Will you please turn to the Gospel according
to Luke?
Luke chapter 1, we'll read from verse 5.
And we'll read through verse 17.
The Gospel according to Luke chapter 1.
There was in the days of Herod, the
king of Judea, a certain priest by name
Zacharias, in the cause of the cause of
Abiah, and his wife of the daughters of
Aaron, and her name Elizabeth.
And they were both just before God, walking
in all the commandments and ordinances of the
Lord blameless.
And they had no child because Elizabeth was
barren, and they were both advanced in years.
And it came to pass as he fulfilled
his priestly service before God in the order
of his cause.
It fell to him by lot according to
the custom of the priesthood to enter into
the temple of the Lord to burn incense.
And all the multitude of the people were
praying without at the hour of incense.
And an angel of the Lord appeared to
him, standing on the right of the altar
of incense.
And Zacharias was troubled seeing him, and fear
fell upon him.
But the angel said to him, Fear not
Zacharias, because thy supplication has been heard, and
thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son,
and thou shalt call his name John.
But the angel said to him, Fear not
Zacharias, because thy supplication has been heard, and
thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son,
and thou shalt call his name John.
And he shall be to thee joy and
rejoicing, and many shall rejoice at his birth.
For he shall be great before the Lord,
and he shall drink no wine nor strong
drink, and he shall be filled with the
Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb.
And many of the sons of Israel shall
he turn to the Lord their God, and
he shall go before him in the spirit
and power of Elijah, to turn hearts of
fathers to children, and disobedient ones to the
thoughts of just men, to make ready for
the Lord a prepared people.
For he shall be filled with the Holy
Spirit and power of Elijah, to turn hearts
of fathers to children, and disobedient ones to
the thoughts of just men, to make ready
for the Lord a prepared people.
During the past conference, we shared together on
John the Baptist.
We used John the Baptist as a springboard
to ask ourselves three very important questions.
And these questions are, who are we?
Why do we do these things?
And what is our testimony?
And I do pray to the Lord that
we may be able to answer them rightly.
This morning we will still consider John the
Baptist, but we would like to learn lessons
from him as a person.
We know John the Baptist is an epoch
-making vessel of God.
We know that God's purpose never changes, but
God does change His ways.
His purpose remains always the same, but to
reach His purpose, He sometimes changes His tactics,
His ways.
And when He changes His ways, He changes
the time.
So we find that from time to time,
God does change His ways.
And whenever His ways change, the time changes.
But before the time changes, God always looks
for one or some epoch-making vessel.
And through these vessels, God will change the
time.
And we call these vessels epoch-making vessels.
You know, God is not a man, yet
He is alive.
Nor He is a son of man that
He shall repent.
Whatever He says, it shall be done.
And whatever He speaks, He will make it
good.
That means that God never changes His purpose.
So whatever changes may come in time, they
are all for the fulfillment of God's eternal
purpose.
John the Baptist is an epoch-making vessel
of God.
You remember in Matthew chapter 11.
It is said from the days of John
the Baptist until now.
The kingdom of the heavens is to be
seized by force.
And the forceful shall seize on it.
For the law and the prophets have prophesied
unto John.
You know, the law and the prophets, they
prophesied unto John.
In other words, the law and the prophets
conclude in John.
For the law and the prophets, they prophesied
about the coming Messiah.
And John is the last of the prophets
according to the Old Testament sense.
He is the one used by God to
conclude the law and the prophets.
And at the same time, He is the
one who is used by God to introduce
Christ, the coming King.
The kingdom of the heavens comes in the
days of John.
Because in His days the King has come.
So from the days of John until now.
The kingdom of the heavens is to be
seized by force.
And the word simply means that it is
to be seized by those who are forceful.
As a matter of fact, the original language
means seized by the violent.
And we do not like the word violent.
Because it gives us a bad connotation.
But actually the word violent is neutral.
It can have a good meaning, it can
have a bad meaning.
If we do violence to other people, that
is bad.
But we need to do violence to ourselves,
which is good.
