DECEMBER 17th, 2023 PASTOR DON PIEPER
The Return Of Elijah John 1:29-39a/Luke 7:18-22
“POINTING TO JESUS”
One thing that stands out about the Advent/Christmas season is it's one of the only times, if not the only time, that we talk about Jesus as a child and what it was like for Mary and Joseph. This year, we've been talking about his cous', John the Baptist, and what John said and did as an adult, but what about his childhood? What do you suppose he was like?
I found some cartoon quips that explore that theme. One has the caption, “John the Baptist as
a kid”. It shows a parrot and dog, looking a bit disheveled, with John holding a saturated cat above a bucket of water, as his Mom calls out: “Honey, for the last time – stop doing that to the pets!”
Another features little John's father, standing in front of him with his hands on his hips, angrily scolding his young son: “Johnny, either quit dunking the other kids or get out of the water!” Below,
it reads: “Before he cried out in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way of the Lord,' he cried, 'Sorry Dad!'
Maybe not, but who knows? As it turns out, that's a question people seem to ask anew these days: Who knows? With claims of fake news and doctored photos, who knows? People in John's day were asking that question. John sought to help people answer that question by talking about the messianic figure they longed to see restore God's kingdom, and urging them to get ready.
Late in his ministry, his message takes a sudden turn. He abruptly shifts from talking about the coming Messiah, to pointing to him. “One day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 'Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one I was talking about!”
(John 1:29-30)
It's so significant a message that he repeats the statement the following day. The repetition of a statement in the gospels is often a way of suggesting that it's both important and that it was something that was said repeatedly. The repetition of John's core message about preparing the way of the Lord is another such statement. John must've preached on that theme numerous times. But there's another statement he repeatedly makes that's a bit surprising: “I didn't recognize him as the Messiah.” (John 1:31)
Then he says it again: “I didn't know he was the one...” (John 1:33) Then later, we hear him saying it yet again, only now its stated not as a precursor to his realizing Jesus was the one, but after it had already been revealed to him: “John the Baptist's sent two of his disciples to Jesus to ask him, 'Are you the Messiah....or should we be looking for someone else?'” (Luke 7:19)
It's not what we expect to hear from John, at this point. It doesn't fit it snugly with the kind of testimonies were use to hearing, either! Actually, I'm thankful Luke takes a chance by sharing it. John will not be the last believer to hit hard times, or experience a season of disillusion, and then and wonder anew: Who knows? Maybe what I experienced in the past wasn't as real as I thought.
Ever been there? Ever talk to someone who has? What do you do when you hit a wall in life and wonder if what you once believed still holds weight. So it was for John. He'd been imprisoned for months. His former crowd had dwindled. He wondered if he shouldn't look elsewhere for hope, for connection, for meaning. What happens when we look elsewhere for such things?
In celebration of Recovery Sunday, let's hear from Chris/Jody....
– CHRIS/JODY PRICE TESTIMONY -
-2-
Thanks Chris/Jody for sharing with us. That was courageous – and powerful! Thank you!
Interesting isn't it that Chris/Jody was raised in the faith, believing that Jesus was the Lamb of God, just as John the Baptist had declared. But at one point, Chris'/Jody's life also hit a wall, but not just of concrete, but alcohol and drugs.
At one point, John began to specifically point to Jesus as the source of strength and hope that he knew he and everyone on the planet needed to overcome the doubts and denials and dungeons of life.
He knew that the Messiah to come was the only one who could truly, eternally set us free from the plight of our limited sight as sinful human beings. That's why John identified Jesus as “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) That's the best thing we can do for those around us struggling with limited sight caused by the walls around and within them. It's the kindest thing we can do for friends who as yet don't recognize him. Like John, we can point them to Jesus!
And for those of us, who find ourselves, even now struggling in some way, we are encouraged to think of those like Chris/Jody who have been healed from the hurt within or been raised to new life, recalling that that is precisely the witness Jesus sent John's friends back to tell him: “Tell him what you have seen and heard – the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor!”
Jesus is saying in effect, that's why I came! That's what the prophets told you I would do! That's why you need look no further! Chris/Jody has basically given witness to the same. In Chris/Jody, and those like him/her, we have now seen and heard - the blind man sees, the imprisoned are set free and the dead are raised to life! And all the people of God said, “Amen!”