Matthew 3

Abstract

9-27-15 Advance Man I. Slide1 Announce: A. Slide2 Comedy For a Cause. Slide3 Men’s Breakfast. B. Slide4 Potter’s Field Ministries Mike & Pam. Wed night Oct.14th. see bulletin. C. Slide5 Stuff The Bus see bulletin. II. Slide6 Intro: A. Slide7 I can’t imagine what went into the Popes visit this week. FBI, NYPD, Joint Terrorism Task Force, & all the other agencies that became the Advance Team. [+170 other world leaders, 90% of worlds major leaders] B. Slide8 Here we have an Advance Man (John the Bap) advance man a person who visits a location before the arrival of an important visitor to make the appropriate arrangements. 1. In biblical times when a prince or governor desires to visit his people, a high official is sent out in advance to announce his coming lord, and to make preparation for the proposed visit. 2. The party is greeted & welcomed by the local leaders & citizens. To not bestow honor on a high official’s servant/representative was to show disrespect for the high official they would be punished and the trip would be cancelled. (think of David’s 10 advance men & Nabal, who is David? Then w/Amon, 1/2 beards 1/2 skirts) 3. But, sometimes the people would get carried away in honoring the representative...forgetting about the coming of the high official. The representative would be sensitive to this so his lord would not get jealous. a) So many times John had to deflect...No, I’m not the Messiah. No, I’m not The Prophet. No, I’m not the Light just the lamp who bears witness to the Light. No, I’m not the Word, I’m just the voice. No, I’m not the Groom, just the best man. b) We move to our story today, where the advance man had become so popular, even the religious leaders were coming out to his baptisms. And, the people, after 400 yrs of not hearing from any prophet, lost sight of The Coming One...for him.