To use another word, the Lord Jesus says,
unless you deny yourself, take up the cross
and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.
Now deny yourself is doing violence to yourself.
Because we all love ourselves.
We want to gratify ourselves.
And to deny ourselves is difficult.
You have to do violence to yourself in
order to deny yourself.
But those who are willing to deny themselves.
And take up the cross to follow the
Lord Jesus.
They seize upon the kingdom of the heavens.
And it begins from the days of John
the Baptist.
So brothers and sisters, John the Baptist is
one raised by God to change the time.
From the time of the law, it is
changed to the time of grace.
From the time of the law and the
prophets, it is changed to the time of
Christ.
He is used of God to change the
time.
Therefore we call him an epoch making vessel.
Whenever God wants to change the time, He
always looks for such vessel.
Now this is a mystery to us.
Because we will think when God wants to
change the time, He can change it.
But strangely, He will not change it until
He finds the right vessel.
And through that vessel, He will make the
change.
Now this is a mystery to us.
But this is the way that God always
do things.
Now dear brothers and sisters, do you know
that we are on the verge of another
change?
In the days of John the Baptist, there
was a tremendous change.
Because from law to grace is a great
change.
And from the law and the prophets to
Christ is a great change.
And John was used by God to bring
in Christ Jesus.
At the first coming of the Lord Jesus,
John is His forerunner.
He prepares the way for the Lord.
But dear brothers and sisters, we are on
the verge of another tremendous change.
Why?
Because the time of grace is coming to
an end.
You know, during the time of grace, whosoever
believes in the Lord Jesus shall be saved.
We are not saved by our own merits.
Because all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags
in the sight of God.
No one can be saved by doing the
works of the law.
We are being condemned by the law.
But thank God for sending His beloved Son
Jesus Christ into the world.
He is the Lamb of God who takes
away our sin.
By believing in Him, we are saved by
grace.
Now this is the time of grace.
So from the time of John the Baptist
until now, the now does not refer just
to the days of John the Baptist.
It does not refer just to the days
when Christ Jesus was on earth.
The word now continues until our time.
This whole period of two thousand years is
the time of grace.
Whoever is thirsty can come and drink freely
of life.
But the days of grace will come to
an end one day.
The door of grace will be closed.
A change of time will come upon this
earth.
And we know that our Lord Jesus is
coming again.
At His first coming, He brings grace into
this world.
At His first coming, He came as the
Lamb of God.
But our Lord Jesus is to come again.
And when He shall come again, He shall
come as the Lion of Judah.
That is to say, He shall come to
judge the world.
So you can see that at His first
coming, He brings in grace.
But at His second coming, He will exercise
judgment upon this world.
At His second coming, this age will come
to an end.
And the age to come will be ushered
in.
The age to come is the coming of
the Kingdom of God upon this earth.
And righteousness shall rule upon this earth.
Today it is grace.
But in the days to come, it will
be righteousness.
Christ shall rule the world with an iron
rod.
And brothers and sisters, we know that Christ
is coming soon.
So we are on the verge of another
great change.
But before this change will come, again you'll
find God will be looking for epoch-making
vessel.
But this epoch-making vessel will not be
an individual.
It will be a corporate body.
God is looking for a corporate body.
A body of people whom He can use
to change the time.
They will be used to conclude the period
of grace.
And they will be used to bring back
the King.
And they will be used to bring back
the King.
In the Bible, in chapter 12, there is
a man-child.
That man-child is collective.
Because later on you'll find they overcome Satan.
And the they refers to the man-child.
So the man-child is not an individual.
It is a collective term.
It includes a number of people.
Now who are these people?
They are those in the church who overcome.
Because they overcome Satan by the blood of
the Lamb.
And by the word of their testimony.
And they love not their lives even unto
death.
In other words, you'll find there will be
a group of people.
They know the value of the blood of
the Lamb.
They are not better than anybody else.
But they know the value of the blood
of the Lamb.
They are not perfect.
But they know to receive forgiveness of their
sins through the blood of the Lamb.
