“In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
“Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.’
“And Zechariah said to the angel, ‘How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.’ And the angel answered him, ‘I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.’ And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.
“After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, ‘Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.’” [1]
Few people among modern churches seem to realise that the Christmas story properly begins with an older Jewish priest and his equally aged wife. No doubt a strong argument could be made that the story begins with the Fall in the Garden of Eden, but I am prepared to argue that the Christmas story begins with an older, childless couple. At the very least, the story begins to intensify with this older couple.
Zechariah’s wife was likely on the far side of menopause. The possibility that Elizabeth would ever be a mother had grown remote, or even somewhere beyond remote. The couple appear to have accepted that no child would ever grace their home; they would never be parents in the normal course of things. Then God took control.
It is appropriate to note that Luke begins his account of the ministry of Jesus the Messiah by telling his readers about John the Baptist. On this first Sunday in the current Advent Season, I invite you to join with me in focusing on the Forerunner. Wait a minute! Aren’t we supposed to focus on Jesus during the Advent Season? Well, yes, we should focus on Jesus during this season. However, we know that before Jesus, there was John. And we will do well to learn what is revealed concerning the Baptist, the man of whom Jesus testified, “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist” [MATTHEW 11:11a]. High praise, indeed! However, what is often forgotten is what Jesus continued to say. “Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” [MATTHEW 11:11b]. John the Baptist was greater than anyone born of a woman, and yet, you, even if you are the least in the Kingdom of Heaven, are greater than John. Perhaps it is time for us to learn who this John is, in order to see ourselves as God sees us.
THE BAPTIST — Modern Christians are spiritually impoverished since John the Baptist is neglected in the messages delivered from the contemporary pulpit. Oh, we preachers know his name, but we don’t actually speak of the Baptist all that much. When his name is mentioned in a sermon, it is almost incidental, as though John is not germane to whatever it is that we are teaching at that time. And yet, the Baptist is very important in relating the impact Jesus of Nazareth would have on the populace during the few years of His ministry. If we want to understand the ministry Jesus performed in that distant day, we need to ensure that we don’t exclude the work of the Forerunner.
For most of us, John appears as that weird man who was known for the fact that he eschewed civilised society, choosing to live in the Judean wilderness. Admittedly, John dressed in some really strange regalia, and his diet could only be described as strange. If you saw John coming, you would be struck by his clothing, clothing that would perhaps best be described as early miscellaneous. His dress certainly wouldn’t be considered fashionable, even in the dusty streets of a small Judean village. If the Baptist invited you to share a meal… Well, despite what the advocates of climate change may assert, few of us would be eager to join John in a meal of grasshoppers and honey.
Let’s face it, John didn’t fit in with the social elite of that day, and he assuredly wouldn’t fit in with modern society either. We tend to be uncomfortable with people who are truly out of step with society. I’m not talking about those who conform by being nonconforming—the goths who create their own underground culture or the young people that all look alike with piercings and tats, dressed alike in casual miscellaneous. We may not always approve of the appearance of such individuals, but we aren’t really put off by them. Someone, however, who fully eschews our ideals while continuing to interact with society, refusing to conform to any segment of our culture, someone such as that makes us uneasy. And John didn’t fit into any segment of that ancient culture.
It would appear that John had an uneventful childhood. By that, I only mean that we hear nothing of him until he seemingly burst on the scene shortly before the Christ was revealed. Apparently, there were no exceptional events that drew especial notice from others during John’s formative years. Well, we should count his birth; that was exceptional and enough to set tongues wagging. But we’ll get to that in just a bit. For the moment, let’s focus on John and the work he performed in those few short months after he burst on the scene until his life was taken from him by an enraged woman.
Perhaps you will have noted the way that Mark begins his Gospel. He began his account of the Good News of Jesus by writing about John, and it is the manner in which he writes that gives us a clue about the abruptness of John’s presentation as he began his service. Mark wrote. “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
“As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,
‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way,
the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,”’
“John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, ‘After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit’” [MARK 1:1-8].
“John appeared…” Mark’s use of the aorist tense indicates the suddenness of John’s presence. One moment John isn’t there; the next moment he is speaking boldly, his presence and his demeanor demanding that people pay attention to what he is saying. And what an impact he had when he spoke. He grabbed the attention of everyone. In fact, Mark states that “all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him.” No one dared stay behind in the city; no one wanted to miss what John might be saying. All were making their way into the wilderness to hear what they strange man might say.
