Most kids remember John the Baptist for his camel-hair clothes and his strange food. But his story is about much more than locusts and honey. John was the messenger God sent to get people ready for Jesus.
A Promise Made Long Before
Hundreds of years before John was born, the prophet Isaiah wrote about someone who would prepare the way for the Lord:
"Listen! It's the voice of someone shouting, 'Clear the way through the wilderness for the LORD! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God!'" (Isaiah 40:3)
That voice turned out to be John.
A Surprise for Zechariah and Elizabeth
Zechariah and Elizabeth loved God, but they had grown very old and had no children. One day the angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah with surprising news:
"Don't be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John." (Luke 1:13)
Gabriel also told him what John would grow up to do:
"He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord." (Luke 1:17)
Elizabeth was a relative of Mary, Jesus' mother. When Mary came to visit while both women were expecting, Elizabeth's baby jumped inside her (Luke 1:41). Even before he was born, John seemed to know Jesus was special.
Life in the Wilderness
As a grown man, John lived in the wilderness and lived simply:
"John's clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey." (Matthew 3:4)
His rough clothing looked a lot like what the prophet Elijah wore long before (2 Kings 1:8). It showed people that John was a prophet with an important message from God.
That message was simple. Crowds came out to hear him, and John told them to turn away from their sins and back to God:
"Then John went from place to place on both sides of the Jordan River, preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven." (Luke 3:3)
Being baptized in the river was an outward sign of a fresh start with God.
Pointing the Way to Jesus
John's whole job was to point people to Jesus. When he saw Jesus coming toward him, he said:
"Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)
John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River. As Jesus came up out of the water, a voice from heaven said, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy" (Matthew 3:17).
Even as more and more people began following Jesus, John wasn't jealous. He said:
"He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less." (John 3:30)
Brave Enough to Tell the Truth
John spoke out against the wrong things King Herod was doing, even though Herod was powerful. Herod had John put in prison and later had him put to death (Mark 6:17–29). John stayed faithful to God and kept telling the truth to the end.
Questions to Talk About Together
- John's job was to help people get ready for Jesus. How can we help others learn about Jesus?
- What do you think John meant when he said Jesus "must become greater"?
- John told the truth even when it was hard. When is it hard for you to tell the truth?