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THE MESSAGE OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
MONDAY, OCTOBER 26
Luke 3:1-14

Isaiah 40:1-5

 

“…the Prince of Peace…”

 

THE MESSAGE OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
 
John was living in the desert, unknown and perhaps alone when God spoke to him. He did not make up his own message nor pick his own time to preach, but his message and the time for preaching it came from God (Luke 3:2).
 
His message in its simplest form was “repent and be baptised.” This was an act of public confession of sin and a recognition of the need for the Saviour who was to come (Luke 3:3).
 
John is described in a prophecy of Isaiah. He is spoken of as the voice of one calling out in the wilderness for people to prepare their hearts for the coming of the Messiah (Luke 3:4-6; Isa 40:3-5).
 
John demanded that people honestly repent in order to have their sins forgiven. He called upon the vast crowds that came out seeking his baptism to live righteous lives and to show the fruit such repentance brings (Luke 3:8a). As more and more people heard about John, it became popular to go out to hear him and seek baptism. He evidently refused to baptise many who were just going along with the crowd. He called a large group of such people a “generation of vipers” (Luke 3:7), warning them that in order to escape the coming judgment their lives must show forth true repentance.
 
John pointed out sin to all who came. He reminded them that being related to Abraham could not save them. He called on the rich, the tax collectors and the soldiers to return their ill-gotten gains and to be honest. He rebuked the king, naming his sin and calling him a hypocrite (Luke 3:8b-20).
 
We see a vast difference between John’s message and much popular preaching in our day. Only an honest facing of sin and a life showing true repentance can be claimed as fruit of God’s Gospel. Such a message is never popular!
 
THOUGHT: Did John’s Gospel offend people? Why?

PRAYER: Father, help me to do Thy work in Thy way.

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