God Prepared the World for Jesus' Ministry

Chapter 11.

John, the Son of Zacharias,

Began Preaching and Baptizing.

In A.D. 26, about the time of the Summer Solstice in late June, John, the son of Zacharias and Elisabeth, reached the age of thirty -- the age at which most Jews of that era believed a man was mature enough to be a teacher of religious matters. And, promptly, just as Zacharias had predicted at John’s Circumcision Ceremony, John began his unique ministry, preparing the world for the imminent Ministry of the Messiah, Jesus.

Zacharias had declared, “You, my son, will be the prophet of the Messiah. You will prepare the hearts of many for His Ministry! A new day will dawn for Israel. The Messiah will lead us into a new era. We will take the Message of the Messiah to the world, bringing light to those who are lost in darkness and life to those who stand condemned in the shadow of death.”

Zacharias could look to the past and see how Moses had transformed the “Royal Priesthood Movement”, among the Jews, into a complex system of sacrifices and celebrations linked to the Tabernacle in the wilderness and, later, to the Temple in Jerusalem. He could look forward to the Ministry of Jesus and see that the “Royal Priesthood Movement” would be transformed again. No longer would it be anchored to one holy spot in Jerusalem. It would become a world-wide Movement. He couldn’t see that the Movement would become known as the “Church”. He couldn’t see the details of the transformation. But, he knew his son would introduce Christ to the world and that the “Royal Priesthood Movement” would become international.

According to Luke, John the Baptist began his ministry in the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar’s reign over the Roman Empire. Tiberius was appointed as co-regent with Augustus in A.D. 11. And, fifteen years later in A.D. 26, John started preaching at the Bethabara ford of the Jordan River, saying, “The Messiah is about to appear! Get ready!”. Jesus began His Ministry shortly thereafter, when He became thirty. In the fifth volume of this six volume set, “Holy Week ... moment by moment”, Chapter 1, we show that Jesus died at 3:00 in the afternoon of April 3, A.D. 30. And, after His Resurrection, He remained on Earth for another forty days. So, Jesus’ Ministry lasted slightly less than 3 and 1/2 years.

Luke began his record of John the Baptist’s ministry with these words ...

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins ...

(Luke 3:1-3 KJV)

In A.D. 26, John the Baptist was living in a wilderness, north and east of Jerusalem. Some ancient writings say that John’s father, Zacharias, was executed by Herod when John was quite young and that his mother, Elisabeth, fled into the wilderness with her precious boy. Perhaps, she had family or friends living in that backwoods region. So, John grew up in a rustic environment. His attire and diet were shaped by his location. He wore “homespun” garments and ate foods he found in nature. Nevertheless, we are certain he made a striking and favorable appearance. As a prominent prophet of the Lord, he exuded dignity and authority.

Much of John’s ministry occurred in the vicinity of
“Bethabara”, which means “the house or place of the ford”. At this site, the Jordan River is narrow. So, those wishing to cross the river with farm produce on the way to markets in Judea and those wishing to travel from beyond the Jordan into Judea forded the Jordan at that spot. And, those wishing to return to the eastern bank of the Jordan, also, passed through that location. It was a busy place, well-suited for evangelism.

John was filled with the Holy Spirit from his conception onward. When he was thirty, the Word of the LOrd came to him. Responding, he went into all the country near Bethabara, preaching “the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins”.

Documenting the Baptist’s ministry, the Apostle John said ...

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light [Jesus, the Messiah] that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

(John 1:6-8 KJV)

Here, the Apostle used one special word to describe Jesus. He is the “Light” in the sense that He enlightens us. Through His teachings, recorded in our Bibles, we see clearly: who we are, where we came from, and where we are going.

The Apostle Matthew reported ...

In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

(Matthew 3:1-2 KJV)

The Baptist taught, “The Messiah, our true King, is about to appear. But, until you see Him as your King, you are not a citizen of His Kingdom.” In John’s day the “Kingdom of Heaven” included the “true Jews”, who were members of the “Royal Priesthood Movement”, still residing on Earth and the saved souls living in Paradise. Today, the “Kingdom of Heaven” includes all the members of the Church residing on Earth and all the saved souls already in Heaven.

