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Today's Little Lift
by Jim Bullington
John the Immerser – The Harbinger of Messiah (2 of 5)
Focus Text: Luke 1.67-76
“But when he [John] saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, ‘Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father.” For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.’” (Matthew 3.7-10).
John was busy – very busy. From all indications of the scriptures, there was plenty of interest in what he was doing. In fact, Matthew states that “…Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him.” (Matthew 3.5). Of course this does not mean that every single individual in each of these regions went out to him but it does mean that huge groups of people from each area mentioned were moved to investigate his preaching and teaching. So there was no need to create interest on the part of John; there was plenty already.
John knew his mission. He was not here upon the earth to gather great numbers of disciples or to build a mega-church. He had no illusions as to his importance as compared to the greater mission to which he had been called. This clarity of purpose and focus was one of the factors that enabled John to be his own man and to call things just as they were! It was this concentration on the essential that motivated him to speak so directly and candidly to the Pharisees and Sadducees who came out to hear him. How easy it would have been to lose sight of one’s purpose and to find a way to embrace the impenitent crowds who were curious as to his purposes! Yet, this was not even a consideration in the mind of John; he knew his purpose and he knew the essentials!
Whatever John did, an essential of his work was to call sinners to repentance. It would make no difference how big the crowds were had he deferred to their wishes and forgotten God’s. His purpose was to prepare a people for the coming Messiah and repentance was an essential to this preparation. John did not decide the role of repentance; God did. Hence, John could not decide to dispense with this somewhat repulsive requirement. John did not impose the requirement and John could not dispose of the requirement! A basic rule of authority and respect says that only he who has the right to impose a requirement has the authority to dispose of a requirement. John knew the source of his authority and he respected that “chain of command.”
We would do well to imitate John in this regards. Even if a requirement of God turns people off or prevents the crowds from following, we have no right to remove the requirement. God has called each and every person to a role upon this earth and that role is to glorify Him. Whatever we do, whenever we do it, wherever we do it, however we do it – God is to be honored and hence glorified. It is impossible to glorify God and ignore this essential of ministry to which each person has been called. John knew that lesson and we ought to follow in his steps. There simply is no substitute for humble obedience!
Questions:
1. How significant was John’s work in the eyes of the Jewish community around Jerusalem?
2. What was lacking in the hearts of the Pharisees and Sadducees who came out to John’s baptism? How did John react to that fact?
3. What is the common purpose to which all human beings have been called?
4. Is it possible to honor God by disobedience? Why or why not? Can you think of illustrations where people claim to honor God while ignoring His expressed will?
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