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THE CHARACTER OF JOHN THE BAPTIST-TRUE GREATNESS
ICEBREAKER
To begin our study I’d like to focus our attention on John the Baptist. I want us to seek to better understand his character, his personality, and his purpose. And I’d like to introduce him with something that Jesus said about him. Jesus gave John the Baptist one of the most impressive compliments I’ve ever heard. What did he say about him in Matthew 11:11?
11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist:
Now that’s something, isn’t it? In our texting and tweeting culture, you know that the kids these days have turned almost everything into an acronym. Well, have you ever heard them refer to someone as a GOAT. G O A T? Do you know what that stands for? GOAT stands for “greatest of all time”. Well, according to Jesus, John the Baptist was the GOAT. The greatest of all time, as far as prophets are concerned. But why would he say that? What made John the Baptist so great? And it’s not that he could dunk a basketball better than anyone else, or score the most touchdowns, or star in the Best Picture of the Year, or sell the most albums. It was his character that made him so great. So this week we’re going to learn about true greatness. And you’ll notice that I am going to go outside of just this week’s assigned chapters. I peeked into the future lessons and noticed that the Come Follow Me manual doesn’t really focus any more on some of the John the Baptist verses we find later, so I decided that I’d like to give him our full attention this week and draw in everything that’s been recorded about him in the gospels.
And, to help you to get to know him better, I have a secret phrase activity that we could use. Have your students fill in the blanks to discover the secret phrase near the bottom and learn more about John the Baptist. Then as you correct this worksheet, it’ll give you an opportunity to discuss what the scriptures teach us about him.
So first, a few details about the way he lived physically.
Matthew 3:1 He lived in the WILDERNESS, or Luke 1:80 tells us that he “was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.” So John spent most of his time in the outdoors, away from the crowds and the busyness of the city. I love this guy already.
Matthew 3:4 He wore clothing made of the hair of a CAMEL. And a leather girdle about his loins. Sounds a bit uncomfortable right. John didn’t fit into the fashions of his own day any more than he would have fit into ours. Jesus actually said something about this in his tribute to John the Baptist in Matthew 11. Verse 8 says
8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.
But that wasn’t John. He wasn’t trying to be great in the eyes of the world. He wore camel’s hair and leather undergarments. Comfort and fitting in was not his priority.
Matthew 3:4 Next, what did he eat? He ate LOCUSTS and wild honey. Locusts are grasshoppers. Does that sound delicious to you? Grasshoppers and honey? Umm, I’ll pass.
But what’s the point here? I would say that this shows us that John lived separately from the world. Instead of surrounding himself with the comforts and luxuries and norms of society, he spent most of his time in nature, surrounded by the creations of God, instead of man. He lived differently from everyone else. He dressed differently from everyone else. He ate differently from everyone else. So true greatness is not measured by how well we fit in with the world, but rather, how much we stand apart from it. I like something that a man named Jiddu Krishnamurti said. He said, “It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” John the Baptist was not well adjusted to the world around him. And you know what? Neither should we. Hopefully, we too don’t feel “comfortable” in the world. As members of Christ’s restored Church, we too are meant and asked to live differently, dress differently, even eat differently (Word of Wisdom comes to mind). We SHOULD stand apart from the world, like John did. He was a “wild man.” Do you remember that term from last year? It was what the people called Enoch in Moses 6. That’s one of my favorite descriptions of a prophet. Prophets aren’t tamed by society. They say the truth. They teach what needs to be taught, regardless of how popular or unpopular it is. They don’t feel a need to be politically correct. John was a wild man.
Case in point, how “wild” in that sense was he? We learn in Luke 3:19 that Herod was REPROVED by John the Baptist.
Which eventually leads Herod to put John the Baptist into PRISON. Luke 3:20
What does that teach us about true greatness? Truly great people possess moral courage. John wasn’t afraid to call out and confront one the most powerful men in the country: Herod Antipas-the Jewish governor of all Galilee. And what had happened is that Herod had divorced his first wife in order to marry his brother’s wife. Well that clearly goes against Jewish law and morality and John publicly denounces this arrangement. And that’s why he ends up in prison. But John was not to be intimidated by the powers that be. He was willing to say what was right, regardless of the consequences. True greatness is courage. It’s not afraid of the opinions and judgments of the world.