Before we proceed with the narratives of the Gospels,

we must examine “baptism”.

What Is Biblical Baptism?

God sent John into the Holy Land to prepare its residents for the imminent appearance of the Messiah. And, God told John to baptize those who heeded his sermons -- if they came to believe that the Messiah would soon appear -- if they were sorry for their past sins -- and, if they repented. His ministry was unique and unprecedented. The Jews called him “John the Baptizer” or “John the Baptist”. But, what is “baptism”? What had God told John to do?

Today, few people know what Biblical Baptism is. This is true even of those who attend Church services. Most branches of the Church have replaced Biblical Baptism with a ceremony which is never mentioned in the Bible. The Scriptures clearly teach that the person being baptized should be a penitent believer and that he or she should be fully immersed in water with the assistance of the believer baptizing them. And, the act should be done in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

What happened? Why do so many Churches abrogate the Biblical parameters of baptism? Many answers have been offered, some silly and some serious. Here’s one that seems plausible. Some early Christians became certain that a man could not ascend to Heaven when he died, if he had never been baptized. They concluded that they must baptize babies, soon after they were born, since they might die and drop into Hell. But, babies loudly objected to being fully immersed in water. A few of them gulped in water and nearly drowned. At the insistence of parents, some clergymen began pouring water over the foreheads and scalps of babies and calling that gesture a baptism. Others resorted to simply sprinkling water on the foreheads of babies. And, baby baptisms became very popular. They are the “norm” today. Many parents dress their infants in sumptuous baptismal garments for the ritual. Ceremonies are adorned with music and prayers. And, in many Churches, baby baptisms have almost completely replaced the immersion of penitent believers. Even if a mature person professes faith in the Gospel, he or she is “baptized” with poured or sprinkled water.

Nevertheless, “baptize”, a Greek word, means “immerse” or “dunk”. When you wash dishes, you baptize each piece in soapy water and scrub away unwanted food residues. But, by the time Bibles were translated into English, baby baptism was so ingrained in the cultures of the majority of Churches that translators were “afraid” to replace “baptize” with “immerse”. They left the word un-translated, fearing that their writings would not be published or purchased if they replace the word, “baptize”, with the word, “immerse”. So, the word, “baptize”, sank into ambiguity. Here’s a list of synonyms for “baptize” from one thesaurus: immerse, admit, asperse, besprinkle, call, christen, cleanse, denominate, dip, dub, entitle, name, purify, regenerate, sprinkle, term and title.

When considering the propriety of baptizing babies, most modern clerics and Church members overlook the plan set forth by Jesus when He voiced the “Great Commission”, recorded at the end of Matthew’s Gospel. After Christ’s Resurrection, He appeared to His followers many times before He ascended into Heaven from the Mount of Olives. One of these appearances occurred on a mountain in Galilee. As He addressed His disciples, Christ urged them to take the Gospel to all mankind. Notice, especially, how He included baptism in His vision of world-wide evangelism ...

... Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20 KJV)

Clearly, Jesus said that we must teach the citizens of the world something about Him before we baptize them. For sure, they must believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and they must believe that Jesus forgave their sins by dying in their stead on the Cross. And, Jesus added, “After baptizing them, you must continue to teach them. Tell them every precept of the Gospel.” This passage underscores the rectitude of reserving baptism for believers. We should not baptize anyone until we have taught them the Gospel.

Jesus’ Ministry Made Baptism

Even More Meaningful.

Biblical Baptisms were introduced to the world by John the Baptist at the behest of the Lord. The process has remained the same since its inception, but the pre-requisites to a valid Biblical Baptism and the meanings of the act have changed twice -- firstly, when Jesus was Baptized, and secondly, when Jesus arose from His grave.

