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Articles
John the baptizer
16 John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. - Luke 3:16
Have you ever tried to envision a character from the Bible? We have all seen an artist’s rendering of particular events and specific people, but what about our own imagination? Have you ever tried to hear his/her voice? What about the particular scenes that he/she would have been involved?
One character that has often captivated my imagination is John the Baptist. The ministry of John is where each of the gospels begin just prior to the baptism of Jesus and the beginning of His own ministry. At the Jordan River, John is described for his preaching, baptizing, and what must have been his unusual appearance. John the Baptist had been born into the home of Zacharias and Elizabeth and had been raised as a Nazarite (cf. Luke 1:15, 57-66). John wore a garment of camel hair with a leather belt, and his diet was made of honey and locusts (Matthew 3:4). This may have been more common in his day, but John’s appearance and diet are really what spark my imagination.
John’s preaching was simple – “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2). It was this simple message of the coming kingdom that helped John teach a lot of people (cf. Matthew 3:5-6; Mark 1:5; Luke 3:7, 10). John did not water down his message for his audience, but rather he called them out for their hypocrisy and sin. Luke recorded John telling the crowd – “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (3:7). John’s plain speech may have been ignored by many, but it appears from the gospels that his popularity only continued to grow.
John helped those who were coming into the wilderness to hear his teaching (Luke 3:10-14). He taught those who had an abundance to give to those who were less fortunate. He taught the tax collectors to not collect anymore than they had been ordered. He taught the soldiers that they were not to take any money by force, accuse anyone falsely, and to be content with their wages. These simple truths would have only enhanced John’s ability to reach those who were coming to hear the “voice crying in the wilderness.”
This brings us to the greatest quality of John and his ministry – humility. John was perceived by many as the promised Messiah, but John never accepted this conclusion. When questioned concerning his baptism, John did not promote himself, but rather he pointed everyone to look for the One who would come after him. John understood his role in God’s scheme of redemption and gave us a supreme example of humility. John was sent to prepare that generation of Israel to receive their Savior, and he was a tremendous success in that regard. John’s greatest testament concerning himself and the One who came after him is contained in the apostle John’s gospel – “He (speaking of Jesus, bcj) must increase, but I must decrease” (3:30). This mindset manifested in John should be imitated in every disciple’s heart.
What do you envision when you think about John the Baptist and his ministry? His appearance may have been unusual, but his message is inspiring. Let us examine ourselves and find those areas in our lives where we need to decrease and Jesus needs to increase. May God bless our efforts to achieve these things in our lives.