Just look at what Jesus says about John the Baptist in Matthew 11:7-9
7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? (And then the verse we saw earlier)
8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.
9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
See, John the Baptist was strong. He had integrity. He was not a REED shaken with the wind. Can you picture that? Ever been to a pond or down by a river and seen the reeds growing there? What happens to them when the wind blows? They just bend. They give in to whatever pressure is applied to them. They’ll lean in whatever direction the air around them is flowing, sometimes this way, sometimes that. But John stood tall against the wind. He was an oak, not a reed. He had moral backbone and didn’t give into the pressures around him. If you study his message in Matthew 3:7-12 you see him boldly and unapologetically confronting the Pharisees and Sadducees. More than a prophet indeed. If we wish to be great, we too will stand up to the world. We don ‘t need to be afraid to call sin, sin. We don’t need to be afraid to go against the flow. We don’t need to be afraid to stand up for what we believe.
And before we leave the topic of Herod here. Take a quick look at this. This is incredible. While he’s in prison at Herod’s palace, what does he do? Look at Mark 6:20
20 For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.
So John, in that situation, did not take on a “holier than thou” kind of attitude. Even with the man who had put him into prison! He teaches Herod. He sought to bless and help his enemies. He was willing to stand up for what was right, but not in a self-righteous kind of way. He cared about everyone and even taught Herod many things. So much so that Herod liked him! I won’t go into great detail on this part of the story, but it’s actually Herodias, Herod’s wife that really hates John and is the major driver behind his death. Herod will reluctantly and sadly have John beheaded because of an oath he makes to Salome, Herodias’ daughter, that he would give her anything she wanted because of a dance that she performed, (must have been some dance). But the scriptures say that he was “exceeding sorry” to do so. Therefore John the Baptist will die a martyr as a direct result of his commitment to truth and moral courage.
But on to more positive things. More about his mission and his role in the life of Jesus Christ.
Mark 1:2 John the Baptist was called to be a messenger which would PREPARE the way before Christ.
John was a preparer. He prepared people for Christ. I like the way the angel who announced his birth to his father put it. He said in Luke 1:16-17
16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
And he would fulfill the prophesy of Isaiah which John quotes:
4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;
6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
(Luke 3:4-6, see also Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:2-3)
So John the Baptist would spend his life turning people to Christ. You might remember in John chapter 1 last week that we watched him point John and Andrew to Christ by declaring, “Behold the Lamb of God”.
What is true greatness then? True greatness points others to Christ and prepares the way for Him to come into their lives. We’re going to spend a little more time on that idea later in the lesson, but, if we wish to be great, we too will seek to prepare people for Christ. And how did John do that?
According to Matthew 3:2 and 8 and 11, Mark 1:4, Luke 3:3 and 8. What was a big part of his message? He called people to REPENTANCE. You see, John was fulfilling one of the great roles of the Aaronic priesthood. To preach the gospel of repentance. To help people be cleansed of sin and spiritually purified. That’s why baptism is an ordinance of the Aaronic priesthood. These things justify people, so that the Melchizedek can come along and sanctify them through the power of the Holy Ghost. True greatness invites people to change and prepares them to leave their sins behind them. John, therefore, stands as the great symbol of Aaronic priesthood power, while Jesus stands as the great symbol of the Melchizedek. Both priesthoods together can take an individual and lift them to God. But John came first and made it possible for Christ to do what he does later.
But with that role of preparing others comes a danger. If we begin to reflect Christ, and become like Him, as we are meant and instructed to do, then people may start to focus more on us than Him. And what should we do if we sense that’s happening? This leads us to something else that I really admire about John the Baptist.
Look at the following verses and tell me what quality you think he’s demonstrating here?