Early Baptisms

By John the Baptist

John began his ministry in July of A.D. 26. Jesus’ Baptism by John probably occurred in early November. But, Jesus did not begin His Ministry until the closing days of that year. Prior to Jesus’ Baptism, John and his disciples proclaimed a new way for a man to cleanse his soul of its sin-stains. If a man listening to John became convinced that the Messiah was about to appear -- if he wanted to become a loyal subject of the Messiah -- if he was ashamed of his past sins -- and, if he had decided to repent (turn away from sinning) -- then, John or one of his disciples would declare that the man’s sins were forgiven and would baptize him. The man would say that he had been baptized to show the world that he believed the Messiah would soon appear to establish His Kingdom -- that his soul had been cleansed because he had repented -- and, that he was prepared to serve the Messiah, his new King, as soon as He appeared. As Luke phrased it, the man had experienced the “baptism of repentance for the remission of sins”. The man was not “saved” and made ready for the “Kingdom of Heaven” by the baptismal ceremony. No. He was “saved” and “Heaven-ready” because his sin-stains had been erased by his repentance. He had been baptized to proclaim that he was a changed man -- a new man.

John’s preaching shocked many in Israel. For centuries, Jews had taught, “The only way a man can cleanse his soul of its sin-stains is by offering a vicarious sin-sacrifice to the LOrd. The man must transfer his sins to a ‘clean’ animal, spill the animal’s blood, and roast it on a fiery altar. As it perished, the man’s sins expired with it.” The ancient axiom was, “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin.” (Hebrews 9:22 and Leviticus 17:11) This had been the correct, God-ordained teaching of the “Royal Priesthood Movement” for centuries.

But, John was announcing something new. He was saying, “If you have decided to make the Messiah the Lord of your life, your King –- and, if you have repented -- then, your sins have been remitted. You are forgiven and you should be baptized to let others know that your soul has been cleansed and you are a new person, eager to serve the Messiah when He comes.”

John was declaring a change in the way members of the “Royal Priesthood Movement” should purify their souls when they concluded they were guilty of sinning. Eventually, the old way of cleansing sin-stained souls became obsolete. However, the change was gradual. For a while, the old “animal sacrifice system” and the new “faith in the Messiah plus repentance followed by baptism system” co-existed.

Baptisms After Jesus’ Immersion

And Before His Resurrection

The day Jesus came to John to be Baptized, John recognized that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah of the Jews. He adapted his sermons to reflect this conviction. He and his disciples continued to declare the “new”’ way a man could cleanse his soul of its sin-stains. But, they identified Jesus as the Messiah. If a man listening to John became convinced that Jesus was the Messiah -- if he wanted to become a loyal subject of Jesus -- if he was ashamed of his past sins -- and, if he decided to repent (turn away from sinning) -- then, John or one of his disciples would declare that the man’s sins were forgiven and, then, would baptize him. The man would have said, “I was baptized to let everyone know that I believed Jesus is the Messiah -- that Jesus will soon establish His Kingdom -- that my soul has been cleansed by my repentance -- and, I am prepared to serve Jesus, my new King.” The man would have experienced the “baptism of repentance for the remission of sins”.

A couple of months later, when Jesus’ Ministry team began baptizing repentant sinners, their sermons were very similar to those of John and his disciples. Perhaps, the one difference was this: Jesus’ disciples often taught that the Messiah was not just a prominent man of God, like Moses. No. The Messiah was and is the “Son of God”, one facet of the Trinity. We’re not sure that John’s team made that clear.

The preaching of both teams shocked many Jews. For centuries, they had relied on animal sacrifices to erase their sins. But, Jesus and John the Baptist were saying, “If you have decided to make Jesus the Lord of your life, your King –- and, if you have repented, your sins have been remitted. You are forgiven. You should be baptized to show your friends that your soul has been cleansed and you are a new person, eager to serve Jesus.” Jesus and John were declaring a change in the way members of the “Royal Priesthood Movement” should purify their souls when they knew they were sin-stained. Eventually, animal sacrifices ceased. However, the change was gradual. Till the Temple was destroyed by the Roman army in A.D. 70, both systems existed.