Brothers and sisters, we need the blood of
the Lamb not only at the time when
we believe in Christ Jesus.
At that time when we believe in the
Lord Jesus, His blood cleanses us from all
our sins.
But to live on this earth as an
overcomer, we need to be washed by His
blood all the time.
Whenever we fall, we need to depend on
the blood of the Lamb for cleansing.
So in other words, we are being washed
all the time.
In 1 John 1 it says, If we
walk in the light, as He is in
the light, we have fellowship one with another.
And the blood of Jesus Christ, the Son
of God, cleanses us from all our sins.
If we walk in the light, every day
we need to walk in the light.
In the light of life.
Because the life that is within us will
give light to us.
To guide us in our journey through this
world.
You remember John 1 verse 4 says, In
Him is life.
And the life is the light of man.
So brothers and sisters, today we have the
life of Christ in us.
And His life of Christ will shed light
upon our path.
And we need to walk in the light
of life.
As God dwells in the light.
And that is how we can fellowship with
one another.
But as we walk in the light, the
light will reveal all the darkness in us.
So we need the blood of the Lamb
to wash us from all these sins.
And that's the way that we grow in
the Lord.
With more life, we have more light.
And with more light, we see more of
our own darkness.
And when we see our own darkness, we
are cleansed by the blood of the Lamb.
So we enter into more light.
And with more light, we begin to see
more darkness.
So by degree, gradually, we are being brought
into the light of God.
And our life in Christ begins to grow.
From glory to glory.
And to be transformed and conformed to the
image of God's Son, Jesus Christ.
So we need the blood of the Lamb
every day.
You know, sometimes even our prayer needs to
be washed by the blood of the Lamb.
And even our tears need to be washed
by the blood of the Lamb.
That we may be more like Him.
So brothers and sisters, we need to appreciate
the value of the blood of the Lamb.
We will never grow, outgrow the blood of
the Lamb.
We need the blood of the Lamb all
the time.
The closer you are to God, the more
you sense the need of the blood of
the Lamb.
So you find this man child, who represents
the overcomers of the Church.
They overcome because of the blood of the
Lamb.
You know, Satan is an accuser.
And he is always trying to accuse us
before God.
He is always trying to accuse us in
our conscience.
Now how are we going to overcome the
accuser?
By the blood of the Lamb.
And number two, they overcome because of the
word of their testimony.
They have a testimony.
And what is their testimony?
Their testimony is that Jesus is not only
their Savior, but also their Lord.
You know, many believers only receive Jesus as
their Savior.
But they have not received Jesus as their
Lord.
But these people, they not only receive Jesus
as their Savior, they receive the Lord Jesus
as their Lord.
The Lord of their life.
And this is a reality in them.
So when they say Jesus is Lord, it
is real.
You know, many people may say Lord, Lord,
but they do not do the will of
God.
So you find that when they say Lord,
Lord, and do not do the will of
God, it is not real.
There is no power in their word.
But for those who really put themselves under
the Lordship of Christ, when they say Jesus
is Lord, there is power behind it.
And Satan will flee from them.
And thirdly, they do not love their lives
even unto death.
The life there is their soul life.
In other words, they are willing to deny
themselves.
Even unto death.
In order to do the will of God.
And these are the overcomers of the church.
And these overcomers of the church will be
the epic making vessel of God in the
last days.
Soul brothers and sisters, what is it that
God is looking for today?
He is looking for such epic making people.
And with these people, He is going to
conclude this age.
And to bring in the King of Kings
and the Lord of Lords.
So you see how important it is that
by the grace of God, we will be
in that epic making vessel.
That's the reason why this morning, we would
like to talk about John the Baptist.
We would like to learn in him the
different principles that govern the epic making vessel.
Or the principles that make the epic making
vessel.
And I hope we will listen very carefully.
Because this is of tremendous importance in our
days.
To some, it may be a little deep.
But if you can receive it, and ask
the Holy Spirit to reveal to us, and
you too will enter into these principles.
Now the history of John begins with his
parents.
So here you find an old couple, Zacharias
and Elizabeth.
