Humility is one of those traits looked down upon in society but applauded by the Bible. John the Baptist was a first century spiritual leader who demonstrated humility. When asked to baptize Jesus, John felt unworthy, not good enough. John served as a forerunner to prepare the way for Jesus. Like Louis Tomlinson’s song, John realized that God was Bigger Than Me.
Then you will call upon Me, and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear and heed you. 13 Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart, Jeremiah 29:12-13.
Louis Tomlinson first rose to prominence as a member of the boy band One Direction. Louis also participated on the British Reality competition the X-Factor. After being eliminated, Louis was able to turn this opportunity into an open door to join One Direction. As you listen to Bigger Than Me, may the lyrics help you realize that you’re merely a piece of a puzzle living in a world bigger than you.
Sometimes you have to search across the globe to find good Christian music. Today’s group is from Scandinavia. HB is a Christian symphonic metal band that formed in Forssa, Finland in 2002. While this sound may not be your cup of tea, the lyrics point listeners in the right direction with God Has All Glory just as John the Baptist guided his followers toward Jesus as the One to follow.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.,”) John 1:14-15.
The gospel of John begins with Creation and introduces readers to the Holy Trinity in chapter one. This quick summary highlights the fact that God has all glory, honor, and is worthy to be praised. HB’s song does this in an unique manner, but in the body of Christ, we are all one in Jesus, Colossians 3:11. Therefore, may you celebrate the diversity in Christ Jesus as you glorify God.
Frank Costello was the inspiration behind Marlon Brando’s Vito Corleone’s character in the 1972 classic film the Godfather. On Thursday, February 17th, America lost the Godfather of talk radio. Rush Limbaugh’s talent on loan from God has been returned and now conservatives are rushing to find a replacement for his voice. Rush Limbaugh has been a beacon of truth since 1988 when his nationally syndicated midday radio show began. At the height of his popularity, 40 million people tuned into Rush’s radio program. Former President Donald Trump recently said, “To these people who listened to him every day, it was like a religious experience to a lot of people,”
This is he who was mentioned by the prophet Isaiah when he said, The voice of one crying in the wilderness (shouting in the desert), Prepare the road for the Lord, make His highways straight (level, direct). 4 This same John’s garments were made of camel’s hair, and he wore a leather girdle about his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the country round about the Jordan went out to him; 6 And they were baptized in the Jordan by him, confessing their sins, Matthew 3:3-6.
In the early first century, many Jews believed that John the Baptist was the promised Messiah of the Old Testament. Long before the days of radio, John’s popularity spread through word of mouth. Despite John’s native appearance and attire, he was a man of great substance. As John preached on the banks of the Jordan River, hearts were convicted to change their current direction in life. Overwhelmed by guilt, exposed from their conscience, individuals confessed their sins and were baptized. Some of John’s followers may have viewed him as their spiritual godfather.
I indeed baptize you in (with) water because of repentance [that is, because of your changing your minds for the better, heartily amending your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins]. But He Who is coming after me is mightier than I, Whose sandals I am not worthy or fit to take off or carry; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12 His winnowing fan (shovel, fork) is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear out and clean His threshing floor and gather and store His wheat in His barn, but the chaff He will burn up with fire that cannot be put out, Matthew 3:11-12.
Despite the praise heaped upon him, John remained humble, recognizing the position God wanted him to play. While John baptized believers with water, Jesus introduced first century followers to the Holy Spirit. When John was arrested, some of his followers were hesitant to turn their attention to Jesus. Yet, as word of Jesus’ ministry began to spread, previous concerns faded away. Anytime you lose a great leader, it’s hard to find a replacement, a substitute to fill this void. Yet, if you believe in the promises of the Old Testament, Micah 2:12, God is always working behind the scenes to raise up a remnant of future leaders.