Baptisms After

Jesus’ Resurrection

The two, diverse procedures for erasing sin-stains from a sinner’s soul were merged as Jesus endured the agony of His Crucifixion. The old procedure told the repentant sinner to offer a ‘clean’ animal to the Lord as a vicarious sin-sacrifice. The new procedure told those who believed that Jesus was the Messiah and repented to be baptized. These two procedures became one. During the three hours immediately preceding Jesus’ death, Earth was enveloped in a God-ordained plague of absolute darkness. In that black span of time, the sins of every man or woman who had previously been saved or ever would be saved were laid on Jesus. All the sins of all believers of all times were transferred to Him. He became the Ultimate, Vicarious Sin-Sacrifice. The precious Blood of Jesus, the “Lamb of God”, was shed to dispose of the sins of all the saved. Simultaneously, Jesus bestowed His righteousness on each of these saved souls, making them Heaven-ready.

After Christ’s Resurrection, the “Royal Priesthood Movement” became known as the “Church”. Under its tutelage, the formula for erasing the sins from a sinner’s soul took its final form: “If as a man listens to Christians proclaiming the Gospel he becomes convinced that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God -- if he desires to serve Jesus, his new King -- if he is ashamed of his past sins -- if he repents (turns away from sinning) -- if, in his prayers, he goes to the Cross and asks Jesus to erase his sins -- then, Jesus will cleanse his soul and fill him with His righteousness, and a fellow Christian will baptize him in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” The man will affirm, “I was baptized to let the world know that Jesus has made me ready for citizenship in Heaven by erasing my sins. Now, I stand ready to serve my Lord, Jesus Christ.”

In an eye-opening passage in the Book of Romans, Paul added another dimension to Biblical Baptism. He saw the ceremony as a re-enactment of Christ’s Death, Burial and Resurrection. He noted, “When we are baptized, we show that we have ‘crucified’ our ‘old’ selves and become ‘new’. Just as Christ was ‘buried’ in the earth, we are ‘buried’ in water. Just as Christ arose from His grave to begin a radically new way of life, we rise from the baptismal waters to begin a thoroughly revised way of life. We have been ‘planted’ in the baptismal waters just as He was ‘planted’ in the earth. Like Him, we shall be resurrected.” Paul wrote ...

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (Romans 6:3-6 KJV)

Having defined Biblical Baptism, we return to the narrative of the Gospels.

John Preached Along the Banks

Of the Jordan River.

The “Wilderness of Judea” spanned the Jordan River. From the ford at Bethabara, John moved along the Jordan from village to village and preached the Message God had given him. He attracted a cluster of disciples who travelled with him, supporting him and witnessing to those who attended John’s rallies. Often, they performed the baptisms of those souls who believed John’s Message and repented of their sinful behaviors.

Luke reported ...

... John went from place to place on both sides of the Jordan River, preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.

(Luke 3:3 NLT)

The Baptist’s Ministry

Had Been Foretold By Isaiah.

The ministry of John the Baptist was written into mankind’s history before the Earth was formed. And, centuries before John grabbed the attention of the residents of the Holy Land, the prophet Isaiah had predicted that a dynamic and persuasive prophet would arise to prepare the Jews for the coming of their Messiah. In his prophecy, Isaiah quoted God, the Father. addressing God, the Son. Mark stated ...

Just as the prophet Isaiah had written: “Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way. He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’”

(Mark 1:2-3 NLT)

John urged each of his listeners to prepare his or her heart for the Messages the Messiah would proclaim. He wanted them to give Jesus a clean and straight path to their souls.

Luke placed added emphasis on the importance of John’s listeners giving Jesus unfettered access to their souls. He quoted more of Isaiah’s God-inspired words. Miraculously, that ancient prophet had seen, in his mind’s eye, John preaching on the banks of the Jordan. He had heard John use rough terrain as a picture of all the obstacles we humans use to hide our hearts from God’s truth. He heard John say, “Fill the valleys! Level the hills and mountains! Make the rough places smooth! Make the path to your heart straight! So, Messiah may easily enter your soul.” Luke wrote ...