They were both the descendants of Aaron the
priest.
And you find the scripture said, they were
just before God.
And they walked in all the commandments and
ordinances of the Lord blameless.
Now this is most unusual in those days.
Because you remember that was 2000 years ago.
When Christ came the first time to this
earth.
Now during those days, even though the chosen
people of God, the Jews were back in
the promised land.
And the temple was rebuilt.
And the priesthood were serving in the temple.
And the law and the prophets were being
read.
And outwardly you find in the promised land
in Jerusalem, there were a people.
Seemingly very religious.
But strangely, during those years, God did not
reveal himself to them.
There was no vision of God.
And God did not speak to them.
The word of God was not only rare,
but there was no word from God.
Why is it?
It was because of the low spiritual condition
of the people of God.
God could not speak to them.
God could not reveal himself to them.
Yet outwardly, they seemed to be very religious.
They kept the Sabbath.
They read the law and the prophets.
They offered sacrifices.
And they were priests serving in the temple.
But in reality, they were an ungodly people.
But among the ungodly people, you find an
old couple who were different.
They were just before God.
And they kept all the commandments and ordinances
of God blameless.
They were different from the other priests.
You know, even the priests at that time
were just being religious.
They served God as a profession.
Instead of serving God out of love.
But this old couple was different.
They really loved God.
They feared God.
And they were advanced in age.
But strangely, the Bible said they had no
child.
Now, brothers and sisters, if you know the
Bible, you find this was most unusual.
Because under the law, in the Old Testament
time, God promised those who fear him will
be blessed with the fruit of the womb.
In Deuteronomy chapter 28, it says they will
be blessed with a fruitful womb.
In Psalm 128, it is said Psalm 128
verse 3 Thy wife shall be as a
fruitful vine in the inner part of thy
house.
Thy children like olive plants round about thy
table.
Behold, thus shall the man be blessed that
feareth Jehovah.
So according to law, in the Old Testament
time, what is the blessing of the Lord
to those who fear him?
They will be blessed with many children.
If they have no child, it means they
are cursed by God.
So this is the most unusual thing.
Here you find an old couple.
They fear God.
But they have no child.
What a contradiction!
God did not fulfill his promise to this
couple.
On the contrary, God shut up the womb
of Elizabeth.
So you find this old couple, they must
have prayed.
Asked the Lord to give them a child.
But their prayers were not answered.
They must say to God, You promised.
Now fulfill your promise.
But God did not fulfill his promise.
Because of this, they were misunderstood.
People will look at them and say, well,
they look as if they were very pious.
But who knows what's in the secret.
They must have serious sins.
Because they were cursed by God.
So brothers and sisters, what you find here?
You find because of this awkward situation.
God's name was under a cloud.
Because he did not keep his promise.
And the couple were under a kind of
reproach.
Because they were misunderstood by everybody.
Were they offended by God?
They were not.
Even though God did not fulfill his promise
to them, they continued to serve God.
They continued to walk uprightly before God.
They continued to keep all the commandments of
God blameless.
They were not offended by God.
Why?
Why did God treat them in this way?
Because God has a higher will concerning this
couple.
God wanted to do something.
But he couldn't find it anywhere.
Other people were not qualified.
But this couple, they fear God.
So God said, I will do something with
them.
God did not treat them in the ordinary
way.
With other people, if they fear God, God
will bless them with many children.
But with this couple, God dealt with them
in a special way.
He did not fulfill his promise.
Because he had a higher will concerning this
couple.
He allowed them to go through trials.
Go through suffering.
And eventually you find their prayer began to
change.
Instead of asking God to give them a
child, to take away their shame, to give
them a smile, they began to pray exclusively
for the coming of the Messiah.
They began to be delivered from their own
self-interest.
They gave up their self-uninterest.
And now they devoted themselves completely to the
interest of God.
They began to travail in prayer.
To pray for the coming of the Messiah.
And then you find one day, Zechariah was
already advanced in age.
Probably almost to the time of retirement.
But he was still serving in the temple.