King Solomon is considered one of the wisest individuals to walk the face of the earth. One wise saying warns against making vows that you can’t keep, Ecclesiastes 5:4-5. From an Old Testament perspective, if you didn’t keep want you promised, your words were worthless and reputation ruined. This is the context and setting when the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah who presided over Israel as a judge for a period of six years.
And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord and said, If You will indeed give the Ammonites into my hand, 31 Then whatever or whoever comes forth from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites, it shall be the Lord’s, and I will offer it or him up as a burnt offering, Judges 11:30-31.
Following a victorious battle, Jephthah is overwhelmed by a spirit of thankfulness. Wanting to pay tribute to God, Jephthah is moved to make a vow in Judges 11:32. While in the wilderness with many miles to travel before reaching his home, Jephthah decided to offer up a burnt offering to the first creature that crossed his path. Unfortunately, the forests were barren and his daughter was the first to greet him. Instead of reneging, Jephthah goes to extreme measures to fulfill his promise to God.
But the other one reproved him, saying, Do you not even fear God, seeing you yourself are under the same sentence of condemnation and suffering the same penalty? 41 And we indeed suffer it justly, receiving the due reward of our actions; but this Man has done nothing out of the way [nothing strange or eccentric or perverse or unreasonable]. 42 Then he said to Jesus, Lord, remember me when You come in Your kingly glory! 43 And He answered him, Truly I tell you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise, Luke 23:40-43.
As John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus, it was clear to first century scholars that the Messiah was living in their presence. When the time was right, Jesus began a three year earthly ministry. Using 12 disciples and an additional 72 according to Luke, these individuals planted spiritual seeds to form churches. When the appointed time arrived to fulfill Old Testament promises, the disciples were confused. Believing Jesus would become an earthly leader, rising up to become King of the Jews, Peter was ready to take up arms. Instead, God has another plan, sending his own son as a permanent sacrifice to die for mankind, John 3:16-17. This is how the Lord goes to extremes to fulfill biblical promises.
The commercialization of Christmas in the 21st century has blinded minds from an invisible gift. If you can escape from the advertisements of cars, diamond rings and other high priced items, Christmas is not about buying and exchanging gifts that many can’t afford. Rather, the mass of Christ is about accepting a promised child, the Messiah, who came to save you from your earthly imperfections.
I indeed baptize you in (with) water because of repentance [that is, because of your changing your minds for the better, heartily amending your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins]. But He Who is coming after me is mightier than I, Whose sandals I am not worthy or fit to take off or carry; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire, Matthew 3:11.
One of Jesus’ disciples records a conversation between John the Baptist and Jesus in the passage above and below. At this point in the first century, many sensed that John was the Messiah in waiting. When approached with this notion, John corrected this misnomer, explaining that he is merely preparing the way. John uses baptism to illustrate the difference between his ministry and the promised One to come.
But John protested strenuously, having in mind to prevent Him, saying, It is I who have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me? 15 But Jesus replied to him, Permit it just now; for this is the fitting way for [both of] us to fulfill all righteousness [that is, to perform completely whatever is right]. Then he permitted Him. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, He went up at once out of the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he [John] saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on Him, Matthew 3:14-16.
The purpose of any baptism is a public expression of an inner faith. While John’s baptism was centered around confession and forgiveness, Jesus promises an invisible gift in John 16:13. What his disciples did not understand at the time, this gift would transfer power from priests to those who enter into a personal relationship with Jesus, Romans 10:9-11. You won’t find this gift under a Christmas tree. Rather, when you find Jesus, access is gained, Romans 5:1-5, with a goal of keeping is step with the Holy Spirit daily. May 2020 be a year where the Holy Spirit awakens your soul to this invisible Christmas gift.
While Billy Joel refers to honesty as such a lonely word in his 1979 song, teachers often feel the same way about listening. As a former high school teacher who spent a decade standing in front of teenagers, rarely did I grab the attention of an entire class. This became apparent during each chapter review prior to the next text as only a handful of students were prepared. At some point during my lectures, these informed students were attentive, able to concentrate or kept an open ear to what I was presenting. While uniformed students may cram their way toward a good grade, all those who are consistently listening receive blessings from God.
