John the Baptist

6-15-2009

John the Baptist was a Jesus type of leader. When I say he was a “Jesus type of leader,” I am alluding to the fact that he served people, and did not crave the spotlight like so many leaders do. As we’ve read in the Bible, Jesus was a humble, servant leader. He didn’t crave attention, and he certainly didn’t have the nicest things. When we read about the Kings and other leaders of the time, they all craved attention, and many would literally kill people if they felt threatened by their power. King Herod is a perfect example of a leader with some good qualities, but his jealousy, fear, and suspicious nature eventually led to his seeking the death of Jesus, thus destroying all the good he could have done.

John the Baptist was a prophet whose life mission was to announce the coming of the Savior of the world. He didn’t have any power in the political system at the time, but he simply relied upon the power of God. His ability to speak the bold truth of the coming of the Savior was enough to baptize hundreds of people. When John the Baptist spoke, people listened!

As we read Matthew 3:4 we see that John the Baptist was a bit interesting, “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.” I think a great lesson we can learn from this is different is okay. Be who you are, and don’t try to be something you’re not. John was fearless and bold with his message, yet he kept his messages focused on the Savior. While most leaders would give themselves the glory, John delivered message after message about the coming of the One!

Application:
1. Read Matthew 3:4-10
2. Make sure to stay focused on the message of Christ at all times, and be bold.
3. Avoid giving yourself glory at ALL times