And during those days, the way they served,
before the temple door was opened, the priests
of that course, they were gathered
in a room.
And they were cast lots to decide which
priest is to do what work in the
temple.
And that day when they gathered to cast
lots, the lot of burning, the incense fell
upon Zechariah.
I'm sorry, I have to give you more
information.
Because I'm afraid you don't understand the background.
You know, the priestly service composed of many
things.
But the highest service is to burn incense
at the golden altar of incense.
Because the golden altar of incense is the
closest to the ark and the mercy seat
behind the veil.
And you can be a priest and serve
in the temple for life, and the lot
of burning incense never came upon you.
And if that lot fell upon you to
burn incense at the altar, you are allowed
to do it only once in your lifetime.
So you find Zechariah served God until he
was advanced in years.
He never had the opportunity of doing the
highest priestly service.
But now the lot fell on him.
So during the time of prayer, he will
go into the temple to burn incense at
the golden altar of incense.
During that time, he was the only one
in the temple.
All the rest of the people will be
in the court.
They will be praying.
But he will be the only one in
the temple.
He will represent the whole nation of Israel.
Burning incense before God.
And he will pray the prayer of the
nation.
Now, what is the prayer of the nation?
The prayer of the nation is, Oh, that
Messiah may come.
That is the prayer of the nation.
So on that day, Zechariah was praying that
prayer on behalf of the whole nation.
And suddenly, an angel of the Lord stood
on the right side of the altar.
And Zechariah was frightened.
And the angel said, Fear not.
Your supplication has been heard.
You shall have a son.
And you shall call his name John.
Now, brothers and sisters, remember.
Zechariah had long given up the prayer for
a son.
And when he was burning incense, he could
not pray a private prayer.
He had to pray the prayer of the
nation.
And yet the angel said, Your supplication has
been answered.
And you shall have a son.
Why is it?
Because his son is related to the coming
of the Messiah.
His son is to prepare the way of
the Lord.
So you find that his prayer is answered.
But God answered his prayer in a higher
way.
Did God keep His promise?
God did keep His promise.
But He kept His promise to the very
last.
So that when the promise is fulfilled, it
is fulfilled on a higher ground.
Not a child for yourself.
But a child for God.
Brothers and sisters, that's how John came into
this world.
So John was born through the prevailing prayer
of his parents.
They prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed.
They prevailed in suffering.
Asking for a child.
And God will not answer them.
So they began to pray not for themselves
anymore.
And prayed for the Messiah to come.
And God answered them at the last minute.
So the first principle of an epoch-making
vessel is prevailing prayer.
Whenever God wants to change the time, He
will raise up some people who are willing
to give themselves to prayer.
Not just ordinary prayer.
But prayer becomes a travail.
The burden is so heavy.
They have to travail in prayer.
They have to groan in their spirit.
They have to pay a cost to pray.
And when God has such people, God will
change the time.
If you read church history, you find in
church history whenever God is going to make
a new move, He always has to find
first some people who will travail in prayer.
This is how the church begins.
Before Pentecost, for ten days, a hundred and
twenty believers, they pray together with one accord.
It is through the travailing prayer of a
hundred and twenty believers that the church is
brought to birth.
Or to use a move in our century.
You know, in 1904 and 1905, there was
a great revival in Wales.
We call it the Great Welsh Revival.
And the Spirit of God just swept over
that country.
In such power that the judges wear white
gloves.
In other words, they have no case to
judge.
And you know, in Wales, there are mines.
And the miners were very rough people.
They curse all the time.
And they have axes, donkeys, to carry those
coals.
But these rough miners got saved.
And because they got saved, they don't curse
anymore.
And the donkeys could not understand them.
A great revival came upon the people.
Do you know how it happened?
There was a young man by the name
of Evan Roberts.
Evan Roberts.
He was a miner.
But he loved the Lord.
When he was working in the mine, he
read the Bible there.
And he would look at the word and
work, which is action.
And he prayed.
Now this is how he prayed.
He prayed, O God, bend the church and
save the world.
