Study together · The Cast

John the Baptist

The wilderness prophet whose whole job was to point away from himself.

The story

1. Leaps in the womb Luke 1:41-44

   Before he is born, he leaps for joy when Mary greets Elizabeth.

2. A voice in the wilderness Matthew 3:1-6

   He preaches repentance in the Judean wilderness, and crowds come to be baptized.

3. Baptizing Jesus Matthew 3:13-17

   He protests that he needs to be baptized by Jesus. He obeys, and the Spirit descends.

4. Behold the Lamb John 1:29-36

   He points his own disciples to Jesus as the Lamb of God, and two of them follow Jesus.

5. He must increase John 3:26-30

   His disciples worry that everyone is going to Jesus. John says his joy is now complete.

6. Doubts in prison Matthew 11:2-6

   Jailed by Herod, he sends to ask if Jesus is the one who is to come.

7. Beheaded Mark 6:17-29

   Herod has him killed at a banquet to keep a promise to Herodias's daughter. His disciples bury his body.

Key verses

“He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30 (ESV)

Read together: Luke 1:41-44 · Matthew 3:1-6 · Matthew 3:13-17 · John 1:29-36 · John 3:26-30 · Matthew 11:2-6 · Mark 6:17-29

Questions to sit with

1. Where are you tempted to increase when Christ should?
2. When your circumstances do not match what you expected from God, where do you take your questions?

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible, © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission.