How Did John the Baptist Prepare the Way for Jesus? Three Moral Directives from John the Baptist (Luke 3)

John the Baptist is famously known as the one who prepared the way for the Savior. We know from Scripture that he was just six months or so older than his cousin Jesus. And because he prepared the way, he is often quickly brushed aside, but his words and actions laid the groundwork for the Messiah's good news. Because of John's work, people were better able to understand and receive Jesus later on. I think we should examine what he had to say and what advice of his the Bible records!

How exactly did he prepare the way for Jesus? I don't think it was just about him announcing that someone greater was coming, though that's an obvious example. I think he began speaking of the things that were near to the heart of the Savior's message. 

Have you thought about that before? John the Baptist's message fit with the message of Jesus. And not just because he said the kingdom of heaven was at hand. For those who heard John's words, his message prepared them to better receive and understand the words of the Messiah.

What was the message of John the Baptist?

Take a look at this passage from Luke 3:

"What should we do?" asked the crowds.

"Anyone who has two cloaks," replied John, "should give one to someone who hasn't got one. The same applies to anyone who has plenty of food."

Some toll-collectors came to be baptized. "Teacher," they said, "what should we do?"

"Don't collect more than what is laid down," he replied.

Some soldiers, too, asked John, "What about us? What should we do?"

"No extortion," replied John, "and no blackmail. Be content with your wages."

-Luke 3:10-14

Stop hoarding things. Share what you have. Don't take more than you're entitled to, or more than what's reasonable. Don't extort anyone. Be content with what you have.

These things prepare the way for the kingdom of Heaven.

It's interesting that he directs different instructions at different groups. When he tells the tax collectors that they shouldn't collect more money than what is required of them, he's not saying it's fine for them to use extortion or blackmail. 

This is because he's speaking about things that are generally considered acceptable by those groups. John is saying that we shouldn't let our culture or setting dictate what is morally right or wrong. That's not to say that we can't do things that are part of our workplace vernacular or culture, but he is saying we certainly shouldn't when that means we violate commandments from God. This message fits with the Messiah's.

We see the Messiah say many similar things to what John taught here.

-"Sell what you have and give to the poor." -Matthew 19:21

-"Be on guard against greed, for life does not consist in the abundance of possessions." -Luke 12:15

-"Woe to you for being full of robbery." -Matthew 23:25

-"Do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or drink, or wear." -Matthew 6:25

While our world today celebrates constant striving to accumulate more things and status, both Jesus and John the Baptist encouraged the opposite behavior. Rather than hoarding wealth, they taught sharing and giving. 

This is a core tenet of the Gospel. Having faith isn't just about going to Heaven...it should change how we live here and now. As followers of the Messiah we are called to live differently and help others. We are not called to a life of greed, and our focus shouldn't be on constantly trying to make more money or have the newest or best possessions. The Creator of the world did not give you life so that you can be controlled by greed.

How can we work to honor these instructions in our lives today?

Related posts:
Fifty Ways to Love Your Neighbor
Giving When You Don't Have the Finances
How to Pray for Our World

The Beginner's Guide to First Fruits (Celebrating the Savior's Resurrection the Biblical Way)

In this post we examine the basics of First Fruits, which is a Biblical holiday that happens shortly after Passover within another Biblical holiday, the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This is the day that Jesus rose from the grave! By learning more about this holiday we can worship the Messiah in deeper ways and celebrate his resurrection at the Scripturally appropriate time. We will talk about what this holiday means and share practical ideas for celebrating and taking part in such a joyous occasion!

What is First Fruits? 

First Fruits is one of the Biblical holidays and it happens within another Biblical holiday, the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It is a special part of Unleavened Bread. In Levitical times, it was the day when the priests presented a wave offering of the 'first fruits' of the harvest that year - barley. It's also the day that the Messiah rose from the dead and presented himself to his Father!

Where is First Fruits in the Bible?

Details on First Fruits are seen in Leviticus 23:9-14 (usually spelled Firstfruits).

What Bible verses relate to First Fruits?

