Not far from here meets a small but ancient people group. They used to live in Iran and Iraq. But recently with the Iraq war they have fled. They are called ‘Mandean Sabeans’. And there are about 5 thousand in Sydney. There are about 70 thousand in the world. They meet on the banks of the Nepean River, where they perform ritual washings. In doing so, they believe they are following their teacher, John the Baptist.
Of course, John the Baptist for most religions is a goodie. Everyone wants him on their side: Christians, Muslims, Bahais, Mandaeism.
Indeed, someone might say that the Mandaens give John the Baptist the most honour. According to Wikipedia, they reject Jesus as saviour or prophet. They view John the Baptist as the only true Messiah.
Does such a view honour John the Baptist? What would a true follower of John the Baptist do? "WWJBD", What would John the Baptist Do?
We turn to Matthew’s Gospel, and we ask three questions. First, who was John the Baptist? Second, what was John the Baptist’s message? What did he do and say? And third, who does John the Baptist think Jesus is? Who is Jesus?
Let’s see who John the Baptist is. Is John the Baptist the Messiah, as the Mandeans say? Let’s look at Matthew chapter 3 verse 3:
This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.' (NIV)
Matthew is giving us Old Testament background to identify John the Baptist. First, he quotes Isaiah (Isaiah 40:3, cf Malachi 3:1-2). And Isaiah spoke about one who goes before, preparing the way for Yahweh before he comes. God himself is coming, he is on his way. And before Immanuel, God with us, arrives, God needs some roadworks done before he gets there. A red carpet needs to be rolled out, mountains need to be smoothed. And this preparation happens in the desert.
And the second piece of information is his dress sense and diet. Matthew chapter 3 verse 4:
John's clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. (NIV)
The first thing we say about John’s fashion sense is ‘bizarre’. I mean, the leather belt, I get, but Camel’s hair doesn’t sound very comfortable. There’s a reason that IKEA don’t sell camel hair along with sheepskin rugs and cow hides. It’s not really that soft and comfortable. But John the Baptist is not about comfort and softness and cuddles. He lives in the desert, he wears rough clothes. He is a prophet, and his clothes say that. He is wearing the prophets uniform (Zechariah 13:4). Moreover, John the Baptist is wearing exactly what Elijah the prophet wore. He is eating the same thing that Elijah the prophet ate. (2 Kings 1:8)
And all this says that John the Baptist is the Elijah that was to come. The last page of our Old Testaments, turn back to it. Malachi chapter 4 verses 5 to 6:
5 See, I will send you the prophet Elijah1 before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse. (NIV)
And Jesus says that John the Baptist is that Elijah who was to come. After John the Baptist is beheaded, the disciples ask Jesus about this prophecy. Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come before the Messiah? (Matthew 17:10). And Jesus replies, Matthew chapter 17 verses 11 to 13:
"To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands." 13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist. (NIV)
So John the Baptist was the Elijah to come (Matthew 11:14). He was the road builder for the coming King. John the Baptist would get God’s people ready for God with us. Before him, no one greater born of women had arisen (Matthew 11:11). So that’s who John the Baptist was?
But what was John’s message. Let’s look a bit more closely at John’s message.
Repentance for the Kingdom of God is near.
It’s introduced for us in Matthew chapter 3 verse 2:
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."
Repent, change your mind, because, says John, another Kingdom is breaking in. It is really close, closer than you think, indeed, the King is about to be revealed from heaven.
Rethink your life. Think differently. Turn your mind and life around. The word repent, metanoia, literally has to do with our thinking and our minds. But it is a change of mind leading to a change of action.
