“This is the one about whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who is greater than I am, because he existed before me.’ I did not recognize him, but I came baptizing with water so that he could be revealed to Israel.” —John 1:30–31
John the Baptist had a message and that message was from God. He was privileged to reveal Jesus to God’s people. When God gives a man a message to proclaim, it burns within him until it is delivered. I am reminded of the prophet Jeremiah’s words regarding God’s word within him:
“Sometimes I think, ‘I will make no mention of his message. I will not speak as his messenger anymore.’ But then his message becomes like a fire locked up inside of me, burning in my heart and soul. I grow weary of trying to hold it in; I cannot contain it.” —Jeremiah 20:9
Later, God speaks through Jeremiah regarding the penetrating effectiveness of His word:
“Let the prophet who has had a dream go ahead and tell his dream. Let the person who has received my message report that message faithfully. What is like straw cannot compare to what is like grain! I, the LORD, affirm it. My message is like a fire that purges dross! It is like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces! I, the LORD, so affirm it!” —Jeremiah 23:28–29
Certainly, John the Baptist did not arrive on the scene to impress man. Dressed Bohemian style in camel hair and leather, dining on locust and wild honey, ministering in an obscure remote area, and proclaiming to the religious elite of the day an eye-opening, blistering message showed that he neither came to win a popularity contest nor tried to find favor with man. His approach was anything but “seeker friendly.” His straightforward message made people aware of their folly and then provided them with a remedy. He constantly pointed to Jesus. His passion was to awaken the dead and then offer them life.
“But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, ‘You offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Therefore produce fruit that proves your repentance, and don’t think you can say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father.” For I tell you that God can raise up children for Abraham from these stones! Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.’” —Matthew 3:7–10
“The crowds were asking him, ‘What then should we do?’ John answered them, ‘The person who has two tunics must share with the person who has none, and the person who has food must do likewise.’
“Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, ‘Teacher, what should we do?’ He told them, ‘Collect no more than you are required to.’
“Then some soldiers also asked him, ‘And as for us—what should we do?’ He told them, ‘Take money from no one by violence or by false accusation, and be content with your pay.’” —Luke 3:10–14
Yet, despite his difficult message, John the Baptist still had a large following. Matthew tells us crowds were arriving constantly to be baptized by him:
“Then people from Jerusalem, as well as all Judea and all the region around the Jordan, were going out to him, and he was baptizing them in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.” —Matthew 3:5–6
The truth consistently preached and draws God’s people because it always accomplishes God’s purposes.
Become More
Each one of us is called to reveal Jesus. This does not mean only missionaries, preachers, and Sunday school teachers. All believers are called to reveal Jesus, whether it be in our homes, or in our workplaces, or among our friends, or even among our enemies. Wherever God places us, we are to show forth Jesus. We do this by dying to our own ambitions and allowing the Holy Spirit to manifest Jesus’ life through our lives. It is an emptying of self, a filling of Him, and a spilling out to those we daily encounter.
Further Reflections
“But now, put off all such things as anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with its practices and have been clothed with the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created it. Here there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and in all.” —Colossians 3:8–12
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” —Galatians 5:22–23