Today, we’ll look at how John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus, as told in Matthew 3:1-12. John called people to repent and turn from their sins. He baptized them in the Jordan River, emphasizing the need for change. His message was clear: prepare for the Lord’s coming. John’s boldness and commitment show us the importance of living a life ready for Christ. John taught a message of repentance and salvation – and later would baptize Jesus marking the beginning of Christ’s ministry. Let’s read and see how we can apply John’s message to our own lives today.
John Baptist Prepares for the Coming of Christ
“‘As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.’ ” Matthew 3:11-12 NASB
John The Baptist Predicts the Coming of Christ
A footnote here is that you can read the profile of John the Baptist in John 1. The sixth through eighth verses state:
” There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.” – John 1:6-8 NIV
What was John’s Purpose?
In these verses, John the Baptist is clearly not the “Light” — the person he is speaking of is Jesus Christ who will come after. John called for repentance of the people in preparation. His message was simple but powerful. John’s purpose was to prepare the way for Jesus, who was the fulfillment of God’s plan of salvation.
The rewards will come to those who believe and repent. But, there will be a terrible time for those who choose not to listen. John’s message was a clear reminder that we must choose to accept Jesus’ offer of salvation or experience separation from God for of our disbelief.
“From the cradle to the cross, from the cross to the sky ..”
Christ came first as a servant to be sacrificed on the cross. He came to:
- Live
- die,
- and rise again for our sins.
But, He will come again as our King and Lord.
John the Baptist knew this and was desperate to prepare for the coming of Jesus to start a ministry which would live to this day and all the days to come.
John the Baptist Recognizes the Heart of the Religious Leaders
Ironically, John called the Pharisees and Sadducees a “brood of vipers” since these were the people who would later demand Christ’s crucifixion.
Both John the Baptist and Christ were a threat to the religious leaders of the day because they were pulling people away from the synagogue. And, they caused the priests to lose some of their power.
With that said it makes perfect sense that the Pharisees and Sadduces tried to quiet John the Baptist. They later found a way to silence Jesus (so they thought) to retain their control over the people, not to mention protecting their financial status.
John was a powerful preacher, and Jesus was an even greater one. They both threatened their power and wealth, so they decided to try and eliminate them. Ultimately, their efforts were not successful, and both John and Jesus’ teachings live on. After all, we’re reading them right now, aren’t we?
Are We Prepared?
John the Baptist had a calling to prepare the people to meet Christ. In the same way we as Christians need to be prepared to meet Him. On life’s journey, we should help others to see how Jesus can bring meaning to their lives by following the example Christ left for us.
This does not mean that we should become like a monk and wear a long robe. But, it does mean that we should strive to follow the two commandments Jesus deemed as most important:
To love God and to love each other.
Can we at least make an effort?
Love in Christ
– Bob
If you would like to learn about the love and life-changing experience of Jesus Christ, please take a moment to read John 3:16 to find more information.