Matthew 3:1-2. In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
His was a preparatory ministry; his work was to prepare men's minds for Christ; and never is the heart of man so ready to receive Christ as when it is in a state of repentance. When it is weary of sin, then is it that Christ comes in, and is welcomed by the soul conscious of its guilt, tired of it, and longing to be rid of it.
Matthew 3:3-4. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his path straight. And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
Everything about him was impressive, and everything was suitable to the message he had to deliver. He was so dressed as to be noticed at once as a man of ascetic habit, he was not the chaplain of a prince, else would he have been clothed in soft raiment, He was not one who had a gentle message to deliver, else would he not have gone into the wilderness, and summoned the people to come away from their avocations to listen to him.
He was the rough pioneer to prepare the way for the King.
Matthew 3:5-6. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins
That was his baptism, a baptism of repentance, and of confession, preparatory to the coming of the Master. See what power there was in John because God was with him. I do not know that he had any remarkable eloquence. Certainly, some things about him were rather repulsive than attractive. But when God is with a man, the people must listen to him. Jerusalem must pour her thousands out of her gates, and the rural districts must yield their hundreds; for if God speaks, no matter by whom, he will have human ears to listen to his voice.
Matthew 3:7-8. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath, to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet of repentance:
Answerable to your repentance, congruous therewith, arising out of it, and truly proving its reality.
Matthew 3:9-10. And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees:
No mere pruning and trimming work did John come to do; he was the handler of a sharp axe that was to fell every worthless tree.
Matthew 3:10. Therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
It is not enough to hew it down. Into the fire it must go; and John minces not his words about the matter, he speaks straight out the message of his Master.
Matthew 3:11-12. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
See the humility of the true servant of Christ. He is not willing even to exercise the office of a slave, and to carry his Master's shoes, or to unloose the latchet of them. And who among us is worthy to occupy even the lowest office for Christ? There is an honour about it that far transcends any worthiness of ours. To serve him at all, is honour indeed. But, brethren, fix your eyes upon Christ, and recollect what a baptism it is into which he baptizes us; not with water, but into the Holy Ghost and into fire. Can we bear it? Can we endure the fire? It will only burn up that which ought to be burned; and happy is he to whom God has imparted that eternal life which can never be consumed.
Matthew 3:13-14. Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
This is one of the most striking proofs that the ordinance of baptism is not to be neglected by any of Christ's followers, for even he who, in himself, could have had no need for it, who is himself the Baptizer with the Holy Ghost and with fire, yet comes to the baptizer in water, and asks to be immersed.
Matthew 3:15. And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now:- for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.
Nothing that appertains to righteousness must be neglected; the little as well as the great must be observed.
Matthew 3:15-17. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: and lo a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
This doctrine of repentance was preached by the Master as well as by the servant. Turn to the 11 th chapter of Matthew's Gospel, and let us read a few verses, beginning at the 20 th
This exposition consisted of readings from Matthew 3:1, and Matthew 11:20-30; and Revelation 7:9-17.