Tawa Baptist

Devotion

Scripture: John 12:1-11

Video Links: https://youtu.be/8W_gVTSJsas

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Self-giving acts of devotion
  • Self-serving acts of deceit
  • Lenten devotion
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Who can tell me what was special about last Wednesday? [Wait]

That’s right, it was Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.

Lent is an old fashioned word which literally means ‘lengthening’, as in the lengthening of days. In the northern hemisphere Lent happens in spring as the days lengthen. It’s the opposite for us in the southern hemisphere. The days shorten during Lent.   

Irrespective of where you live in the world, Lent is the 40 days (not including Sundays) preceding Easter. Lent is not something we find in the Bible. It’s a Christian tradition passed down through the centuries. During Lent Christians remember the events leading up to and including Jesus’ suffering and death.

Remembering Jesus’ suffering isn’t just something we do in our head. Many Christians identify with Jesus in a tangible way by carrying out self-giving acts of devotion. Acts of devotion typically include praying, fasting and giving, in order to draw closer to Jesus.

Today we begin a new sermon series, for Lent, which explores some of the events in the week leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion. Our Bible reading this morning focuses on the gospel of John, chapter 12, verses 1-11.

In this passage we see both beauty and ugliness. From John 12, verse 1, we read…

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honour. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pintof pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you,but you will not always have me.”

9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

As I mentioned earlier, today’s reading reveals some beauty and some ugliness. The beauty is front and centre in the form of self-giving acts of devotion. While the ugliness lurks in the shadows in the form of self-serving acts of deceit. First let us consider the beauty of devotion.   

Self-giving acts of devotion:

The first self-giving act of devotion we notice is Jesus’ act of coming to Jerusalem for the Passover. In the context this was a brave thing to do.

At the end of John 11, after Jesus has raised Lazarus from the dead, we read how the chief priests and Pharisees said that if anyone found Jesus, they should report his whereabouts so they could arrest him. Jesus was essentially an outlaw, wanted by the authorities.

Jesus came to Bethany knowing the end was near for him. Knowing he would soon be giving his life as a ransom for many. Jesus did this as an act of self-giving devotion to God. 

But Jesus isn’t the only one who is brave. When Jesus arrives in Bethany, his friends defy the religious authorities by throwing a party in Jesus’ honour.

Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.

You know, self-giving acts of devotion come in many forms. Martha’s act of self-giving devotion was providing hospitality for Jesus.

You may recall how Martha got a bit upset, in Luke chapter 10, when she was catering for Jesus and his disciples and Mary wasn’t helping. Mary was listening at Jesus’ feet. Jesus defended Mary and gently corrected Martha on that occasion.

From this we may draw the false conclusion that for devotion to be true it must involve sitting in a room by yourself praying and reading the Bible. While that is one very valid form of devotion, so is doing the dishes, when those dishes are washed with a heart full of love for God.

Now in John 12, sometime after the Luke 10 incident, there is no bitterness or resentment from Martha. She serves quietly, without complaint. Her devotion is practical and behind the scenes. Jesus has given Martha her brother back and she is thankful, happy to serve.        

Verse 2 of John 12 sheds some light on another form of devotion. We read that Lazarus reclined at the table with Jesus. In that culture tables were low to the ground and there were no chairs, just cushions. People lay on their side with their head near the table, relaxing while they ate.

Reclining might not sound like much. In fact, it may sound lazy. But, in the context, it paints a picture of the devotion of companionship.

Companionship is a word that literally means to share bread with. But in contemporary English a companion is a friend, someone whose company you enjoy. Someone who spends time with you and removes the sting of loneliness.

So often, when I read the gospels, I’m struck by the loneliness that Jesus must have felt. Yes, he had a pretty amazing communion with God but, at the same time, he was continually misunderstood by the religious leaders, by the crowds and even by his own disciples.

Lazarus offered Jesus the gift of companionship. He was a friend to Jesus. Someone Jesus could hang out with, without being drained.

During certain stages of life, we may find the pressures of family and work force us to be a Martha, always serving. That’s okay but perhaps we also need to listen to that deeper longing in our soul to be a Lazarus. To take time to slow down and recline with Jesus in comfortable conversation or easy silence.   

And so we come to Mary’s self-giving act of devotion. Verse 3 reads…

Then Mary took about a pintof pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

If Martha’s love language is acts of service and Lazarus’ love language is quality time, then Mary’s seems to be gift giving and touch.

Mary’s act of devotion was wholehearted. She was loving Jesus with her whole being, no half measures. She used the full pint of nard on Jesus, total commitment.

Mary’s act of devotion was extravagant. The perfume cost a year’s wages, for a labourer, but love doesn’t count the cost. It is the instinct of love to give and keep giving.  

There is a line in the hymn, ‘When I survey the wondrous cross’, where we sing: Were the whole realm of nature mine, it would be an offering far too small. Mary gives Jesus the most precious thing she owns and yet it still doesn’t feel like enough.

Mary’s act of devotion was courageous. Respectable Jewish women in the first century did not let down their hair in public. It was considered inappropriate. But Mary isn’t concerned with what other people think. Her eyes are only on Jesus.

Mary’s act of devotion was tender. Not only does Mary let down her hair, she even uses her hair to wipe Jesus’ feet. This means touching him in a good way, in a kind and gentle way. What a contrast to the abuse Jesus’ body would suffer just a few days later. Mary gave Jesus the gift of tenderness going into the hardest week of his life.

Mary’s act of devotion was humble, not presumptuous. She anointed Jesus’ feet and in that culture touching feet was a bit like cleaning toilets. This shows the value Mary placed on Jesus. Even his feet (the lowest part of Jesus’ body) deserved the best.

I am reminded of Ruth uncovering Boaz’ feet by the threshing floor. Ruth is known for her loyalty. Is Mary pledging her loyal love to Jesus here?

Mary’s act of devotion was timely. Jesus was soon going to die. On some level, Mary senses that she only has a small window of opportunity to do something special for Jesus. She sees the Kairos moment and gives expression to her love while she can.

If the last few years have taught us anything it is that none of us knows what tomorrow holds. Don’t leave the important stuff undone. Express your love, in a right way, before it is too late. Love, when it is not expressed well (or not expressed at all), turns to pain, a kind of smoldering coal in your chest. 

