The people were starting to think that John the Baptist was the Christ, and knowing what they were thinking, John quickly said something to show that he was not the Christ,

Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not, John answered, saying to all,

“I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire” (Luke 3:15–17).

John acknowledged his work of baptizing in water, but he announced that Someone greater was coming, Someone whose sandals John was not even worthy to bend down and loose.

This greater one would baptize in the Holy Spirit, who is far greater than water, because He created the water, and this greater one would baptize in fire, that is, the fire of hell.

Let us learn from great men and women, but let us remember that none of them are the Messiah!