The Life of Christ Part 2: Lessons in Humility - The Ministry of John the Baptist 1
More studies available at www.workmanapproved.com: Ruth Proverbs Romans Philippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Hebrews Hebrews 11 James Revelation 2017 Cindy Brown. All Rights Reserved. This study was written using the KJV. 2
Introduction: If you went through Part 1 of the Life of Christ, you have already been briefy introduced to John the Baptist. From the tribe of Levi, we saw that he was born to Zachariah and Elizabeth when they were well advanced in years. Not only did their age prevent them from having children, but Elizabeth had also always been barren. One day while doing his priestly duties, an angel dramatically appeared and announced to Zachariah that he and Elizabeth would have a child. The angel told them that this baby would grow up to be one who would have a ministry in the spirit and power of Elijah. Not only that, the angel also told Zachariah that his son would be the one to prepare Israel for the coming of the Lord. All of this was a bit much for Zachariah to take in, and initially he had trouble believing Gabriel's message. However, as validation that his words would come true, the angel told Zachariah that he would not be able to speak until this was fulflled, and immediately Zachariah became mute. And just like the angel had said, Elizabeth was soon found to be with child and delivered a son. When it came time to name the boy, despite the cultural expectation to name him after someone in his family, Zachariah and Elizabeth both insisted he be called John, like the angel had told them. People in the hill country of Judea began to ponder these recent events, because after so many years of silence, it was obvious that God was at work! We are given no details about John's early life, but we are introduced to him again as he begins his ministry in Judea. If I am completely honest, John the Baptist is one of my favorite characters in the Bible. I admire his great humility, and because he was so humble, God said of him, He shall be great in the sight of the Lord. (Luke 1:15) But he is also very relatable, because he battled some serious doubts during a very diffcult time in his life. Let's take a closer closer look at this forerunner of our Lord and see if we can't uncover some clues as to why Jesus would say of him, For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. (Luke 7:28). 3
Day 1: The Forerunner Luke 3:1-2 Now in the ffteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, 2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. Luke does a great job of setting the stage politically for us. On the map below, write the name of each ruler in the corresponding area. Abilene is not seen on this map, but it would be west of Damascus near the very top. 4
Tiberius Caesar, as emperor of Rome, had authority over the rest of the men listed in verse 1. The area of Judea where Pontius Pilate ruled was a Roman province. The Herod who ruled Galilee was known as Herod Antipas and Herod Philip governed Iturea. Both of these men were sons of Herod the Great, and they received a portion of his kingdom when he died. Not much is known about Lysanias, but his jurisdiction was farther to the north, west of Damascus. The political leaders mentioned here underscore the fact that Israel was under the iron grip of Rome. What do we learn about the religious situation in Israel from verse 2? Never before in Scripture have we seen two high priests mentioned at the same time. Annas was the high priest from 6A.D. to 15A.D., when he was deposed by the Roman authorities. Later his son-in-law, Caiaphas, was made high priest from 18A.D. to 36A.D. The Jews still recognized Annas as their high priest even though Caiaphas functioned in the role, so Luke lists both men as high priests. The high priest had the most important role in Israel. Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, he would enter the Holy of Holies. He would sprinkle the blood from the sacrifced animal on the mercy seat to make atonement for the sins of Israel. The high priest was to function as a mediator between the people and God, but despite that fact, God bypassed the high priest in Jerusalem and instead His word came to a prophet in the wilderness! What does this say to you about the spiritual condition of Israel during that time? Luke 3:3-6 3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be flled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; 6 And all fesh shall see the salvation of God. 5
What was the message that John preached? Baptism is not mentioned anywhere in the Old Testament, but the Jews would have been very familiar with ceremonial washing if they become unclean. (See Lev. 15:1 8, 11, 13, 16, 18, 22, 27). John the Baptist's message was different though, because it focused on inward purity, not outward. According to verse 3, what is it that would forgive sins? People would come to John to be baptized if they had repented. Baptism was an outward representation of the condition of their heart. The biblical defnition of repentance is to change your mind about something. To repent of your sin, you have to change your mind and agree with God with what He says about your sin. Luke quotes Isaiah 40:3-5. These verses use a word picture to describe how people should welcome the Messiah. When a dignitary would arrive, people would go out and prepare the way by removing rocks from the road and leveling out any rough places. Isaiah used hyperbole when he talked about the valleys being exalted and the mountains made low. He was trying to emphasize that when the Messiah came, there should be no obstacles in His way. According to John the Baptist, what obstacles did the people have to remove in order to get ready for the Messiah? Matthew 3:1-6 1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leather girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, 6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. 6