Mary’s act of devotion blessed everyone. The whole house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. This is instructive for us. Acts of self-giving devotion bless everyone in the house. The closer we are to Jesus, the more we love him, the more everyone around us benefits.  

Mary’s act of devotion was symbolic, it was meaningful.  She was anointing Jesus’ body for burial ahead of time. Whether Mary was aware of this fact or not, we don’t know. What we can say is that Mary’s costly act of self-giving devotion points to Jesus’ costly sacrifice on the cross. 

Mary’s act of pouring expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet is a parable for God pouring his love and grace on the best and worst of humanity.

The beauty of Martha, Lazarus and Mary’s self-giving acts of devotion for Jesus, paint a picture of what John means by eternal life. They give us a glimpse of intimacy with God, the kind of intimacy that can be ours in and through Jesus.

Self-serving acts of deceit:

But, as Bono says, ‘darkness gathers around the light’. Lurking in the shadows are some self-serving acts of deceit.

In verses 4 – 6 we read…

4 But one of Jesus’ disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

Judas’ greed and deceit stand in stark contrast to Mary’s authentic generosity and genuine love.

A point of application for us. When you are criticized for doing something good (for acting with self-giving love), then try to remember the criticism is not about you. It might be directed at you but really the criticism reveals more about the one doing the criticizing than it does about you.

Likewise, if you find yourself criticizing someone else unfairly, then take a moment to reflect. The criticism you are making is probably coming from your own shadow.  Your shadow is that part of yourself that you cannot see.

Judas’ criticism is coming from his shadow. Love of money has blinded him. Judas cannot see the goodness in Mary’s act of devotion, nor the worthiness of Jesus in receiving such an outpouring of love. Judas isn’t just criticizing Mary; he is devaluing Jesus as well. Judas’ words reveal something pretty ugly.

Notice though Jesus’ self-giving act of devotion for Judas. Jesus, the prophet who sees into people’s hearts, knows that Judas is a thief and yet he does not expose Judas to shame.

But he does defend Mary’s actions. In verse 7 Jesus says…

7 “Leave her alone. It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial…”

Jesus is a master at saying a lot with few words. Firstly, Jesus protects Mary. More than that, Jesus interprets Mary’s self-giving act of devotion through the lens of his pending death. In doing this, Jesus draws out the eternal significance in what Mary has done.

Then Jesus goes on to say in verse 8…

8 You will always have the poor among you,but you will not always have me.”

Jesus is quoting from Deuteronomy 15, where Moses says there will always be poor people in the land and you should help them whenever you can.

At the same time, in a very private and gentle way, Jesus is calling Judas out on his hypocrisy. Jesus is effectively saying to Judas that if he really cared about the poor he wouldn’t be stealing from the common purse.

But Jesus is also intimating that he will be killed soon. The words, you will not always have me, validate the timing of Mary’s act of devotion, for Jesus is a wanted man.

The chief priests’ self-serving act of deceit makes Judas look like an amateur. Not only were the chief priests plotting to kill Jesus, they also wanted to kill Lazarus whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Killing Lazarus would be like destroying the evidence.

Perhaps they figured, even after we kill Jesus people will still remember him. But if we get rid of Lazarus, then we can erase people’s memory of what Jesus did and rewrite history to suit ourselves.

But the chief priests’ self-serving act of deceit failed. The memory of Jesus’ self-giving love, which conquers fear and death, has not been erased in 2,000 years.

Lenten Devotion:

We started this message talking about how people draw close to Jesus during Lent through prayer, fasting and giving. The thing is, prayer, fasting and giving don’t have any power in themselves to bring you close to Jesus. The chief priests prayed and fasted and gave to the poor and yet they couldn’t have been further from Jesus. 

It is the spirit in which you pray, fast and give that creates the connection. Prayer, fasting and giving are merely tools of devotion. You can use the tools to build a wall or you can use them to dig a well.

You can use the tools to guard against your own insecurity (like the religious leaders did) or you can use them to give yourself to God and his purpose in the world (like Mary, Martha & Lazarus did).

If, for example, you choose to give up chocolate or coffee for Lent, then you do well to ask yourself, why? Am I doing this with mixed motives; perhaps to lose weight or appease my own guilt? Or, does my fasting serve a more noble purpose; like standing in solidarity with the poor and saying, ‘I love you Jesus’.

If not drinking coffee makes you grumpy with the people you live with, then you are better not to give it up. But if you can keep your temper and donate the money you save to a worthy cause, then you are using the tools of fasting and giving to dig a well from which others can drink.

And, if the loss of comfort you feel in fasting puts you in touch with Jesus’ experience in some small way, then your act of devotion has strengthened your connection with Christ.

Another practical thing you can do for Lent is reducing your TV watching. Then the question becomes, what will I do with my spare time? If you give the time to spiritual reading, then you dig a well to refresh your own soul, making yourself better equipped to refresh others.

Or you could volunteer some of your free time to help someone in need or spend a few hours a week picking up rubbish in your neighbourhood. In this way, you are loving your neighbours and identifying with Jesus who gave himself to help us and clean up our mess.

Conclusion:      

Whatever you choose to do for lent, you need be honest with yourself. Self-serving acts of deceit will pass away but self-giving acts of devotion, done in the name of Jesus, will shine forever.

In 1st Corinthians 15, the apostle Paul writes, …stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.

Or said another way, be sure that nothing you do for Jesus is ever lost or wasted. Whatever you do for Christ, in love and honesty, no matter how large or small, becomes indestructible, eternal.

You might lose your job, your business, your car, your home, your money, your hair, your youth, your beauty, your health, your memory and many other things beside. But every act of self-giving love and devotion you carry out in the name of Jesus is preserved forever in the kingdom of heaven, where flood and earthquake, rust and moth, inflation and thieves cannot rob or destroy.

O that we could keep that eternal perspective in mind and not be overwhelmed by the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune that we suffer in this world.  God is love and love is everlasting.

One question remains: How do you express your love for Jesus?

May the love of God fill you, the peace of Christ keep you, and the companionship of the Holy Spirit give you courage. Amen.  

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • What do you plan to do during Lent to draw close to Jesus? What acts of devotion have you found helpful in the past? What hasn’t worked so well for you?
  • Discuss / reflect on the various forms of self-giving devotion performed by Jesus, Martha, Lazarus and Mary in Luke 12:1-11. Which of these are you most naturally drawn to?
  • How might we deal with unfair criticism? How might we know when other people’s criticism of us is really more about them than it is about us?
  • Why did the religious leaders want to kill Jesus? Why did they want to kill Lazarus?
  • How much of your time and energy do you invest in self-giving acts of devotion for Christ? 
  • How do you express your love for Jesus?  
Tawa Baptist

John’s Expectations

Scripture: Luke 7:18-30

Video Link: https://youtu.be/1aD988jAIZY

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Luke 7:18-20
  • Luke 7:21-23
  • Luke 7:24-30
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Expectations. They are like balloons; buoyant, fun, uplifting, but also vulnerable. They can be stolen by the wind (and drift across America) or burst on the sharp edges of reality. Even if you manage to keep hold of the balloon of your expectations though, it will inevitably become deflated.   

Expectations are also like bread baking in the oven. It has a pleasant aroma which fills the house, triggering memory and hunger, drawing people together, in anticipation of a good feed. But, like bread, expectations have a tendency to go stale.

Today we conclude our series on John the Baptist by considering John’s expectations. From Luke chapter 7, verse 18, we read…

18 John’s disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, 19 he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’”

21 At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosyare cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 23 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

24 After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 25 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.  27 This is the one about whom it is written: “‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ 28 I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

29 (All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

Luke 7:18-20

Did you feel the earthquake last Wednesday night? It was about 6.2 or 6.3 in magnitude, located 81 km’s north of Wellington in the Tasman Sea. In Wellington we live with this ambient expectation of an earthquake most of the time. Mindful of the damage caused on the east coast by the recent cyclone, we are thankful the earthquake on the west coast didn’t do any harm.

Expectations are a bit like fault lines. Just as we get an earthquake when two tectonic plates bump up against each other, so too we get a disturbance deep in our soul when our expectations bump up against reality. The stronger the expectation the bigger the magnitude of shock if that expectation is not met.

By the time we get to Luke 7, John the Baptist is in prison. This was hardly unexpected. John was smart enough to realise that if you criticise powerful people (as he had criticised Herod) they are going to make life difficult for you.

For John, the fault line created by unmet expectations did not come from Herod, it came from Jesus. Jesus’ ministry had not unfolded in the way John the Baptist had expected.

When there is a gap between our expectations and the reality we experience, that creates uncertainty. John did not doubt that Jesus was from God but when he heard what Jesus was doing it may have caused him to doubt himself; did I get it right in thinking Jesus is the Messiah? 

You see, John had preached that the Messiah would bring God’s fiery judgement, to destroy the wicked, but Jesus seemed to be doing the opposite. Jesus was actually healing people and bringing God’s mercy. Jesus even helped a Roman centurion, the last person you would expect to benefit from the Messiah’s work.

What’s more, Jesus’ approach was completely different from John’s approach. Yes, they had the same objective; to bring people back to God. But they went about achieving that objective in a totally different way. John abstained from drinking alcohol. He lived in the wilderness and fasted, while Jesus went to parties in town and was accused of being a glutton and a drunkard.

Jesus was not behaving in the way John expected the Messiah to behave. So, John sent two of his own disciples to ask Jesus if he was the one who is to come or should we expect someone else?

Before we consider how Jesus responds to John, let’s pause for a moment to think about what John is doing here.

Sending two disciples was significant. It takes at least two witnesses to agree for the truth to be established. Sending two witnesses was almost like putting Jesus under oath. The question and the answer is important to John.

And it is little wonder. John has given his whole life to one purpose: telling people to repent and be baptised because the Messiah is coming to judge the living and the dead. 

John doesn’t have a wife or any family or even a home to return to. John has put all his eggs in one basket. He has no safety net. He has no back up plan. John needs to know that his life has not been in vain. He needs to know that the message he has poured his heart and soul into is true. That he backed the right horse (or the right Messiah in this case).

We human beings can suffer a great deal if we know why, if we understand the meaning in our sacrifice. Jesus is John’s why. John is not relying on himself. He is looking to Jesus for meaning in his suffering.

At some point in your journey of faith, God will disappoint your expectations. There will come a day (if it hasn’t come already) when it feels like Jesus has pulled the rug out from under your feet. It is never fair. The expectation created by the lovely aroma of freshly baking bread can turn stale overnight.

It happened for Job, when he lost everything. It happened for Jonah when he preached to Nineveh. It happened for Joseph when he was sold into slavery. It happened for Mary & Martha, when Lazarus died. It happened for the disciples when Jesus went to the cross. It happened for the early church who were persecuted for their faith. It’s probably happening right now for believers in the Hawke’s Bay and Syria and Turkey and the Ukraine.  

Disappointment with God can happen when a marriage fails, or when a loved one becomes ill and dies. It can happen when your dreams and goals are turned to ash. It can happen in an instant or over a prolonged period. It can happen once or it can happen multiple times.

Though he slay me, yet I will hope in him. (Job 13:15).

John does not quit God when Jesus upsets John’s expectations. No. John takes his question to Jesus. He enters into a conversation with the Lord. And that is the key.

When God does not meet your expectations, don’t give him the silent treatment. Give him a piece of your mind, in a respectful way. Be honest with him. Tell him what you are thinking and feeling. Ask him what you need to know.

You might not get the answer you want but (if you are listening) God will probably give you some perspective. The important thing is to stay in the conversation with him. Do not close yourself off from God. That would be like holding your breath, it would be madness.     

Okay, so John takes his question to Jesus. He basically asks if Jesus is the Messiah. How then does Jesus respond?

Luke 7:21-23

Expectations can be a bit like movies. When you go to watch a movie you escape reality for a couple of hours. The storyline of the movie normally involves the hero overcoming great odds to achieve their goal and live happily ever after.

Movies tend to create unrealistic expectations because they edit out the boring bits of life and usually have a neat and tidy ending. Then you go back to real life, which is mostly hard work and frustration with no neat and tidy endings, and you can’t wait to escape back to the movies again. 