Now, it’s no good saying ‘I’ve changed my mind, that should be enough’. No, repentance had to be proved by deeds. And repentance still must be proved by deeds. This is true of us, too. We must repent and prove our repentance by our deeds. So Paul says of his own preaching, that:
First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds. (Acts 26:20 NIV)
And this change of mind and change of behaviour was to get ready for the forgiveness of sins that was coming. For the forgiveness of sins was bound up in the coming King and his work. And the message of repentance came with a sacrament, a symbol of forgiveness. There was a symbolic washing, that would point to the washing of forgiveness. Matthew chapter 3 verses 5 and 6:
5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. (NIV)
Baptism, dipping someone or something in water, was a common thing. Lots of people and things got baptized. It is still a common thing. After all, we baptize our pots and pans, our plates and cups. It’s called doing the dishes. And we hopefully baptize ourselves frequently. It’s called having a bath. Often Gentile converts to Judaism had to submit to baptism. Being filthy Gentiles, they were thought to need more even than circumcision to become Jewish.
But the thing is, John said that Jews should be baptized. Not just Gentile sinners were filthy and had to be washed. Jews were also filthy because of their sins, and needed the washing of baptism. Circumcision was not enough.
Now, usually, when I start church, I say something like. “Welcome to church today, it’s good to see you, I’m so glad you’ve come today. We’re going to be hearing God’s word and praying. And stick around for morning tea.” You would like your minister to be a bit friendly, wouldn’t you? You don’t want me to abuse your friends who you invite to church.
Imagine I saw some new people who come to church and say this: “You children of snakes. Who told you church was on today. You offspring of vipers. Who warned you that God was going to judge the world. You sing Father Abraham has many sons. So what! I want to see changed behaviour, not just turning up for a religious show."
That’s what John the Baptist said when he saw the religious leaders coming out to him. Matthew chapter 3 verses 7 to 11:
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. (NIV)
John wasn’t happy with pew warmers. He wasn’t happy with people coming out to hear him. He wasn’t happy with people going through a little religious ritual. He wanted to see fruit in keeping with repentance. John the Baptist was a hell fire preacher. He warned that ‘every tree that doesn’t bear good fruit will be thrown in the fire.
God knows whether we are fair dinkum about our repentance. Our repentance must be shown by our deeds, by our works, which is the fruit of our faith. Our works don’t justify us, alleluiah, praise God. That job is done by faith, and thank God for that, for none of our works our repentance would do the job of declaring us righteous in God’s sight. But our works, the way we live, shows the reality of our repentance. Our works evidence the reality of our faith. So friends, we too must produce works in keeping with repentance. The message of John the Baptist is also a message that is for us, too.
The Gospel according to John the Baptist
But John merely did not want people to change their minds and their actions. Implicit in John the Baptist’s preaching of repentance was also calling on God’s people to have faith in God and hope in the coming Kingdom and King.
And that meant John pointed the people forward to the coming one who was about to bring forgiveness of sins. For John just wasn’t a morals crusader. He was called to prepare people for the coming Christ. This is how John compares himself to Jesus Christ. Matthew chapter 3 verses 11 and 12:
11 "I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire." (NIV)
This is the gospel according to John the Baptist. There is a coming one. And he is much stronger than John the Baptist.
John the Baptist baptized with water. But Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit. And here we see the superiority of Jesus’ baptism to John’s water baptism. On the day of Pentecost and thereafter, Jesus would send his Spirit in a new way. Thereafter, every Christian is said to be baptized in the Spirit. As Paul says to the believers in Corinth, not all of whom spoke in tongues, or prophesied or healed,
For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body – whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free – and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. (1 Corinthians 12:13 NIV)
Jesus is the one who baptizes in the Spirit. And if you have Jesus as Lord, you have been baptized in the Holy Spirit. You don’t need a second experience. If you have Christ, you have the fullness of the Spirit and God as your Father. There is no second baptism of the Holy Spirit, for the Christian. If you are a Christian, you have not missed out on anything.
Friends, if we meet any Mandaens locally, we will love them and welcome them, just as we do every citizen or refugee. And we will speak about the one John the Baptist pointed to. Jesus. For the gospel according to John the Baptist’s big topic was the baptism of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ. Are they not listening to John?
John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is Jesus.” (Acts 19:4 NIV)
And Jesus, the coming one, will gather up his wheat into his barn. Good news. God’s chosen King, Jesus Christ, is gathering his people together. And the chaff will be excluded. Those who don’t repent, and don’t show their repentance by their deed, are chaff. They will be burnt up. And that too is good news. It is good news because everyone who doesn’t repent and give God the glory will be excluded from God’s kingdom. God wants his new world to be without those who cause people to sin.
