Sermon Notes:
1. The mission of John the Baptist was to prepare humanity for the coming of Jesus.
2. John’s message was a call of reflection, confession, and repentance?
3. John’s message was a warning that the Lord was on His way.
4. John’s message was to religious people.
5. John’s message was to the religious leaders of the day.
6. The spiritual discipline of authenticity, confession, and repentance prepares the way of Jesus in our hearts.
7. The doorway to this journey is found in the prayer of Psalm 139:23-24.
Follow-up Questions from Sunday’s Message:
Review:
Looking back on last Sunday’s message and your notes, what was the most meaningful part for you?
Digging Deeper:
1. What are your impressions of John the Baptist in Matthew 3:1-12?
2. How would you paraphrase John’s message for people today?
3. Why is an honest reflection of one’s life, aligned to personal confession and repentance, so important in preparing our hearts for a love relationship with Jesus?
4. On Sunday, Pastor Frank said that one of the bravest prayers a person could pray is found in Psalm 139:23-24. If you were to pray this prayer and the Spirit of God brought up stuff in your life that is offensive to Him, what should you do?
Taking it Home:
Commit to yourself and to God that this Christmas season you will intentionally spend time alone with God in reflection, confession, and repentance.
Exercise:
Pray a prayer similar to Psalm 139:23-24:
“Is there anything in my life that needs to be confessed?”
“Is there anything that is between you and me that I need to deal with?”
The great reformer Martin Luther said that he practiced this discipline by linking the prayer of Psalm 139 with reading the 10 commandments and allowing the Spirit of God to convict him of anything that is not right in his life. Try this this week and seek a cleansing of God in your heart, mind, and soul.
Definition:
Confession is that point when my mouth gives voice to what my heart knows to be true about my sin, no matter what the reason or cause, and without excuse. Genuine confession and repentance allows the soul to be most receptive to abundant, divine forgiveness.
Quote:
“To confess your sins to God is not to tell him anything he doesn’t already know. Until you confess them, however, they are the abyss between you. When you confess them, they become the Golden Gate Bridge.”
– Buechner, Frederick,