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who were listening to the message [confirming God’s acceptance of Gentiles]. 45 All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, Acts 10:44-45.
While interviewing Peter about an encounter with Gentiles, Luke narrows in on the power of listening. Based upon Peter’s recollection of this day, not everyone in the audience was listening to his sermon. This became obvious when those talking in the back or whispering on the side did not receive an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Whether the words above are a direct quote from Peter or an observation made by Luke the author, “the Holy Spirit only fell on those who were listening.” While not mentioned, the rest of the crowd sat around dumbfounded, likely disappointed that they missed this blessing from God.
For all the prophets and the Law prophesied up until John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is [the fulfillment of] Elijah [as the messenger] who was to come [before the kingdom]. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear and heed My words, Matthew 11:13-15.
When John the Baptist was imprisoned by Herod, a delegation of John’s disciples was sent to Jesus to make sense of his earthly ministry. John’s disciples wanted to know if Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah. Thus, as these men approached Jesus, they hung on every spoken word. Following a tribute to John the Baptist, Jesus ends his comments with a plea to listen. Based upon the quote above, there are two types of listening: casual and responsive. Jesus doesn’t want people to nod in agreement. Rather, God desires followers of Christ to become doers of the Word by putting Jesus’ advice into action. Blessings will bestowed upon all those who are attentively listening.
When my father was forced to transfer to Cleveland, Ohio to keep his job, I was introduced to cocktail parties. If you want to move from the middle to upper class, I learned that these social events were a necessary evil. These house parties enabled my parents to make new friends. This group called New Clevelanders encouraged parents to bring their own college children to these functions as a way to network as families started over in a new town. I quickly realized that colleges, degrees and majors provided surface level discussions. If you wanted to fit in, going clubbing, drinking and partying were code names into this elite club. I went along with the crowd for a while until conviction made it clear that I was living a lie.
3 Jesus replied, “I will also ask you a question. You tell Me:4 The baptism of John [the Baptist]—was it from heaven [that is, ordained by God] or from men?” – Luke 20:3-4
During the first century, Jesus began to debate religious scholars. Raised in elite and wealthy families, these men were schooled by the best and brightest minds. Meanwhile, Jesus who spent most of his life as a carpenter, void of any formal educational, drew much larger crowds. Thus, resentment manifested in the hearts of these men, jealous of Jesus’ popularity. This culminated in the passage above as Jesus uses John the Baptist to illustrate that authority can come from heaven, not just through earthly institutions. Certain aspects, knowledge and qualities can only be explained as ordained by God despite what earthly wisdom may suggest.
They discussed and debated it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us to death, for they are firmly convinced that John was a prophet,” Luke 20:5-6.
During a breakfast I had with a friend in December, he marveled at my ability to come up with thousands of ideas for my blogs. From an earthly point of view, my only credentials for writing involve teaching poetry at a boarding school. This tangible experience ignited a passion for writing. Nothing in my past pointed to a career in writing. My English grades, grammar and vocabulary were average at best. Yet, just as John the Baptist received a special anointing from God, the Lord has given me the gift of writing in the Spirit. The more in tune with God I become, the deeper my blogs tend to be. However, on occasion, I become unplugged, relying on earthly knowledge, struggling to come up with material for a week. These phases are natural, a by product of human nature. Nonetheless, while earthly credentials do lead to successful writers, I credit my heavenly father for Express Yourself 4Him.
From time to time, I make the mistake of trying to make changes to my life without asking or seeking God’s help. While determination, discipline and focus can be effective tools to alter bad habits, spiritual ruts and unhealthy patterns, human effort will only take you so far. I guess this is human nature’s way of learning the hard way. Whenever I reach a point of frustration, unsatisfied with the current state of my faith, responding to a convicted heart is the best place to start.