We are reasonably confident that Mark served as amanuensis for Peter, and thus, the account we are given in the Gospel that bears Mark’s name is likely to be the words of Peter put down for our benefit. Think about that! If this Gospel is truly Peter’s input into the account of the ministry of the Master, he apparently held a high view of John the Baptist and his service before the Son of God. If the Apostle to the Jews held such a view of the Baptist, we do a disservice to the Master when we fail to familiarise ourselves with His cousin, John.
After bursting on the scene, John continually pointed to the One Who was coming after him. Levi writes of John’s ministry early in the Gospel we know as Matthew. “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,
‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord;
make his paths straight.”’”
When Levi writes his account of the ministry of John, he speaks of his coming to preach in the wilderness, using a present tense indicative for of the verb. He is emphasising John’s habitual practise of preaching. Preaching is what John did.
Matthew then describes John’s dress and his diet, before informing readers of the outsized impact John had on those living within travelling distance of his ministry in that day. Thus, Matthew continues, “Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.”
Among those who heard of John and his ministry in the wilderness were the religious leaders who were resident in Jerusalem. Not surprisingly, these religious leaders were curious to hear John. His response to their presence would indicate that they held the thought that they could co-opt John for their own purpose. However, that was not to be the way that John would interact with them. He was pointed, even caustic, in rejecting any thought that he and the religious leaders were playing on the same team.
Matthew continues, noting, “When John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father,” for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
“‘I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire’” [MATTHEW 3:1-12].
One day, during the time John was baptising in the wilderness, Jesus came to the place where John was preaching and baptising. Surprisingly, the Gospel accounts don’t make a great deal of what took place, but what the Evangelists did note was important. Here is Levi’s account of what happened at that time. “Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased’” [MATTHEW 3:13-17].
The Baptist was abrupt in his rejection of the trappings of religion, but he truly had one great message, which was to exalt the Messiah, God’s Anointed One Who was coming, and of Whom John spoke so frequently. Therefore, when Jesus came to John in order to be baptised, John was hesitant. He knew Who Jesus was and He understood that the Messiah was far superior to him.
John’s understanding of his place and the exalted position of the Messiah is revealed in an exchange that the Apostle of Love provides in the Gospel that bears his name. Here is the account to weigh. “Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized (for John had not yet been put in prison).
“Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. And they came to John and said to him, ‘Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.’ John answered, ‘A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, “I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.” The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease’” [JOHN 3:22-30].
His service before the Lord God was brief, being ended in dramatic fashion by a king who exhibited signs of being a paedophile. Mark gives us the dark account, writing, “It was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her. For John had been saying to Herod, ‘It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.’ And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly.
“But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. For when Herodias’s daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.’ And he vowed to her, ‘Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.’ And she went out and said to her mother, ‘For what should I ask?’ And she said, ‘The head of John the Baptist.’ And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, ‘I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.’ And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb” [MARK 6:17-29].
I wasn’t always shy and reticent as I am in this day. I had been invited to address the student body of a Bible college. The message I delivered that day was a plea for the students to seek God’s presence, especially pleading with Him to send revival. I specifically challenged their comfort level by asking whether they would pray for revival if they thought God was going to revive the Lutherans, or if He would revive the Pentecostals, or if He should revive the Presbyterians. If they thought God would bless other Christians, passing them by, would they still plead for Him to send revival? The thought was stunning to the students, and they were left in stunned silence as they weighed what I had said. They had lived in a bubble for the time they had been enrolled in studies, and they just knew they were the only people deserving God’s blessing.
After delivering the message, as I was leaving the auditorium, the Dean of Students accosted me. He stood in my path and said, “Young man, if you are going to preach like John the Baptist, you’d better be prepared to eat what John the Baptist ate.”
My response was immediate and unrehearsed. “He didn’t starve to death!”
His mouth was agape, astonishment writ large across his face as I pushed past him to leave the building.
I was certain that the Dean of Students who had confronted me that morning was correct. I was equally certain that I could do nothing other than speak the truth as revealed in the Word of God. John was the bold men who had a ministry for a brief while immediately before and shortly after Jesus of Nazareth was revealed to be the Messiah. That ministry was brief, but oh, how powerful it was. Would that I could be as firm in my service as was John the Baptist.
John was incarcerated, perhaps anticipating that he would perish in prison, and he had grown despondent. The greatest men, the most powerful spokesmen for God, can grow despondent, depressed, when they appear to have been set aside. John still had a few disciples that stood with him despite his incarceration. He sent some of these men to ask Jesus whether He was truly the Messiah. John needed encouragement, he needed affirmation that he had not wasted his days. Jesus gave that affirmation.
