1. The Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, begins
2. with what the prophet Isaiah said would happen. He wrote: “Listen! I will send my messenger ahead of you. He will prepare the way for you.” Malachi 3:1
3. “There is someone shouting in the desert: ‘Prepare the way for the Lord. Make the road straight for him.’” Isaiah 40:3
4. So John the Baptizer came and was baptizing people in the desert area. He told them to be baptized to show that they wanted to change their lives, and then their sins would be forgiven.
5. All the people from Judea, including everyone from Jerusalem, came out to John. They confessed the bad things they had done, and he baptized them in the Jordan River.
6. John wore clothes made from camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey.
7. This is what John told the people: “There is someone coming later who is able to do more than I can. I am not good enough to be the slave who stoops down to untie his sandals.
8. I baptize you with water, but the one who is coming will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
9. About that time Jesus came from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to the place where John was. John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River.
10. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw the sky torn open. The Spirit came down on him like a dove.