What was the message that John was preaching? You'll notice that Matthew highlights a slightly different focus in John's message than Luke did. Matthew wrote with a Jewish audience in mind and the Jews were waiting for their King to come and set up his kingdom, freeing them from those who oppressed them. The Jews would have been familiar with the many passages in the Old Testament describing this kingdom, but one thing they did not understand was that there were conditions for entering the kingdom! Again, what does Matthew say is the condition for entering the kingdom of heaven? Tomorrow we will see the Jews thought their heritage would gain them entrance into this kingdom, but John said, frst you have to repent! Mark 1:1-6 1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; 2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. 5 And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; According to Mark, who came to hear John preach? What did John look like according to verse 6? 7
Matthew and Mark both mention John's appearance so it seems even back then, his clothing and manner were unusual. You get the picture that John the Baptist was a no frills kind of guy! He wasn't trying to draw people in with fne clothing or other things that might impress people. He just boldly spoke the truth. When John the Baptist came on the scene, Israel was under Roman control and in spiritual disarray. John came preaching a message of repentance, urging people to get ready for the King. What about you? Are there any obstacles in your life that are preventing you from responding to your King? Ask the Lord to search your heart and list them below. 8
Day 2: John's Message of Repentance Today let's take a look a closer look at John's message, and see what points he was trying to drive home as he preached. Matthew 3:7-8 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to fee from the wrath to come? 8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: What two groups of people came to John's baptism? The Pharisees were a group that began between the Old and New Testaments. Their name comes from a Hebrew word meaning 'to separate'. The Pharisees certainly were separatists and they often criticized Jesus because he ate with tax collectors and sinners. The Pharisees steadfastly held to the Jewish law, even adding to the law that God had given Moses. They were very religious, and although they may have looked good on the outside, Jesus rebuked them for their stubborn pride. The Sadducees were the majority members in the Sanhedrin, which was the Jews' governing body. They were a group that held great political power and often allied themselves with the Herodian and Roman rulers. Because of this, they did not have as strong of an infuence among the common people as the Pharisees did. How does John address both of these groups? John makes a strong point by calling them a generation of vipers. In the Greek the word generation means 'offspring.' The Pharisees and Sadducees would have schooled and trained their own members, so John was making a sweeping statement that the entire religious system espoused by the Pharisees and Sadducees was corrupt. He certainly wasn't trying to win any friends here and he wasn't afraid of being confrontational! What do you think John was trying to communicate by referring to them in this way? What do you know about snakes or vipers? 9
A viper is a type of snake known primarily for being venomous. I think John was trying to point out that the religious system of the Pharisees and Sadducees was very dangerous! What question does he ask them? In modern day English, we might say, What are you doing here? John seemed to understand that their appearance at his baptism was just that an outward appearance. What instruction does he give them in verse 8? Since John's message was about repentance, he gives us some clues as to what real repentance is all about. He tells them to bring forth fruits meet, or worthy of repentance. Now I want to pause here, and make a very important distinction. Repentance is NOT changing your actions or turning from your sins. If repentance was all about our actions, John would have been happy that the Pharisees and Sadducees had just showed up! In the Greek, repentance always means a change of your mind. Works that look good on the outside without a change of mind are meaningless. But true repentance will result in a changed life. Works are the result of repentance, but they are not repentance itself. God sees our hearts, but people can't see a change of mind. This is why John said it was so important for us to have works worthy of repentance. If we claim to have repented, our works should measure up or be worthy of our words. Luke 3:10-15 10 And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? 11 He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise. 12 Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? 13 And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. 14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages. 15 And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not. 10