Then, when the disciples of John had returned, Jesus spoke to the crowds. This is what the Master said. “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written,
‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.’
Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear” [MATTHEW 11:7-15].
You who are in the Kingdom of Heaven, you who are born from above through faith in the Son of God, you are greater than John the Baptist. Unleash God’s power!
JOHN’S PURPOSE — “The angel said to [Zechariah], ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared” [LUKE 1:13-17].
Reading the text, we learn something about Zechariah and Elizabeth that helps us understand who they are. For instance, it becomes obvious that they believed in prayer. And it wasn’t just Elizabeth who prayed for a child. Her husband prayed, perhaps just as fervently as Elizabeth prayed. I know that some might imagine that a husband can’t be as excited to have a child as a woman. I think of the response of Elkanah to the absence of a child for his wife, Hannah. Elkanah loved Hannah, but the Bible is quite definite in stating that “the Lord had closed her womb” [see 1 SAMUEL 1:5b].
Being childless was almost unbearable for Hannah, but Elkanah’s second wife, Peninnah, considered it her duty to provoke the destitute woman. Can anything be more cruel than taunting a childless woman who longs to hold her own child? This Peninnah appears to have been a vicious, bitter woman who willingly used her fecundity to ridicule Hannah, who was desperate to bear a child.
What was Elkanah’s response to this situation? He clumsily tried to comfort his childless wife. He is recorded as saying, “Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons” [1 SAMUEL 1:8]? Now, ladies, stop guffawing at the poor man. I’m the first to admit that Elkanah’s efforts to comfort his wife were clumsy; but it is evident that he was sincere. Elkanah was revealing a characteristic of men that women sometimes find hard to understand.
We understand that children become the centre of a woman’s life. However, a man wants to protect his wife; she is the centre of his life. We see a hint that this will be the standard when the Creator says, “A man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” [GENESIS 2:24]. Men don’t always know how to comfort their wife when she grieves. A man will feel absolutely devastated, but he is helpless to do anything about it. I believe I’m on solid ground when I say that while Zechariah may not have known the same intensity of yearning for a child that did Elizabeth, he nevertheless longed to have a child. And his deep yearning drove him to pray fervently, perhaps as fervently as did Elizabeth.
We have no idea how long Zechariah and Elizabeth had prayed, or when they may have finally resigned themselves to the fact that their home would not be graced with a child. They appear to have become resigned to the fact that theirs would be a quiet house with no shrill little voices to break the monotony. What we can observe is that they did pray, and that their prayer was not ignored. God, in His own time, would give the best answer to what they had requested.
I wonder if it is not time to step aside at this point to make an observation. I know how disappointing it is to pray when it seems as if God will never answer your request. I know that the longing in our heart for some situation may be a longing something which clearly should never be sought. I have read, as have you, the words that James penned. “You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions” [JAMES 4:2-3].
But I also know that often we who seek the Lord’s glory ask of God that which would honour Him, and somehow He seems to withhold that for which our heart yearns. We should never give up asking God for that which seems impossible. If what we are asking is something that the Father has placed in our heart, then we should never quit praying. Isn’t that what we learn when we hear the Master encourage us as we read in the Gospel of Luke. Do you recall this passage? “[Jesus] told [His disciples] a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, ‘In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, “Give me justice against my adversary.” For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, “Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.”’ And the Lord said, ‘Hear what the unrighteous judge says’” [LUKE 18:1-6].
Constancy in prayer is a continuing theme throughout the Letters of Paul. He urges all who would follow the Saviour, “Be constant in prayer” [ROMANS 12:12b]. You may also recall how the Apostle teaches those who are twice-born, “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving” [COLOSSIANS 4:2]. In what may well have been his earliest missive, we witness Paul urging followers of Christ, “Pray without ceasing” [1 THESSALONIANS 5:17]. Clearly, prayer is a priority for the one who would please the Lord.
And when instructing us who seek the glory of the Saviour in how to equip ourselves for spiritual conflict, you will recall the urgency of the admonition found in the Ephesian Encyclical. “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak” [EPHESIANS 6:10-20].
Zechariah and Elizabeth had not ceased praying. Why God didn’t give them hope that their prayer was heard before this, I cannot say. What I can say is that God’s timing is always perfect. It is not often that His timing is according to our schedule, but when He acts it will always be for our benefit and for His glory.