Luke 3:16
16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
John 3:28-30
28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
And when it came time for him to baptize Christ, he says in Matthew 3:13-14
13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
What’s the quality? John was HUMBLE
John didn’t think too highly of himself. I think it would have been really easy for him to get a big head and be tempted with a sense of self-importance. John the Baptist was a much more public figure than Jesus to begin with. I mean, he was a miracle child. His father was a priest and I’m sure the story about his birth to a mother well-stricken with age after an angelic vision in the temple by his father was widely known amongst the people. He was well-known enough to have Herod take notice of him. And we know he had many disciples. But when it came time for Jesus Christ to show himself, to begin his ministry, John the Baptist had no problem with fading into the background. That’s a pretty hard thing for most people to do. I mean, they mistake him for Christ. Which is a wonderful thing in and of itself. Wouldn’t it be amazing if we were so Christlike that people mistook us for Him? John the Baptist was certainly someone who had cultivated the image of Christ in his countenance. But, he was also one of those rare individuals who was able to resist pride and ego when he had every opportunity in the world to draw attention to himself. Instead, we consistently see him pointing to Christ, praising Him, inviting others to look to Him instead of himself. I love his analogy there in John 3. He’s like, “Look, I’m just the bridegroom’s friend, OK. When the actual bridegroom comes, I’m going to be happy like everyone else. This isn’t my wedding. The celebration isn’t for me. I’m here to celebrate Him. And now that he’s here, He must increase, but I must decrease”. It takes a special kind of man to be able to say, “I must decrease”. True greatness is humility. True greatness is ok with not being the big noise at the party, not being the center of attention, not being the one with all the accolades and awards. I think this is a good point for all of us to consider. It’s very relevant to us as members of the Church who are called upon to reflect Christ in all that we do and say and are. We would do well to remember John the Baptist’s example in this—especially teachers, or missionaries, or Church leaders. When we begin to see that we are influencing others for good, we may be tempted to feel like we’re pretty hot stuff. People might praise us, love us, or be impressed with us. I know this sometimes happens between investigators and missionaries, teachers and students, or members and effective Church leaders. The temptation is when we get a little too used to hearing the sound of our own voices saying important things. We want to be careful in those cases and realize that we are not meant to be the center of attention. It’s not our wedding. We, like John the Baptist, are merely the friend of the bridegroom, preparers, and messengers for Christ. I like the way Paul put it in Galatians 6:3 that always helps me to remember to be humble.
“For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.”
I also like the word C.S. Lewis used to describe what we should all aspire to become. There came a point in his career where he began to be really celebrated, famous, and admired. And he began to worry that people were being more drawn to him than to his Redeemer. He used a great word to describe himself. He said that he was just a “signpost” trying to point others to Christ. The sign is not the destination, but it IS valuable because it helps to get people to the destination. We should all aspire to be signposts to Christ and not the end objective. John the Baptist understood this and was just grateful that he got to be a part of it all. He was happy to decrease when Christ began to increase. He was humble.
So if we take all of our answers together, what is the secret phrase we come up with?
It’s something that the angel said to his father Zacharias about him in Luke 1:15 before his birth—a comment about his future greatness. “For he shall be GREAT in the sight of the Lord”. Not the world, but in the sight of the Lord. That, my friends, is true greatness. God doesn’t measure greatness in the same way the world does.
TRUTH
So the truth here. A little bit longer than usual but hits all the things we just saw in John. If I seek to be separate from the world, to be courageous to stand for what’s right no matter the consequences, and to prepare others to come unto Christ, with humility, then I too can be GREAT in the sight of the Lord like John the Baptist.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Which quality of John the Baptist do you most admire?
How could you reflect that quality better in your own life this week?
Perhaps it’s to shed some worldly trapping that we’ve gotten wrapped up in lately. Perhaps it’s a situation where we need to have the courage to stand up and stand out for the truth. Perhaps it’s an opportunity we need to take to invite others to come to Christ, to prepare the way, or maybe we need to exercise a little more humility in some capacity we’re in and point people to the Lord’s greatness and not our own.