As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. (Luke 3:4-6 KJV)

Notice, especially. John’s ministry changed the Message of the “Royal Priesthood Movement”. As we mentioned earlier, by the year John began preaching, the “Royal Priesthood Movement” had become exclusively Jewish. Yet, many Jews were not members of the Movement. Judaism was about to split into two camps. John’s ministry began the split, and Jesus’ Ministry finished it. The Jews who were members of the “Royal Priesthood Movement” became Christians and aided in the formation of the early Church. The Jews who did not believe that Jesus was their Messiah were left behind in the traditions of Judaism. In its earliest days, almost all Church members were Jews, but that changed quickly. The Church took the Gospel to the world. Thus, what Isaiah, in his vision, had heard John say happened, “All flesh saw the salvation of God,” Jews and Gentiles alike.

Today, every member of the “Royal Priesthhood Movenent” is a nembber of tge Church, and every member of the Church is a member of the “Royal Priesthood Movement”. Peter told the Christians of his day ...

... you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light ...

(1 Peter 2:9 NIV)

Notice that Peter viewed the Church as the valid branch of Israel. He said that the Church was God’s holy nation -- God’s special people. The “Royal Priesthood Movement” had departed from traditional Judaism. The Church had become (and still is) God’s chosen people.

Paul, a former Pharisee, agreed with Peter’s opinion. He sent this Message to the Galatians ...

... now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.

(Galatians 3:29 NLT)

Since the Church is the “Royal Priesthood Movement”, and Church members are the true descendants of Abraham, we must conclude that the only way for anyone to be “saved” from an eternity in Hell and set on the pathway to Heaven is for him or her to become a Christian. The Apostle John recorded these supremely consequential words of Jesus ...

Jesus saith ... I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6 KJV)

This tenet of the Christian faith rankles many in the modern world. “It’s too exclusionary!” they say. But, we Christians cannot allow ourselves to be bullied into silence. If we love our fellow man, we must profess this fact. If we remain silent, how will our contemporaries hear the truth?

Like Luke, Matthew quoted extensively from Isaiah’s

Book. And, then, he noted that John quickly became a

“folk hero” among the Jews. John had lived in the

wilderness region for decades. He wore a homespun

robe made from coarse camel hair, encircled by a broad,

leather belt. And, he ate the foods of a “hunter-

gatherer” -- locusts and wild honey. For sure, he was

an extraordinary man. But, he was the son of a priest.

His parents had told him that he was placed on Earth to

introduce the Messiah to the world. And, Jesus said of

him, “Of those born of a woman, there is none greater.”

(Matthew 11:11) So, we are sure he was modest,

clean-cut and winsome. He was so impressive that he

drew huge crowds to his rallies. Matthew penned ...

The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said, “He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’” John’s clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey. People from Jerusalem and from all of Judea and all over the Jordan Valley went out to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.

(Matthew 3:3-6 NLT)

To this, Mark added ...

John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey.

(Mark 1:4-6 KJV)

Soon after word of John’s ministry reached Jerusalem, Pharisees and Sadducees appeared at his rallies. They were easy to spot, with their luxurious, widely-fringed robes, ornate sashes, and elaborate phylacteries. They looked out of place in the wilderness -- like seeing, today, a man fishing in a remote mountain stream while wearing a silk tie and polished, wing-tip shoes and a fancy, business suit.

The Pharisees were a party of Jews sharing a set of religious beliefs. They believed the Scriptures. They thougt there was life after death. But, they taught that one could “earn” eternal life in Heaven by strictly keeping the commandments recorded in the Bible. Generally, they were upper class or rich.

The Sadducees were another religious party. They were in control of the Temple and the upper tier of priests. They dominated the Sanhedrin, the “senate” of the Jews. Yet, they did not believe in an afterlife. They did not believe angels existed. And, generally, they were very wealthy.

The Holy Spirit moved John to publicly confront these elite Jewish leaders with biting words. John knew that most elites were posing as religious paragons while they engaged in corrupt practices. Years later, during Holy Week, Jesus called them ...

... whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

(Matthew 23:27 KJV)

Here, Jesus was referring to a common practice of the Jews. From time to time they would apply white paint to the stones or structures marking the graves of their ancestors, making them look clean and neat. He was saying, “You men look fine in your flowing robes, but within, you are disgustingly corrupt.”

