2. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”
Hebrews 12:2
2
3. The Story of God’s Ultimate Hero
Author | Captain | Pioneer | Leader | Champion | Forerunner
Know what Jesus was willing to die for. Was tested and tortured. Triumphed in the end.
3
5. “Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
Mark 1:1 This and he will prepare your way.
is the Good News 3 He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,
about Jesus the ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming!
Messiah, the Son of
Clear the road for him!’”
God. It began 2 just
as the prophet
4 This messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the
Isaiah had written:
wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to
show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to
be forgiven. 5 All of Judea, including all the people of
Jerusalem, went out to see and hear John. And when they
confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.
6 His clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore
a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild
honey.
7 John announced: “Someone is coming soon who is greater
than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to stoop
down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals. 8 I baptize
you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!”
5
6. Elizabeth telling husband Zacharias that he’d finally gotten her
pregnant with John was almost as inconceivable as Mary telling
fiancé Joseph that God had made her pregnant with Jesus.
6
8. As far back as he could remember, John was told by his
parents that cleaning the street for an arriving V.I.P. doesn’t
make you a V.I.P. But it still meant that God had given him a
Very Important Job.
8
10. When the call from God finally came, John the Baptist jumped
up and headed back to Jerusalem. While people may have been
turned off by his wild appearance, he made sure that they paid
heed to his message.
10