CONCLUSION
I love the John the Baptist. Can you see why Jesus said what he did about him? I’m forever grateful for what John did to prepare the world for his younger cousin to accomplish what He was sent to do. He stands as a heroic example to all who would be “preparers” as well. If you stop to think of some of the things or people that have been attributed the title of GREAT, like the Great Wall of China, the Great Salt Lake, Alexander the Great, the Great Awakening, Catherine the Great. Well of all those greats, John the Baptist, at least according to Jesus, stands as the greatest of all born among women. But what made him so great was his character—his courage, his humility, his integrity, his righteousness. I hope that we strive to attain THAT kind of greatness.
ROAD CONSTRUCTION
ICEBREAKER
Now, there’s something from the preaching of John the Baptist that I would like us to spend a little more time pondering this week. And it’s just a few short verses, but I find their message particularly relevant. So for an icebreaker, I’d like to talk a little about the transcontinental railroad. I recently took a trip with my family out to Promontory, Utah where the celebrated golden spike of the transcontinental railroad was driven. And we took a short hike out to a place called the big fill, where you can see where workers filled a large valley with rock and dirt to allow for a straight path for the railroad to pass over. In other places nearby you can still see giant cuts in the hills that were painstakingly dug out to allow for a steady grade for the tracks to pass through. And then to stop and think of how thousands of similar projects had to be done to create a smooth pathway, typically with no more than a 1-2 % grade of elevation gain or loss anywhere over miles and miles of rugged terrain, that would eventually run all the way across the United States—even through the steep Sierra Nevada mountains. These amazing feats of engineering took planning, time, and incredible effort to complete. To take the rough and varied landscape of the American West and create a flowing, level path through it was simply miraculous for its time. The United States would never be the same after this project and the impact of the railroad on the area continues to be felt to this day. And I want you to take a guess here on something . . .
Before the transcontinental railroad came along, how long do you think it typically took to travel across the American West from the Missouri River in Iowa to California?
A. 10 days
B. 3 weeks
C. 1 month
D. 5 months
The answer is D: 5 months, or typically between four and six months.
Then, after the transcontinental railroad was built, how long did it take to travel from NEW YORK to CALIFORNIA?
A. 3 days
B. 7 days
C. 15 days
D. 30 days
The answer is B: Just 7 days. One week to travel all the way across the United States. What once took half a year, took just a handful of days from that point on.
And not only was the journey quicker, but it also made travel much safer and less expensive as well.
TRANSITION
Well, John the Baptist had something to say about pathways or road construction. Actually, it’s something he quoted from Isaiah that made me think of the building of the transcontinental railroad. He used this prophecy of Isaiah’s to introduce himself and we find a reference to it in each of the synoptic gospels. But we’ll read it from Luke 3:4-6. And as we read, I want you to look for the following.
Where does the pathway spoken of in these verses lead?
AND
What things get in the way of this path?
4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;
6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
SEARCH
Now typically we’re going to read those verses as a revelation that applies specifically to John the Baptist. But I believe that there’s great value in applying those verses on a personal level. And what is the pathway that Isaiah is talking about? Where does it lead? It’s the pathway between us and Christ. It’s “the way of the Lord”. Or, we could add, that it’s the pathway between us and the salvation of God. There’s a road between the two. However, what often stands in the way between us and Christ? Obstacles. Barriers. And what are some of those obstacles that Isaiah mentions? Valleys, mountains and hills, crooked places, and rough places. And what effect do all those things have on travel? Well, like crossing the American West without the railroad, they really slow you down. Canyons, valleys, hills, mountain ranges, and rough places can make it much more difficult to get somewhere. These are the kinds of things that increase travel time considerably.
So I have another trivia question for you. Do you recognize this place? What’s this a picture of? This is the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon is a giant obstacle for anyone who is trying to travel North or South between Arizona and Utah. And I know this, because I took that trip at least once a year when I lived in Phoenix and would travel to my parents’ home back in Salt Lake. You have to go around it, either to the East through Page, or to the West through Las Vegas. It adds a considerable amount of travel time compared to what the time would be if the Grand Canyon weren’t there. Which, by the way, I’m very glad it is there, because it’s beautiful, but the only way straight across it is to go by foot or mule (or by air I suppose, but that doesn’t count). And that takes time. I know. I’ve hiked it rim to rim.
