Generation Series – The John the Baptist Generation #3

April 17, 2021

The video is a sermon given at the Wildwood Church as part of their Generation Series. The sermon focuses on the role of John the Baptist in preparing the way for Jesus and how his message is relevant to the present generation.

The speaker begins by praying for mercy and forgiveness and asks for guidance from the Holy Spirit. He explains that John the Baptist was a well-known figure in the Bible who delivered a message that not everyone wanted to hear. John preached repentance and baptism for the forgiveness of sins, as prophesied by Isaiah. The speaker emphasizes the importance of repentance in turning away from sin and correcting one’s life.

The speaker then discusses the background of John the Baptist, including his birth to Zacharias and Elizabeth. He highlights the significance of Zacharias praying for a child and how God answered his prayer by sending John as a messenger to prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. The speaker draws parallels between John the Baptist and God’s people in the last days, stating that just as John was a type of God’s last-day people, they too need to pray for the Holy Spirit and strive to be among the 144,000.

The sermon also discusses John the Baptist’s lifestyle, including his clothing made of camel’s hair and his diet of locusts and wild honey. The speaker explains that these choices were not eccentric but had symbolic meanings. John’s simple clothing and diet were a rebuke to the extravagance and indulgence of the time. The speaker references counsel on health reform, explaining that John’s diet of locusts and wild honey was actually a nutritious and practical choice.

The sermon emphasizes the importance of health reform and how it is closely connected to the third angel’s message in Revelation. The speaker quotes various passages from Ellen White’s writings, highlighting the need for self-denial, temperance, and separation from worldly practices that lead the soul away from God. The speaker warns that ignoring the counsel on health reform can lead to physical and spiritual degeneracy and can hinder the work of bringing souls to the truth.

The sermon also addresses the need for unity among God’s people and the dangers of being divided by worldly influences. The speaker warns against the influence of worldly customs, practices, and fashions that lead the soul away from God. He emphasizes the importance of unifying around the voice of God and the messages given through His prophets. The sermon concludes with a call to repentance and a reminder of the promises and warnings given to God’s people in the Bible.