THAT GUY NAMED JOHN

I am not a fashion plate.  Far from it.  I had purged my closet right before Covid hit, fully intending to go shopping.  I am not a shopper and put it off a bit too long.  The store I liked closed.  I have tried to find another store, but have not.  I have ordered online but more items are returned than kept.  I like jeans and comfortable blouses.  I am not a fashion diva!!!

But at least I don’t live in the wilderness and wander around in clothes made of camel hair and a leather belt.  And no way am I giving up pizza for locusts and wild honey.  Who is this guy named John?

CLIFF NOTES: The daddy, Zechariah, was a priest doing a really important job when out of nowhere, Gabriel appears.  The angel tells Zechariah that he and Elizabeth are going to have a baby.  Zechariah questioned the angel.  That was a mistake.  Gabriel took offense and made him so he couldn’t talk.  Sure enough, nine months later a bouncing baby boy was born.  Oh, did I tell you that they were both elderly?

A baby boy is born and much to everyone’s surprise, Zechariah speaks and says to name him John.  Zechariah made up for lost time and extols about his son.

“And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

And the child grew and became strong in spirit; he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.”

Luke 1:76-80

John did grow up and he began to baptize people.  This drew the attention of the Jewish leaders, who questioned him.

“Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was.  He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”

They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”

He said, “I am not.”

“Are you the Prophet?”

He answered, “No.”

Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us.  What do you say about yourself?”

John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ ”

Now the Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

“I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know.  He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.””

John 1:19-27

Hopefully, you know the story of John the Baptist.  If not, read it.  It is a story of a baby born with a purpose.  John was to prepare the way for Jesus.  He was to tell people that sins could be forgiven.  That a new life could begin so that eternal life could be achieved.  He offered hope as he spread the news of the one coming.

John had a purpose.  He baptized Jesus.

John had a purpose, but so does each of us.  We are all called to spread the news.  We are all called to tell people that there is a man named Jesus.  That Jesus can forgive their sins and offer them salvation.  That through Jesus, God’s tender mercy will shine light in our darkness.  And this light will guide us to the path of peace.

We can offer people the way to find peace and eternal life.  We have a purpose!!  We are not here just to go from day to day.  We have a purpose!!

John had a purpose.  He prepared the way and baptized Jesus.  We have a purpose.  We are to prepare the way so others will be baptized in Jesus’ name.