But now, another picture. Do you recognize this place? What’s this a picture of? These are the salt flats just west of the Great Salt Lake. Have you ever seen these before or have you ever had a chance to drive the section of I-80 between Salt Lake and Wendover? It’s just one flat, straight shot for miles and miles. And you know, it’s really hard not to speed down that highway. I’m speaking from personal experience. Sometimes you just look down at your speedometer and realize, “Woah, how did I get going this fast, it doesn’t seem like I’m going 95.” And maybe you haven’t heard this before, but do you know where some of fastest known vehicle speeds have ever been recorded on earth? That’s right, the Salt Flats. You can go extremely fast over the Salt Flats. World speed records have been set there. Or maybe some of you have driven the stretch of I-15 between Las Vegas and Barstow through the Mojave desert. That’s a similar kind of experience.
Well, here’s the question then. Which of the two would you say best describes the road between YOU and CHRIST? Do you have a Grand Canyon between you? Is he standing on the North Rim with you on the South with an all-day hike between the two of you? Do the Sierra Nevada’s stand tall as a barrier to the railroad tracks to your heart? Or do you feel like you’ve got the Salt Flats between you? Or the Mojave desert? What’s that road like for you? Do you feel that he’s close? That if you needed his spirit, his counsel, or his love, that those things would come quickly to you? OR does he seem distant? invisible? His presence obstructed by numerous barriers?
Well let’s stop and talk about what some of those obstacles might be for a minute. What do you think are some of the things that we might place between ourselves and Christ? A few thoughts: Our sins, our skepticism and doubts, our negativity, our bad habits, our desires to fit in with the world, ingratitude, anger, pride, too many distractions. All of these things can slow down his journey to us. So what does Isaiah encourage us to do? Fill in those valleys, dig down those mountains and hills, straighten those crooked places and smooth out those rough ones. One of our most important jobs as disciples of Christ then is road construction. We don’t want the Grand Canyon between us and the comfort of our Savior. We want Salt Flats to our hearts. So that he can come quickly to us when we need him.
AND, then another key point here. We, like John the Baptist, can do this spiritual engineering for others as well. Through our words and deeds we can make it easier for Christ to get to other people too! And how do we do that? Every time we proclaim the gospel, every time we do temple work for the dead, every time we teach, or set a good example, or invite someone to come to Church, or serve someone, or provide humanitarian aid, we're preparing the way for Christ to get to them. We’re removing obstacles and smoothing out rough places. It’s one of the greatest works we can engage in, in this life.
TRUTH
If we seek to remove the obstacles that stand between us and Christ, and others and Christ, then we make it possible for him to come to us more quickly and easily.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Ask yourself the following questions: What obstacles do I need to remove from my life to prepare the way for the Savior to come more quickly into it? So, what valleys of neglect do we need to fill, what mountains of sin do we need to dig down, what rough places of our character do we need to smooth out? Because we want to build a freeway to our hearts for Christ, not a rocky offroad 4X4 trail.
What could we do to help create that path? Here are a few simple suggestions that I feel can help. We can study the scriptures with real intent, engage in meaningful heartfelt prayer. Go to the temple. Attend our church meetings and really strive to engage in them. Serve others. Repent. Seek to create a significant connection between us and God. Learn how he speaks to us and become more sensitive to the Spirit. And then, do all that you can to remove unnecessary distractions and the noise in your life that gets in the way. Sometimes I’ll see people playing on their phones during church meetings or Sunday School classes, and I think, “Ah, you’ve just put a mountain between you and Christ. Between you and the Spirit.” He’s probably not going to have enough time to get to you during that meeting. The road is too long. Or are we so busy and distracted that we never make time for quiet or solitude or meditation because we have so much noise surrounding us coming from screens and earphones. There’s so much to entertain us out there, so much to consume, that we might run the risk of filling our lives with so much empty distraction that we obstruct the way for the Spirit to communicate with us. Instead, we can deliberately plan for times of silence in our days and week. This might be one of the best ways to construct a transcontinental railroad to our hearts for the Savior to travel.
