John the Baptist was not one to mince words or placate
self-important people. He was focused on the job at hand. He had been given a
clear calling. His parents knew before his birth that his life was going to be
special, set apart for a specific purpose. And now it was his time to fulfill
that purpose. He avoided distractions, wore simple clothes and ate only what
the desert provided, usually locusts and honey scavenged from the barren
landscape. He didn’t mind. He had more pressing concerns to occupy his
attention.
He told anyone that would listen: it was time! The
Messiah was coming and his kingdom was drawing near. The people needed to
turn from their sins and prepare their hearts. It was the reason John spent so much time preaching and baptizing. He knew the time was growing close when the long awaited Savior would make his appearance. Those who were not ready would miss him and continue to be carried along by the strong winds of the world, blowing them here and there, but never toward anything of true meaning.
turn from their sins and prepare their hearts. It was the reason John spent so much time preaching and baptizing. He knew the time was growing close when the long awaited Savior would make his appearance. Those who were not ready would miss him and continue to be carried along by the strong winds of the world, blowing them here and there, but never toward anything of true meaning.
He cautioned the religious leaders, “I baptize you with water for repentance.
But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not
fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His
winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering
his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
They did not appear to heed his warning. But he could not let it trouble him for
long, there were hundreds, thousands more that needed to hear God’s message.
One morning as he was baptizing new believers in the
Jordan River a man named Jesus approached. He wanted to be baptized by John.
But as John met him he realized this was no ordinary man. This was the One, the
Savior! John was astonished by Jesus’ request for baptism. How could he, John,
a sinner, baptize the Holy One? And for what purpose? Jesus did not need to
repent. So “John tried to deter him,
saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me’” (Matthew 3:14)?
John looked into his eyes, seeking answers, and Jesus thoughtfully met his gaze.
“Jesus
replied, ‘Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all
righteousness.’ Then John consented” (v. 15). As John baptized Jesus, lowering him into the cool water
and then lifting him up the amazing occurred. “At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God
descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This
is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (vv. 16-17). And then
John knew: this was right. God was pleased and it was a part of his plan.
John’s role was beautifully fulfilled, and the predictions true for standing in
the water before him, still dripping from his baptism was the Messiah and Son of
God.
“Look, the lamb of God, who takes away
the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes
after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him,
but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to
Israel” (John 1:29-31).
Part 4 from series: Matthew - Back to the Beginning.
No comments:
Post a Comment