Even now the axe [of God’s judgment] is swinging toward the root of the trees; so every tree that does not produce good fruit is being cut down and thrown into the fire,” Luke 3:9.
In the first century, God sent a messenger to prepare the way for the coming of His son Jesus. Known as John the Baptist, this prophet used the Old Testament practice of purging to pierce the hearts of his audience. As individuals began to reflect upon their vast imperfections, many came forward to be baptized by John. Uncertain of what to do next, soldiers and tax collectors consulted John on the proper acts of penitence to pursue. This advice provided vision for these newly baptized souls, reaching a state of expectation, looking for opportunities to serve God each and every day..
The crowds asked him, “Then what are we to do?” 11 And John replied, “The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do the same.” 12 Even some tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked, “Teacher, what are we to do?” 13 And he told them, “Collect no more than the fixed amount you have been ordered to [collect].” 14 Some soldiers asked him, “And what about us, what are we to do?” And he replied to them, “Do not extort money from anyone or harass or blackmail anyone, and be satisfied with your wages,” Luke 3:10-14.
Belief without trust, faith without action and hypocritical words are some of the reasons Christian churches aren’t flourishing like the first century. One of the main culprits for this spiritual stagnancy are believers void of any fruit, Galatians 5:22-23. If Christians are suppose to be the light of the world but lack integrity no one will take them serious. Meanwhile, if the church is suppose to be the salt of the earth but lose their saltiness, there is no flavor left to incite any kind of spiritual hunger. Therefore, if you want to reverse this trend, let the words of John the Baptist inspire you to reach a state of expectation influenced by the Holy Spirit, Galatians 5:25.
Reality Television shows often share a similar format. Shows like Bar Rescue, Garage Restoration and Home Makeover attempt to give someone a better life. Candidates are chosen based upon human interest stories, tragic events or unfortunate circumstances. Producers reveal the past, present and the potential future if given a chance to succeed. The climax occurs at the final reveal with some sharing an update of life since the show was filmed.
At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children, Matthew 11:25.
The Bible refers to another reveal. In the Old Testament, prophets spoke of a coming Messiah, one who would save people from their sins. After John the Baptist arrived early in the first century, Jews began to wonder, is this the One? When John heard of these rumors, he quickly silenced them. John refers to himself as a messenger, preparing the way for the one to come.
When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” – Matthew 11:2-3
While in prison, John sent his disciples to receive assurance on his hunch about Jesus. The verse above highlights the initial question. Likely frustrated, Jesus replies with a question of his own. You see, Jesus’ teaching style forced followers to figure things out on their own. Thus, instead of dumbing things down, Jesus put the onus back on John’s disciples. What do all these miracles mean? What do you think? At the end of chapter 11, Jesus confirms what some suspected, He is the Son of God. This is the final reveal, the exclamation point of the gospel, “Jesus came to restore that which was lost,” Luke 19:10.
Whether you are an employee, novice or student, there is a hesitancy that exists within human beings. This fear of the unknown inspires the question, “Am I on the right track?” Until you receive confirmation, subtle doubts will linger. This anxiety causes many to wonder, “should I be expecting someone else?”
Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor, Matthew 11:4-5.
Before John the Baptist is murdered in the first century, he was imprisoned. Something within him sensed death was near. Thus, in his last days on earth John sought the truth, hoping to receive assurance to his assumptions. John sent some of his own disciples to Jesus to confirm if Jesus was indeed the Messiah spoken by the Old Testament prophets. The passage above is Jesus’ response to John’s question.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me, John 14:6.
A few years later, Jesus’ disciples developed a similar concern, not sure who their leader really was. This uncertainty led to chatter between disciples, wondering if there was a connection between Jesus and God. As Passion Week began, Jesus’ last week on earth prior to his crucifixion, he silences any remaining doubt with the passage above. Surely, upon hearing the news that Jesus was the only way to God the Father resolved this life long question. The answer is no!
ExpressYourself4Him 