<TITLE>12. Par 37-39</TITLE>L-37 John the Baptist when... We have little record of John. Only thing we know that he was the son of a priest, and his father and mother was old. And when he was... Zacharias was doing his work in the temple, was waving the censer while the people were making prayers. We know that the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and told him what would happen. And then, they were old. It must have grieved the hearts of the old couple when they knowed that John, they wouldn't live ordinarily to see him come into his power. But they knowed that he was going to be a great servant of Christ, a prophet.
Now, it's strange now. If that father, setting down and telling John, "John, my son, when you were born, a strange thing happened." See? A strange thing happened: John being born for the job, instead of going down to the school where his daddy come out of, which was absolutely traditional... The boy should follow the line of his father, even... Any of you know in reading the--the--on the Nicaea church, like Saint Martin, his father was a--a military man. He absolutely, he had to follow his follow line--his father's line and be a military man.
And it was a custom of them days, that they followed what their father did. That's the way... The priest out of the--the Levitical priesthood, Levi, one followed the other. It was a line of priesthood. And some was sheep raisers, and some were cattle raisers, and everyone followed his line, but John, strange... Instead of him, knowing that his job was important...

L-38 Now, no doubt if he'd went through their school where his daddy come from, "Why, this is--this is Zacharias' son. So I tell you what we'll do. We'll... I tell you what we'll do. We'll make him a great man among us like this, because his father was a great man. We'll give him his education, and his Ph.D., and all like this."
John knowed if he ever got that injected into him, he'd lose the real value of his call. So he goes into the wilderness and wait, because he knew that he was to introduce the Messiah. He knew then the same thing that we're supposed to be knowing today, that the coming of the Messiah was at hand, as we believe today.
John never established any schools, but he was concerned about the Word of the Lord. And he would... After being concerned, he knowed he had to be convinced where that Messiah would be. And he was so convinced when He come out, he said, "There's One standing among you that you don't know." Oh, brother. "One right now is standing among you. You don't know Him, but He's the One. I'll know Him, because I'm convinced that I can't make the mistake. God told me in the wilderness I'd know Him, for I'd see a sign over Him, a Messiahic sign."

L-39 One of them might've walked up, one of the head priests, and say, "Sir, we regard you as a prophet. Here's Brother So-and-so. He's a wonderful man. Why, he's one of the high priest's best friend. He's a very fine fellow. Don't you think, sir, don't you think (Now, be honest.), don't you think that he is the Messiah?"
"No."
"Why, don't you think that we ought to make him..."
"I don't know nothing about that." But he said, "I'll know Him, for He that told me in the wilderness to go baptize with water, said, 'Upon Whom I shall see the Spirit descending, that'll be Him.'"
Now, he didn't say, "Now, I'll tell you what we'll do. We will start a school. We'll educate a bunch of people into this." No, sir. The time was too late. Was nothing to do but get ready. Preach the Word; watch for the sign.


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