We’ve all heard of John the Baptist… the voice of one calling in the wilderness. He was sent to prepare the way of the Lord. He was the forerunner of Jesus Christ. Today we will look at his ministry. It is told about in all of the Gospels. Let’s look first at the account in Matthew’s Gospel.
Read Matt 3:1-18. We are told that John came, in the wilderness, preaching that man should repent for the Kingdom of Heaven was near. He is the one foretold by the prophet Isaiah (Isa 40:3). Many people went out to the wilderness to see him. He not only remained in the wilderness, but he wore strange clothing and ate strange food. His appearance brought to people’s mind memories of the prophecies of Elijah’s return as John was supposed to be in the spirit of Elijah and it drew people out to see him and hear his teaching (2 Kings 1:8).
John the Baptist taught repentance. What is repentance? It is being sorry for your sin… sorry enough to not want to do it anymore. John taught that one should repent from their sin and give their life to the Messiah that was at hand. God’s Messiah was near to come. If one did this in their life, then they were baptized. John taught a one-time baptism symbolic of the change which had occurred in the life of a person. John baptized by immersion in the Jordan River. Baptism by immersion is symbolic of the burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Col 2:12).
Even the Pharisees and the Sadducees came out to where John was baptizing. These were two groups of religious men who were very hypocritical (Matt 23:27-28). Their hearts were not right before God and John called them out. He tells them they are not in good with God just because they are descendants of Abraham. If they had salvation from God, their lives would produce good fruit. Repentance from sin produces good fruit as evidence and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire of hell. There is a penalty for not repenting from sin.
John also taught that he only baptizes with water. When Jesus comes, he will baptize with the Holy Spirit (believers) and Hell fire (non-believers). John says that he is not worthy to carry His sandals. Jesus is much more powerful than John. He then uses the example of Jesus having a winnowing fork in His hand and, just as the farmer tosses the wheat in the barn into the air and shakes out the chaff so that it ultimately can be burned as waste, Jesus will do this with those who do not repent their sins and give their lives to the Lord. John is teaching the doctrine that Jesus will teach… you must be born again (John 3:3,7). And baptism follows as a statement to others of the change which has occurred in your life.
The Gospel of Mark gives an abbreviated account of what is told in the Gospel of Matthew. Let’s look now at the account in the Gospel of Luke. Verses 1-2 give us a timestamp of when this occurred.
Luke also tells us that John’s teaching was one of repentance of sins which should result in producing good fruit in our lives. Salvation does not come simply from being descendants of Abraham and also that there is a penalty for non-repentance. John the Baptist goes on to give examples of the kind of good fruit people should be displaying in their lives as a result of the change that has occurred in their lives.
Luke also tells us that the people were wondering whether John might be the Messiah. John tells them that there is one more powerful than him who is coming, one who the straps of His sandals he is not fit to untie. Luke recounts the same examples of baptizing with the Holy Spirit and fire and also the picture of the farmer and the wheat on the winnowing floor. But Luke goes on to tell of how Herod the tetrarch had John put in prison because John had rebuked him when he and his brother’s wife each left their marriages to marry each other.
Now let’s read John’s account. The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask John who he was. He told them he was not the Messiah, he was not Elijah, he was not the prophet (Deut 18:15, 18). He told them he was the voice of one calling in the wilderness spoken of by Isaiah the prophet (Isaiah 40:3). Then he told them of Jesus, who was to come. While John is the spirit of Elijah, as promised (Mal 4:5), this passage clearly refutes the belief by many that he is Elijah reincarnated.
John’s ministry was simply to point to Jesus, who was about to come onto the scene. His message was the same one Jesus would teach. Repent of your sins and give your life to the Lord. Have you done that?
Record 2 Cor 5:17 in your journal.
Responding to God: Worship God for His love and grace. Praise Him for the gift of His Son. Thank Him for His plan of Salvation. Seek His forgiveness for your sins and give your life over to obedience to Him. Pray for a desire to be obedient to Him in baptism. Ask His help in serving Him through good works worthy of the change in your heart. Ask for the filling of the Holy Spirit. Ask Him for opportunities to tell others about Him.
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