Have you ever been around people who were so focused on an agenda that they had tunnel vision? Everything around them seemed to be chaotic, but they were in their own world. It didn’t detour them from their focus. One such believer in scripture was John the Baptist. He was single-minded in his approach to life, to proclaim Jesus Christ.
John was the cousin of Jesus through Mary. When the angel told Mary she was with child, she was also told her cousin Elisabeth was with child and it was her sixth month. Mary sets out to visit Elisabeth and when Mary told her she was pregnant, John leaped in Elisabeth’s womb because he was in the presence of Jesus.
Luke 1:36 “And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.”
Luke 1:41 “And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:”
God destined John to prepare the way for the Messiah. When his father found out Elisabeth was expecting, he laughed in disbelief and was unable to speak. People wanted to know what the baby’s name was because it was customary to be named after the father. When Zachariah wrote on a tablet the name the angel gave the baby his speech was restored. In Luke 1:76, Zachariah proclaims John’s purpose. He would be a prophet proclaiming the way of the Lord.
Luke 1:63 “And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marveled all.”
Luke 1:76 “And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;”
This was only the beginning of a life focused solely on proclaiming the gospel and the coming of Jesus into His ministry. Luke 1:80 teaches us that he grew strong in the spirit until the day of his “shewing” meaning his public appearance to Israel. John lived a very simple life in the desert. He wore clothing made of camel’s hair and ate locusts and wild honey. He was not concerned about seeking the things of this life. His purpose stayed focused on preaching repentance and baptizing those who repented and desired to follow God.
Luke 1:80 “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.”
Matthew 3:1-5 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. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,”
John was followed by many, but he never let that cause him to become proud or arrogant. He maintained his purpose to exalt Christ. In Matthew 3:11, he speaks of Jesus as being mightier than him. His attitude was one of humility. Sandals were worn to protect the feet but upon entering a house the lowest servant of the home would remove them. John’s reference to this in Matthew 3:11 indicates he considers himself lower than the servant who takes off the guest’s shoes.
Matthew 3:11 “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:”
As we are closing in on John’s life and the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, we see John baptizing Jesus. John first refuses to baptize Jesus, but Jesus instructs him to do it and as a humble obedient servant John complies. What a humbling yet joyful moment that must have been for John. He sees the Spirit descending like a dove on Jesus and hears the voice of the Father confirming this is Jesus, the Messiah. Wow, what a day!
Matthew 3:13 “Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
In John chapter 3, the disciples of John, those following his ministry, were questioning John about who Jesus is. John tells them that Jesus must increase and that he must decrease. John indicates to them that his purpose was to point people to Jesus. John wanted to be known as nothing more than someone who honored Christ in all he did.
John 3:30 “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
John stood for the truth of the gospel until the day his life was taken. He had preached against the sin that Herod Antipas had committed when he took his sister-in-law Herodias as his wife. Herodias was determined to make John pay for his accusations, truthful as they were, she set in motion to have him murdered. On Herod’s birthday, his stepdaughter danced for him, and his lust was so great he promised to give her anything she asked up to half the kingdom. Herodias instructed her to ask for John’s head on a charger. The King complied but was sorry he had made such a promise.
John was truly a man after God’s own heart. He had lived his entire life simply to proclaim the Messiah. He preached the truth, no matter who the audience was, his message didn’t change. He kept his focus on the Savior and stayed the course.
How about your life? Have you come to the place where you view everything in light of eternity? Are you consumed with the affairs of life and what you can get out of it, or how you can communicate eternal life to others? What is the purpose of your life? If you can say it is to live for Christ are your actions backing up your words? Are you focused on living your life for Christ in everything you do or say? Zoom out on the lens of your life today, and think about what it is saying to others and to Christ. Are you focused?
