John The Baptist

“He must increase, but I must decrease.”  John 3:30

Jesus had a second cousin named John who was about six months older than Jesus.  We know him as John the Baptist, not a reference to the denomination, but called that because he baptized folks.  He is also known as the forerunner of Jesus Christ because God sent him to bear witness of the Light of Jesus Christ shortly before Jesus began His earthly ministry.  The Pharisees were curious about John, and sent a delegation to find out just who he was and what he was up to.

Israel had not had a prophet from God for over 400 years since the days of the Old Testament prophet Malachi.  Imagine living your entire life without hearing from God.  Unfortunately that’s how much of the world is living today by their own choice.  His Word is everywhere.  In some cities, there is a church on just about every corner of town.  However, many refuse to pick up a copy of God’s Word and read it and/or refuse to listen to the Word proclaimed in the churches and through mass communication.  If someone fails to heed God’s Word, it’s not God’s fault.  He has made His Word available all over the world.  The gospel is not like something we are supposed to keep secret, although some of us act like it by not witnessing and telling the good news of the gospel.

The Jews couldn’t understand why John was baptizing since he wasn’t the Messiah.  He explained to the people that his baptism was only a water baptism for those who had repented of sin, but the One coming was mightier than him, whose shoes he was not worthy to unfasten.  John’s baptism was only an outward symbol that a person had repented, but had not been given the power to live righteously, because that is not something a person can do without help.  But, hold on.  John said that there was Someone coming who had that power, Someone with much greater power than himself.  Baptism without being born again is nothing more than getting wet.  Baptism is symbolic of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and indicative of a person’s commitment to Him, that is, an outward show of what has taken place within a person’s soul.  Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matthew 3:11), that is, the Holy Spirit fills those who have repented and trusted in Christ, and the fire refers to the refining fire of conviction that “burns away” what is impure and offensive to God through the process of sanctification, that is, growing in holiness by the leading of the Holy Spirit

It wasn’t long before Jesus began His ministry among the Jews  There were a few whom Jesus baptized Himself.  Some of John’s disciples were perplexed why people were now going to Jesus rather than to John for baptism.  John had to remind his own disciples that he was not the Christ; he was only sent to prepare the way for Christ.  His mission was just about complete.  It was a joy to him to know that Christ had finally come to fulfill the Father’s purpose.  John was more than happy to step back and give way to God’s Son.  This is the theme around which every Christian’s life should be centered:  it’s not about me, it’s about Him.