JESUS SURPRISES, JOHN FOLLOWS

Written by Tim Hallman, Director of Christian Emphasis, YMCA of Greater Fort Wayne, Indiana

Traveling through the Jordan Valley, we saw the rugged terrain where John the Baptist ministered, fulfilling his call to “prepare the way for the LORD” and baptizing Israelites in the little river.

Maybe it was while resting under shade trees along the stony riverbank that John heard about miracles performed by Jesus, including the incredible raising of a young man from the dead in Nain and the shocking healing of a sick servant belonging to a Roman centurion stationed in Capernaum.

We might think that this created certainty for John - that Jesus really was the long-awaited Christ of Israel, the king who was promised by the prophets of old - yet he still yearned for more assurance.

What about you? If you had been one of John’s disciples and witnessed some of Jesus’ surprising miracles or had heard about them from eye-witnesses - would you have needed more certainty too?

Jesus had a gentle yet firm reply to John: believing did not come from seeing and do not stumble over uncertainty in trying to follow.

He pointed out how people accused John of having an evil spirit because he abstained from bread and wine. They slandered Jesus as a glutton and drunkard for feasting with sinners and the poor – it’s easy to misunderstand what doesn’t align with what we expect.

John the Baptist struggled to understand Jesus and make sense of his surprising actions.

He was transformed by Christ and eventually learned to let his expectations be reshaped by what Jesus was actually doing and teaching.

How about you? What expectations do you have for God that you need to let go of?

What assumptions do you have about what Jesus ought to be doing in the world?

We can’t help asking questions. We can’t stop the expectations from clouding our vision. Still, when we hear and see the surprising work of Jesus in the Gospels, we are being allowed, like John, to renew our trust and not stumble over our uncertainty as we follow.

Whether it’s serving through your church or YMCA, leading in your work and community, caring for your family and friends, may you always be looking to join Jesus in bringing healing for all and proclaiming the good news of God, even when he does the unexpected.