John 1:19-34 (NRSV)
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.
‘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.
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared,
“Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.”
“Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.”
32 And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.”
Please pray with me.
Dear God, Come and live in us. Set us on fire to proclaim your Kingdom in this world.
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen.
In the other Gospels -- Matthew, Mark and Luke -- we learn a lot about John the Baptist, -- that he was pointing to Jesus before he was born when he was still in Elizabeth's womb. We learn what he ate, how he dressed, and how he died.
but not so much in the Gospel of John.
Today we find John the Baptist being interrogated by priests and Levites from Jerusalem -- representatives of the Jewish authorities sent to find out who he is and by what authority is he baptizing?
“Who are you? Tell us plainly. Let us have an answer for those who sent us.
What do you say about yourself?”
What do you say about yourself?”
This is high political drama. The wrong answer could prove deadly.
John answers by saying who he isn't:
“I am not the Messiah.”
John answers by saying who he isn't:
“I am not the Messiah.”
And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
Then they said to him, “Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” You can almost hear the prosecutor demanding answers.
He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,
‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’”.
‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’”.
John is very clear about who he is and -- who he isn't.
I am not the Messiah, or Elijah, or the prophet --
I am here to clear the path -- to make way for the Lord.
To point to the Son of God.
I am here to clear the path -- to make way for the Lord.
To point to the Son of God.
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and declared,
“Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
“Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
John's purpose is to point to the Lamb of God.
Hey over here, don't miss this -- Here is the Messiah!
I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.
Look here he is! You're not going to want to miss this.
John's ministry and witness is an important lesson for us -- knowing who we are -- and who we aren't.
I am not the Messiah.
I am a follower of the Messiah.
I am a follower of the Messiah.
Maybe like John the Baptist -- we point to the Son of God.
But how often do we limit ourselves?
Do we ever sense that God is nudging us to step out in faith, only to back away from our testimony?
Our testimony may not be to use words to express our faith, but maybe to live into our faith, to point to the One we follow.
But how often do we limit ourselves?
Do we ever sense that God is nudging us to step out in faith, only to back away from our testimony?
Our testimony may not be to use words to express our faith, but maybe to live into our faith, to point to the One we follow.
A few years ago my Spiritual director suggested that I spend some time at the beach. She thought a bit of nature would be good for me -- as I had been spending most of my time indoors studying.
I drove out to mission beach and was watching the waves roll in and then recede back into the Ocean. It was very comforting.
As I watched -- a short distance from shore -- I saw a dolphin do a back flip. Really! At first I couldn't believe it, but the guy a few feet away said, "Did you see that?" We were both in awe.
This was amazing. First that it actually happened and secondly that I could actually see that far.
This was amazing. First that it actually happened and secondly that I could actually see that far.
Now I don't know how frequently this happens,
but I do know that I am rarely at the beach.
but I do know that I am rarely at the beach.
Did I use this as an opening to share how awesome God is? "Wow isn't God's creation amazing? And that we got to see this -- WOW!"
No. I just tucked this experience safely away, knowing I had just been given a gift -- touched by God.
No. I just tucked this experience safely away, knowing I had just been given a gift -- touched by God.
How often do I let these opportunities just slip away?
I had a friend Mary Eunice Oliver -- she is now deceased -- who never let an opportunity to point to Jesus pass her by. If she was on a plane, or at the Kinko's Copy counter or the mail man delivering mail or -- really everyone -- she would engage them in matters of faith. She didn't see her role as having them come to the church she attended -- but rather to point them to consider their relationship to God. During her life time, she probably touched over 150 people in a meaningful way.
Do we feel comfortable pointing to the Son of God?
Do we feel comfortable pointing to Jesus, "Hey look over here -- here is the Son of God!"
When do we feel comfortable talking about our faith?
About the Word made flesh, God Incarnate, Jesus, the Christ,
the Light of the world?
About the Word made flesh, God Incarnate, Jesus, the Christ,
the Light of the world?
Over the last few years of my training and internship, I have had the opportunity to be at many churches. Most have bible studies, but very few have created the time and space to share the faith that is theirs.
While I was here at Shepherd of the Valley, I had the privilege of hearing some of your powerful stories of faith.
Your stories are like John the Baptist pointing to the Son of God, pointing to your personal experience of God in your life.
When we share our stories of faith, what I call "God Sightings" with each other -- the whole community is strengthened.
When we are open and vulnerable and share our experiences of seeing God in our lives -- experiences that we all hold closely, we clear the path for others to speak their faith as well.
Many if not most of us have had tangible ways that God shows up in our lives, but we largely keep these experiences to ourselves -- maybe because we worry what others will think if we share them.
Many if not most of us have had tangible ways that God shows up in our lives, but we largely keep these experiences to ourselves -- maybe because we worry what others will think if we share them.
Like maybe you need a psychologist??
This is the community of faith. It is here in this place we can safely practice sharing our experiences of God -- our God Sightings.
And when we actually speak our personal experience of God alive in our lives -- we help others see God alive in their lives as well, and in the world that God loves so much that God sent his only son to live with us.
But the real value in speaking out loud our personal experiences of God in our lives in a safe environment like Shepherd of the Valley, is that when we get nudged to speak up for God, we have practiced the words, -- we have heard ourselves speak them out loud before others. The words are near to us -- they are in our heart and on our lips.
So when it comes time for us to point to the Son of God, we can say, “Look -- Here is God, you won't want to miss it!"
So when it comes time for us to point to the Son of God, we can say, “Look -- Here is God, you won't want to miss it!"
When we need to be there for someone, we know what our faith feels like and looks like and sounds like. We can readily share it because we have the words.
“Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
Tonight is New Year's Eve.
Tomorrow begins a New Year-- a fresh, clean, start.
But actually thanks to the Grace of God -- every day is a fresh start -- cleansed by Grace we begin each new day afresh.
In these turbulent times, we might be the only ones pointing to the light, to restore hope and to share God's love for his world.
In Jesus' words: I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!” John 16:33
Thanks be to God.
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