malachi, John the Baptist prepared the way of the first coming of Jesus. Will we take part in the preparing of the way of the second coming of Jesus? This website, According To Jesus, has been created to do just that; to take an active part in the preparing of the hearts and minds of individuals for the way of the second coming of Jesus Christ!
This According To Jesus website is attempting to make His paths straight in a crooked and extremely perverse generation. And yet, if the truth be known, even after all the written and preserved warnings given by Jesus and reiterated in this website, many will reject and or neglect the warnings of Jesus as did the majority of religious leaders in Jesus’ day. And if the religious leaders reject the Word of God delivered by Jesus, so will those who are being led astray by the many blind leaders misleading the blind.
But, according to Jesus, those who believe and become the least in the kingdom of God become greater than John the Baptist. John the Baptist, whose name rightly describes him as a gift of God, was successful in preparing the way of the Lord. And yet, as born-again believers and Holy Spirit filled followers of Jesus Christ, we have membership into the new covenant kingdom of God as kings and priests and heirs of the promises of God.
John the Baptist, even as great of a prophet as he was and as great as a gift of God that he was, lived under the old covenant. Therefore, the least of us as New Testament believers have been granted a greater promise of the new covenant based and maintained on the precious blood of Jesus. Therefore, we have been granted the gracious gift of being spiritually born-again and spiritually filled with God’s Holy Spirit which enables us in God’s sight to be greater than John the Baptist.
Therefore, what is it that we are doing with the gift of God? What is it that we are personally attempting to do that will help to prepare the way of the Lord’s second coming? Are we studying to show ourselves approved unto God and thereby becoming able to rightly divide, rightly understand, and able to rightly communicate the truth of the Word of God? And if not, why not?
The apostle Paul warned all true believers to not be deceived as it pertains to the truth of Christ’s second coming. He wrote in 2 Thessalonians 2.1, “Now brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled.” It concerned Paul that rumors had circulated that Christ had already come. It concerned Paul that some were teaching a false timing of the coming of the Lord and what has come to be known as the rapture.
Something More To Consider:
Therefore, Paul continued his end time warning and clarified the exact biblical sequence of end time events surrounding the second coming of Jesus and our being gathered together. In verse 3 of 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, Paul declared for the written record; “Let no one deceive you by any means [pastor, preacher, teacher, or false prophet]; for that Day [the second coming of Christ and the gathering of His saints] will not come unless the falling away [the great departing from the faith] comes first, and the man of sin [Antichrist] is revealed, the son of perdition.”
But for those being prepared for Christ’s coming, we have a great promise of God. Paul writing to the Ephesian church in chapter 1 and verses 13-14 declared; “In Him [in Jesus] you also, trusted, after you heard the Word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” This is indeed a great promise of God to the true believer!
There was no greater prophet than John the Baptist according to Jesus. And yet, our obtaining the promise of God’s Holy Spirit, we as the least in the kingdom of God, according to Jesus, are greater than John. What then will we do with this new-found greatness and great promise of God’s redemption and presence by way of His Holy Spirit?
A Few Final Words:
Are we therefore prepared for the revelation of the Antichrist? Are we prepared for the unleashing of the mystery of lawlessness that the lawless one will bring and is bringing upon the earth according to the working of Satan with all signs and miracles? The Word of God declares that he will deceive the majority of humanity with his working of powerful signs and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who are perishing, because they did not receive the love of the truth of the gospel of enduring to the end, that they may be saved.
And according to Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2.11; “For this reason God will send them [those who resist the truth of the Word of God] strong delusion, that they should believe the lie [of the Antichrist].” Are we prepared? Are we involved in preparing others for the second coming of Jesus Christ? Time is of the essence!
There is not enough time to be found believing the lie of the enemy or to be deceived by the tactics of Satan that includes distorting the truth of God’s Word. Once we begin to pick and to choose what we believe and what we do not believe of the Word of God, it no longer remains the Word of God for us.
True spiritual leadership in the kingdom of God requires our being content as one of the least, while being promised by Jesus of our also being great! For according to Jesus, “For I [Jesus] say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he [or she] who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, prepare us as the least in the kingdom of God to cherish the promise and possession of redemption in Christ. In Him Always, Amen!
According to Jesus 