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 Matthew 3:11

I would like for you to think about your favorite automobile. Perhaps you like a Ford or a Chevy. Maybe you prefer a truck or a SUV. Whatever your preference is, if you were to go auto shopping, the car lot will be full cars to choose from. If, for example you wanted a Toyota Camry, the lot would have many Camry’s to choose from.

In order to make so many cars, the car factory uses a mold. A mold is like a pattern, and it enables the company to produces thousands of the exact same car in a short amount of time. Even though one car may have a few more options than another, they are basically the same. The reason is because they all came from the same mold.

God doesn’t make molds. Men do, but God doesn’t. When God creates a man or woman, He creates them out of His own imagination, and according to the unique purpose He has for them.

Men make religious molds. They can mass-produce Christians who look alike, talk alike, sing alike and dance alike. They even hate and judge alike. I have heard someone say that "When God made me, He broke the mold." Actually, God didn’t use a mold. When He makes us, we cannot be duplicated.

John the Baptist was one of a kind. There was no one else like him. He stood out in a crowd. Not only was John unique in his person, he was unique in his calling.

Before he was even born, an angel revealed to John’s parents the special plans God had for their son. As John grew up, his parents were there to remind him how special he was. Thy told him "God has special plans for you, so get yourself ready. God is going to use you to point people to the Messiah."

Many are the children today who go astray because parents are not there for them. They end up falling into every sinful pit because mom and dad are too busy to remind them how special they are. Kids doubt themselves when parents fail to support and affirm them. Peer influence can never match the consistent support of parents.

When John grew up, he lived in the wilderness. When questioned about the validity of his ministry, he quoted Isaiah 40:3; "I hear the voice of someone shouting, make a road for the Lord through the wilderness: make him a smooth road through the desert" Living Bible. John didn’t just read the book of Isaiah, it was alive in him. And it affected him to the extent that through him many people would find the way to God.

People thought John was weird. He dressed oddly and ate locust and wild honey. I’m sure locust were a great source of protein, but I would have to get pretty hungry to eat them. I almost tried some snails once, but as I looked at them on the plate, I just couldn’t open my mouth. Even though he wasn’t a traditionalist, John made people so curious that even the religious leaders came out to see what he was doing.

Whenever a king comes to town, a person is appointed to go and make the announcement; to tell people to get ready. If the president were to come through our town, the city would clean the streets and fix up buildings. They would do everything they could to give him a positive impression of the city. They would prepare the people for his coming.

That is what John did each time he preached or baptized someone. He was telling them "the King is coming, Get ready". His sermons were not silky sweet but straight to the point. He told the people to repent (get ready). There was no mincing of words; No religious politics; No sweetening up or watering down. Just raw truth "Old Testament Style". He called the Pharisees snakes and hypocrites, and would not allow them safety in the fact that they were Abraham’s seed. With John, there was no compromise.

One day Jesus left his hometown of Nazareth and came to the Jordan River where John was baptizing. When He got there, He caught John off guard because Jesus waited in line like He was an ordinary sinner. When John saw Jesus in line, he got real confused. Baptism was something that sinners needed to do. Jesus didn’t have any sin so He didn’t need to repent or be baptized. This didn’t make sense to John, and it just wasn’t right. So John refused to do it.

But Jesus told John, "It must be done, because we must do everything that is right" Matthew 3: 14-15 Living. Jesus had to let John know that He came to identify with sinful man. While John denounced sin, he couldn’t cure the sinner. Jesus came to launch His ministry among the common folks; the sinners who knew they needed God. "…They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick; …I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance Matthew 9: 12-13. So Jesus came in a way that was very different than John expected. John preached that the Messiah was coming with fiery judgment of sin, but Jesus came to deliver people from their sins.

As Jesus rose up, still dripping from the water of Jordan’s river, John saw the heavens open up, and the Spirit descend like a dove (a poor man’s sacrifice) and light upon Jesus. Then a voice came from heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." See Matthew 3: 16-17.

Several weeks later, John met Jesus again. But instead of pronouncing God’s judgment, John said, "Behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world" John 1:29. You see, a judge only looks at the evidence and gives the sentence. There are a lot of judges in the world of Christendom. They sit on their high seats sending people to hell, but they are of little value to God. In a similar way, a king has servants that he commands. Many of church leaders today are kings. They tell their servants what to do and they dare not question him. No one can hold him into accountability; he is the crown king of that church. But Jesus was the "Lamb of God" who served mankind and bore the judgment for our sin.

John had to go back to the scripture and preach the whole Word. There is more in the Word than judgment.

We need to get ready to meet the king. And when we meet Him, He might not act like we think. It may surprise us to know that He is not upset at our failures or irritated at our mistakes. We may be surprised at how willing He is to be a part of our messed up lives. It will make us gasp to see how easily he will forgive our sins and gives us a second chance.

Jesus helped John understand that He was full of love and compassion. He stood in the same water with the sinner. No one knew the difference but John. I was in church for many years. I knew Jesus loved me, and that He forgave me at least one time. I knew that I would go to heaven one day. But going to church was burden for me. I reached a point where I didn’t want to go, I had to go. I didn’t meet there.

But when I met Jesus, He changed the way I saw me life and ministry. He met me in my discouragement and made me an encourager. He brought me out of my confusion and helped me to see Him as the only source of truth.

He will do the same thing for you. Get ready; the king is coming. And when you meet Him, He will change the way you view your faith.