John the Baptist -
His Ministry
Matthew 3, Mark 1,
Luke 3, John 1
In the previous study
of John the Baptist, his birth,(to read go here) we ended with John growing in the spirit, and
living in the desert until the day when the word of God came to John when he
was in the wilderness. (Luke 3:2).. the book of Matthew gives more detailed description
of this time: Matthew 3:1-3 "In those days came John the Baptist,
preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand. For this is he that
was spoken of by the prophet Esaias saying, The voice of one crying in the
wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." A physical description of John follows; V4
"...John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his
loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey." (Matthew 3:4) Surely this
time of separation and austerity must have made John physically a very strong
person.
The gospel of John
presents the deity of the Lord Jesus, and so when we first hear of John in that
gospel, he is presented thus: John 1:6-8 "There was a man sent from God,
whose name was John. The same came for a
witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might
believe. He was not that Light, but was
sent to bear witness of that Light."
How clear is this? John the
Baptist was a man sent by God to be a witness of the true Light, the Lord Jesus
Christ. " John is the promised forerunner of Malachi
3:1 "Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before
me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple..."
And so John began his
ministry of preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying "Repent ye, for
the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 3:2) this, according to Mark
1:4 was the "baptism of repentance for the remission of sins." This is completely different from the baptism
we know today, which is the believers identification with the death, burial,
and resurrection of Christ, which is baptism by immersion, upon a confession of
faith. Believing the gospel, accepting that we are sinners, and on our way to
a lost eternity, repenting - turning from that sin and towards the Saviour,
receiving by grace through faith the Lord Jesus as our Saviour. Ephesians 3:8-9
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it
is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (and say that they saved themselves.) The
baptism of repentance for the remission of sins preached by John is also
different from the baptism of the Holy Spirit which indwells us upon our
receiving the Lord Jesus as our Saviour.
Ephesians 1:13-14 "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the
word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye
believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest
of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the
praise of his glory." Those taking part in John's baptism of repentance for
the remission of sins were preparing themselves by acknowledging their sins and
repenting of them in preparation for the "kingdom of heaven" which
John announced was "at hand"
John was very bold as
he preached to the multitude that came forth be baptised "O generation of
vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" (Luke
3:7) There were those who wondered
whether or not John was the Christ, but John was very quick to confess 3:16-18
"I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the
latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with
the Holy Ghost and with fire:..and many other things preached he.." John
1:15 further tells us that John "bare witness of him, and cried, saying,
This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me:
for he was before me." What a marvelous statement that is, "he was
before me". Colossians 1:17 tells
us "And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." John 1:17 "For the law was given by
Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."