Jesus doesn’t make a movie. He doesn’t create any false expectations for John or anyone else. Jesus simply states the facts, saying…

The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosyare cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.

These words of Jesus are, in fact, a collage of quotes from the prophet Isaiah. But they are not just random quotes. They are words that Isaiah wrote in relation of the Messiah. John would have known this. It’s like Jesus is saying: ‘I am doing exactly what Isaiah said the Christ would do. You do the math’.

Jesus doesn’t say directly to John, ‘Yes, I am the Messiah. You just have to blindly trust me’. No. Nor does Jesus send John to the movies. Jesus offers John hard evidence from real life and from the Scriptures.

None of this results in a happy ending for John. None of this gets John out of prison. Jesus does not save John from Herod’s executioner. As far as we know, Jesus doesn’t even visit John or send him a care package. John still suffers great injustice at the hand of Herod’s household. This is not a movie. This is real life.

But John can take comfort in the fact that he was right to identify Jesus as God’s Messiah. John does not need to doubt himself, much less Jesus. John’s sacrifice was not in vain. His life had the highest meaning and purpose. Jesus gave John the ‘why’ he needed to deal with his uncertainty and pain.

Some of you may be wondering, if John’s expectations were not quite right about the Messiah, does that mean we can disregard what John said about the coming judgement and the need for repentance?

Well, no. Just because God’s judgement did not come as quickly as John expected doesn’t mean that it’s not coming. There is still going to be a day of judgement at the end of time. And repentance still goes hand in hand with forgiveness.

One of the functions of judgement is to separate the wheat from the chaff, the good from the bad. What we notice when we look at the ministry of Jesus is that he sifted pretty much everyone he met. Jesus did not come to condemn or destroy people. Nevertheless, his very presence divided people.

There is no sitting on the fence with Jesus. You are either for him or against him but, once you encounter Christ, you cannot ignore him. Each of us must decide how we will respond to Jesus. We either accept him as Saviour and Lord or we don’t. Those who receive Jesus, receive God’s mercy. Those who don’t receive Jesus, can expect God’s justice.  

Luke 7:24-30

I have compared expectations to balloons, to fault lines, to the aroma of freshly baked bread and to the movies. We might also think of expectations like the pendulum of a clock. Expectations swing both ways; they can be high or low, positive or negative.

Expectations can also have a hypnotic affect. Stare at them too long and they will put you in a trance, leading you down the path of fantasy and illusion.

Once John’s disciples have left, Jesus begins to speak to the crowd about John. In doing this Jesus is getting the people to consider their own expectations. Jesus does not want the people to fall into a trance or be misled. From verse 24 Jesus says…

“What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 25 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.’      

To contrast John with ‘a reed swayed by the wind’ is a poetic way of saying that John was not a voice echoing public opinion. Likewise, to contrast John with a palace official ‘dressed in fine clothes’ is a way of saying that John was not a spokesman for the rich and powerful.

Rather, John was a prophet. He was a spokesman for God and as God’s spokesman he did not compromise his message. He was not interested in scratching the itching ears of his audience by telling people what they wanted to hear. John gave God’s message straight up; no spin, no hidden agenda.  

It seems to me that Jesus is trying to bridge a gap in people’s understanding. He is helping people to make the logical connection. Given that John the Baptist is a prophet from God, it logically follows that to accept John’s message is to agree with God. But to reject John’s message is to call God a liar.

Luke spells out the connection Jesus is wanting people to make in verses 29-30, where he says…

29 (All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)

Once again this goes against the grain of our expectations. We would ordinarily expect the religious leaders to model the right example and accept God’s purpose by repenting and being baptised. But they don’t.

In a bizarre reversal of expectations, the non-religious people (including the really bad people like tax collectors) are able to recognise John as God’s prophet and they flock to him in their thousands.

Jesus and John may have had very different approaches to ministry but they both had the same goal: to reach out to people and bring them closer to God. John used the stick of God’s judgement, while Jesus used the carrot of God’s mercy. Different approaches, same result. People turned to God.  

This is in contrast to the religious leaders who were more aloof and did not help people come to God. Jesus and John did not dance to the religious leaders’ tune and so (like spoilt brats) the religious leaders refused to play with them.

Now, it’s tempting for you (in the congregation) to sit there thinking to yourself, ‘Well, lucky I’m not a religious leader, like our pastor Will. Man is he going to be in trouble when Jesus comes back’. (Maybe, but I hope not.)

Here’s the thing. Being a religious leader is not the problem. Being self-righteous is the problem. Anyone can be self-righteous. You don’t need to be a religious leader for that. So the thing to avoid is self-righteousness.

To be self-righteous is to live as if you don’t need God. A self-righteous person expects to be able to do what is right without God’s help. And if they do make a mistake they think they can make things right without God.

The unfortunate thing about self-righteousness is that it hides in our shadow, where we can’t see it. So when we are being self-righteous we are blind to it. We don’t realise it. It’s like we are in a trance, being misled by the illusion of our own expectations. Pretty much all of us have a bit of religious leader in us.

John’s question of Jesus shows that he was not self-righteous. It takes real humility to acknowledge what you don’t know and to ask for help.

In verse 28 Jesus has this to say about John…

28 I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

I’m not sure I fully understand Jesus’ words here. Most of the experts I read on this passage say it has to do with two different epochs of history. John belongs to the old age and Jesus to the new. So maybe it’s like we stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us. We stand on John’s shoulders.

Leon Morris puts it this way: the least in the kingdom is greater [than John], not because of any personal qualities he may have, but because he belongs to the time of fulfilment. [1]

The message seems to be: we are lucky to live at a time in history when Jesus has fulfilled the law on our behalf. This means, for example, that we no longer need to keep sacrificing animals or performing other rituals to make ourselves right with God. We can be right with God by accepting Jesus.  

Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, we enjoy privileges that people before the time of Christ did not. Of course, with privilege comes responsibility. 

Conclusion:

What are your expectations of Jesus?

Do you expect judgement or mercy when Christ returns?

Do you expect to carry on as you are or do you need to make some changes?  

Do you expect to escape pain and uncertainty in this life? Or do you expect to receive the strength to face whatever the day may bring?