And then, we can also consider things we can do to smooth the path that stands between others and Christ? Is there someone you could help? And what could you do?
One final question to consider: Who has been a “John the Baptist” in your life and how did they help prepare you to meet Christ? As you think about those people, perhaps they can inspire you to reach out and do the same kind of things for those you love and know.
CONCLUSION
I know that I will be forever grateful to the “John the Baptists” of my life—my Mother and Father come to mind. But I would also include my grandparents, siblings, good friends I grew up with, amazing Bishops and youth leaders and primary, and Sunday school, and seminary teachers. I’m grateful for my ancestors who paved the way for me to know Christ and his Restored Church. And the living prophets and apostles do road construction for me every six months. I’m also grateful for a Savior that WANTS to get to me. Who seeks to walk that path. It reminds me of something Alma said regarding the purpose of Christ’s atonement. He said Christ undertook it so that he “may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.” If we look at the root meanings for the word “succor” we find that it means “to run to help”. That’s what the Savior wishes to do for us. He wants to RUN to us and HELP us in our infirmities. But if our path is rocky and full of barriers, it may take him a long time to get to there, no matter how fast he runs. But if we’ve done some roadwork. If we’ve sought diligently to prepare the way for him, then I believe we’ll find that he comes to our aid much more quickly than we can ever imagine. That we may all have smooth and straight paths between us and Savior, Salt Flats instead of Grand Canyons, is my prayer for each of us.
TO FULFILL ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS (The Baptism of Jesus Christ)
ICEBREAKER
That leaves us with one final insight to take a look at this week. And that would be to study the actual baptism of Jesus Christ at the hands of John the Baptist. Now, you might be surprised to discover that the account of Jesus Christ’s baptism is rather short in the gospels. There’s not a lot of detail given on this particular event. And so the temptation as a teacher is to spend a lot of time going elsewhere in the scriptures to talk about baptism or using these verses as a springboard to discuss the ordinance of baptism in general. I’m going to try not to do that. Instead I’d like to just spend some time examining the words in these particular verses themselves and see how we might apply them personally.
But for an icebreaker you might try the following. It’s more of an introduction to a Scripture Study Skill like we did in our opening lesson to the New Testament. Something that will help us to get more out of our scriptures study if we keep it in mind. I’ll introduce it to you, and then we’ll practice it with this small section of scripture. I call this skill “Power Words”. And I first challenge the class to completely change the meaning of a famous movie title by adding one simple word to it. Here are some of my favorites that I’ve heard to give you an example of what I mean:
· The Tax Return of the Jedi
· It's a Wonderful Life Insurance
· Iron Deficient Man
· Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Kidney Stone
· Lord of the Onion Rings
TRANSITION Now that can be kind of fun and it’s a good attention grabber, but the point you want to make is that individual words can make a huge difference. They can change everything. Well the same is true in scripture but in a much more meaningful and serious way. Sometimes individual words in the scriptures can teach an entire lesson. So as you're studying your scriptures, be sure to weigh and ponder the meaning of each word as you go. The Baptism of Jesus is a great place to try this out.
SEARCH
You could try the following scripture search activity using this handout. Ask your students to read Matthew 3:13-17 and pick out a few “power words” and be ready to share what they taught them about Jesus, Baptism, or any other gospel principle they see here. And once your students have had sufficient time to ponder and write, invite them to share what they discovered with each other or the class as a whole.
And to help give you an idea of how one might do this, allow me to share some of MY favorite “power words” that I see here.
You may remember last week that we learned a lot by examining the first recorded words of Christ in the Gospel of John . . . What seek ye? Well, let’s see what his first words are in the Book of Matthew now. What are they in verse 15?
15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
Now those are some great first words too. Especially the phrase, “it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness”. That phrase is filled with power words. I’d like to focus our attention there. Let’s weigh the significance of almost each one in turn.
