John the Baptist

Matthew 3:1-12

When John the Baptist grew up, he went out into the Desert of Judea and began to preach. He told the people to turn away from their sins and turn back to God. Many hundreds of years before, the prophet Isaiah had said that, before the Lord Jesus would come, a person would prepare the people for his coming. That person was John the Baptist.

John dressed in clothes made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt round his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People came from Jerusalem, Judea, and all around to hear him. John spoke very plainly and told the people that they needed to turn back to God. Those who confessed their sins were baptized in the River Jordan.

Some Pharisees and Sadducees came to be baptised and, when John saw them, he became angry. He called them a brood of snakes and told them to repent and change the way they lived. They thought that, because they were God’s chosen people, everything was alright. John told them clearly that they must tell God that they were sorry for the way they were living and must change. Every one of us must admit to God that we are sinners and ask Him for forgiveness.

The people asked John, “Are you the prophet that was promised or are you the Messiah?” Jesus was the Messiah that God had promised he would send to the people of Israel. John did not take any credit for himself. He told the people plainly that there was a person coming after him who was much more important. He said that he was not even worthy to untie that person’s sandals. John said that he simply baptised with water so that the people repented of their sins. The one coming after him would baptise them with the Holy Spirit and that would change their lives. The One John was speaking about was, of course, Jesus.

Jesus is Baptised

Matthew 3:13-17

One day, Jesus came to John and asked him to baptise Him. John refused, saying that he needed Jesus to baptise him. Jesus did not need to be baptised for He had never committed any sin so he did not need to repent and ask God for forgiveness. However, Jesus insisted that John would baptise Him and he did. The moment Jesus came up out of the water, the skies opened up and he saw God's Spirit descending and landing on him. A voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."

On another occasion, when John was speaking to the people, he saw Jesus coming. John said, "Look, the Lamb of God!” Jesus was the Lamb of God, which meant that he was going to die to take away the sins of all those who trust in Him.