Although John taught in the wilderness and by the Jordan river, many people came to him and later to Jesus from all over the Judean countryside to hear the good news of God's Kingdom. John preached repentance for the forgiveness of sins and prepared the way for Jesus. New hope and life were given to all who believed in their message.

Radical inclusivity marked Jesus' ministry. The sick, poor, unclean, and even notorious sinners were drawn to Jesus. It is because Jesus embraced and loved them.

The people most resistant to receive and accept John and Jesus were the religious leaders and teachers of the law. They could not change their minds about their own interpretation of what the Messiah should look like to them. They distorted reality based on their own ideas and agenda. They stayed in their comfort zone. In doing so, they rejected God's purpose for themselves and preserved their own shameful ways. Even now, we interpret and make our own image of Jesus to fit our politics and/or cultural norms excluding many whom Jesus would embrace. Yet the wisdom and grace of Jesus continues to advance in the unlikeliest of places.