John the Baptist is one of the few people Jesus praised.

We read an example of Jesus praising John the Baptist.
Matt 11:11-13
In v11, Jesus tells us that John the Baptist was the greatest human ever born. (The phrase “among those born of women” refers to everyone.)
v12 tells us the way in which he led his wife. English and Chinese translate this verse differently. Chinese says the Kingdom of Heaven is given to those who strive hard to enter it. This is very true for John the Baptist who served God his entire life. Whilst the English version says the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence. Which is also true for John the Baptist’s life; he was arrested and beheaded ultimately.
v13 continues to tell us that John the Baptist was a very special marker. He was the last of the Old Testament prophets; he separates the Old Testament from the New Testament. This makes John the Baptist very special. There are hence indeed many lessons we can learn from him.

Lessons:

1. John the Baptist was born for a purpose. This purpose was already preordained/stated very early.

Luke 1:13-17
John the Baptist had his name given to his father even before his birth (v13). In v15, we are told of the way he was to lead his life. He would be great on the sight of the Lord and he will not touch strong alcohol. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from the womb. His purpose/way of life/mission on earth was all pointed out to him, through the prophecy or through the angel spoken to his father. To add on to this, his father, Zacharias, didn’t believe he could have a child. As a result, he became mute for a period of time. Only when it came to the naming of the child was his tongue loosed and then he was able to speak again.

It was the angel who told Zacharias what John’s purpose would be. But later on Zacharias himself would prophesy in v67. We read an excerpt of the prophecy (v76-79): Zacharias prophesies John the Baptist will be the forerunner of Jesus.

It was clear John the Baptist knew how to lead his life and what the purpose he was born for was. How does that apply to us today? Today we are born but we didn’t have a special announcement for our birth which included what we would be doing.

Today, all of us are born again. This rebirth has been prophesied. Its purpose is also clearly stated. Ephesians tells us that God already predestined that we will be adopted to be His children. This comes about because of our rebirth. Because we are born again, what must we do?

The first few verses in Rom 6 talks about how baptism is like rebirth: we die, get buried and are raised together with Him.

What is the purpose of our rebirth?
Rom 6:12-13 reminds that we cannot continue in sin but to be instruments of righteousness to God instead. Our rebirth was foreordained. The purpose of our rebirth is also clearly stated. Herein lies the lesson we can learn from John the Baptist. Just as John the Baptist’s birth was foreordained and his duty in life was spelt out for him, all of us today baptised in the True Jesus Church have been born for a propose: to be instruments for God’s righteousness. John the Baptist would live out his purpose. Are WE living out our purpose as God intended for us?

1. John the Baptist would live out the purpose for his life. He was to be forerunner of the Lord; to prepare the way for people to repent that they may receive Jesus as the Messiah. He would preach the message. He would tell people to repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is coming soon. So that people will come to him for the baptism of repentance. When we read the gospels, we would notice that his message was very powerful. Many people thronged about him to hear his message and to prepare themselves.

Luke 3:7
The multitudes came out to be baptised by him and John the Baptist began to scold them. Many turned to John the Baptist. They weren’t just from the area John was, they came from all around and far away.

Matt 3:5-6
This is a description of where the people came from to look for John the Baptist.

Why was John the Baptist’s preaching so effective? Such that it caused people to want to repent and get baptised. What about his preaching made people want to change?

We have to do the work of preaching the gospel today too. When we are born again to be instruments of God’s righteousness, one work we have to do is to preach the gospel. How can our preaching be powerful like John the Baptist?

1 Thess 1:5
Paul tells the Thessalonians why they were able to affect the gospel. These are the 4 elements we must also have when we preaching the gospel.
1) in word
You must preach, then only people can hear. We must pass on the word.
2) in power
This power refers to miracles. Somebody being ill and healed in the name of Jesus can be an avenue to preach the gospel.
3) in the Holy Spirit
There must be the working of the Holy Spirit. It can also refer to people who seek and receive the Holy Spirit, and then realise the truth.
4) the conduct of the person who preached
When we preach the gospel, our actions must also be able to be a good witness to other people. The gospel can change lives. But if we still have small vices, people may doubt the message.

Amongst the 4 elements needed when preaching the gospel, which do you think is the most and least important? Are they all equally important?

We only see 3 out of 4 of them when John the Baptist preached the gospel.

