In The Word
Read: Matthew 3
The Preaching of John the Baptist
3 Now in those days John the Baptist *came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3 For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said,
“The voice of one calling out in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
Make His paths straight!’”
4 Now John himself had a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.5 At that time Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the region around the Jordan; 6 and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance; 9 and do not assume that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’; for I tell you that God is able, from these stones, to raise up children for Abraham. 10 And the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore, every tree that does not bear good fruit is being cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 “As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
The Baptism of Jesus
13 Then Jesus *arrived from Galilee at the Jordan, coming to John to be baptized by him. 14 But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have the need to be baptized by You, and yet You are coming to me?” 15 But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he *allowed Him. 16 After He was baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and settling on Him, 17 and behold, a voice from the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
John the Baptist was given the special mission to prepare the way for Jesus’ ministry on earth. John was Jesus’ cousin, and John’s peculiar clothing and diet was typical of a prophet, although there had not been a prophet in Israel for nearly 400 years. He preached a message of repentance and baptized people in water, and a great revival took place with people confessing their sins.
Even Jesus came to John to be baptized. He was baptized not because He was a repentant sinner but because it was the Father’s will. His baptism also validated John’s ministry and allowed Jesus to identify Himself with the very people He came to save: the sinners, the tax collectors, and the prostitutes (Matthew 21:32).
The Jews used baptism to show that Gentiles had converted to Judaism, but John used it for Jews to show that they had repented. John taught, “Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:8). The Greek word used by John and Jesus for repent means “to change one’s mind and act on that change.” It teaches us that it is not enough to have regret or remorse, but that there must be the proof in a person’s behavior that he has changed.
Today, baptism is still necessary as an initial, public declaration of the decision by a person to follow Jesus. Further proof of that decision is a change in behavior towards godliness. If you have not been baptized since you have believed in Jesus, it is time to see your pastor and get baptized.