A DEFINING MISSION
Text: John 1:6 - 8, 19 - 28
How many times have you driven the interstate to arrive on the back end of a “message vehicle” that bears the warning “Wide Load”? That vehicle is announcing the motion of a vehicle that comes after it containing cargo that is usually wider than the lane it is traveling in like half of a double wide trailer. Whether you have arrived at the back end traveling in the same direction or the other side in the opposite direction, those “message vehicles” announce something far bigger than themselves. Now that might not be the best analogy best it does serve the purpose in what John the Baptizer did in announcing the coming of the Messiah.
John's whole life and purpose were about witnessing to the light of Christ arriving in the world. What is it that we have in common with John the Baptizer? Could it possibly be that we too have a purpose to mention the arrival of the Messiah? Yes, we live what many call the “in-between times”---the celebration of Jesus's birthday aka as the First Advent and what that means along with the warning of His Second Coming. Jesus came the first time to be our Savior and He will come the next time to judge the world! How do we define our mission in in our journey as pilgrims in the pilgrimage of life?
WHO ARE YOU?
Why were there some bystanders who were suspicious of John the Baptizer and his identity? It seems that John the Baptizer's arrival created curiosity. 1) An Elijah look alike: He showed up looking like a prophet by his very appearance. In fact, some thought John might be the fulfillment of Elijah the prophet's presence among them. It has been said that his appearance---his attire being clothed with camel's hair and a leather girdle around his waist was a an echo of II Kings 1:8. 2) A historical significance: There is at least 400 years between the Old and New Testaments. The Pharisees (which literally means “separatists”) came into existence around 200 BC. They were sticklers on the law and tradition who were very interested and curious in John's authority as he came onto the scene Baptizing sinners. 137 years after the Pharisees became established, in 63 BC the Hasmonaean dynasty had fallen around the time when the land of Israel had been incorporated in the Roman empire. (F. F. Bruce. Th Gospel and Epistles of John. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1983, pp. 49, 50). As we know from the other Gospels John called them sinners when they thought that they were above sin as he insisted on their need to be Baptized like everyone else.
Why did the Pharisees want to know about his credentials? Could it be that his presence among them signaled that there were necessary changes that need to be made? 1) Dreaded detour: John the Baptizer's whole purpose was to pave the way for the coming of the Messiah! They were not fond of the change. How well do you like a change? Rev. Dr. Rose Sims once said, “Troubles are like babies, growing larger by nursing and always yelling for a change. But those doing the yelling always want someone else to do the changing.” (Rose Sims. Pappa Was A Promise Keeper. Rdige Manor, Florida, 1995, p. 116). 2) Standard: Did his presence mean that they were being upstaged by an impostor or did it mean that they had some changes to make? 3) Security vs. insecurity issues: How many people do you know that openly respond to any type of communication unless they know or expect to hear from someone or some company? John the Baptizer was sent by God to give the message the he “was the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord as said the prophet Isaiah” (Isaiah 40:3)
What does history teach us about some of our leaders from the past? Consider an example of a model politician from over a century ago. When you consider the current political climate where there is partisanship, fraud, division, scandal, immorality, infidelity and conspiracy and cover ups it is hard to have any trust in any one of our current leaders. Is it hard to believe that there was a time when the integrity, humility and diligence of our leaders made a difference for those who elected them?
ILLUSTRATION: "One of the great lawmakers of the twentieth century, Carl Hayden, entered office in 1913. After the swearing in ceremony, Congressman Joshua Talbott of Maryland said to the young Arizonan that there are two kinds of congressmen, show horses and work horses. Talbott suggested that if Hayden wanted the help and respect of his colleagues he should try to be a work horse. Talbott had learned what Hayden also learned, the principle of serving and receiving". (Herb Miller. Actions Speak Louder Than Verbs. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1989, p. 121). John the Baptizer had been sent by God not to call attention to himself as a "show horse" but to bear witness to the light as a "work horse". It seems that John the Baptizer had come onto the scene as a “workhorse” in the midst of the “show horse personality” of the Pharisees who questioned his credentials.
WHAT WILL OUR LEGACY BE?
Were there obstacles to John the Baptizer's mission by the way that others both received and perceived him? Someone once asked, this question, "If the devil had a creed, what would it be?" The creeds that have been suggested have been said to be "fine-sounding" and "follow the line of least resistance" offering a beguiling "excuse for doing nothing". One of the creeds suggested is "The time is not ripe". That argument makes one of the best excuses for the sin of omission where we fail to do the things that we should have done. "As a wise man has said, "If we wait till the time is ripe, it may be rotten." (Halford E. Lucock. Unfinished Business. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1956, p. 125). It seems, that the reason that the "time does not seem ripe" has to do with what people like the Pharisees preferred!
What are the places in our lives that need to be straightened out? Consider what has been called “The Five Watches”.
1. Watch your thoughts; they become words.
2. Watch your words; they become actions.
3. Watch your actions; they become habits.
4. Watch your habits; they become character.
5. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
(Roy B. Zuck. The Speaker's Quote Book. [source: Frank Outlaw]. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publishers, 1997, p. 184).
In this world there are many who have succumbed the world's darkness and its influence because of the the success of Satan's abilities to deceive many as the father of lies (John 8:44).
God uses humble people like John the Baptizer to bear witness of the light of Jesus Christ to others. “A missions volunteer once testified that one of the things that sharpened her call to missions was observing a door with an electric eye in a department store while Christmas shopping. She noticed that the door opened for anyone who came to it. Any person who broke the beam of the electric eye could enter the store. Similarly, she realized, the doors of the kingdom of heaven open to any person who approaches them. God's love is for everyone. That is the basis for missions". (T. T. Crabtree. ed. The Zondervan 2003 Pastor's Annual. James E. Carter. "God's Affirmative Action Program: The Revelation". Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002, p. 371). That observation also helps us to understand how we might be better at being people who will bear witness to the light of the world---Jesus Christ. Doesn't the world already have too many gatekeepers?
How well do we serve as God's acolytes in a world of darkness? What good is our witness if it is out of character with God's call on our lives to be Christ's disciples of light in a world of darkness? A story has come down from the days of Wesley concerning his work among the miners at Cornwall. Whole villages were transformed from a gambling, swearing, and Sabbath-breaking people to men and women of sobriety and godliness. In every home there was to be found a picture of John Wesley, the man whom they all loved. One day a stranger visiting in one of these humble homes seeing John Wesley's picture on the wall said, "Whose picture is that?" The old miner reverently lifting his hat and said, "There was a man who was sent from God whose name was John." (Walter B. Knight. Knight's Master Book Of New Illustrations. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1986, p. 320). The miner was pointing out John 1:6 which was a reference to John the Baptizer as well as John Wesley's character because of how like an acolyte, they bore “witness to the light of Christ” (John 1:7). How is our legacy looking? Are there any who would hang our pictures in their houses because we were salty and bright (Matthew 5:13- 16)? John the Baptizer said of Jesus that "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30).
Jesus came as God in human flesh to give both light and life. "In him was life and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness but the darkness has not understood it" (John 1:4-5 NIV). We cannot claim to have fellowship with Christ and continue to walk in darkness (I John 1:6). "Light and life to all he brings, Risen with healing in his wings, Mild he lays his glory by, Born that man no more may die, Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth" (the 3rd verse of Hark The Herald Angels Sing") . "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God---children not born of natural descent, nor human decision or a husband's will, but born of God" (John 1:12-13 NIV). Isn't that our defining mission, to bear the light of Christ and become one of God's children? In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
