Wednesday: Turning Hearts at the Jordan
Alongside Gabriel’s prediction (Luke 1:17) and Jesus’ confirmation of him as the predicted Elijah (Matt. 11:14; Matt. 17:12-13), the Gospel writers affirm that John the Baptist was the “messenger” who would prepare the way of the Lord (Matt. 11:10, Mark 1:2, Luke 7:27; compare Mal. 3:1).
Note the main aspects of John’s message. In what way was his message one of “heart-turning”? Matt. 3:2, Matt. 3:8; Matt. 14:4; Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3, Luke 3:8-9, Luke 3:11, Luke 3:13-14.
Turning Hearts at the Jordan
Like a farmer who plows hard ground to prepare it to receive seed, John denounced sin and urged sinners to repent. Human nature is such that, without selfexamination, without an awareness of one’s true condition, no need is felt for something better. His message turned people toward the holiness of God’s requirements and their need of His perfect righteousness. Genuine repentance is always marked by humility and looking to God for help to change one’s behavior. By exposing the shallow, selfcentered hypocrisy of those who claimed Abraham as their father, he sought to open the deeper meaning of the faith of their fathers.
How did the message of John the Baptist prepare the way for Jesus? John 1:35-37, John 3:27-30.
John had been shown that Jesus was the Lamb of God. When he introduced Jesus this way (John 1:29, John 1:36), he literally turned people to the Lord. Andrew and another of John’s disciples, John, the Gospel writer who wrote the account of that day, left the Baptist’s side and became Jesus’ disciple. Not only does the Elijah message point to the need for repentance; it identifies the One who saves from sin, generates excitement about Him, and introduces people to Him.
| If John the Baptist were to step into your home, what do you think he would be saying to you? |
John the Baptist preached a message of repentance as a preparation for the coming Messiah. Luke 3 provides an interesting insight into what he meant by repentance:
The idea that you are ok because you are in the club simply does not work. You cannot hide under the umbrella of belonging to the right family. Repentance has to be personal. John expanded on the idea of how repentance should be carried out:
This was not rocket-science theology. The call to repentance was a call to think of others rather than self.
I wonder if that is the reason that our next series of lessons is entitled, “The Least of These …”. Maybe we have been concentrating on getting belief and identity right at the expense of those who are least among us.
The message is one of turning minds and hearts to God. This is the best preparation and end time message for people to stand in the great and dreadful day of the Lord. John preached a message that was to reach people’s hearts, and work a change in them.
A membership card, whether to an ethnic group or to a church is not the ticket to eternal salvation. Mere outward credentials won’t do it. Hearts need to be turned.
The message was to repent and return to God. The fathers and children, as well as mothers, young and old, in a unity of love and harmony turn unto the Lord.
No one can expect to escape the sure result of the broken law, which is eternal death, nor expect to enjoy the happiness of eternal redemption, unless their hearts are turned from sin and the world, to Christ and holiness.
Psalms 23:3 He restores my soul: he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.