What other groups of people came to John? What question do they all ask of him? It is interesting to note that John's answers to each group are different. He seems to be able to pinpoint the weakness of each group, and he zeros in on what they should do to have works worthy of true repentance. When John answers the common people, what character trait does he seem to be addressing that would show true repentance? We are all naturally selfsh and it is easy to become absorbed in our own world. John emphasizes to the people, that if they saw someone in need and were able to do something about it, they should. What does John tell the publicans or the tax collectors? Publicans were hired by the Roman empire to collect taxes in the provinces. Often the tax collectors would collect above and beyond what Rome required so they could line their own pockets. It would have hit very close to home when John told them that they should not collect more than they were instructed to by Rome. A tax collector who had repented, would have a change of mind from how he used to live and would not collect more than he should. What does John tell the Roman soldiers who came to him? It was not uncommon for soldiers to be violent or to falsely accuse people, and John zeros in on the sin of discontent as well. John reminds them that if they have repented, they would not be characterized by these things in their lives. By John's responses to these different groups of people, we can see that repentance looks very different for each person! It's not a list of things we should do to look good on the outside, but instead as our hearts and minds come into agreement with God's Word, our actions will then be worthy of repentance. 11
Is there an area in your life that you sense God speaking to you about? Do you need to change your mind about something so that your life conforms to the Word of God? If God reveals anything to you, note it below. What response did people have to John the Baptist according to verse 15? Luke notes that the people were in expectation and they mused in their hearts. In the Greek, the word for muse refers to an internal debate. John had certainly gotten the people's attention! It seemed likely to them that John was the Christ that had been prophesied, but they were looking for what he would do next to determine if he really was the Messiah. If you were John the Baptist, how easy it would be to believe the press that was being circulated about you. How tempting to think that you were really something important, but in our next lesson, we will see that this is not the route that John took. He did not abuse his fame by exalting himself, instead he pointed the people to Jesus! What a great example he is for the rest of us! No matter how much attention we receive, our response should always be to defect that praise back to the Savior! 12
Day 3: John's Message - Part 2 Yesterday we saw how John clearly told the people that the prerequisite for entrance into God's kingdom was repentance. Today we will see what won't get us into the kingdom. Matthew 3:9-12 9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fre. 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fre: 12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his foor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fre. This is a continuation of the conversation that John had with the Pharisees and Sadducees who had come to his baptism. The text seems to indicate that John is a bit skeptical of their motives. In our last lesson, we saw how John exhorted them to bring forth fruit that was worthy of repentance. Next, John seems to understand that the Pharisees and Sadducees might still try to justify themselves. After all, they were the religious leaders why would they need to repent? According to verse 9, what did the Pharisees and Sadducees take pride in? What was John's response to that? As physical sons of Abraham, they believed that they were automatically qualifed for the Messiah's kingdom, but John tears down that idea and basically tells them that their heritage means nothing because God could raise up children from the stones! He was basically saying their heritage had no more value than a pile of rocks! For a self-righteous Jew, this was nothing else but a slap in the face! 13
John has already spoken to them about bearing fruit that was worthy of repentance. From what he says in verse 10, what is he implying about them? John sees through their facade because he compares the Pharisees and Sadducees to fruitless trees. John knows they have not repented because they do not have good fruit. What two metaphors does John use to warn them of impending judgment if they do not repent? In verse 11, in what two ways does John contrast himself from Jesus? John humbly paints himself as a lowly servant, carrying his masters shoes. When the master came into the house, the servant would loose his sandals and put them up, and bring them again when the master was ready to leave. In that day, it was one of the most menial tasks. John says he is not worthy to serve Christ in even the lowliest way. We as believers need this same perspective: we are unworthy! We do not deserve this great privilege of serving the King of Kings. Too often we have a twisted perspective and think that we are somehow doing God a favor by serving Him. He doesn't need our service, and nothing we do could ever make us worthy of this privilege. When we see how unworthy and how underserving we truly are, it should cause us to have an overwhelming sense of gratitude at the love and grace that God has lavished on us. Next, John contrasts his baptism of repentance with the baptism of the Spirit with fre. To understand what the baptism of the Spirit is referring to, read Acts 2:1-4 and Acts 11:1-18. Write down everything you learn about this baptism from these passages. 14