The Pharisees and Sadducees regarded John as an outlaw. He was telling people they could erase their sin-stains by means of belief in the imminent appearance of the Messiah and repenting of their sinful lifestyled. And, he was telling these penitent believers that they should be baptized to tell their friends that their souls were clean and they were going to do their best to keep them that way by following the teachings of the Messiah. This “new” procedure for erasing sins precluded animal sacrifices at the Temple in Jerusalem. That was diminishing the income of the Sadducees who profited from the sale of sacrifice animals within the Temple. And, John’s preaching was quite different from the legalistic views of the Pharisees. They feared they might lose their authority over those who gathered in synagogues on Sabbath days. These elites realized that traditions were being swept away by this powerful, country preacher. They wanted to silence him.

John gestured in their direction and said, “If you fellows want to be ready for the soon coming Kingdom of the Messiah, you must confess your sins and be immersed in this river.” They found this demand horrifying. They were not going to admit they were sinners, especially, not in public. And, they were not going to be dunked in the Jordan. They and their robes were far too fine to suffer that indignity.

Matthew, also, portrayed this incident, saying ...

... when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. (Matthew 3:7-9 KJV)

Notice. John doesn’t mention Hell, but he does indicate these “phonies” are headed for “wrath to come”. And, he takes away their common boast, “We’re OK. We are descendants of Abraham.” Pointing to a rocky ledge, John said, “God could make children of Abraham out of those stones over there.”

Luke told much the same story, including the fact that John called the pompous elites a “brood of snakes”. He wrote ...

When the crowds came to John for baptism, he said, “You brood of snakes! Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. (Luke 3:7-8 NLT)

Additionally, John predicted imminent judgements. These were foreshadowed in his warning, “Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” In a personal sense, this meant, “If a man’s life is not adorned with godly thoughts, godly words, and godly deeds, he will be condemned and cast into Hell when he dies.” But, also, John had in view the institutions of the Jewish religious hierarchy. He knew they were degraded by corruption. He was sure they would soon be judged. He was right. They were judged. John, Jesus and the early Christians drew the true believers, mostly “true Jews”, of the “Royal Priesthood Movement” into the Church. Forty years after Jesus was Crucified, Jerusalem was “cast into the fire” and completely erased by the Romans. The Temple was destroyed, animal sacrifices ceased, and almost all Jews were scattered throughout the ancient world. Many fled to safety. Those who were captured were sold into slavery. Luke said ...

Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire. (Luke 3:9 NLT)

Matthew echoed Luke’s narrative ...

And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. (Matthew 3:10 KJV)

Some of John’s listeners had questions about repentance. Luke captured their queries ...

“What should we do then?” the crowd asked. John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?” “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them. Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely -- be content with your pay.”

(Luke 3:10-14 NIV)

In his sermons, John often spoke of the imminent appearance of the long-awaited Messiah. He made his role clear, saying, “The Messiah is far greater than I. I’m not worthy enough to be His slave! God told me to get people ready to serve the Messiah.” John wanted to help men and women turn their lives over to God and repent of their sinful practices. When one did, he immersed him or her in water. Thus, the new believer showed everyone that he or she was a cleansed soul -- beginning a new, godly life. “But,” John said, “the Messiah will go much further. He will baptize his followers with water and the Holy Spirit. And, He will baptize with fire those who refuse to follow Him -- those who persist in their unbelief till they die. You are ‘wheat’ or ‘chaff’ -- wheat if you choose to worship the Messiah and chaff if you don’t. The wheat will be gathered into God’s ‘barn’, Heaven. The chaff will be thrown into the fires of Hell.” Matthew noted ...

“I [John] baptize with^] water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am -- so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.” (Matthew 3:11-12 KJV)

Mark, also, recorded some of John’s assertions. He wrote ...

... [John] preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. (Mark 1:7-8 KJV)

And, Luke recorded similar themes from John’s sermons ...

... as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not; John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people. (Luke 3:15-18 KJV)