BECOMETH
What does the word “becometh” suggest? It BECOMETH us to fulfill all righteousness. This suggests doing something fitting, proper, and right. So Jesus is saying to his cousin’s initial humble resistance, “John, It “becometh us” to do this.” This is an appropriate act for ones that have been called as we. Making covenants with our Father in heaven is fitting. Seeking to be clean is proper. Setting this righteous example for others is right. Jesus teaches us these principles by his very act of being baptized. Becometh also carries the connotation of beauty. When something is “becoming,” used as an adjective, we mean it’s beautiful. Following our Father’s commandments is a beautiful act. Covenants are beautiful. Innocence and purity are beautiful. Also, the very ordinance of baptism is a beautiful act, isn’t it? Have you ever stopped to just think about the imagery and symbolism itself? There is something simple yet striking about coming up out of the water. It suggests cleansing, and purity, and newness. Also, the fact that we don’t baptize ourselves is beautiful in my mind. That it’s TWO people in the water teaches something. I suppose the ordinance could have been designed so that we just dipped ourselves under the water and we’d still get the symbolism of washing and purity. But the fact that we do it at the hands of another holds significance. The importance of priesthood and authority is suggested. But it also teaches unity, service, and dependance. Fellow disciples of Christ can help each other to become more godly. Service brings us closer to God. Baptism is a unifying act between baptizer and baptizee. I believe that BOTH Jesus AND John the Baptist walked away that day rejoicing and blessed.
FULFILL
What about the word FULFILL. What does that suggest? It indicates doing things completely—accomplishing acts to their greatest capacity. Jesus wanted to fulfill his Father’s will. Baptism, we know, actually fulfills more than just one thing. If I were to ask your average member of the Church why we get baptized, I think most would answer something along the lines of, “for the remission of sins—to make us clean—to purify our souls”. And they would be right. That IS a major purpose of baptism. But it’s not the only one. That’s not the reason Christ was baptized at least. Because, he was ALREADY pure and sinless. Jesus did not get baptized for a remission of his sins. But he did get baptized for another reason. To make a covenant with our Father in Heaven. We also get baptized for this purpose. To promise God that we will keep his commandments. Jesus desired to fulfill THAT covenant. And you see this explained in perhaps some of the most important verses about Christ’s baptism outside of the gospels. Nephi explains the following in the Book of Mormon:
5 And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!
6 And now, I would ask of you, my beloved brethren, wherein the Lamb of God did fulfil all righteousness in being baptized by water?
7 Know ye not that he was holy? But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments.
So we see that Jesus wished to fulfill that covenant, even though he was holy.
ALL
ALL righteousness. There’s a lot to unpack in those three little letters there. Jesus wished to fulfill ALL righteousness. If there was anything his Father desired him to do, he would do it. ALL of it. He would obey every command and counsel of the Father. He wouldn’t neglect or diminish or ignore any portion of it. Even the things that perhaps he could have excused himself in. “I don’t need to get baptized for a remission of my sins.” That’s an act reserved for those that are imperfect. I think sometimes we might be tempted by that attitude. We might seek to excuse ourselves in certain things because we feel justified for whatever reason. Oh, I’ve done enough other good things today, I’ll be ok in neglecting this other thing. I’m a good enough person, I can hang on to a few pet sins throughout my life and at the end of all things, “if it so be that we are guilty, God shall beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God.” (2 Nephi 28:8). That wasn’t Jesus’s attitude. No, he said, I want to fulfill ALL righteousness. Give me commandments. Give me counsels. Give me responsibilities and righteous works to accomplish. I will seek to do them all.
RIGHTEOUSNESS
And then the word RIGHTEOUSNESS speaks for itself. Jesus would embody that word throughout his life. Some synonyms for righteousness: virtue, integrity, worthiness, morality, justness, goodness. These are the principles Jesus would manifest throughout his life. Also from Nephi:
9 And again, it (his baptism) showeth unto the children of men the straitness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by which they should enter, he having set the example before them.
Jesus IS the example of righteousness in all things. We need to be baptized, and therefore, Jesus would be baptized too, to show us the way. To show us what righteousness looks like. Righteousness is following the will of the Father.