Do you expect Jesus to behave in a certain way or are you prepared to let God be God?

Let us pray…

Heavenly Father, the events of recent times have left us not knowing what to expect. Give us strength and wisdom to follow Jesus through the uncertainty and the pain. May we not become so entranced by our own expectations that we exclude you. Have mercy on us and on this world that you love, we pray, in Jesus’ name. Amen.   

 Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • Can you remember a time in your life when your expectations did not meet with the reality of your experience? What happened? How did you feel? What did you learn?
  • Why did John ask if Jesus was the Messiah (the one to come)?
  • How does Jesus respond to John’s question? Why do you think Jesus responds in this way?
  • What should we do when we experience disappointment with God? How can we help others who may be going through similar disappointments?
  • Discuss / reflect on the meaning of Jesus’ words in Luke 7:28. What is Jesus saying here? What might this mean for us?
  • What are your expectations of Jesus? How might you know if your expectations are fair or accurate? Do your expectations need to change? If so, how? 

[1] Refer Leon Morris’ commentary on Luke, page 143.

Tawa Baptist

John’s Humility

Scripture: John 3:22-30

Video Link: https://youtu.be/yDbL-iH2iQg

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • John’s humility
  • How is humility formed?
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Imagine a can of peaches. Most people would agree the contents are more important than the label. The quality of the peaches inside the can matters more than the picture on the outside because you don’t eat the label, you eat the peaches. The label is still useful though, provided it is accurate.

(I’ve always found this brand to be good by the way.)

Today we continue our series on John the Baptist. Last week we heard about John’s magnum opus, his great work, of preparing people for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus.

This morning we take a look inside the can of John’s character. John has the label of a wild man, living in the desert, preaching hell fire and repentance. But, underneath the tough exterior, there is a winsomeness to John which is quite lovely. From the gospel of John chapter 3, verses 22-30 we read…

22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.) 25 An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”

27 To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.”

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

This reading from John’s gospel gives us a glimpse inside John the Baptist’s character. What we find in the can, is not peaches, but the fruit of humility.

John’s humility:

Mother Teresa had this to say about humility…

Humility is the mother of all virtues… It is in being humble that our love becomes real, devoted and ardent. If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are. If you are blamed, you will not be discouraged. If they call you a saint, you will not put yourself on a pedestal.

Mother Teresa is not just speaking for herself here. She is reflecting Christian wisdom gleaned over centuries. Humility is about being completely honest with yourself. It’s about knowing who and what you truly are. Having an accurate estimation of yourself in relation to God and others. Humility, therefore, is about being real, authentic. 

Being humble is not about being self-effacing. Often, in kiwi culture, we cut ourselves down before anyone else has a chance. But humility, in the Bible, is not the same as self-sabotage.

A humble person is quietly self-affirming. They have a healthy self-awareness, without being self-absorbed. In other words, a humble person knows their own imperfections and limitations but still accepts themselves.

John the Baptist was humble. He knew who he was and what he was in relation to Jesus and others. 

After Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus in the night, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside where they spent some time baptising people. Jesus’ disciples happened to be baptising in the same area that John was baptising, because that’s where the water was.

You may remember John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. It was a sign of surrender to God and making a fresh start in preparation for the coming of the Messiah.

By having his disciples baptise people, Jesus was showing his support for John’s ministry. Jesus was not competing against John. They were on the same team, like a batting partnership in cricket. 

As sometimes happens with intense religious people, who insist on being right, an argument developed between the disciples of John the Baptist and a certain Jew over ceremonial washing. We don’t know who this Jew was or precisely why he took issue with John’s baptism.

Given the details are not mentioned, it doesn’t matter, which serves as a lesson to us. Some things are not worth dwelling on or arguing about. A humble person knows when to let it go and walk away.

John is not drawn into a pointless argument. He is walking humbly with God. John is secure in the knowledge that he is doing what God wants him to do. He doesn’t have anything to prove.   

John’s disciples are not so secure. They are concerned that Jesus’ disciples are baptising more people. John’s disciples were loyal to John and felt jealous on his behalf, because Jesus was becoming more popular.

But John’s ego is not bruised by Jesus’ success. John is not proud. He is humble. John knows what he is in relation to Jesus. John replies with an accurate estimation of himself…

“A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’…”                     

In some ways, we are like tea pots. The tea pot does not make the tea. The tea pot is simply a vessel for holding and pouring the tea. Nor does the tea pot have any ownership rights over the tea. The very purpose of the tea pot is to share the tea.

In this analogy, God is the one who makes the tea. The tea pot (that’s each of us) can only receive what is given from heaven. As the apostle Paul said,

‘But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us’.

John was successful in the sense that people came to him in their thousands to listen to him preach and to be baptised. But that success wasn’t because of John. That success was given by God.  John was under no illusion. He knew that people came to him because he was serving the heavenly tea of God’s word. And he served the tea hot, not lukewarm.

In verse 29, John offers this metaphor to describe his relationship with Jesus.

29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.

The bride in John’s analogy is the nation of Israel and the bridegroom is Jesus, the Messiah. The friend is John the Baptist. John is like Jesus’ best man at the wedding between the Messiah and Israel.

Notice here how humility opens the door for joy. The best man is not envious or covetous. He does not want to keep the bride for himself. The best man is happy to see his friend get married. 

As I’ve said before, joy is the positive energy that comes from hope. John has been waiting and listening for Jesus to come and be united with Israel. Now that is finally happening, John’s hope is realised and his joy is complete.  

John is genuinely pleased that the people are flocking to Jesus, for that means John has done his job.

And so we come to some of the most winsome words in the whole Bible. John says of Jesus, in verse 30: He must become greater; I must become less.

The best man has a key role to play in assisting the groom, both before the wedding and on the big day itself. But once the ceremony has taken place and the speeches are done, the best man slips away. After all, it was never about the best man.

He must become greater; I must become less, reveals more than just humility; it also reveals John’s self-giving love for Jesus. “It is in being humble that our love becomes real, devoted and ardent.”

John willingly gave his time and strength to prepare the way for Christ. And he was glad to give up his popularity for the sake of Jesus. Eventually he would give up his freedom and his life also. 

He must become greater; I must become less.