How did John's baptism differ from the baptism the Jesus would later bring? In verse 12, John uses one more example to warn the people about God's judgment. The fan mentioned in this verse is better translated 'winnowing fork.' It was a pitchfork-like tool that was used to throw grain up in the air. The New Manners and Customs of the Bible gives us some insight into this common practice. Winnowing is a step in the processing of grain whereby the grain is separated from the inedible parts. The stalks are thrown into the air with a wooden shovel or a wooden fork having two or three prongs and a handle three or four feet long (this is the fan mentioned in a number of Scriptures: Ruth 3:3; Isaiah 30:24; Jeremiah 4:11, 12). The wind blows away the chaff and the straw, letting the heavier pure grain fall back to the ground. As a rule this was done in the evening or during the night, when the west wind from the sea was blowing, which was a moderate breeze and ftted for the purpose. The north wind was too strong, and the east wind came in gusts. John the Baptist used winnowing as an analogy of God s judgment, when the Lord would separate the sinful from the righteous. The scattering of the chaff by the wind after fanning is frequently alluded to fguratively in the Old Testament (see Job 21:18; Psalms 1:4; Isaiah 29:5; 41:16; Daniel 2:35; Hosea 13:3). 1 John warns the self-righteous religious leaders that their heritage won't get them into the Messiah's kingdom and he tells them they need to repent. He uses several analogies. As fruitless trees, he warns them that they will be cut down and burnt, and he insinuates that the Pharisees and Sadducees are not the desired grain, but the chaff that will be blown away in the wind. The religious leaders thought they were pretty important, but by using examples of burning and blowing away, John tries to show them that unless they repent, they will have no lasting impact, and they themselves will be destroyed. After studying this section, contrast the religious leaders' perspective with John the Baptist's. What is the main difference in their attitudes? 1 Freeman, J. M., & Chadwick, H. J. (1998). Manners & customs of the Bible (pp. 403 404). North Brunswick, NJ: Bridge-Logos Publishers. 15
The Pharisees and Sadducees felt a sense of entitlement to enter God's kingdom and John felt most unworthy to serve in it. Through our study of the life of Christ, we will see the religious leaders as self-righteous, self-absorbed and full of pride. From our study today, we can see that God cannot use this type of person instead they will face God's judgment. On the other hand, John was full of humility, and he didn't exalt himself, even when others tried to. This type of person is someone who God can use! We learn from Luke 1:15 that John was great in the sight of the Lord. Who will you be like? God opposes the proud, but gives grace to humble. -James 4:6 16
Day 4: John's Testimony about Jesus John 1:19-34 19 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? 20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. 21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. 22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? 23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. 24 And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? 26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; 27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. 28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. John certainly had shaken up the religious status quo in Israel at the time. He boldly confronted sin and urged people to repent so they would be prepared for the coming of the Lord. So the Pharisees sent some priests and Levites to fnd out who this guy was! What was the frst question they asked John and what was his reply? Anyone who was seeking fame and recognition might have been tempted to say that they were the Christ, but John strongly denied it. What was the second question they asked him? 17
It seems strange to us that the Jews would ask John if he was Elijah, because Elijah had lived hundreds of years earlier, but Scripture helps us to understand why they asked this. Read Malachi 4:5-6 and note what it says about Elijah in this verse. Now read Luke 1:13-17 and Matthew 11:7-15 to see who this prophecy was referring to. So from these two passages, we see that the the prophecy in Malachi actually was referring to John the Baptist. Jesus words in Matthew 11:14 help us to understand this better. He told the Jews that John was Elijah if ye will receive it. If Israel had accepted John's testimony about Jesus as the Messiah, John's ministry was enough like Elijah's that he could have been considered the fulfllment of that prophecy at that time. So this prophecy seems to have a double fulfllment the frst time when John the Baptist came and it will be fully completed in the future, perhaps by Elijah himself. Some people think that one of the two witnesses mentioned in Revelation 11 will be Elijah. Elijah was one of the few people in the Old Testament who did not die he was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind. So the Jews knew about this prophecy and understood that Elijah would come back to earth before the Day of the Lord. Perhaps John denied that he was Elijah because he was not Elijah in the fesh. What was the third question they asked him? Now there were many prophets in Israel, but the Jews asked John if he was that prophet. Read Deuteronomy 18:15-18 to see what they were referring to. Note everything it says about this prophet. Who do you think this is referring to? 18
