Introduction
Today, we continue our journey through the beginning parts of the Gospel of Matthew. And today, we come to the fascinating figure of John the Baptist in Matthew 3:1-12. And I have three points to make today from this passage. Let’s start with the first 6 verses.
1 In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, 2 “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” 3 The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said,
“He is a voice shouting
in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s
coming!
Clear the road for him!’”
4 John’s clothes were
woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For
food he ate locusts and wild honey. 5
People from Jerusalem and from all of Judea and all over the Jordan
Valley went out to see and hear John. 6
And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan
River.
Point #1 – John Was Not Of This World
My first point is simple. John was not of this world. I don’t mean he was an alien, obviously.
He was a human being. He was born in this world and into the systems of this world. We know from the Gospel of Luke that John was related to Jesus–his cousin. We also know John’s father was a priest in the Jerusalem Temple, probably of the Pharisaic tradition.
Jewish priesthood was hereditary, John was expected to follow in his father’s footsteps.But John had a different calling. Instead of joining the priests, John was filled with the Spirit to preach against the deeply corrupt Temple priesthood. He rejected both Pharisees & Sadducees.
John was much more aligned with groups like the Essenes who rejected the Temple system and chose to live in isolation apart from the corrupt worldly systems of the time. The Essenes tried to create their own religious community apart from the world. But even the Essenes were infected by their own problems and corruptions. So John would have rejected them too in favor of something better he knew was coming.
You might say, John was the original doomsday prepper. He preached about a coming Day of God's judgments. he preached it was imminent. And John lived in isolation out in the wilderness, very self-sufficient. He made his own clothes out of camel hair; he wore a leather belt. He ate wild food he gathered himself–locust and wild honey. And because he didn’t rely on the political systems and marketplaces of Jerusalem’s social systems, John could stand apart from it all and prophecy the truth with holy clarity and fiery force.
Like
John, Christians are called to be in this world but not of it. Jesus said, “My Kingdom is not of this
world.” (John 18:36) And though His
followers live in this world, we are not to be of it. In other words, we aren’t to be infected by
the world or enamored with it. We must always
remember, we are citizens of heaven above all else. This world is not our home. Our hearts desire must be for our true
home–the Kingdom of Heaven where Jesus reigns and heavenly principles govern. When you love this world and the things in
it, it begins to control and corrupt you and ensnare you and enslave you.
Matthew 3:7-10
7 But when he saw many
Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. “You
brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? 8 Prove by the way you live
that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. 9 Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are
descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create
children of Abraham from these very stones. 10 Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to
sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit
will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.
Point #2 – God’s True Kingdom is Bigger Than Family Ties
Being set apart from the corrupt systems of his day, John was free to boldly preach the truth, criticizing the Temple system and the religious leaders of his day. He called both political parties–the Pharisees and Sadducees–a bunch of snakes! And he pointed out that God’s true Kingdom is bigger than family ties. Being a descendent of Abraham doesn’t make you part of God’s Kingdom. Neither does being a priest, a Pharisee, or a Sadducee.
Now these were bold words to say to the people of John’s day (and they are just as bold today). The Jewish people of John’s time believed they were God’s chosen people because they were descendants of Abraham. Somehow, people in Israel thought this made them special to God–more special than any other nation in the world because God promised to bless the descendants of Abraham back in Genesis. Many people today still believe the Jewish descendants of Abraham are more special and blessed (or protected) by God than anyone else. (I mean, the Bible does say it, doesn’t it? See Genesis 12:2-3, 13:16, 15:5-6, 17:4-8, & 22:17-18)
But John challenges this reasoning. He preached in Matthew 3:9, “Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones.” And he goes on to warn that God was ready to cut down and burn with fiery judgment anyone who isn’t living the fruitful life God told them to live.
What is it then? What makes you right with God? According to John, it’s turning away from your sins (repentance) and living the right way according to God’s commands instead of your own selfish ambitions. But it’s going to take even more than that to be made right with God. And that brings me to the final point I draw from this passage about John the Baptist.
Matthew 3:11-1211 “I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12 He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.”
Point #3 – John Points to Jesus
John’s purpose was to prepare people for Jesus. Jesus is the one who makes people right with God. John called people to recognize their sin and to turn away from it. Repentance is the first step toward salvation, healing, and reconciliation. But something else is needed–something much more than John is able to give. Only Jesus can seal the deal. And so, John points to Him.
Conclusion
John the Baptist’s mission was to
prepare the way, but Jesus is the way. He is the only door to salvation, the
only path into the Kingdom of Heaven—a Kingdom that is both a future promise
and a present reality for those who follow Him.
You
cannot enter this Kingdom through the broken, corrupt systems of the world. No
political system, no religious institution, no worldly success can get you
there. In fact, these things often distract and deceive us, keeping us from
fully embracing God's Kingdom.
You
cannot enter this Kingdom through family ties. Just because your parents,
grandparents, or spouse are believers does not make you one. Being raised in a
Christian home, attending church, or calling yourself a Christian does not mean
you belong to Christ. Faith is not inherited—it is a personal decision to
repent of sin and follow Jesus.
Now,
some have sinned badly and will easily see that they need to repent of that
sin. But others may struggle with
this. They may think, “I’m a good
person. I don’t do bad things. I’m trustworthy, honest, and a good
human.” But sometimes the sin is a
simple and subtle as thinking you are in charge of your own life. It seems reasonable. But the message of Scripture is we belong to
God. We are not our own. We do not get to determine how we live, who
we are, and where we want to go in life.
We were made by God for His purposes.
And it is sin to think we are in charge of our own life. And we all need to repent–even of this. We need to recognize that Jesus is Lord of
all. And that means He is even Lord of
our will. And so we need to repent of
our own selfish ambitions and let Jesus truly be Lord of our life–Lord of our life.
John’s
baptism was symbolic, a way of preparing hearts for Christ. Today, Christian
baptism is also symbolic, marking our public entrance into the church. But the
real baptism—the one that matters most—is spiritual. It happens when we
surrender to Jesus, and He fills us with His Holy Spirit, transforming our
hearts and lives. As the physical water
of baptism washes over us, the spiritual baptism of the Holy Spirit circumcises
our hearts and marks us as part of God’s people.
So,
let me ask you today:
Have you truly entered God’s
Kingdom?
Have you made a conscious decision to repent and follow Jesus?
If
not, don’t wait. Come to Jesus today. He is ready to receive you, to wash away
your sins, to fill you with His Spirit, and to welcome you into His Kingdom.
Will you choose to follow Him?