His Ambassador Blog

The Man

In his day, many who heard the name or title, ‘John, the Baptist’ probably thought of a lunatic who lived in woods and ate bugs all day. They’d be half correct. Mark 1 describes John as a voice crying in the wilderness, one clothed in camel’s hair, who ate locusts and wild honey. As for the ‘lunatic’ title, I believe that many would believe that one too. Despite not being a part of the typical culture and standing out in an incredibly odd way, John brought a message that was different and unexpected. But John was chosen by God, dedicated to his mission of preparing the way for Jesus. His example is one that we should admire and follow after.

John was a humble man. He knew his place before God and before others. When describing the coming Jesus in Mark 1:7, he says he would not even be worthy of unbuckling the strap of Jesus’ shoes. In this day when it came to anything feet related, most recognized that those were jobs that not even the lowest of the servants should be required to do. By saying this, John describes how he is not worthy to do the dirtiest, most shameful job in the presence of Jesus. John recognized the state of his soul and that he needed a Savior.

John was not concerned with what culture thought of him or the message he was bringing. John wasn’t exactly someone that dressed nicely. He didn’t have nice clothes like the other teachers. No fancy jewelry, no nice shoes, just camel’s hair and a girdle. John also had a unique diet. Despite not being ‘normal,’ John was true to who God called him to be. That is something we could all do a bit better, me included. I often find myself spending so much time trying to fit in, be liked, etc., that I forget the reason I’m here. John didn’t let the culture tell him who he was supposed to be. He let God define his identity, then and only then was he able to fulfill the purpose he was placed here with.

John was dedicated. John was born to parents who were incredibly old, two people who weren’t supposed to be able to have a child. His conception and birth were a miracle as well. He was created for a purpose, like we all are, and continued to be faithful to that purpose and to God until the very day he was beheaded (an absolutely insane story that you should all take a look at.) We must recognize the importance of living a life dedicated to the Lord and His commandments for us.

The Message

John came bearing a message that was absolutely radical at the time, one that would change culture and throw everything for a loop. John’s message can be found in Luke 3:3-4, “And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; 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.” John also called everyone to repent. Repentance is not simply feeling sorry for sin but turning completely around, running away from sin, and running towards God.

Remission means forgiveness and deliverance. Jesus has come that we would have forgiveness and cleansing. Luke goes on to describe how John also said that Jesus would set everything straight. Jesus would renew our hearts, souls, and minds so that we could follow the Lord. Another important aspect of John’s message is found in verse 6 which says, “And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” What we understand this to mean is that Jesus came for all of mankind, which is revealed in the most famous bible verse, John 3:16.

John was meant to prepare the way for the Lord. This idea can be a symbol for the preparation that must be done in our hearts when accepting Christ: Repentance, Remission, and Restoration. John wanted to get across to the pharisees that salvation was less about being physically clean and talking about repentance that having a clean heart and living repentance. The message that John brought was one still relevant to the world today.

The Moral (of the story)

I believe that the greatest part of John’s story and ministry is the fact that everything that he did pointed to Jesus. He was a man who knew that this life was not about himself, but about Jesus Christ, the Messiah, and the Savior of the world. From the way he dressed, to the words he spoke, and the way he acted all pointed to his faithfulness to the Lord and his will.

1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Truly the point of our lives is to let them be all about Jesus. This entails not allowing the culture to change us from who the Lord has called us to be. It involves being completely resolute even when the message that we’re spreading isn’t popular, and the gospel certainly isn’t. May our message, our goals, and our entire person be dedicated to spreading the good news, will, and character of Jesus Christ.