Luke 1:13-17
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.
And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” (ESV)
1. John the Baptist as Fulfilment of Prophecy (Luke 1:13-17)1.1 God’s Forerunner Foretold
• John fulfils Isaiah 40:3
• John also fulfils Malachi 3:1
1.2 His Mission: Prepare a People (Luke 1:16)
1.3 His Power was Spiritual, not Political
Application
• Have we grown comfortable with sin?
• Have we lost the sharpness of repentance?
• Do we desire Christ, or merely the comfort He brings?
2. The Purpose of John’s Ministry (Luke 1:67-79)2.1 Salvation Means Forgiveness (Psalm 130:3-4)
2.2 The Remedy for Guilt is Christ’s Mercy (Luke 1:78, Titus 3:5)
2.3 A Light to Those in Darkness (Luke 1:79, John 8:12)
Application
• Do you know salvation as forgiveness, or merely as tradition?
• Are you trusting in Christ’s mercy, or your own goodness?
• Are you walking in the light, or lingering in shadows?
3. The Message of Repentance and the Lamb of God (John 1:19-34)
3.1 John Calls for Repentance (Matthew 3:2)
3.2 Christ the Lamb of God
“Behold, the Lamb of God.”
This language is rich with meaning. It echoes:
• The Passover lamb of Exodus 12
• The daily sacrifices of the temple
• The suffering servant of Isaiah 53
• 1 Corinthians 5:7: “Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.”
• 1 Peter 1:19: “A lamb without blemish or spot.”
3.3 Jesus’ Baptism Declares His Saving Mission
2 Corinthians 5:21: “For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”
Application
• Repentance makes room for Christ.
• The Lamb of God alone removes sin.
• Advent invites us not merely to admire Christ, but to receive Him by faith.
Conclusion
John the Baptist still speaks.
• He calls us to prepare our hearts.
• He calls us to repent deeply.
• He calls us to behold the Lamb.