John was Jesus' cousin, and devoted his life and time to getting everyone ready for when Jesus would come. Two Old Testament prophets, Isaiah and Malachi, prophesied about John HUNDREDS of years before he was born!
John the Baptist became very well known and baptized many, many people. Word about him spread so much that the Jewish leaders came to him at the Jordan River to see what was going on. When asked by the Jewish leaders if he was the Messiah, or maybe the prophet Elijah. John answered with this:
"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.’”
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Now the Pharisees who had been sent
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questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
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“I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know.
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He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
(John 1:23-26)
Even though John was baptizing people and actually had some followers/disciples of his own, he was extremely humble. John took his job to prepare people for Jesus very seriously.
People came from near and far to be baptized by John and repent of their sins. Because John was so devoted to being a messenger for Jesus, many people were able to follow Jesus and live Godly lives.
Two of John's disciples began to follow Jesus as well - John pointed them to Jesus so they would follow the Messiah instead of himself. One of John's former disciples that followed Jesus was Andrew, who's brother was Simon Peter!
God used John the Baptist to prepare the way for Jesus and because John so faithfully spread the message about the coming Messiah, disciples like Andrew and Peter who would on to spread the Gospel began to follow Christ!
As Christ-followers today, we are tasked with being messengers for Christ as well! This is an extremely important job - as Christians we must spread the gospel and Christ's love so others are saved and follow Jesus!
Are you devoted to bringing others to Christ like John was? I confess that I can lose focus on my calling as a Christian to bring others to Christ. Or, it might feel difficult or awkward in the moment. These things can't stop us and luckily, we don't do it all on our own - the Holy Spirit works through us!
We see our call to spread the Gospel referenced many times throughout scripture:
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