Who does John say he is in verse 23? It is interesting that all the other gospel writers attribute this quote from Isaiah 40:3 as referring to John, but here we see that John himself understands this as his role. You would think that when John told the religious leaders he was the one to prepare the way for the Lord, this would have given him some credibility in their eyes. If they really were listening to what John was saying, they would have understood that the time was near for their Messiah to arrive. In Acts 19:4 we read, Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 2 Instead, what question do they ask John next? Because John denied that he was the Christ, they seem to dismiss him! They totally missed how important his role was. The Jews were waiting for their Messiah, but they didn't understand their hearts needed to be prepared when He came. They were waiting in anticipation for what he would do for them, but John was trying to get them to see that they needed to be ready for what He would do in them! What is John's answer to them in verse 26? Again, John tells the religious leaders the One he has come to announce is right in their midst, yet they do not know him. When John told them that the Christ is among you, they should have inquired further of John, but we see no indication of that in Scripture. How sad to think that they were not spiritually perceptive enough to grasp the signifcance of what John was telling them! What two statements does John make about Jesus in verse 27? 2 The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Ac 19:4). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc. 19
The fact that Jesus will come after John highlights John's role as the forerunner. Then John says that he is preferred before me. In the Greek, this phrase has the idea of taking a position that is of higher rank or authority. What does John say in verse 27 to emphasize this point? It was the slave or servant's job to untie his master's sandals, but John considered himself unworthy for even the lowliest task. He seems to be telling them, you need to stop looking at me, the One I have been telling you about is here right now and he is far greater than I am! What can you learn from John regarding how he saw himself compared to Christ? Are there any changes you need to make in how you respond to the Lord Jesus? 20
Day 5: John Baptizes Jesus Many people have debated why Jesus had to be baptized. Our texts today will shed some light on that question. We will also see how Jesus' baptism marks a turning point in John the Baptist's ministry. Matthew 3:13-17 13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? 15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfl all righteousness. Then he suffered him. 16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. John 1:29-34 29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. 30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. 31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. 32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. 33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. What was John's response when Jesus came to him to be baptized? 21
What was Jesus' reply? Jesus said it was proper and appropriate for him to be baptized because by doing so, he and John would fulfll all righteousness. So what exactly did Jesus mean by this? Righteousness here means whatever has been appointed by God to be acknowledged and obeyed by man. 3 Obviously, Jesus had no sin, so he had nothing to repent of like the rest of the people did. So what was the purpose of Jesus' baptism? Why had His baptism been appointed by God and what was it going to accomplish? Read the passage in John 1 again. What was revealed to John and those around him when Jesus was baptized? The passage in John is written from the perspective of after Jesus was baptized. John is recounting that event and the text seems to indicate that John knew he was the forerunner, but he didn't know exactly who it was that he was announcing! Even though John and Jesus were cousins and probably would have known each other, John did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah until His baptism. It was when Jesus was baptized that John was able to declare, Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world! This Lamb of God would provide righteousness to those whose sins were forgiven. Jesus' baptism fulflled all righteousness by revealing the One who was completely righteous and who could give righteousness to sinful man. In John 1:30, John the Baptist sees Jesus and tells the people, This is the one I've been telling you about! In verse 30, what reason does John give for why Jesus is preferred before him? Even though John was born frst, he says that Jesus is before him. This can have two aspects to it. In the Greek, it can refer to something or someone that is frst in rank or quality, and it can also be used in a way to highlight something that is former or prior in time. Both of these ideas are true of the Lord Jesus. 3 Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). Vine s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Vol. 2, p. 535). Nashville, TN: T. Nelson. 22
