Slide 1: After John comes...
All four Gospels tell the story of John the Baptizer. John was the one sent to make way for Jesus. He had everything he needed for ministry living out in the wilderness. He had purpose, a voice, and enough knowledge of what God was doing to tell the world: get ready the Messiah's about to come.
‘ After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel. John 1:30-31 NRSV
Slide 2: Wilderness
John had none of the trappings of institutional religion; but he was ready for ministry. There was no Cathedral or church building out along side the Jordan River. He had no fancy title or degrees. There's no mention of a choir or band that accompanied him at the Jordan when he preached and baptized. He had none of that official stuff. Instead all he had was official suspicion. The king eventually had him arrested. Its obvious he wasn't endorsed or approved for ministry by King Herod or another earthly power. But John had divine purpose and drive; he had mission for God and that's exactly what it took to get him engaged in ministry out there in the wilderness.
Many other people were drawn in by John's message. Crowds came to hear him preach and to be baptized with water. It was surely one of the most moving times in the life of any one who came out to the Jordan for baptism. The crowds would come to let go, to repent. It was probably the most spiritually awake that many of them had ever felt; but most would eventually go back home again. A few stayed close. John's message drew them them in I'm certain they weren't attracted to his wardrobe, the camel skins were probably itchy and my guess is they smelled bad after a couple days. I can't imagine the the diet of locusts and wild honey would have been a real good selling point either.
Despite the challenges of living in the wilderness and calling for people to repent some followed John the Baptist as disciples. I imagine them coming from religious homes. They believed in God and wanted to follow him the very best they could. They were attracted to John and to his message. Leave behind every burden. Let go of all your sins and shames and come out of the villages, towns, and cities out to the wilderness and wade down in the water. Leave all the old stuff behind. Repent so that you'll be ready to meet God. Even Jesus came to meet John at the Jordan and the be baptized.
Slide 3: Agnus Dei
When Jesus was baptized John said he witnessed heaven open up above him. He saw the dove descend; he heard the voice call out, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17 NIV) When John saw Jesus he called out, “Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” John's disciples heard his proclamation. They knew John was unique among all men and now John was speaking about somebody else saying that this one man alone was the Lamb of God. They had followed John and sacrificed to live outside of society with him. And now John was pointing to Jesus and telling his disciples not once but twice that Jesus is the Lamb of God.
Slide 4
Two of John's disciples followed behind Jesus. They asked Jesus where he was staying and got an invitation,
39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”
Jesus connected with Andrew 1 to 1 that day. And Andrew went and connected with his brother Simon. Our ministry is to help others meet and follow Christ as disciples 1 to 1 just as Andrew did, and just as Jesus had done for him.
Slide 5
John knew Jesus' reason for coming. He came to be God on earth and he came to be the lamb offered in sacrifice for the sins of the world. Jesus has all power as God and this same one is the lamb offered to take away the sin of the world. John the Baptist knew Jesus had this two fold mission. He knew it. For 2000 years Christians have been blessed to have this God who meets us both as lamb with feet tied ready for slaughter and as the victor who over comes death.
We imagine God based on our experiences and on what others have told us abut God. I've always different pictures of God in Jesus in my head. Reading about the lamb of God two images popped up. The first is of the lamb, innocent and bound ready for slaughter. This painting helps us imagine Jesus as the vulnerable one waiting to die. As you looked at the lamb remember that Jesus is the Good Shepherd who watches over his sheep. We come to know this God and trust that he stands beside us ready to defend us and guide us through this world into the next.
Slide 6: The Whole Story
Sometimes its hard to admit that we've got limited imaginations when it comes to God. Sometimes we think of Jesus who is bold and provides for our every need. Then we meet Jesus on the cross, a suffering servant the lamb sacrificed to take away our sins. To often we think of Jesus as either either as the suffering servant or as God all powerful. But the real Jesus is both. Te God of power but that Jesus is both always the lamb offered up for the sins of the world and the God with power to save. The great Swedish theologian Gustaf Aulén called Jesus Christus Victor. He spoke of Jesus first work as liberating us from all our struggles with sin, death, and the Devil. Jesus victory over death is the turning point when we see all the power of the universe that he controls. But in that same moment we recognize that he is the lamb with the bound feet offered up in our place.
Slide 7: In Christ you have been made rich in every way
The real Jesus strengthens us in all things including weakness. Paul spoke to the church in Corinth telling them that they had been enriched by Jesus, in every way. He told them
in Christ you have been made rich in every way, in all your speaking and in all your knowledge. 6 Just as our witness about Christ has been guaranteed to you, 7 so you have every gift from God while you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to come again. 8 Jesus will keep you strong until the end
The Holy Bible : New Century Version , Containing the Old and New Testaments., 1 Co 1:5. Dallas, TX: Word Bibles, 1991.
Slide 8: The whole story
Our promise as Christians is that we have God's every gift in Jesus Christ. We have the gift of the one who takes on evil in all its forms. We have the gift of Jesus who defeated death and who calls to us to follow him in this world and into the next because he is the victor. We also have the God who meets us face to face in the deepest and darkest places. He knows them. He's been there. John called out “Behold the Lamb of God.” He is Jesus the vanquished now victorious.
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