Leviticus 23:9-14
Deuteronomy 26
Matthew 28
Mark 16
Luke 24
John 20
1 Corinthians 15:20-28

Biblical events have taken place on First Fruits:

-The resurrection of Jesus the Messiah. (Matthew 28)

-Israel crossed over the Red Sea after leaving Egypt in the Exodus story. (Exodus 3:18, 5:3)

-Israel ate the first fruits of the Promised Land. (Joshua 5:10-12)

-The Temple was cleansed and sacrifices were reinstated under the reign of King Hezekiah. (1 Chronicles 29:17-18)
-Queen Esther foiled the plot of Haman. (Esther 3:12, 5:1)
-Noah's ark possibly came to rest on Mount Ararat after the flood on First Fruits.

-The walk to Emmaus, where the Savior "expounded on all things concerning himself" from Scripture to a couple of his followers. (Luke 24:13-15)

Why celebrate First Fruits?

This is the day that Jesus rose from the dead! If that's not worth our attention and celebration, what is? When he rose from the dead, no one called the day Easter. First Fruits is about doing our best to worship the Messiah in ways consistent with what the Bible teaches.

Who should celebrate First Fruits?

First Fruits should be celebrated by all Bible believers. If you want to celebrate the Savior defeating the grave and coming back to life, the Biblically correct day to do so would be on the day of First Fruits. 

The Bible holidays were given to all of God's people and all Bible believers may take part in them, regardless of ethnicity, spiritual background, ancestry, etc.

How is First Fruits different than Easter?

When it comes to the idea of celebrating that the Savior is risen, the Bible holiday First Fruits is very similar to Christian intentions behind Easter. The difference is that while First Fruits is Biblical, Easter is manmade. They happen at similar times of year (sometimes the same day), but First Fruits does not involve Easter bunnies, egg hunts, or ham.

Is First Fruits the same as Unleavened Bread?

First Fruits is part of Unleavened Bread. While Unleavened Bread is weeklong holiday, First Fruits is one day during that. It happens the Sunday after the Sabbath during the week of Unleavened Bread. The stipulation of not eating leaven still applies during this time, and we still remember and celebrate the spiritual significance of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. We remember how God parted the Red Sea and lead his people to freedom, but on First Fruits especially we also remember and celebrate that the Messiah is no longer in the grave and he lives!

How to observe First Fruits:

First Fruits is a joyful day! Praise God for the resurrection of Jesus and have fun! 

Gatherings are not Scripturally required, but you could certainly arrange to get together with friends or attend a service at a congregation that celebrates this.

Note that First Fruits is not considered a Sabbath day, unless it happens to fall on the last day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 

What should I do to celebrate First Fruits?

-Read the Gospel stories of the empty tomb! This is truly the best part of the Good News - that the Messiah lives - and there's no better time to revisit that. Read Bible passages aloud, revisit the tale in children's books and movies, or do a dramatized version.

-Gather for a festive meal, if you want. Again, this is not a requirement but you certainly can make a special meal and invite loved ones to join in. On First Fruits, the Bible says not to eat leavened bread, so make foods without leaven. I'll link to a list of unleavened recipes at the end of this post to get you inspired.

-Spread the good news. First Fruits is a wonderful day for sharing the joy and love of God with others. Send notes of Scripture and encouragement to loved ones, volunteer for a service project, gather donations to give to those in need, and challenge yourself to be extra gracious and kind to everyone you encounter this day.

-Have fun! Even though Easter egg hunts are not appropriate for First Fruits, games can still be played, treats enjoyed, and prizes given. How about making an obstacle course for kids where they have to cross the "Red Sea" and "escape from Egypt"? There are plenty of empty tomb and crucifixion related kids crafts you could make. Put together a scavenger hunt. Make and enjoy matzah toffee or a Red Sea crossing smoothie bowl. 

Related posts:
How to Celebrate First Fruits
Meal Ideas for the Feast of Unleavened Bread
Kids Crafts for Passover and First Fruits
Red Sea Crossing Smoothie Bowls

The Spiritual Meaning of Unleavened Bread (What Unleavened Bread Means)

In this post we will discover some of the spiritual significance and meaning behind the Biblical holiday of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. We will look at what this holiday means, and the reasons why it is celebrated today. This special time reminds us of how quickly the Living God acted on behalf of his people in Egypt, and the lessons we learn from those saving acts! The holiday of Unleavened Bread is found in the Bible in Leviticus 23, Deuteronomy 16, and Exodus 12.

