A lesson on John

Luke 1 and 3
Matthew 11

Zechariah was a priest and his wife was Elizabeth. They had prayed for a child: “your prayer has been heard”. I love the vision of Gabriel standing on the right of the altar a position of service… Not floating around the room, as you would expect an angel to do, nor standing in front of the altar to be clearing seen… I love the details like that. John’s father Zechariah had doubts about what the angel was telling him. Even though an angel had appeared to him on holy ground and knew of his prayer? I think that would be enough for most. But not Zech he asked how he could be sure that what he was seeing was real. You see, I don’t think he meant to call the angel Gabriel a liar but more I think he doubted himself. “I am an old man and my wife is along in years” I think he was doubting weather or not he could still make a baby. This was before viagra you know. I love that God didn’t all of the sudden decide he wasn’t worthy of a child and take back the blessing but instead kept him from speaking anymore until the promise was fulfilled. Be careful about challenging God for proof, he might give it to you. Zechariah probably believed Gabriel right after he realized that he couldn’t talk but he was not given back his speech until he fulfilled the Lord’s instruction by naming the child John as he was commanded.

I love that John recognized he was in the presence of Jesus even before either one was born: Luke 1:41 “the baby leaped in her womb!” He couldn’t help it. He involuntarily communicated, “There is the Savior!” to his mother even before he could speak. To me this points to the way God can determine that you or I have a purpose and that he can make purpose so natural, so imbedded in our personality that we do it whether we want to or not.

The first thing Zechariah did after regaining his voice was praise the Lord! And reaffirm everything the angel had said. John was to be greater than all the Old Testament prophets and becomes just that Matt 11:9. For this is the one that prepares the way! Zechariah proclaims that the Lord will give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins. He describes Jesus as “the Rising Sun [that] will come to us from heaven to shine on those in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace”.

What a beautiful description of salvation and life with Jesus as our Lord. To shine on me in darkness and even in the shadow of death to guide my feet into the path of peace!

The dessert is a lonely place a dry place. Not a place I think one would want to live. Why this time away from everyone? Just as with Jesus there was a period of around 20 years where there is no record of them. It wasn’t like they had to go find themselves. Jesus knew his destiny even before he was born and I am certain John’s parents gave him a pretty good idea. So what does the word say? He grew in the spirit and not only that but he became strong in the spirit. God needed him to become strong; he needed him to mature for what he had planned for him. I have been a Christian for about 26 years: pretty much from the time I could comprehend salvation. But I spent many years not prepared even unwilling to do what the Lord wanted from me. I prayed a lot about all my needs but I didn’t listen. I didn’t listen because I was afraid of what I might hear. I would hear people say they had been called to Africa or Nicaragua and all the suffering they had seen there. I didn’t want to see suffering and I certainly didn’t want to be around suffering… it might get on me! I was too busy trying to get the things of comfort I thought I had to have to be happy. Or I would see people standing in public places accosting others with the gospel. Some going door to door, making sure you were saved and there version of saved at that! No Sir, I didn’t want to hear that God wanted me for that! It was much more important that people like me, I don’t want to ruffle any feathers. Or pray out loud… Nuhuh! I developed an entire belief system around why it was wrong for people to pray out loud! I needed maturing. I needed to grow and become stronger in spirit. Only now am I able to pray “ok Lord whatever you want I will do” and only now do I listen for his response. Only now has the fear of all the things he might want me to do left. Replaced by a desire to please him, to be obedient. I don’t know if John spent all those years wrestling with his destiny but we do know that he inherited his father’s self doubt.

How many times do we as Christians doubt ourselves? We see something or have a prayer answered and then things don’t work out afterward the way we thought they should have… I just knew that was what God was telling me to do but now in hindsight I just don’t know –surely God would have not wanted this! I feel so inadequate sometimes and I try to minister to my friends and afterward it doesn’t feel like I think it should. Or they don’t respond like I thought they would. I doubt that I was supposed to say anything or I wonder if I said the wrong things.  But what does Jesus say when we question ourselves? Did I hear you right Lord? He says: “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.”  Perhaps he would say to me “Remember I saved you. Remember what I did for you in Waco when things were so dark. Remember how grateful you were when I answered your prayer for a wife and I gave you the love of Faith? Remember how you praised me when I showed you what love is and told you how much more I love you than any person ever could. Remember the birth of your child? Remember all the confirmations I have given you that you are my child and that when you are obedient all things work for my good!?” He reminds us of all the promises he has kept, all the prophesies he has fulfilled, all the times we were sure. The least in heaven are greater than the greatest prophet every born…Mt 11:11 why? There were probably some folks in Heaven that didn’t do much on earth, you know the bare minimum folks. How could they be greater than John? The one that prepares the way? A prophet of the Most High?  Why would a stinky goat herder that never taught a soul the word of God nor prophesied anything, nor wrote a single word of praise be greater than John? -Because they have no doubts! They do not need reminding. As Gabriel said in face of Zech’s doubt “I stand in the presence of the Lord.”  Wow. We should all take that lesson as the proper way to respond to doubt. 

John’s question doesn’t come until he is in prison. Coincidence? I don’t think so. I think he was beginning to doubt himself because things weren’t working out the way he had imagined. “My job was to point out the Messiah, didn’t I do it? If so why am I suffering?” Even though the language of his question is of the validity of Jesus as “the One” he wasn’t really doubting Jesus. Was he? Otherwise why would  he ask the very person he was doubting if he was for real. If you are truly wondering if the person you are dealing with is a fraud I don’t think asking him is the best way to find the truth. No John knew the truth but was doubting himself and his ability, even his gift. He needed encouragement.

So in Mt 11:5 Jesus is really pointing out that he is being silly. Jesus exposes the frailty of human thinking. Its like asking God if he exists because he is the only one you can trust to give you a truthful answer!

In Mt 11:11 Jesus goes on to say that if you have the kind of faith he is talking about you don’t need self-confidence. You don’t have to wonder if you heard God right, or if that was really God’s answer to your prayer. Jesus is saying: Stop doubting yourself and believe in me! The schools tell us to worry about our kids self esteem but we are all unworthy. Isaiah felt unworthy Isaiah 6:1-8. Was that low self-esteem? Unworthiness serves to humble us and remind us to ask for forgiveness other than that self-esteem is meaningless. When you realize God’s love for you personally. Isaiah sure never doubted what he was seeing! Those in heaven don’t have self esteem problems! They are not focused on themselves.  In essence Jesus is saying in Mt 11:5 the exact same thing to John’s doubt as Gabriel said to Zechariah, Only Jesus is saying ‘YOU are standing in the presence of God!’

We can take encouragement from this too. God keeps his promises even if we doubt that he will. He cares enough to take the time to mature us. God uses imperfect vessels to accomplish his goals. John like his father and even his ancestor David was not perfect but God uses those that seek him.

I think America needs the prayer of Luke 1:77-79

Lord Jesus, give us the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of our sins. You are the sweet dawn that came to us from heaven. Shine on those living in the darkness and those in the shadow of death; guide our feet into the path of peace.