GROUND BREAKER John the Baptist Prepares the Way for the Ministry of Jesus Luke 3:1-20 1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Tiberius Caesar and other Caesars Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Tiberius and his mother Livia, AD 14-19, from Paestum, Zechariah in the wilderness. National Archaeological Museum of Spain, Madrid 1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high Pontius Pilate was the Prefect of Rome in Judea priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the from 26 – 36 AD word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the Territory of Herod Antipas word of God came to John the son of Territory of Archelaus Territory of Philip Zechariah in the wilderness. Territory of Salome I https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herodian_Tetrarchy 1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Annas and Caiaphas in the JESUS film Zechariah in the wilderness. https://thepreachersword.com 1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. http://www.freebibleimages.org 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, http://www.freebibleimages.org “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, 6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’” http://www.freebibleimages.org 7 He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” 10 And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” 11 And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” 12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.” 15 As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, 16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” 18 So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. 19 But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother's wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison. http://bibleencyclopedia.com/goodsalt/Matthew_11_John_the_Baptist_in_Prison.htm The Heart of a GROUND BREAKER Luke 3:1-20 The Heart of a Ground Breaker is SET ON GOD The Heart of a Ground Breaker is SINGLE-MINDED The Heart of a Ground Breaker is STIRRED BY GOD The Heart of a Ground Breaker is SENSITIVE The Heart of a Ground Breaker is SURE ABOUT CALLING The Heart of a Ground Breaker is SET ON GOD 2 The Word of God came … 3 and he went … proclaiming … The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks (Luke 6:45) The Heart of a Ground Breaker is SET ON GOD https://mylordmyfriend.com/2015/01/09/struggling-in-your-calling/ The Heart of a Ground Breaker is SINGLE-MINDED 4 The voice … 16 he… is mightier … I am not worthy … 16 He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire … The Heart of a Ground Breaker is SINGLE-MINDED "In the end, just as there are only two kinds of piety, the self-centered and the God-centered, so there are only two kinds of ambition: one can be ambitious for oneself or for God. There is no third alternative… https://verticallivingministries.com https://www.crosswalk.com The Heart of a Ground Breaker is SINGLE-MINDED Ambitions for self may be quite modest (enough to eat, to drink, and to wear, as in the Sermon [on the Mount]) or they may be grandiose (a bigger house, a faster car, a higher salary, a wider reputation, more power)… https://verticallivingministries.com https://www.crosswalk.com The Heart of a Ground Breaker is SINGLE-MINDED But whether modest or immodest, these are ambitions for myself — my comfort, my wealth, my status, my power. Ambitions for God, however, if they are to be worthy, can never be modest… https://verticallivingministries.com https://www.crosswalk.com The Heart of a Ground Breaker is SINGLE-MINDED There is something inherently inappropriate about cherishing small ambition for God. How can we ever be content that He should acquire just a little more honor in the world? No! Once we are clear that God is King, then we long to see Him crowned with glory and honor, according to His true place… https://www.crosswalk.com The Heart of a Ground Breaker is SINGLE-MINDED We become ambitious for the spread of this kingdom and righteousness everywhere. https://www.crosswalk.com The Heart of a Ground Breaker is STIRRED BY GOD 4 As it is written … 7 He said therefore … … you brood of wipers … 10 And the crowds asked him … 11 and he said to them 12 Tax collectors… also said … 13 and he said to them 14 Soldiers asked him … and he said to them The Heart of a Ground Breaker is STIRRED BY GOD 13 Then Haggai, the messenger of the LORD, spoke to the people with the LORD's message, “I am with you, declares the LORD.” 14 And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king. (Haggai 1:13-15) The Heart of a Ground Breaker is SENSITIVE 18 So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people … 19 But Herod … The Heart of a Ground Breaker is SENSITIVE 19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law.