Bend the church and save the world.
And of course he was not alone.
There were others praying with him.
And through their travailing prayer, a mighty work
of God swept over Wales.
And even when I was in New Zealand
in 1970, I met people.
It is the result of that revival.
Or to put it even more closer to
us.
Now we are meeting here today.
Do you know how the whole thing began?
Do you know how the whole work began?
Now it began in China.
And it spread over the world.
Back in the 1920s, it was through the
prayer of two sisters.
Two sisters, they were missionaries in China.
And they were in the country place in
Fukien.
Near Fuchao.
In the village.
But they knew the Lord.
And they realized for the work of God
really to grow, God must apprehend a group
of young people.
A group of college students.
And with this group of college students, God
can change China.
So they gave themselves to prayer.
It is through the prayer of these two
sisters.
One was Miss Barber.
And through their prayers, a revival broke out
in Trinity College.
And that's where Brother Watchman Lee and other
young people were saved.
And from that, you find it began to
spread.
So prevailing prayer is the first principle.
How we need to ask God to raise
up brothers and sisters who are willing to
give themselves to prayer.
Not praying for their personal interest.
But pray for the kingdom to come.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth as it
is in heaven.
Pray for the coming of Christ.
To prepare the way for the return of
our Lord Jesus.
And if God has a people who are
praying, he will prevail.
He will change the time.
That's the first principle.
The second principle.
The second principle is hidden in the name
of John.
You know, John was not only miraculously born.
Because his parents were beyond the age of
giving birth.
But God renewed the womb.
So he was born miraculously.
But his name was given by the angel.
He said, you shall give birth to a
son.
And his name shall be called John.
Now, what is the meaning of John?
John means Jehovah is gracious.
Saying, Jehovah is gracious.
That is what John means.
In other words, our God is a gracious
God.
That is his character.
You remember when Moses asked to see the
glory of God?
And God passed through by him and declared
his name.
He said, Jehovah, Jehovah God, merciful and gracious.
Our God is a gracious God.
That is his character.
And the name of John is God is
gracious.
In other words, he is to be characterized
by the character of God.
He is to be a person who knows
the grace of God.
Or to put it another way, he is
the product of God's grace.
He knows how God is gracious.
Because he himself has experienced God's grace.
And because of this, he is able to
represent God.
And he is able to preach repentance.
Because he knows God is gracious.
If people will repent, God will forgive their
sins.
And God will save them.
Brothers and sisters, the second principle of an
effort-making vessel is knowing the grace of
God.
What does Paul say?
Paul said I am what I am by
the grace of God.
You know, we do not know God's grace.
We do not appreciate his grace.
We are not being characterized by God's grace.
We believe in ourselves.
We are self-confident.
We can do it.
We are able.
We think that we are.
Therefore, we do not know God's grace.
You know, before we believed in the Lord
Jesus, what hindered us from believing in Christ
Jesus?
It is because we believe we are good.
We believe we can keep the law.
So we do not need the grace of
God.
But thank God one day we realize we
cannot do it.
We have no righteousness.
And we humble ourselves.
And we see the grace of God which
is Jesus Christ.
But unfortunately, after we are saved, we forget.
We still live by our own selves.
By our own wisdom.
By our own strength.
We do not appreciate the grace of God.
Just like the Galatian believers.
They begin with the spirit.
But they want to complete with the flesh.
Brothers and sisters, an epoch-making vessel is
one who knows God's grace.
It is grace.
All is grace.
Then you can be used by God as
an epoch-making vessel.
I have to hurry.
Number three.
You find that John, before he was born,
the angel told Zacharias this boy that is
to be born shall drink no wine or
strong drink even from his mother's womb.
Now what does it mean?
It means that John will be a Nazarite
for life.
Now again, I have to explain a little
bit.
You go back to the Old Testament.
You know, God delivered the children of Israel
out of Egypt.
And God brought them to himself at Mount
Sinai.
God said, if you keep my covenant, if
you obey me, I will make you a
nation of priests.
