John the Baptist
Jesus said of John the Baptist:
“I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist;”
Just as I often wonder what God loved so much about King David, John the Baptist’s elevation to the ‘greatest man who ever lived’ causes me to want to see what it was that defined him. From Matthew 3 I can see:
- He preached about the need for repentance (v2)
- He spread the good news about Jesus’ coming (v3,11)
- He was completely selfless (eating locusts and wild honey, having humble clothes) (v4)
- He was effective at ministry (v5-6)
- He took men through a new birth and repentance in baptism (v5-6)
- Men confessed their sins to him (v6)
- He confronted religious hypocrisy (v7)
- He saw the connection between repentance and works/fruit (v8)
- He acknowledged that position means nothing (v9)
- He preached the power of God to raise up His people from anywhere (v9)
- He elevated Jesus and humbled himself (v11-12)
- He prophetically predicted the baptism of the Holy Spirit (v11)
- He preached the gathering of God’s chosen people (v12)
- He preached the destruction of sinners (v12)
- He recognized his own need for repentance (v14)
- He instantly offered/gave up his position to Jesus without any hesitation (v14)
- He was part of God’s plan (v15)
- He baptized Jesus (v15)
- He heard the voice of God (v17)
In following these points it is apparent that his defining characteristics are humility and faithfulness. He also has a strong and serious view of God’s wrath for His enemies and His love for the chosen. I pray that I, and those in my family and my local church can aspire to this level of humility. If we can become less, then He can become more and we will be able to effectively communicate the good news of the kingdom to others. We should hate religious hypocrisy and love those who are repenting, helping them to bear much fruit for the kingdom. I also see that John understood the relation between repentance and fruit or works, knowing that repentance cannot truly occur without change.
posted in Clint's Prayer Journal | Comments Off on John the Baptist