Note that behind the Baptist was a praying father and mother; behind John was a family who believed in prayer and would not cease praying. Hoping against hope, Zechariah and Elizabeth were prepared to make their requests known to God, leaving the matter in His hands. And as is always true of God in His mercy toward those whom He loves, God gave an answer, setting the hearts of Zechariah and Elizabeth at rest.
In fairness to the Lord God, he could have directed the godly couple to adopt a child. That may seem to be an odd suggestion, but what a blessing that a couple would open their hearts and their home to accept a child who no longer had parents. Perhaps God could have answered by using the priest and his devoted wife to encourage children who were otherwise neglected. For the purpose of our study, God blessed the couple with a child from their own flesh. But I have no doubt that God could have given them peace in their hearts and fulfilment however He may have chosen to do so.
POINTING TO THE CHRIST — “[He will] turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared” [LUKE 1:17]. From the womb and before, John was appointed for a great ministry. His service before the Lord God would not be welcomed by all, but it would strike at the heart of all who witnessed him in his service.
What a preacher John was! It is apparent that despite the large numbers that went out to hear him, not everyone was enamoured of John’s message. Nevertheless, you may be assured that the Baptist made an impact when he spoke. Make no mistake, John was known for his preaching style that made certain those who heard him wouldn’t forget his message. His ministry didn’t last long, but it did make an impact. We’ve already noted how each of the Gospel writers took note of the Baptist’s ministry.
Plain spoken may not be a term that is forceful enough to define John’s style. Talk about failure in making friends and influencing people! He doesn’t appear to have been overly concerned about the feelings of religious leaders when they came to hear him. Norman Vincent Peale wouldn’t be impressed. Joel Osteen wouldn’t be prepared to invite John to give a pep talk at Lakewood Church. You can’t speak as pointedly as did the Baptist and still have people delighted to hear what you say.
I know from experience that not everyone appreciates naming sins in your preaching. It is one thing to preach against those terrible sins that others tolerate, but the moment you begin to speak about the genteel sins of the better class of people, there will be some suggesting that you should pack your bags and prepare for a move. I recall how one smarmy ex-preacher sidled up to me to say, “Mike, if you’ll just say what the chairman of the church wants you to say, you can have a job for life.” I immediately responded, “I’m not looking for a job; I’m looking for that place of service where the Master appoints me. And as for saying what some man wants a preacher to say, let me just say that that is why you are no longer preaching!”
I have had denominational leaders tell me that if I’d only refrain from speaking about sin I could pastor their largest churches. “Just do what we tell you, and you can go to the top.” Somehow, that doesn’t appeal to me. If God doesn’t place me, then I have no business being where the “best people” are in control. Haven’t we had enough of experts being in control? Haven’t we seen how things work out when the experts grasp the wheel? John didn’t need the leading lights from Jerusalem to tell him what to say or how to say it.
When the angel informed Zechariah that a child would be born to Elizabeth, the angel had said of the child, “He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared” [LUKE 1:16-17]. And the hearts of many were prepared for the revelation of the Messiah. To be sure, the powerful were offended in Jesus, but that appears to have been because they wanted to be the centre of their religion rather than the Lord being the focus of their worship. Nothing much has changed in this day.
As Jesus preached in the Temple, we learn that “the great throng heard Him gladly” [MARK 12:37b]. The same couldn’t be said of the self-assured and religious leaders; they felt excluded by this man who wasn’t concerned about how they felt. And John had prepared a reception for Jesus before He was revealed in Israel. John’s message had consistently pointed forward to the coming of God’s Anointed One as he proclaimed, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” [MARK 1:7-8].
John had testified, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me” [JOHN 1:15].
Then, after Jesus had come upon the scene and been revealed to be the promised Messiah, John had consistently pointed those who had believed John’s message, saying, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel” [JOHN 1:29-31].
This revelation of Jesus’ identify was made known to John when Jesus was baptised. John testifies to this when he says, “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God” [JOHN 1:32-34].
John faithfully executed the ministry which God assigned. Though that service before the Lord was far more brief than we could have ever imagined, it accomplished precisely what the Father intended that it should accomplish. And that should encourage us. God appoints us not to gain a great name, but to be faithful to fulfil what He appoints us to accomplish. The Lord seeks a people who will be faithful to know His will and then to boldly do what He has assigned us to do. During this Advent Season, perhaps it is that the Lord is calling someone, you, to faithfully serve Him. Looking at His appointment, you may imagine that it is a task too small for you. From John, we learn that no task is too small if it is given by the Lord. Serve Him. Amen.
[1] Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