In other words, every Israelite will be a
priest.
Every Israelite lives to serve God.
That is the highest occupation.
But unfortunately, they worship the golden cow.
So they disqualify themselves from serving a holy
God.
So God just called one family, the family
of Aaron to be priests.
In other words, they could not go to
God directly.
They had to go to God through Aaron
and his sons.
They were disqualified from serving God.
But God opened a back door.
That is in Numbers chapter 6.
God said, even though you people were disqualified,
even though you people were disqualified, but if
you really love me, and you want to
serve me, I will open a back door
for you.
From any tribe, anybody, man or woman, you
can serve me through the back door.
And that is by taking the vow of
a Nazarite.
Nazarite means consecration, separation.
You may separate yourself for me.
I have not chosen you.
But you can choose to separate yourself.
You can take a vow.
Say it for a hundred days.
I will separate myself for God.
I will devote myself for God.
Now, it is very strange.
In the Nazarite vow, in the Nazarite vow,
it does not tell you what a Nazarite
does.
It only tells you how a Nazarite lives.
No, we think serving God is do something
for God.
But serving God actually is living for God.
If you live for God, you will have
something to do for God.
If you do not live for God, you
may do many things, but God is not
pleased with you.
So usually people will take a vow from
a Nazarite.
Say it for thirty days.
Or for a hundred days.
But very rarely you have Nazarite for life.
Samuel in the Old Testament is a life
Nazarite.
And John the Baptist is a Nazarite for
life.
Now, a Nazarite must restrain, abstain from three
things.
Number one, he cannot eat or drink anything
of the vine.
Number two, he cannot have the razor upon
his head.
Number three, he cannot be defiled by any
dead body.
Now, of course, in the old days, because
they are God's earthly people, so these requirements
are physical.
Now, today, we are God's heavenly people.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, what is a Nazarite
vow to us today?
What is a Nazarite vow to us today?
It is because we love the Lord.
We want to separate ourselves for God.
We want to live for Christ.
Now, if you want to live for Christ,
you have to abstain from three things.
You cannot take anything that is of the
vine.
It does not mean physically, because we took
them this morning.
So it is not physical, but it is
spiritual.
You remember our Lord Jesus said, I am
the true vine.
Why is it the Lord said I am
the true vine?
Because all the other vines are false.
Vine in the Scripture, vine gives pleasure, satisfaction
to man.
You know, strong drinks, strong drinks, wine, it
satisfies people.
It gives people pleasure, and grapes, raisins, give
strength to man.
So in other words, the world is like
a wild vine.
The world is like a wild vine.
It does produce things that will give pleasure
to man.
It does satisfy the flesh.
The Bible calls it the pleasure of sins.
The world does have something to offer, but
the satisfaction is temporary.
The pleasure is transient.
At the end, there will be sorrow.
But Christ is the true vine.
Brothers and sisters, those who separate themselves to
live for God, they find all their pleasure
and satisfaction in Christ.
They do not go to the world to
try to find pleasure and satisfaction.
To find strength from the world because their
spring is in God.
All their resources is in Christ.
Christ is enough for us.
Brothers and sisters, is that our case?
Do you go to the world to find
pleasure?
To find satisfaction?
As if Christ is not enough for us?
Or do you find Christ is enough for
us?
He is more than enough for us.
We drink of him.
He is the true vine.
Do not allow any razor to come upon
your head.
Why do you put razor on your head?
To beautify yourself.
But he says you allow the hair to
grow.
Long hair means covering.
So the spiritual principle is this.
Instead of trying to beautify our head, that
is to become head to our own selves.
We are willing to have our head covered
so that Christ may be our head.
Our beauty is in obedience, not in taking
the place of authority.
A Nazarite is a person who always has
his head covered before God.
In all things he allows Christ to be
his head.
And number three, he does not go near
to a dead body.
Because the flesh in the sight of God
is like dead body.
It defiles.
So, we live by the life of Christ.
We do not live by the life of
the old man.
We live by Christ.
For me to live is Christ.