When I reflect on what that means for us, I am mindful of the people Tawa Baptist has donated to other churches and to the work of mission over the years. We have given away some of our best and brightest for the greater good of God’s kingdom. We have become less so that Jesus would become more.

Thinking on a personal level, He must become greater; I must become less, is the process of a lifetime really. It describes the journey of faith. Very few people give their whole life to Jesus all at once. Most of us give ourselves to Jesus incrementally (bit by bit). 

We do well to remember, with thankfulness, those who have acted as a John the Baptist in our lives; introducing us to Jesus and then becoming less so he can become more.

We do even better to consider who we might be a John the Baptist for.

If you are a Sunday school teacher or a youth group leader or a parent, then you can be like John the Baptist for those in your care. You know you won’t have these young ones forever. They will grow up and move on. But while they are with you, you can point them to Jesus.  

Likewise, when you point friends, neighbours, work colleagues or school mates to Jesus, through winsome words and deeds, then you are being a John the Baptist for them. May God bless you with joy as you become less and Jesus becomes more.    

How is humility formed?  

Some of you may wonder, how is humility formed? How can I become humble, like John? Well, the Spirit of God can develop humility in all manner of ways. I don’t think there is a formula to it necessarily.

But that’s not particularly helpful to you, so let me suggest three things that I’ve observed (anecdotally). Among other things, humility is formed with acceptance, with the wilderness and with a personal experience of grace.   

Humility is about being completely honest with yourself; telling yourself the truth. Being honest with yourself goes hand in hand with accepting yourself. To not accept yourself is to live in denial of who you really are.

If the can contains peaches, then it is best to accept that fact. Nothing good comes from pretending the can contains something else, like boysenberries.   

John the Baptist was honest with himself. He knew he was second fiddle to Jesus and he accepted that fact. At no point did John entertain a Messiah complex. He never let his early success get the better of him. He never lied to himself or misled anyone. 

Accepting yourself is not as easy as it sounds, especially if there are parts of yourself that you don’t like that much.  It helps to have one or two significant people in your life who know you and accept you for who you are.

I imagine John found acceptance from his parents Zechariah and Elizabeth. They knew who their son was and why he was born. So John likely grew up with a strong sense of his own identity and purpose.

Who is it that sees you and gets you? Who is it that speaks the truth to you, in a gracious way, in order to keep you honest? It might be a family member. It might be your partner in marriage. It might be a friend or a teacher or your spiritual director. Value that relationship, take care of it.

Humility is like walking. It requires us to keep our feet on the ground and to stand upright. Walking humbly is not something we can do alone. No. We walk humbly with God. Ultimately, it is God’s love for us, his presence with us, that enables us to accept ourselves and keep our feet on the ground.   

The wilderness is also helpful in forming humility. John the Baptist lived in the wilderness for much of his life. The wilderness has its own way of lending perspective. When you are in the desert or in the mountains or out on the open sea, you learn that you are not in charge. The wilderness is in charge.

It is humbling to walk the length of the valley leading up to Franz Joseph glacier, with sheer cliffs either side of you, and realise how small you are in comparison to the powerful ice that has carved a valley out of rock over millions of years.

Young men are seldom honest with themselves. Young men often think they are bullet proof. When we were still at school, my friends and I used to go kayaking on the Wairoa River in the Kaimai rangers, near Tauranga. One day one of the members of our canoe club was swept under a ledge and drowned. The force of the water (a grade 5 rapid) held him there.

He was an experienced paddler who had run that particular rapid many times before and he respected the river, yet it claimed his life. It was a sad day. A humbling way to learn we were not in charge. The wilderness was in charge. 

A third thing that helps to form humility is a personal experience of grace. When someone bestows on us an honour we know we don’t deserve. Or when they treat us with a generosity we have not earned, that is grace. If you let that grace touch you deeply enough, it has a humbling affect.

John the Baptist was humbled by a personal experience of grace when Jesus came to be baptised by him. John feels unworthy of the honour and tries to deter Jesus saying: “I need to be baptised by you, and do you come to me?”

Now this is remarkable. John was a holy man. He lived a pure life and had a far better moral compass than most. Yet, despite his righteousness, John did not rely on his own goodness. John knew that he was from earth while Jesus was from heaven.

But Jesus says to John: “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfil all righteousness.” Then John consented. What else could he do? To deny Jesus would be out of line, it would be arrogant. John is humbled by Jesus’ grace.    

We can be humbled by grace in all sorts of ways. To receive forgiveness, when you know you were wrong and are genuinely sorry, is to be humbled by grace.

To realise the privilege of receiving a good education, when others who went before us were denied the opportunity, is to be humbled by grace.

To recognise you have a choice over which career path to follow, when most of the world does whatever job they can to survive, is to be humbled by grace.

I feel humbled by grace watching the news at times. Seeing pictures of the death & devastation caused by the earthquake in Turkey & Syria, is sobering. Then there is the suffering of the people in Ukraine. Thousands of lives lost and homes destroyed, in winter.

I know New Zealand has suffered its own trauma in recent times, but I still reckon most of us who live here have won the lottery, even without buying a ticket. We have much to be thankful for. I am humbled by God’s goodness and grace for us in this land.

Opportunities to grow in humility are all around, if we don’t let a sense of entitlement get in the way.

Conclusion:

When we look inside the can of John’s character we find humility. We also find love. As the apostle Paul says in 1st Corinthians 13…

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

John was patient, waiting and listening for Jesus. John did not get angry when Jesus became more popular. John was not proud or boastful. Nor was John envious of Jesus. John had the humility to be honest with himself and to rejoice in Jesus’ success.

Being honest with ourselves requires each of us to ask: What is in the can of my character? And do the contents of that can match the label?

