Message: John the Baptist was the voice preparing people ahead for the ministry of Jesus. We are the parallel of John the Baptist preparing people for the coming of Jesus. Our message is the same “repent and be baptized.” Jesus set the example for discipleship. He had 12 disciples and a select few of them were with him for the deeper levels of intimacy and learned things about him that the rest were not privileged to witness. Peter, James and John were the only ones with Jesus on the mountain of transfiguration when Elijah appeared to them, and it was here that he had the revelation that Jesus was the Messiah. There were other disciples following Jesus who were concerned with their status and who would sit on the right and left hand of Jesus.
Command: Prepare people for the coming of Jesus. Make disciples.
Promise: Jesus is coming.
Warning: Don’t be concerned with status. Don’t lose sight of the vision.
Application: I don’t have to run around the wilderness and eat locusts and honey like John the Baptist, but my mission is still to follow Jesus and go to the deeper, more intimate places with him, while also making other disciples to follow Jesus.