You can almost sense John's excitement. He had been faithfully preaching and telling the people to get ready for the Messiah, and I can almost picture him jumping up and down hollering, This is the guy! According to John 1:31, what was the main purpose for John's baptism? Another way that Jesus' baptism fulflled all righteousness is that it was at His baptism that He was publicly revealed to Israel as the Messiah! How did John know that Jesus was the Son of God? What did God tell him to look for? How does Matthew describe this event? This must have been a pretty dramatic experience because it is not everyday that you hear a voice from heaven! John said he would know who the Messiah was because he would see the Spirit descending on Him. Now before this happened, maybe John wondered what this would look like, but God made it very clear! When the Spirit appeared in the bodily form of a dove (Luke 3:22) and John heard the voice from heaven, he knew this was the Messiah! That must have been a very exciting moment! Luke 3:21-22 21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, 22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased. 23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli.. Luke shares one more detail with us that Matthew and John omit. What was Jesus doing when he was baptized? 23
Scripture doesn't share with us exactly what Jesus was praying about, but since it was the moment when he was offcially revealed to the nation of Israel as their Messiah, perhaps he was praying that people would acknowledge him as their Savior. This really marks the beginning of the end of John's ministry. He had faithfully preached and told people they needed to repent, and this moment was the culmination of what he had come to do. Now the Messiah had been revealed to Israel and John was able to say, This is the Son of God! He had done his job, it was up to the people if they would listen and believe. The same choice stands before us today! Like the people of John's day, the most important question we will ever have to answer is: What do I believe about Jesus? 24
Day 6: John Decreases In our texts today, we are going to learn some very important lessons about humility. Some of John's disciples didn't quite understand this, and they were bothered by John's decreasing infuence. This didn't bother John a bit, so it is worth our time to examine his perspective and response to this, and see what we can learn ourselves. John 1:35-37 35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; 36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! 37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. These verses follow the account in John 1 of Jesus' baptism so the next day after likely refers to the day after John baptized Jesus. What did John say when he saw Jesus again the next day? John continues to testify of Jesus and again calls him the Lamb of God. Every time he sees Jesus, he points people to Him! What did John's disciples do? John 1:40 gives us some more information and tells us that one of these two disciples was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. In our culture of social media where you can follow people, how easily we are wooed and enticed by the attention of others. The more likes or comments we get on a Facebook post, the more validated and important we feel. We certainly live in a look at me society. It is easy to get upset or offended if someone unfollows us. Well, John literally had two of his disciples unfollow him! But what a great example John is to us! It didn't even bother him when he lost followers. His goal was not to have people follow him, but to have people follow Jesus! 25
John 3:22-30 22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized. 23 And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized. 24 For John was not yet cast into prison. 25 Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. 26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. 27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. 28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. 29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulflled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease. In our text today, we see John and Jesus baptizing people in the same area, and it seems that there arose an argument between John's disciples and some of the Jews about purifying. This seems to be a reference to the baptisms that were going on. Whose baptism was better? John's or Jesus? What complaint do John's disciples bring to him in verse 26? I'm sure you can see the irony here! John's disciples come to him complaining that all the people are going to Jesus the One that John had been pointing them to! Yeah - that was the whole point! Somehow John's disciples missed the big picture here, didn't they? They got caught up in the crowds and the hoopla that had surrounded John, that they missed what he had actually been saying! How does John answer them in verse 27? Wow, this is such an important truth for us to remember! Too often we have stress 26
and angst because we are trying to take for ourselves what God never intended for us to have. John held even his ministry loosely before the Lord. In verse 28, John reminds his disciples again what he has said before, I am not the Christ. John then goes on to use an analogy from Jewish marriage customs to help his disciples see. Who do you think the bridegroom represents? Who is the friend of the bridegroom? Who would be the bride in this example? The book Word Studies in the New Testament sheds some light on this cultural example. In Judæa there were two groomsmen, one for the bridegroom, the other for his bride. Before marriage they acted as intermediaries between the couple; at the wedding they offered gifts, waited upon the the bride and bridegroom, and attended them to the bridal chamber. It was the duty of the friend of the bridegroom to present him to his bride, after marriage to maintain proper terms between the parties, and especially to defend the bride s good fame. 4 John understood that he was just the friend of the bridegroom and it gave him great pleasure to bring the bride (those who would follow Jesus) to the bridegroom. He worked as an intermediary to see the marriage completed. How does John say he feels about this? Just like a friend of the bridegroom would be pleased to see the marriage take place, John is flled with joy that at least some people believe his testimony about Jesus and start to follow Him. 4 Vincent, M. R. (1887). Word studies in the New Testament (Vol. 2, p. 105). New York: Charles Scribner s Sons. 27