Do you ever wonder what the meaning is behind the holiday of Unleavened Bread in the Bible? It's not just a weird week of eating flatbread; it has spiritual significance beyond that of being lumped in with Passover. In the Exodus story the Israelites were commanded to eat no leaven immediately following Passover, and then of course the first part of their journey into the wilderness took place during Unleavened Bread (including the crossing of the Red Sea). During this time, all believers are told to eat unleavened bread to remember the miracles that YHWH performed to free his people from slavery. It was also during this Biblical holiday that the Messiah rose from the dead! Celebrating Unleavened Bread helps us to refocus on how awesome the God we serve is and reminds us of these spiritual truths as well as many others.

Let's take a look at just a few lessons the Feast of Unleavened Bread teaches us.

1. All things are possible with YHWH. If you grew up hearing the Exodus story, it's easy to gloss over how amazing these events were after a while. Can you imagine the sudden emancipation of an entire enslaved people group? Scripture says that 600,000 men left Egypt, and with women and children the total number would likely have been around 2,000,000. I would say aside from the life, death, and resurrection of the Messiah, a few million people walking away from slavery would be one of the most singularly amazing moments in history. There was no insurrection, there was no violent political coup...they just walked out. I'm sure no one would have ever expected the slaves to just go free, including those who were enslaved. Even when many people didn't expect it, the Living God worked in truly awesome ways! The Messiah's followers experienced their own version of this when, beyond all hope or expectation, their executed Savior came back to life! Whatever you're longing for in your life is possible with God.

2. Things can get better very quickly. Do you know why unleavened bread is eaten this week? It's to remember that circumstances changed so quickly for the Israelites that they didn't have time to let their bread dough rise properly before baking. They needed to leave so suddenly that there simply wasn't time. Making bread from scratch can be a lengthy project, but there is no reason it can't be done within 24 hours. In less time than that the Israelites went from enslaved by the most powerful empire in the world to having freedom, and even being sent away with gifts! What not ideal circumstances do you find yourself in right now? Where are you struggling? What do you feel like will never change? You never know how suddenly things will get better.

3. We need to get rid of the old leaven. What is leavening your life in a spiritual or emotional sense right now? There comes a time when we are told to get rid of those things. Not necessarily because they are all bad, but because we are being called to better things. Leaven is a permitted thing to us most of the time, but during this week it is not. In the same way there are times where emotions like anger are permitted (and even godly), but eventually we are called to get rid of that and not have it control our lives. Like 1 Corinthians 5 tells us, a little leaven permeates the whole thing. Don't continue to let leaven spread in your life to where it shouldn't be.

4. We need to proactively make changes. During the Feast of Unleavened Bread we are commanded to eat differently. That change is not just going to happen on its own. We need to intentionally get rid of the leavened bread in our kitchens and choose to make or purchase unleavened bread. Unless we make these decisions we will miss out on this time from our Creator. Unleavened bread is not just going to materialize in your home. What other areas of your life is YHWH calling you to make changes in? It could be to choose more life giving words for the people in your life, to spend more time studying his word or in worship, or to change your thinking in some way. Consider what steps you can take today to be obedient to the call on your life.

5. To be grateful for what we have. There's nothing like a restriction to make us appreciate what we had! That first bite of a sandwich or croissant or pizza or whatever your leaven of choice is, is a joyous moment after Unleavened Bread is over. It's easy to overlook how wonderful simple things are, and I think the Feast of Unleavened Bread is a good reminder to take joy in the things we take for granted...whether that's the people in our lives, the job we are blessed with, the home we get to live in, or the many other blessings we all have from the Creator. 

There are many more lessons to be had from the Feast of Unleavened Bread but these are a few reminders that can truly transform our lives, because the Savior lives and we have been set free!

Related posts:
Why I Started Keeping the Biblical Feasts
The Beginner's Guide to the Feast of Unleavened Bread
12 Ways to Celebrate Unleavened Bread

Why Some Christians No Longer Celebrate Easter (And Celebrate Unleavened Bread and First Fruits Instead)

There is a growing movement in the body of Christ that is setting aside the holiday of Easter and no longer taking part in its festivities. These aren't people that are walking away from the faith or who no longer believe in the Messiah, but people growing their faith who are no longer compelled to participate in this widely loved custom. Some who have gone this route might refer to themselves as Torah observant, Hebrew roots, or whole Bible believers, but most don't give themselves any sort of special denomination - they are followers of the Messiah, who have chosen to step away from Easter. Let's talk about why this is.