Let us pray…

Father God, we thank you for those people who have acted like a John the Baptist in our lives, introducing us to Jesus, then becoming less so he can become more. Help us to be a John the Baptist for others. Give us the grace to be honest with ourselves and true to you. May we always be motivated by love. Through Jesus we pray. Amen.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • What is humility? Why is it important to be honest with ourselves? What is in the can of your character? And do the contents of that can match the label?
  • Discuss / reflect on John’s metaphor in verse 29. E.g. What does the analogy mean? What is the relationship between humility and joy? How does humility make love real, devoted and ardent?
  • What might it look like for us to become less, so that Jesus becomes more? 
  • Who has acted as a John the Baptist in your life? Give thanks for them. Who can you be a John the Baptist for? Pray about this.
  • How is humility formed? How can we become/remain humble? 
  • Who accepts you? Who is it that sees you and gets you? Who is it that speaks the truth to you, in a gracious way, in order to keep you honest? What can you do to take care of that relationship?
  • Take some time this week to consider God’s grace in your life. Let the reality of that grace touch you deeply. Let grace humble you.  
Tawa Baptist

John’s Opus

Scripture: Luke 3:1-20

Video Link: https://youtu.be/eeSiWyptiKc

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • John’s timing (darkness & light)
  • John’s baptism (repentance & forgiveness)
  • John’s message (judgement & hope)
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Can anyone hear tell us what the phrase Magnum Opus means? [Wait]

That’s right, magnum opus is a Latin term which literally means great work. A person’s magnum opus is their greatest work.

The painting of the Mona Lisa is arguably Leonardo da Vinci’s magnum opus. Moby Dick is considered Herman Melville’s magnum opus. Winston Churchill’s leadership during World War Two was his magnum opus.  

And, in the book ‘Charlotte’s Web’, Charlotte (the spider) refers to her egg sac as her magnum opus, the ‘finest thing she has ever made’.

I wonder what your magnum opus is?

Today we continue our series on John the Baptist. Last Sunday we heard about John’s purpose in being born; to prepare for the coming of the Messiah. This morning, we jump forward three decades to that time when John fulfils his purpose. Luke chapter 3 describes John’s magnum opus, his great work. From Luke 3, verses 1-18, we read…

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— 2 during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. 5 Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. 6 And all people will see God’s salvation.’”

7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

10 “What should we do then?” the crowd asked.

11 John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”

12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”

13 “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.

14 Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”

He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”

15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

Today’s message highlights three aspects of John’s opus: John’s timing, John’s baptism and John’s message. Let’s begin with the timing of John’s work. 

John’s timing

In cricket, it is a thing of beauty to watch a batsman gracefully drive the ball through the covers with little effort. That’s the power of timing.

Likewise, cooking is all about timing. If you leave your chicken in the pan too long it becomes dry and chewy. Not long enough and you end up with food poisoning. Get the timing right though and the chicken is succulent, delicious.

And when it comes to music, it’s not enough to hit the right notes, one must also be in time with the conductor and the other musicians.  

In the opening verses of Luke 3, the gospel writer goes to some trouble to underline the timing of John’s public ministry. Luke lists all the relevant political and religious leaders at the time the word of the Lord came to John. 

From what we know of these leaders, historically, they were men of darkness. They abused their power and committed acts of gross injustice.

Among other things, the Emperor Tiberius ordered the deportment of all Jews from Rome. The last years of his reign were a time of pure terror. [1]

Pilate, the governor of Judea, ran an administration characterised by bribery, racial insult and frequent executions without trial. Pilate was the one who handed Jesus over to be crucified. [2]

Then there was Herod Antipas, sort of a puppet of Rome, ruling in Galilee. Herod was thoroughly immoral. When John the Baptist told Herod to tidy up his act, Herod threw John in prison.

Even the Jewish high priests, Annas and Caiaphas were rotten. They conspired to have Jesus murdered.

Probably these rulers thought of themselves as stars. But really they were more like the darkness of the night sky. In contrast, John the Baptist is like the moon against the backdrop of this dark time in history. John reflects the divine light of God’s word and he has a strong influence on the people, bringing about a tide of social change.

According to Luke, John is the one Isaiah spoke about when he said: A voice of one calling in the wilderness, prepare the way for the Lord…

Isaiah originally spoke that word, centuries earlier, as a kind of night light to comfort the people of Israel who were sitting in the darkness of exile.

The interesting thing with Isaiah’s prophecy is that, all people will see God’s salvation. So the redemption on offer here isn’t just for Israel, it’s for all people. God’s salvation is universally offered.

John the Baptist came on the scene at just the right time in history, when anticipation of God’s redemption was high and Jesus was about to emerge publicly. John was the bearer of God’s word, identifying Jesus as the true light of the world, God’s Messiah.

John’s baptism

Okay, so John’s timing was God’s timing. What about John’s baptism? 

Well, John was a prophet and prophets usually communicate God’s message in two main ways; through words and through signs.

Sometimes the signs are super natural, like when Moses parted the Red Sea or when Elisha healed Naaman of leprosy. Other times the signs are everyday things, which may appear odd but are invested with a special meaning, like when Jeremiah wept over Jerusalem or when Hosea married a prostitute.

Baptism, immersing people in water, was John’s sign from God to the people.

It was not a miraculous sign, it was something anyone could do, and yet it was both distinctively odd (at that time) and invested with meaning.

Baptism wasn’t really something Jews did. Gentiles, who wanted to convert to Judaism, underwent a ceremonial bath as a kind of ritual cleansing but Jews did not do this because being descended from Abraham was their ticket, or so they thought.

John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. In the Bible, forgiveness is not automatic. Forgiveness goes together with repentance. We can’t separate them. Repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change in behaviour.

If you are driving in your car and you take a wrong turn, then repentance is realising your mistake, turning your car around and driving in the right direction. Spiritually speaking, there are two roads you can take in this world. One leads to life and the other leads to destruction. Repentance puts you on the road to life.

Another example of repentance. If you are baking a cake and inadvertently put a cup of salt in the mix, instead of a cup of sugar, then repentance is throwing the cake mix out and starting again using the right ingredients this time. Otherwise you (and everyone else eating the cake) will get a nasty surprise.

Spiritually speaking, we might think of our deeds, in this life, as the ingredients we use to make a cake. We want to make sure our deeds are good because, at the end of the day, we get out what we put in. We eat the deeds we bake.

What are you putting into the mix of your life? The measure you use for others is the measure God will use for you. If you forgive others, God will forgive you. But if you nurse resentment, God will leave you in the prison cell of bitterness. That is what Jesus taught. 