What is the last thing he tells his disciples in verse 30? This should be the life verse of every Christian. The moment in ministry that we seek to increase our own reputation, we are no longer serving or following Christ. Any worthwhile ministry will be guided by this principle because it's purpose will be to magnify the name of the Lord Jesus. John says he must decrease. In the Greek this has the idea of being a logical necessity. It has to be this way. Jesus has to be in the forefront and we must be in the background. The apostle Paul understood this as well. He wrote the book of Philippians from prison, and while he was in prison, he heard about some people who were preaching Christ from wrong motives. They were preaching Christ hoping to stir up more trouble for Paul! Now that's pretty twisted, and is something that would make me pretty mad. But Paul rejoiced. In Philippians 1:18 he says, Whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea and will rejoice. It's easy for us to sit here right now and agree with this truth while things are comfortable, but it is much harder when it starts to directly affect our lives. Serving Jesus is not easy and sometimes we do feel the sting of rejection. We may be tempted to wallow in self-pity when hard times come our way as a result of our service to the Lord. In times like these, how important it is to remember we must decrease in order for Christ to be glorifed. Is there a ministry you are involved in that you sense you need to back away from but are reluctant to do so? Is God asking you to do something but you are hesitant to obey? Too often our own desires crowd in and hamper what God desires to do. Ask God to give you the same perspective that John the Baptist had so that Christ can fully increase and be magnifed in our midst. 28
Day 7: John Has Doubts Matthew 11:2-6 2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, 3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? 4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: 5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. Luke 7:19-23 19 And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? 20 When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? 21 And in that same hour he cured many of their infrmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. 22 Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. 23 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. In our lesson today, we fnd John in prison. Matthew 14:3-5 tells us that Herod Antipas had taken his brother Philip's wife for himself. Never one to avoid speaking the truth, John the Baptist had confronted Herod on it and told him it was not lawful for him to have her. Being pressured by his new mistress Herodias, he threw John in prison. Verse 5 tells us that Herod really wanted to put John to death, but he feared what the people would do if he killed him, so prison was the next best option. And this is where we fnd John today. His ministry is over and in the quietness of his prison cell, the doubts start to creep in, and he begins to question everything he has ever believed and preached. At some point, all of us will struggle with our own doubts and in our text today, there is an important principle we can learn from. 29
What is the question that John tells his disciples to ask Jesus? Now think about this for a moment. John's whole ministry was to prepare people for the Messiah. He had quoted Old Testament prophecy and had acknowledged himself that he was the one to prepare the way of the Lord. He had even heard a voice from heaven declaring This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. His whole ministry had been about pointing people to Jesus, and he had done it with humility, grace, courage and conviction. But now everything had changed. Now he was sitting in prison. This wasn't how it was supposed to end! He did what he thought God had called him to do and look how it all turned out! John is fooded with doubts. Maybe I got it wrong. Maybe the Messiah hasn't come yet and we should be looking for someone else. If Jesus really were the Messiah, why isn't He getting me out of prison? At the heart of John's question is the fact that Jesus did not live up to John's expectations. When John really needed him, Jesus was silent and He didn't respond in the way John thought He should. Man, I can relate with how John felt here. How many times I have experienced my own disappointment with God. God, if you really love me, why are you letting this happen? If you have all power, couldn't you have stopped this from happening? It is in those times when God does not meet our expectations, we can have a crisis of faith and begin to question who God is. Has there ever been a time in your life when God did not live up to your expectations and you were troubled by doubts? In our passage in Luke, the text seems to indicate that while John the Baptist's disciples were with Jesus, he did many miracles in their presence. Read the accounts again in Matthew and Luke and note all the miracles that Jesus did. 30