 In this post we will discover:

-Why more and more Christians are no longer participating in Easter.

-What the Bible says about this traditional holiday.

-Some of the origins of Easter.

-When the appropriate time is to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.

Maybe you've noticed this trend in your community. Long-standing members of church no longer using the word Easter. Maybe your in-laws have stopped hiding Easter eggs for the grandkids. Neighbors no longer decorating their yard. Relatives cooking lamb instead of ham.

It's easy to assume they are no longer believers in Jesus since they aren't celebrating his resurrection in this traditional way. Stop celebrating Easter and people will assume you had some sort of crisis of faith, or maybe that you have a Jewish background. But for a large portion of Christians, neither of those are the case! More and more people who love the Messiah - and who do rejoice that he rose from the dead - choose to no longer take part in Easter. We are going to explore the reasons behind this.

Why are people no longer celebrating Easter?

A little research into Easter reveals some concerning truths:

-The word Easter is not used in the Bible and certainly wasn't what the Disciples and early church called the day of the Messiah's resurrection.

-This holiday was not created in Jesus's honor.

-Easter does not come from the Bible, but is rooted in practices that were never intended to glorify YHWH.

-Many parts of modern celebrations have their origins in ungodly things or are even expressly forbidden by Scripture.

Yes, Easter can be fun and even spiritually meaningful, but that does not negate the concerns listed here. What if there's a better way to honor the resurrection of the Savior?

What does the Bible say about Easter?

Precisely nothing, believe it or not.

Many people believe that Easter is in the Bible, but no, only the story of the Savior's resurrection is. It's important to recognize that the word Easter is not used in Scripture. This means that there's no part of the Bible or directive from Jesus to take part in anything known as Easter, and no record of the disciples doing so. 

*Only in the King James Version is the word Easter used, and only once. It is used in Acts 12:4, but a look at Strong's Concordance reveals the original Greek word used was pascha, which means Passover.

Whether or not it was created with intent to honor God, Easter is still a manmade holiday. I could create a holiday to commemorate Jesus feeding the 5,000. It could be fun and meaningful, but it would hardly be appropriate to say you don't love God if you don't keep it along with me.

What's the problem with Easter?

Easter is about celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. There's worship, it's family time, it gets people into church, it's fun, it's not laden with the rampant consumerism of Christmas...what's the problem?

The problem is that we are mixing the glorious truth that the Messiah lives, with lies. The egg laying bunny, yes. But more significantly, by choosing Easter, we are negating the Biblical holiday that the Savior really did resurrect on...one made by the Creator himself, and one that all generations of his people are commanded to keep.

Easter is settling for less than God's best. It's mixing truth with lies.

You can still have the celebration, the worship, the family time, and the joy of Jesus' resurrection...but you can also do so in a way that's more in line with the Bible!

While the consumerism isn't as rampantly out of control as during the Christmas season, it is tragic that much of Easter celebrations are centered around new outfits and an unspoken contest to get the cutest family photo. I question any holiday that pushes the consumption of unethically made goods (sweat shop made clothing, plastic eggs, Easter baskets that get thrown away, and candy filled with questionable ingredients).

But also...when we say yes to Easter, we are saying no to other things...such as the real holidays that the Savior died and rose on. The problem isn't just that it's debatable if God is honored by leading hunts for plastic eggs filled with candy. The real problem is while we are busy with our own traditions, we are missing out on the opportunity to know God and his word better through his own holidays.

Why does it matter what you call it?

It's worth mentioning that the word Easter is based off the name of a Saxon goddess called Eostre, which means something like 'dawn goddess.' Calling the day of the Messiah's resurrection from the dead after a mythical goddess is inappropriate. Obviously the common sunrise services of Easter Sunday have some concerning implications connected to the dawn goddess. How would you like it if your loved ones started referring to your birthday by the name of an enemy of yours?