John told his fellow Jews, it’s not enough to claim Abraham as your ancestor, you cannot rely on your parents’ faith; that is no guarantee of salvation. Nor will sacrificing animals save you. You need to repent and believe in God’s Messiah, then you will be forgiven. Being baptised is a public sign of one’s repentance. It shows you are committed to righteous living.  

Baptism involves being immersed in water and so the most obvious symbolism here is cleansing from sin. Not that the water of baptism takes away sin. No. Jesus is the one who takes away our sin. The water is a metaphor or a sign pointing to what Jesus does.

One of the odd things about John’s baptism is that John himself administered it. This was in contrast to the Jewish washing rituals of the day in which the person bathed themselves. So those who went to John for baptism were putting themselves in the hands of God’s representative. This signified their surrender to God’s purpose.[3]

But wait, it gets even weirder. John’s baptism took place in the wilderness, near the Jordan. We would expect a sacred ritual like this to happen in or near the Jerusalem temple. But no, it happens in the wilderness, an untamed and potentially dangerous place, outside the sphere of institutional religion.

The wilderness reminds us of Israel’s exodus from slavery in Egypt and the Jordan is the river Israel crossed when entering the Promised Land.

By coming out into the wilderness to be baptised by John and then returning home, the people were symbolically leaving behind those attitudes and habits that enslaved them and re-entering their everyday life with a new freedom, characterised by righteousness. The journey to the wilderness and back signified a fresh start.

John’s baptism informs Christian baptism. Christian baptism borrows from John’s baptism the imagery of repentance from sin, surrender to God and making a fresh start by following Jesus. For John and for us, baptism is an outward sign of an inward reality.

That being said, John’s baptism is not exactly the same as Jesus’ baptism. John himself made it clear he was not the Christ saying…

I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

John’s baptism is like a sign post, pointing to Jesus’ baptism. The Holy Spirit is the one who enables us to repent and grow toward Christlikeness. The Holy Spirit is the primary sign that we belong to Jesus.

John’s pathway to salvation; of repentance, believing in Jesus and being baptised, is still the pattern of Christian conversion for many people today.  

Okay, so in thinking about John’s magnum opus (his greatest work) we’ve considered John’s timing and John’s baptism. What about John’s message?

John’s message

Well, like the prophets before him, John proclaimed a message of judgement and hope. Judgement and hope may seem polar opposites but, in Christian thought, they are one, like a single guitar string held against the fret board of history.

In verse 9, of Luke 3, John says to the crowds…

9 The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

And, in verse 17, John employs another image of judgement, saying…

17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

This is a poetic way of saying: The Messiah is coming soon to destroy the wicked and save the righteous. But, as scary as it sounds, the coming judgement is actually good news. Because, if you are oppressed by evil men, then removing the evil will make life better for everyone.

Even if you are wicked though, there is still hope for you, provided you stop behaving badly and start practising social justice.   

I’m reading Bono’s autobiography at the moment. As well as being a rock star, Bono has also worked as a social justice activist. Among other things he has lobbied some pretty powerful people to forgive third world debt and provide medicine to fight the AIDS epidemic in developing countries.

In the pursuit of social justice, Bono has had to build relationships with people who hold a different point of view. Bono writes…

The search for common ground starts with a search for higher ground. Even with your opponents. Especially with your opponents. …you don’t have to agree on everything if the one thing you agree on is important enough. [4]  

Now I’m not suggesting that Bono is a modern day John the Baptist. For one thing, Bono doesn’t live on locusts and wild honey. But I do like his idea that ‘the search for common ground starts with a search for higher ground’.

It seems to me that John had little in common with those he was communicating with. Nevertheless, John was uncompromising in his search for higher ground.  

When the people asked what does repentance look like, what should we do? John pointed them to the higher ground of social justice saying: “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”

And when tax collectors and soldiers came, John did not require them to quit their jobs and join a monastery. He basically told them to remain in the world and be fair with people and not abuse their power. We can see the wisdom in this. When tax collectors and soldiers act justly and show restraint, the whole community is better off.

The repentance John had in mind wasn’t just personal, it was also social. Forgiveness without repentance doesn’t help anyone. But when you tie repentance to social justice (as John did) that redeems the soul of the individual and it makes the world a better place, at the same time.    

Weeding out corruption at an interpersonal level was something almost everyone (except the ruling elite) could agree on. By preaching the higher ground of social justice, John helped many to find common ground with Jesus and with each other.

But you are never going to get everyone to agree. John wasn’t able to find common ground with Herod. Sometimes social justice divides people.  

John’s message is still as challenging and relevant for us today as it was 2,000 years ago. Social justice begins with each of us personally. How do we practice right relationships in our homes, our schools, our places of work and our community?     

Conclusion:

This morning we have considered John’s magnum opus, his greatest work. John came onto the scene at just the right time in history, reflecting the light of God’s word in a world darkened by evil leadership.

As part of his work John baptised people. John’s baptism was a tangible sign of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. John’s baptism anticipated Jesus’ baptism with the Holy Spirit.  

John’s preaching (his spoken word) was a message of judgement and hope. The Messiah is coming soon, so get yourself ready by practising social justice. Then you will find some common ground with Jesus and with each other.   

The question remains: Are we ready for Jesus’ return?  

Let us pray now as we prepare our hearts for communion…

Father God, you are the author of salvation. You bend the arc of history toward justice. Forgive us for the times we have failed to act justly or show mercy.
Lord Jesus, we thank you for suffering on our behalf. Thank you for your grace. May you be honoured in the breaking of this bread and the sharing of this cup. Empower us by your Holy Spirit to live out social justice for your glory. Amen.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • What is your magnum opus?
  • What is significant about the timing of John’s public ministry? What is significant about the times in which we live?
  • Discuss / reflect on the symbolism of John’s baptism. How is John’s baptism similar to Jesus’ baptism? How is it different?
  • Can you think of a time when God changed your mind and behaviour? What happened? What deeds are you putting into the mix of your life? 
  • Why does John tie repentance to social justice?
  • Are we ready for Jesus’ return? How do we practice social justice in our homes, our schools, our work places and our communities?   

[1] Refer Joel Green’s NICNT on Luke, page 168.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Refer Joel Green’s NICNT on Luke, page 164.

[4] Refer Bono’s book, ‘Surrender’, pages 392-393.