1) and 3) fulfilled:
Luke 1:15 says John the Baptist would be filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb. The Holy Spirit being with John the Baptist was why his preaching was effective and effective. John the Baptist also didn’t hide from preaching the word. He spoke out clearly. He even scolded people, “Brood of vipers!” These fulfils two elements: he was bold and filled with the Holy Spirit.

4) fulfilled:
John the Baptist practised what he preached.
Luke 3:11-14
This was an example of John the Baptist’s preaching. He taught to be contented with one’s life; not to misuse one’s power. He practised what he preached. He lived a simple life. He didn’t misuse his power. He didn’t seek to earn more money than what was due to him. This was why his preaching was very powerful.

3) not fulfilled:
Interestingly, what John the Baptist did not do was to perform miracles (John 10:41).

It would seem as though miracles aren’t a necessity in powerful preaching. Sometimes we think: if only God worked a miracle, more people would believe! If God allowed angels to appear during evangelistic, wah people would believe!

But from the example of John the Baptist, what’s important is for us to bravely preach the word, be guided by the Holy Spirit, and have our lives show that the gospel we preach is real. That’s how John the Baptist lived out his purpose and was able to preach so effectively.

Another way John the Baptist lived out his purpose was recognising his status. He knew his place to be a servant of God. Time and time again people asked him if he was the Messiah or Elijah. His reply was that of humility. He would always say that he’s not the one, he was only the voice that calls out of the wilderness, not even worthy to loosen the sandal strap of the Master. This is an important point to learn. Very often when we’re successful in what we do for God, that’s when the test of pride comes about. Each time people asked if he was the Messiah was a test for him, and he was asked multiple times. But he knew his place. He knew he was but a servant of the Lord. There’re people who are servants of God who forget their own place because of the success they had.

An example is found in Isa 6:1-5. There were two people in this message who committed around the same mistake.

The first person is King Uzziah. He started out asa very good king who sought to do what’s right in God’s eyes. As a result he was blessed. As a result he was able to modernise agriculture and carve out irrigation to water the plants. He was able to create powerful weapons of war. Under him, the country grew economically and in terms of military might. A problem was that when he tasted so much success, although he was ordained to be the ruler of God’s people, he forgot his place. He forgot who the true ruler of the people or Judah was supposed to be. He even overstepped his boundaries and wanted to offer incense to the Lord, something only meant for the priests to do. When he was stopped by the priests, he was very angry, because of the pride that clouded his judgement. Consequently he contracted leprosy and died in isolation. A person who tasted much success as a servant of God but forgot his place. (2 Chron 26)

The second person is prophet Isaiah. He realised his own sin. In Isa 1-5, Isaiah was constantly rebuking the people of their sins. Perhaps this made him think he was better than other people. But before the presence of God, he realised how holy God was. And realised how lowly and sinful he was before God. He immediately acknowledged his uncleanness. Because he didn’t get too puffed up and humbled himself, an angel took some coals, touched his lips and purified him. We hence see a different end to Isaiah. Isaiah recognised who he was before God. “What sort of status am I? I’m nothing before God.”

This was similarly how John the Baptist was able to overcome the tests of people asking if he was the Messiah. To recognise he was but a servant of God. That is how John the Baptist was able to live out his purpose; to live true to his mission.

1. While John the Baptist was born for a purpose and lived out his purpose, there was a period in his life, he started to question his purpose of life. He would have been very clear that Jesus is the Messiah. It is so because when he saw Jesus, he said he should be baptised by Jesus instead of baptising Jesus. He recognised Jesus was the Messiah even before the baptism. The purpose of his life was to prepare people to receive the Messiah.

John 1:31-34
Another strong proof to John the Baptist that Jesus was the Messiah was the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove upon Him. He was already told the person the Spirit descends on is the Messiah. So he proclaimed Jesus was the lamb of God. But when John the Baptist was arrested, he wondered if Jesus was really the Messiah.

Matt 11:2-4
Sometimes we may start to question the purpose we are living. We are reborn to be the instruments of God, but sometimes we may wonder: is it really so?

John the Baptist reached a juncture where he wondered whether Jesus was really the Christ.

The good thing about John the Baptist was that when he started questioning his purpose, he didn’t remain in doubt but sent his disciples to Jesus to find out. After receiving assurance, he was able to die for what is true.

What lesson can we learn? If we also start to question our purpose or why we are in this church, do not continue to remain in doubt, go and ask directly from Jesus. When you ask, He will reply, just as how He replied John the Baptist. That reignited his purpose and zeal, allowing him to achieve his purpose.