Matthew 3:11-12 Mark 1:7-8 Luke 3:15-18
Many pulpits in churches have a small plaque written to
preachers that reads: “We would see Jesus.”
It is a fitting reminder that the purpose of preaching or any type of
ministry is to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ.
John understood this purpose very well and he lived his life in such a
way that he pointed others to Christ.
Public ministry can become a dangerous thing because it can easily begin
to attract attention to ourselves. The
number of people following John and listening to his preaching was growing day
by day. People from all walks of life
were gathering. His message was genuine
and unique. Word began to spread and his
popularity began to grow. This is a
dangerous stage in the life of any minister.
Popularity can easily distract us into a mentality that ministry is all
about us. Eloquent speakers, dynamic
leaders, gifted administrators and pleasing personalities tend to attract
crowds but can often detract from Jesus.
The problem is not the presence of the crowd; the problem is what the
crowd can produce in the heart of the leader.
John provides us with a glowing example of exactly how this type of a
situation should be handled. It is an
example that many “mega leaders” would do well to observe and emulate.
JOHN’S MINISTRY WAS FOR CHRIST: As the crowds began to
gather; the people began to speculate as to whether or not John was the Christ. There were no big proclamations being made to
this effect; it was more of a subtle undercurrent. People were whispering to one another about
it amongst themselves. It must have been
very flattering to John and even encouraging to have this kind of “chatter”
going on in the background. Those
feelings of encouragement and pleasure that spring from popularity ought to be
perceived as warning signals going off in our hearts. John does not give into the temptation to
allow the focus of his ministry shift to himself. Instead, he makes it very clear to the people
that he is not the Christ but that Christ was soon to be revealed to them. He then proceeds to explain to the people
about the superiority and supremacy of Christ.
John makes it clear that the Messiah would be coming after him and that
He was the Mighty One. John would not
allow the rumor to spread because it was false and was the exact opposite of
what he had been commissioned to do.
John’s ministry was for the sole purpose of pointing others to Christ. Any attention that was given to him was a
distraction from what he was striving to accomplish. In no uncertain terms John makes it clear
that he was not worthy to remove the sandals from the feet of Jesus. Sandal removal was typically the task of
household servants in order for them to wash the feet of their masters and
guests. What John was saying was simply
that he was not worthy to be a slave of Messiah. As ministers of the Gospel this is the
position we must all strive to assume: that of a servant. Our ministries are not for us, they are for
Christ.
JOHN’S MESSAGE WAS ABOUT CHRIST: The glory of Christ was
also the focal point of John’s message. He
points out the superiority of what Christ would accomplish. John says that he had come to baptize people
with water as a symbol of their repentance.
Christ would baptize them with the Holy Spirit and with fire. The coming of Christ and His sacrifice for
sin opened a means for the Holy Spirit to permanently indwell the lives of
believers. The Holy Spirit empowers us
for obedience, worship and ministry in ways that were previously unexperienced. He transforms our very natures so we can obey
and He equips us so we can serve.
Without Christ there could be no baptism with the Holy Spirit. John also uses the expression that Christ
will baptize with fire. It is not
completely clear what is intended by this expression. Fire is used as a symbol of suffering as well
as a symbol of judgment or purification.
Both interpretations are true about the work of Christ. He does purify us from sin and conform us to
His image. However, suffering is often
the means through which this purification process occurs. Christ suffered in order that we might be
freed from sin in every way. When we are
identified with Christ we can expect to experience suffering as well; not as
payment for sin, that was all taken care of on the cross, rather our suffering
is a means by which Christ helps us grow in holiness. While this positive interpretation of being baptized
with fire is possible; it is far more likely that John was warning his hearers
that Christ would be coming to either baptize them with the Holy Spirit or with
fire in the sense of eternal judgment.
This interpretation seems more likely because of John’s next statement
that Christ would come with a winnowing fork in His hand in order to separate the
wheat from the chaff. The wheat
(believers) would be gathered into His barn (baptized with the Holy Spirit) the
chaff (unbelievers) would be burned up (baptism with fire). John’s message was all about Christ and
pointing others to Him. He was urging
people to believe in Christ so that they might be transformed by the Holy
Spirit. He was warning those who did not
believe about the eternal judgment they would face for rejecting Messiah. Christ is the message of salvation for
mankind and He must be made know in all of the nations of the world. However Christ is also the message of condemnation
for those who reject Him and all the nations of the world must be warned about
this truth.
APPLICATION: Be careful not to allow the praise of men
become the motivating factor in our ministries.
Constantly remind ourselves that we are sinful and unworthy to serve as
the slaves of Jesus. Be thankful for the
grace of God that allows us to point others to Christ. Show others how they can be transformed by
the power of the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ. Warn others that they will be eternally
condemned in fire for rejecting Christ.
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