Brothers and sisters, that is the meaning of
a Nazarite.
Are we Nazarites?
Do we live for Christ?
Are we separated?
Are we devoted to him?
This is a principle that makes an effort
making that.
Number four, John was filled with the Holy
Spirit.
Even when he was in his mother's womb.
And you know, this can be proven.
Because you remember when Mary came to visit
Elizabeth.
And when she greeted Elizabeth, that is in
Luke chapter 1 verse 44.
You find the womb within Elizabeth jumped with
joy.
Why?
That shows that John was filled with the
Holy Spirit when he was even in the
mother's womb.
Thank God all who believe in the Lord
Jesus has the Holy Spirit.
We all have the Holy Spirit dwell in
us.
God dwells in us.
The divine person dwells in us.
We all have the Holy Spirit in us.
But not all are filled with the Holy
Spirit.
What does it mean by being filled with
the Holy Spirit?
It simply means this.
You allow the Holy Spirit to rule over
your life.
Dear brothers and sisters, are you filled with
the Holy Spirit?
To be filled with the Holy Spirit is
not just an emotional thing.
It means that you allow the Holy Spirit
to have control over your life.
Instead of walking in the flesh, you walk
in the Spirit.
To be filled with the Holy Spirit that
is another principle of an epoch-making vessel.
Like the five wise virgins, they not only
have oil in the lamp, they have oil
in the vessel, and they are the ones
who go out to meet the bridegroom.
And finally, you find that John will come
in the Spirit and power of Elijah.
He will walk before the Lord to prepare
his way to make ready a prepared people
for the Lord.
The Spirit and power of Elijah.
Now, what is the Spirit of Elijah?
The Spirit of Elijah is simply this.
In 1 Kings chapter 19, verse 10 and
verse 14, twice, you know Elijah at the
camel, there was a big victory, and then
his life was threatened by Jezebel, and he
fled for his life, and you remember, God
asked him, Elijah, what are you doing here?
And Elijah said, I have been very jealous
for Jehovah of hosts.
So the Spirit of Elijah is the jealousy
of God.
God, Elijah was jealous for God.
He saw the whole nation worshiping Baal.
And he was jealous for God.
So he wanted to turn the nations to
God.
And this jealousy just consumed him.
Just eat him up.
And that is the Spirit of Elijah.
And you remember the Apostle Pope had the
same Spirit.
In 2 Corinthians chapter 11, verse 2, he
said, I am jealous with the jealousy of
God for you.
Because I have espoused you as Christ's virgin
to one man, Christ.
And I am afraid the enemy may entice
you to bring you away from the simplicity
of Christ.
Brothers and sisters, are we filled with the
jealousy of God?
Are we jealous for God?
Are we deeply concerned with God's name?
His name is not sanctified in this world.
Are we jealous for His name?
Are we filled with the jealousy of God?
We want God to be what He should
be.
Because this is what He is.
Are we jealous?
That is the Spirit of Elijah.
And what is the power of Elijah?
The power of Elijah is in prayer.
In James chapter 5, Elijah is a man
of life passion.
But he prayed with prayer.
Then he prayed again.
He is a man of prayer.
That is where his power is.
Brothers and sisters, what is the greatest power
that God gives to His church?
It is prayer.
So let's give ourselves to prayer.
These are the principles governing the making of
an epic making vessel.
May the Lord raise up many brothers and
sisters who will be marked by these principles.
What an honor and glory to the use
of God to conclude this age and to
bring in the age to come.
To bring back the King.
May the Lord help us.
Shall we pray?
Dear Heavenly Father, we do come to Thee
this morning to pray that we may learn
the lessons from John the Baptist.
How does this make him an epic making
vessel?
We pray that Thou will make us epic
making vessel.
We pray that Thou will enable us to
prevail in prayer.
That Thou will enable us to know Thy
grace.
That Thou will enable us to be separated
for Thee.
To be filled by Thy Spirit.
And be marked by the Spirit and power
of Elijah.
Use us for Thy own glory.
We ask in the name of our Lord
Jesus.
Amen.