Though his ministry only lasted approximately six months from all we can gather in the Scripture, John the Baptist gained nationwide recognition. We learn of him before he is born when an angel appears to his father, Zechariah (a priest), and tells him God is going to answer his prayer. He and his wife, long past child-bearing years, will have their first child: a son whom they are to name John.
The angel said, "And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord" (Luke 1:17).
Four hundred years earlier, through the prophet Malachi (in the last book of the Old Testament), God had said, "I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before Me." But after centuries of silence, it seems that the nation of Israel was no longer looking for that prophet.
John was going to be this one whom Malachi talked about, who would come to prepare the way and proclaim the message of God, and preach in the spirit and power of Elijah and get people ready for the coming of the Messiah. The angel said he would be the one to fulfill that prophecy. Did he?
Here’s what Jesus said about it:
"From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come" (Matthew 11:12-14).
Did the people accept it?
The first two lessons in this four-part topical sermon series, Dr. Richard L. Strauss introduces us to John the Baptist, a very unusual man.
"I'm of the opinion that doing God's work successfully in our day and age might demand some unusual people with an unusual commitment to Jesus Christ, who are willing to do some unusual things," says Dr. Strauss.
Sometimes called John the Baptizer, John was a preacher with a Biblical message. He appears in the wilderness, preaching and calling on people to, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." And he baptizes them in the Jordan River.
When Jesus comes to be baptized, John questions why Jesus would be baptized. That’s a good question. Why did the sinless Jesus get baptized? The last message of this series tells us why. After John baptizes Jesus, the Holy Spirit descends as a dove upon Jesus, and God the Father confirms that Jesus is God the Son.
"The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, 'Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!'" (John 1:29).
From that point on John's one purpose in life was to exalt Jesus Christ, to magnify Him, to point to Him. It was to turn people's hearts and minds and lives to Him, as the One who could meet their needs and bring satisfaction to their lives.
Jesus’ ministry began to attract more people. John's disciples notice that John's ministry is declining, and they're concerned about it. John has a most wise and insightful response: We ought not to forget that whatever successes we've had, whatever achievements we we've attained, whatever abilities or gifts God has given us, whatever influence we've been permitted to have on people's lives—it has all come about as a gift from God. A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven.
"[Jesus] must increase but I must decrease" (John 3:30, NASB).