Which brings us to our third and final question. The first question was, ‘Who is John the Baptist?’ And we’ve seen that John the Baptist is the prophet like Elijah, who prepares for the coming of God to his people. The second question was ‘What was John the Baptist’s message?’ And the message was Repent. Change your mind, and prove it by your deeds, by your good fruit. But John the Baptist also had good news. A coming one would baptize with the Spirit and fire. John pointed away from himself, and to a greater coming one.
And third, who is Jesus? John has said that Jesus is the more powerful one coming after Jesus. Jesus is the worthy one. Jesus will gather his people. Jesus will judge his enemies. And then, Jesus comes down to the Jordan river to be baptised by John. Verses 13 to 15:
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" 15 Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented. (NIV)
When all the people went to John for baptism, so did Jesus. And this is fitting. Because Jesus came to save all the people. So it is right that he identifies himself with the people he came to save. Though Jesus is Holy and has no need of repentance, he still is prepared to stand with sinners. Jesus comes from a long line of sinners. Rahab the Harlot, and Tamar who dresses like a Prostitute to seduce Judah, and Bathsheba, and Ruth the Moabitess, are all in his family tree. David the Adulterer and murderer, and Solomon the polygamist idolator, and Judah the fornicator, and all manner of sinners are there in his genealogy. And at the River Jordan again he stands among and by sinners. And Jesus, though sinless, undergoes the things that sinners must undergo. As Paul would say later, He who knew no sin became sin for us. Sinless and holy Jesus so fully identifies with us in our sin and need that he undergoes baptism for righteousness sake. Not his righteousness. He was always righteous. But our righteousness.
Jesus is not ashamed to call us his brothers. And he does so to become our righteousness. The identity of Jesus is beyond doubt when he emerges from the Jordan, with John the Baptist at his side. Verses 16 and 17:
16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." (NIV)
We see the Spirit once again involved in Jesus’ ministry. The angel told Joseph that Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit. And now, both visibly and audibly, God testifies to Jesus the Son. First visibly, with the Spirit’s descent. The Spirit is usually unseen in his ministry. He goes wherever He wants, and no one can tell where he comes from or where he is going. But at this point, when Jesus emerges from the water, the Spirit came upon him in the form of a dove. For the sake of the sinners who Jesus identified with, the Spirit of God took on the appearance of a dove. And second, audibly, with the voice directed to Jesus, but no less for those who were there, including John the Baptist: And the Father declares of Jesus, verse 17:
"This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." (NIV)
John the Baptist has been busy pointing the people of Israel to the coming one, the powerful King. But now, in Jesus’ baptism, both the Father and the Spirit both point the world to the Son. The Son pleases the Father because he is without sin. The Son pleases the Father because he always obeys the Father, and does everything that the Father wants him to do. The Son pleases the Father because the Son became ‘God with us’ in the incarnation. For us and our salvation Christ came into the world. And the Son pleases the Father because he identifies with us sinners to bear our sins, and carry our iniquities.
Friends, I hope you have repented and shown your repentance by your deeds. I hope you have put your faith in the one who John the Baptist, and the Father and the Son, gave their testimony too. Because if you have, Jesus the Son of God, God with us, has baptized you with his Holy Spirit and fire. And at the right time, Jesus the Son will gather you into his barn. And if you see that the King of the Kingdom of heaven is near, there is good news. Because in Matthew 11:11, Jesus himself says this:
He who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John The Baptist. (NIV)
Is that you? Are you greater than John the Baptist? By repenting toward God, and having faith in Jesus Christ, you are greater than John the Baptist. The littlest child in our SRE classes or crèche or Sunday School is greater than John the Baptist, because that little child knows more than John the Baptist. John never saw how the Kingdom of heaven was brought in. But even the smallest child in our ministries can sing.
He died upon the cross, he died upon the cross, for me, for me. He rose up from the dead, for me, for me.
Do you know that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins and rose from the dead for your justification? Then you are greater than John the Baptist. And we thank God for it.
Let’s pray.