We should also note that in many pagan religions, saying or chanting the name of a god or goddess was thought to worship them and to invoke their power. This could explain the Biblical directive in Exodus 23:13 to not speak the names of other gods.

If Easter is the name of another god (and it is common knowledge that it is), then simply saying 'Happy Easter' is in direct violation of a Biblical commandment.

Words matter.

What are the origins of Easter?

Easter's origins are debated. Some say its roots are a pagan festival that occurred many years before Christ. Others will say it was an attempt of the early church to modernize the Passover festival. 

A concerning connection to many Easter practices comes from Ezekiel 8, which was written around 593 BC. While the word Easter is not used (remember, it doesn't appear in the Bible), it's difficult to read this passage and not have Easter traditions come to mind.

Ezekiel 8 mentions:

-Figures of unclean animals in the Temple of YHWH (8:10)

-Levitical priests participating in a sunrise service (8:16)

And what's more God says these are "horribly disgusting practices" (8:6), and that an idol that makes God jealous is present (8:3).

Again, the Bible never says this is an Easter service, and not all modern Eastern celebrations involve unclean animals (such as rabbits, or the traditional Easter ham), but it should give us pause when our worship practices are similar to ones the Bible harshly criticizes.

What are people doing instead of Easter?

There's been a huge influx in the number of believers that are celebrating the holidays that YHWH created - the Biblical holidays listed in Leviticus 23. Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Shavuot, Trumpets, the Day of Cleansing, and Tabernacles. These are holidays that God created and then commanded believers to celebrate "for all generations." These holidays have the spiritual depth and meaning that many of us have so longingly looked for in Christmas and Easter.

Did you know that the Messiah not only died on one of these holidays (Passover), but that he resurrected during the Feast of Unleavened Bread? Specifically on the day known as First Fruits - which is the day the priests would offer the 'first fruit' offering of grain that is waved before YHWH. Jesus was the ultimate first fruit offering when he went to his Father that day! (1 Corinthians 15:20)

More and more of God's followers are choosing to celebrate the resurrection on First Fruits, because this is consistent with what the Bible says happened! This happens at a similar time (sometimes even the same day) as Easter, and in many ways the celebrations are similar. It's a day of worship and joy! Good food is served (but no leavened or yeasted breads!), loved ones gather together.

The differences are simple and easy changes to make:

-Calling it First Fruits and Unleavened Bread instead of Easter.

-No bunnies or Easter eggs.

-No leaven is used during the Feast of Unleavened Bread so there are no leavened or yeasted breads.

What to do with friends who no longer celebrate Easter:

Remember that stepping back from Easter doesn't mean they don't celebrate the resurrection of the Savior!

They are still your friends and family! Remember that they are doing their best to honor God and celebrate the work of Jesus in a way that honors Scripture. They have not made this choice because they don't love you or because they want to hurt you. Chances are good that they've prayed about this and prayed for people to be receptive to their choices and not offended or hurt by them.

There's nothing easy about walking away from family traditions or being the one at Bible study to say, "What about the holidays of Leviticus 23? What about Ezekiel 8?" Even if you don't agree with their choice or appreciate how they are presenting it, your encouragement and kindness would mean so much to them.

Rather than shaming friends and family with comments like, "You must not love Jesus if you don't celebrate Easter," give them credit for studying and working to honor God in all of their lives. Or ask them about how their faith has grown.

And please remember it's not a choice they made because they don't serve the Messiah - plenty of people and cultures around the world take part in Easter festivities without any thought to remembering the Savior rising from the dead.

Choosing not to take part in Easter doesn't mean that someone doesn't love the Savior or doesn't celebrate his resurrection. Not celebrating Easter is a protest against compromise, and an attempt to honor YHWH by doing what he says.

Not only is Easter not something the Bible gives us instruction to do, but when we devote our attention to it instead of the Biblical holidays, we miss out on the lifestyle and spiritual significance God wants us to learn through his holidays. Celebrating Biblical holidays helps us to better understand the word of God. Don't trade that for cheap candy and new outfits. Choosing Easter over First Fruits and Unleavened Bread is settling for less than God's best for us.

Related posts:
What are the Differences Between Passover and Easter?
Why I Started Celebrating the Biblical Feasts
Five Things Every Believer Should Know about Easter