She Reads Truth: AdventSample

The Birth of John the Baptist

I can’t hide it. John the Baptizer is absolutely my favorite character in God’s word besides God Himself. The one sent to make way for his Cousin.

The one sent way to prepare hearts for the Messiah.

You know, the slightly off one who lived out in the wilderness.

In Luke 1:66, the people say – “What then will this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him.”

Let’s skip to Luke 18 when John is in jail for doing the work that the Father sent Him to do. The same John who was there when the Holy Spirit anointed + appointed Jesus for ministry asks, presumably in a little bit of doubt, Are you the One – Jesus? He knows what he’s seen of Jesus but now he’s in jail and he wants to know – are you the One? Is this worth it?

Have you had a moment like that with the Lord? If not, I don’t think it’s sacrilegious to do so. Because when we really sit down in our human flesh and ask Jesus – are you the One? Are you worth all of this? The answer is always the same. Yes. Absolutely -- yes.

Jesus doesn’t berate John – he confirms the prophecy spoken about Himself in Isaiah 61. John – the blind receive sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news preached to them. Blessed is the one who isn’t offended by me – who doesn’t question my plan but sees the fruit of my work and believes.

Then Jesus goes on to say that among those born of women, none is greater than John the Baptizer (Luke 7:28). He loves Him. Even in his doubt.

What then will this child be like, they asked back in Luke 1? He’ll be like us and nothing like us all at once. He’ll be anointed by God for a super special job (unlike any of us) – but he’ll doubt the Lord when it seems he’s been abandoned (like most of us).

And (like us) the hand of the Lord will be with him all the way.

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