Before you read any further, take a
time-out and answer these questions a few different ways: “Who are you?” and “Who aren’t you?”
John the Baptist was
different. Everybody in Israel knew
it. People came from all over into the
middle of nowhere to hear what he had to say and be baptized by him. Baptism was a strange thing for Jewish people
to be doing. Baptism was used in the
process of converting people to Judaism; they confessed their sins, went under
the water, and came back up washed clean from their impurity. He was so different that the church leaders
came out to see and hear for themselves what was going on so they could approve
or disapprove of what he was doing.
When the priests and Levites talked
to John they wanted to know one thing: “Who are you?” Why this question? Because embedded in the answer is the reason
for everything he does and says. Think
about your answers to the question “Who are you?” Is it possible to find the reasons for what
you do in your life from those answers?
Consider your answers regarding who you aren’t: do they reveal something
of your life also? The answers to those
two questions are observable in your behavior every day.
People will be drawn by our
behavior and ask us who we are, if we are living our lives as Christians in the
way that God wants us to. Think about
who it was that questioned John. Do you
think that it was intimidating for him to go up against priests and Levites? In Jewish culture priests and Levites from
Jerusalem are the equivalent for us being questioned by the FBI. When somebody questions you about your faith
it is most likely not going to be comfortable or easy; it may even cost you
friends and social standing, or whatever form your own version of wearing camel
hair in the desert would be.
As a Christian you will also be
subjected to a number of stereotypes. Name
some of those stereotypes before you go any further. John experienced this too. Each time the priests asked him if he was
somebody specific they had a set image of what John would be like in their
minds if he said yes. You have to be
ready to answer those people honestly about whatever they are accusing you of. The Bible says to be transformed by the
renewing our minds (Romans 12:2), and a very meaningful and necessary way to do
that is by being able to answer those who question your faith. You will be able to show them exactly what
you are NOT.
Because John had the ability to
show the priests and Levites exactly what he was NOT, he baffled all of their
preconceived notions. This left the door
open for him to explain exactly who he WAS.
He claimed that he was the voice from Isaiah 40:3 that cried, “In the
wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway
for our God.” John living out his
relationship with God the Father gave him his life’s purpose. God showed him who he was, who he wasn’t, what
he was supposed to be doing with his life.
If you would do the same, God will give you those same things. Trust Him and talk to Him REGULARLY and you
will hear his voice.
Keep in mind that John kept doing
the last thing that God told him to do until he heard differently. He baptized saying “Christ is coming, but I
don’t know who he is.” After he met
Jesus, John’s ministry changed to pointing people, even his own disciples,
toward Jesus. In the end our ultimate
mission will be the same as John’s. So
what is it in who you ARE, who you AREN’T, and what you DO that is pointing
others to Jesus? Or maybe there isn’t
anything about your life pointing towards Jesus, and that is why you don’t have
anybody coming out to see why you are different from them. Go out every day and prepare a way in the
wilderness of this world for the Lord, starting with the one in your own heart
and then moving on to someone else’s.
No comments:
Post a Comment