What John Preached, What Jesus Preached

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John the Baptist already had a job description 700 years before he was born. Isaiah 40:3 tells us that he would be The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

This prophecy is fulfilled in Matthew 3:1-3, 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. 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 paths straight. (Also found in Mark 1:3 and Luke 3:4.) John’s job was to prepare the way for Jesus.

How did John prepare the way? He preached.

What was his message? Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Repent is one of those words we don’t use often. It actually means “to change one’s mind.” John’s message was about repentance from sin. It has the meaning of leaving the sin behind, turning around, and going in the opposite direction. It’s not just confessing. It’s not being caught doing wrong. It is the actual abandoning of sin. It’s a serious, conscious decision.

The next part of John’s message is maybe even more difficult than repent. The kingdom of heaven is at hand. What in the world does that mean? What’s the kingdom of heaven? Jesus used that phrase 33 times in the Gospel of Matthew. The kingdom of heaven speaks of God’s sovereignty in the world. His purposes will be done. It also seems to speak about God’s spiritual sovereignty—that He knows the souls of men.

Back to John’s message: Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

The response? People believed and were baptized.

Jesus went to John, and His baptism was like no other. The Holy Spirit descended on Him like a dove, and God the Father spoke audibly: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Matthew 3:17b). The people actually saw and heard the Trinity there!

Then Jesus went into the wilderness and was tempted by Satan. After He turned away the devil, Jesus began his public ministry. He started in Galilee in Capernaum, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephtalim. (This place exactly fulfilled the prophecy in Isaiah 9:1-2.)

From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 4:17). Sound familiar?

It’s exactly the same message John the Baptist preached. John prepared the way for the Lord by preaching Jesus’ message. He prepared the way for the Son of God by preparing people’s hearts to receive God’s message.

Repent.

The kingdom of God is at hand.

I wonder how we’ve responded to that message. Have we truly turned our backs on our sins after acknowledging them? Have we accepted God’s sovereignty in our lives?

I love the “Kingdom Parables” in Matthew 13. Here, Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to:

• A sower (verses 3-23)
• Good seed and tares (24-30, 36-43)
• A grain of mustard seed (31-32)
• Leaven (33)
• Treasure (44)
• A pearl merchant (45-46)
• A fisherman’s net (47-49)
• A householder (52) 

Besides John the Baptist and Jesus, who else preached the message of repentance?

Peter—After Jesus had died, resurrected, and ascended into heaven, and after the anointing of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Peter preached: Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost . . . Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord (Acts 2:38; 3:19). To Simon the sorcerer, Peter said, Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee (Acts 8:22).

The Apostle Paul—Preaching on Mars Hill to the Atheneans, Paul said, And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead (Acts 17:30-31).

 . . . now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness . . . .

The message remains the same.

Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.