John the Baptist: Entrepreneur and Rabble Rouser

21st in a series on how men and women in the Bible

deal with waiting, disappointment and unemployment

John the Baptist: Entrepreneur and Rabble Rouser

Reflections on Matthew 3:1-12

The great thinkers, entrepreneurs, movers and shakers are often the people who struggle socially and have a hard time fitting into the prescribed categories of society.  Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, was a difficult man to work with.  One early employee wrote, “He made you feel that you were an important part of something much bigger than yourself — or even bigger than the company.  His use of harsh language, humiliation and intimidation were simply hardships to be endured.” And more recently someone who worked with Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk said, “I highly doubt that there is a cooler company in the world than SpaceX, but if you want a family or hobbies or to see any other aspect of life other than the boundaries of your cubicle, SpaceX is not for you and Elon doesn't seem to give a damn.”

Does it have to be this way?  Are we simply to endure the eccentricities of bosses?  And what if this describes us? What are we to temper in our personalities in order to “play well with others”?  What can we learn from John the Baptist, who knew what he was about, understood the importance of the message he delivered and always sought to honor God above all.

John the Baptist, as most of the world knows him, was the son of Zechariah a descendant of Aaron, a Levitical priest.  In today’s language, a PK(preacher’s kid).  Raised in the Synagogue and Temple and destined to be someone a bit different because he was born to aging parents who had never had a child.  Zechariah had received a visit from an angel while offering the yearly sacrifice in the Temple and told that he and his wife would bear a child who would “make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Certainly, John was different and had a very specific mission but according to Scripture God also has specific plans for you and me.  Jeremiah 29:11 tells us, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  And Psalm 139:16 says, “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”  There are days when I wonder what my purpose is but I lean heavily upon these truths to bear me up under the most difficult circumstances.

John brought a message to a society that should not have been unfamiliar, except that he was the first Old Testament-style prophet in 400 years.  The people of the day resonated with his message of repentance.  Being image bearers of God they understood that the path to holiness and a relationship with God was through the confession of their sins.  But not everyone was onboard.  The Pharisees and Sadducees seemed to think that their family heritage was enough to place them in good stead with God.  How had they strayed from the biblical teaching that wove its way through time that God desires obedience, righteousness and self-denial? 

Therefore, for John to tell them that their genealogy meant nothing and that God could raise up children of Abraham from rocks was offensive.  John was given a message and evidently a booming voice that could deliver it.  But he gave deference to Christ who had the real message, “But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”  The fire of Christ will either warm(remind us of Christ’s holiness and comfort following repentance), burn(drive us to repentance for our sins) or destroy(when we deny Christ and refuse repentance).  Where do I find myself?

The truth is sometimes hard to hear.  John seemed to come out of nowhere.  And he didn’t preach according to the prescribed methods of the Teachers of the Law.  God had endowed him with a certain amount of power to bring conviction to the people.  But in the final analysis, John was never about himself.  He was effective because he delivered God’s message.  He was powerful because he allowed God to speak through him.  He was helpful because he wasted no words and spoke the truth.  

Are we willing to stand for principle, maintain our integrity and be one in whom is found no fault?  The following questions may change the outcome of this day:

1. Have we discovered the life-giving nature of repentance and coming clean of known sin and wrong doing?
2. If we were rebuked by a John the Baptist, how would we respond?
3. If we have been endowed with a certain kind of power(personality, authority, position) have we used it for the service of others or for selfish gain?
4. How do we be true to ourselves, speak truth and yet make a living?
5. Are we depending upon something in our past(family or work history, credentials) or  are we willing to be transformed by the renewing of our minds today.(see below)

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:2