“Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.” They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”
Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”
Now the Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
“I baptize withwater,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.”
John the Baptist lived his calling with focus and humility. He knew that his role was to prepare the way for the Messiah, not to revel in celebrity status or build his own kingdom. His simple yet powerful message of repentance prepared the hearts of the people to be sensitive to the message of the kingdom that would be brought by the Lord Jesus Himself. John said that he was not some kind of reincarnated Elijah, but he did minister with the same spirit that Elijah moved in. “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.”[1]
When people listened to John the Baptist preach and wanted to respond with repentance, they were baptized in water by him to symbolize the fresh start in life they were making. There is a thought that John the Beloved records here that is finished in other gospel records. Luke 3:16 says, “John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” After the atonement of Jesus Christ, He spent time with His followers before He ascended into Heaven. He breathed on them and said, “receive the Holy Spirit.”[2] I believe that in that moment the original followers of Jesus were born again. They were spiritually washed in the blood of Jesus by the Holy Spirit[3] and their lives became temples of God.[4] And so from that point forward, they had the Spirit within them, yet Jesus gave the further command to wait in Jerusalem for power from on high.[5] In Acts 2, they were baptized in the Holy Spirit and were endowed with power and passion for ministry in the Kingdom of God.[6] Before they were baptized in the Spirit, the disciples were cowering, hidden away from the public. But the Spirit energized them to continue the work of Jesus upon the Earth boldly as His Body.
“Lord Jesus, send the fire of Your Spirit to burn brightly within Your people. Bless us with power and passion for Your great Name and Your cause. Inspire and empower us to be Your hands and feet in our daily lives. Make us sensitive to the guidance of Your Spirit and give us special insight into Your truth. May we please You in every way. In the mighty Name of Jesus I pray, Amen.”
In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
—Acts 2:17-18
[1] Luke 1:17 NIV
[2] John 20:22
[3] I Corinthians 6:11
[4] I Corinthians 6:19-20
[5] Luke 24:49, Acts 1:8
[6] Acts 2:1-40, I Corinthians 12:4-6
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