Why John The Baptist?

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

The Gospel, for the third Sunday of Advent, is an interesting read.  At first you think it is about John the baptist.  And it is!  But the meat of the passage is cut out.  We have to wait until Christmas morning to hear that part.  

Although, you are free to read the missing verse any time you like.  They tell a most extraordinarily revealing truth!  A truth about Jesus!

But I digress!   John is the same John who leaped in Elizabeth’s womb when Mary came to visit after conceiving Jesus.  

John had a God given purpose!  To tell the world about the coming of the promise Messiah.  

The powers that be are trying to shut John up.  Or maybe just put him in his place.  They want to know why he is there doing what he is doing. Saying what he is saying!  What right-does-he-have to be drawing the crowds to listen to his call to repentance?  Who gave him permission?  That is, by what authority?

This courtroom interrogation, of who and what John is, is quite interesting.  It reminds me of the same kind of modern discussions human minds have about God.  Those religious leader had an agenda.  They were, after all, the religious authority of the day.  And John was saying and announcing things that they had not approved of. He did not fit the mold of someone sent by God.

 How many of us do?  

John would not be put into one of their well defined boxes.  And, he would not be silence!

His answer?  “I am the voice” he tells them.  I came  as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.… 

He is in this world to testify to the one who is to come.  Actually the one who is already among them waiting to have His own voice.  John makes it clear that he is not the one who is to come.  Just the one who speaks before Jesus voice is heard.  

Now why would knowing about John be of interest to Christians today?  You might be tempted to say: nothing!  However, I want you to think about our main purpose as God’s people today.  First of all we are to love God with our entire being — heart, soul and mind.  Secondly we are to testify, tell others, what we believe about Jesus.  

Right?

Now!  It is true that John was apparently a pretty weird kind of guy. He dressed in strange clothing and ate strange things.  One could be tempted to see him as kind-of-crazy.  Or even a loose cannon!  He was not at all the model of gentleness and warmth.  (See Matthew 3:1-12)

Despite all of that, there is a good lesson to be learned about how John did that testifying.  He did not go along with the accepted Jewish teaching, and understanding, of God and God ways.  He was more like Jesus!  In that he had a mind of his own to think and believe.  He talked about what he somehow knew on his own.  I am thinking that he, like Zechariah, Mary and Joseph before him, must have had some angel intervention as to his specific purpose and what he was to do and say. 

I like John because he wouldn’t be forced to fit their mold.  He was not going to be manipulated into someone he  was not.

So very cool! 

All we can do as those who believe, this unbelievable story,  is tell people what we believe.  

They have no authority to  judge us!  

Neither can we judge them!

Leave the all-knowing-would-be-authorities to their delusions!  Their delusions of being right.  

None of us are worthy to untie the thongs of his sandal.  

We are blessed if we know that!

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.… 19 This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" 20 He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, "I am not the Messiah." 21 And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" He answered, "No." 22 Then they said to him, "Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" 23 He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, "Make straight the way of the Lord,' " as the prophet Isaiah said. 24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25 They asked him, "Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?" 26 John answered them, "I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, 27 the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal." 28 This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.(John 1:6-28)