TRUTH
If we put all of these ideas together, we can see that Jesus has just taught us a profoundly personal and relevant truth in that one phrase. In those first recorded words of his from Matthew. It is fitting and beautiful to the Father when I seek to follow every command and counsel of His in its fullest sense. This Jesus intended to do and would do, not only at the banks of the River Jordan, but at all times and in all ways throughout his life, right down to his final hour where he would say from the cross, “It is finished”. Or in other words, “I have fulfilled all righteousness, Father. I did it. I have done ALL you have asked me to do. Now, ‘Into thy hands I commend my spirit.’ ”
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Therefore, a question to ask ourselves: Are there any commandments or counsels of my Father that I need to seek to fulfill more completely? How can I better seek to fulfill all righteousness like my Savior?
I believe that if we seek to do this, then we will also receive the result or blessings that Christ received that day. What happened to him? There are some great power words we might focus on here.
OPENED, SPIRIT, LIGHTING
Opened is an insightful word. The heavens opened unto him. SPIRIT is another. The Spirit of God descended upon him. LIGHTING upon him. The Spirit comes gently and softly to us. It’s a still, small voice.
TRUTH
A principle here, When we seek to fulfill all righteousness, God will open the heavens to us as well. His Spirit will descend gently upon us to guide us, inspire us, and comfort us.
BELOVED, PLEASED
And then Jesus heard something from above. And this is a new insight that I’d never seen before. It’s also a great example of how we can learn different things by comparing the writings of the various gospel authors with each other. In Matthew, what is it that the Father says from above?
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
And that’s the statement that we usually quote. Now, if you would, turn with me to either Mark 1:11, or Luke 3:22 to see if it’s the same? Is it?
Mark 1:11
11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Luke 3:22
22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
What’s the difference?
There’s a different audience in Mark and Luke. Who’s the audience in the Matthew version? Either the people that were there that heard that voice say those words or John the Baptist himself. God wanted those present to know something about his Son. He loved him and he was well pleased in his desire to fulfill all righteousness.
But in the Mark and Luke versions, who’s the audience. Jesus himself. What a powerfully personal thing for us to be privy to here. Here we see a loving Father affirming his son—encouraging him—praising him. Even Jesus needed confirmation of his Father’s love and approval. What do you think it must have meant to Christ to hear his Father say this to him? The power words we might highlight here are BELOVED, and PLEASED or WELL PLEASED. But in the Mark and Luke versions, I might also mark the pronouns THOU and THEE. It must have been something that He needed to hear, or the Father wouldn’t have said it. “THOU art my beloved Son; in THEE I am well pleased”. Especially here at the beginning of his ministry. With that confirmation and encouragement Christ could then go out more confidently to fulfill all righteousness.
TRUTH
We all NEED to hear confirmations of love and approval.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
When was the last time someone told you that you were “beloved” of them or that they were “well pleased” with something you did? How did it make you feel?
When was the last time you told someone else that you loved them or were “well pleased” with them?
I think this is an especially important truth for parents and spouses to consider. If Jesus needed it, then your children and spouses most certainly need it too. But this can also apply to church leaders, friends, and extended family members as well.
OR, we can look at this in terms of OUR relationship with Heavenly Father too?
How has God affirmed you as his beloved child or the things you have done? What would you like to hear God say to you?
CONCLUSION
The baptism of Jesus is profound in its simplicity, and simple in its profundity. I like the way it’s portrayed in the Church’s most recent Bible films. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_dr9njVzKM) It’s not overdone with a lot of music or special effects. It’s just quiet, reverent, and forthright. I’d show my students that little film at this point and invite them to ponder the truths and questions that they’ve discussed that day. Perhaps it can help them to look back to the day that they were baptized and remember the covenant that they made with their Father in Heaven. Perhaps it can help to rekindle their desires to fulfill all righteousness too. Or maybe it can serve as a comforting reminder that God loves them and is well pleased in them as they seek to do their Father’s will. I know that God loves you. You are a beloved son or daughter of his. And I believe that the very fact that we’re here studying the scriptures today pleases him. These words have power. And I hope that you’ve felt that power today as we’ve studied.
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