Why do you think it was important that John's disciples saw these miracles for themselves? What is the last thing Jesus tells John's disciples? Jesus must have known that when John's disciples came back and told him all that they had seen and heard concerning Jesus, he might have thought, Yeah, that's great, but why isn't he doing anything for me? Jesus does not explain why He is allowing John to sit in prison. He doesn't give him answers, He just asks him to trust. Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me. The word bless in the Greek is makarios. It means more than just being happy. The Complete Word Study Dictionary defnes it as possessing the favor of God, that state of being marked by fullness from God. Makários is the one who is in the world yet independent of the world. His satisfaction comes from God and not from favorable circumstances. 5 The word offend in the Greek is used fguratively of a trap or a stumbling block. It means to be offended by someone, to take offense at his character, words or conduct, so as to reject him. 6 When God is silent, too often we perceive His silence, as indifference. When He does not act of our behalf, how easy it is for us to be offended at Him. Many people in the Bible struggled with this as well. Job stands out as the one who arguably had the most reason to be offended at God. After having lost all his children, his possessions and his health, he complained that God had forsaken him. In Job 23:8-9 he cries out, Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him; on the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold Him; he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him. 5 Zodhiates, S. (2000). The complete word study dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers. 6 Zodhiates, S. (2000). The complete word study dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers. 31
Job says he is looking in every direction, but God is not there. If this was where the Scripture ended, it would be a very bleak picture indeed, but notice what Job says in the next verse: But He knoweth the way that I take: when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. (Job 23:10) Job took comfort in the fact that even though He could not see God, he knew that God saw him! Too often we think it would help us if God would just do something and we could see him working. Job came to the place of understanding that it didn't matter if he could see God or not. He rested in the fact that God saw him, was aware of what was going on, and most importantly, God had a purpose in it all his purifcation. For many years, I was a bit bothered by Jesus' response to John, but now I see is as a gentle invitation to trust. Jesus understood that John was struggling. He knew John wanted answers and that things didn't make sense. Jesus did give John some proof that he was the Messiah, but none of those things changed John's immediate circumstances. John was at a crossroads with Jesus' response. He could choose to be offended, or he could choose to trust. Scripture is silent on how John responded, so we are left to wonder what he thought when his disciples came back with Jesus' answer. (Although our lesson tomorrow will give us a clue). Perhaps Scripture is silent so that we are forced to evaluate what our own response will be. How tempting to be offended when God does not act of our behalf. If we do not deal with out doubts, eventually we will come to the conclusion that God is not worthy of our trust and we will be tempted to cast him aside. This response ends in spiritual devastation and destruction. The other response ends with a blessing. How God is delighted when we cling to Him even when He is silent and distant, when He does not intervene, and when our miserable circumstances remain unchanged. This type of faith pleases God and earns us His commendation (Hebrews 11:1-2,6). Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. 7 7 The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Je 17:7 8). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc. 32
Day 8: Jesus' Testimony about John Luke 7:24-30 24 And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 25 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts. 26 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. 27 This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 28 For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. 29 And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justifed God, being baptized with the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him. In our last lesson, we saw how John struggled and faced a serious crisis of his faith. Today we will see that despite John's doubts, Jesus has high praise for him! Doesn't that bring you great encouragement? Our Lord's response to John should give us hope for when we struggle as well. In verse 24, what does Jesus say that John is not like? Even though John questioned everything he had ever believed, Jesus says that when the people came to hear John in the wilderness, he was not like a fimsy reed, blown in every direction by the wind. Jesus implies here that John was a man of courage and conviction, boldly speaking the truth, even though it was often unpopular with the religious leaders. Jesus did not defne John by his doubts! What else does Jesus say John was not like? What do you think Jesus is saying about John by using this analogy? 33