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In touch

Up-to-the-minute jumping-off points for sermons, linking the reading to the latest news and global issues

 

Out of nowhere

God’s approach always puts us in the spotlight (John 1:19ff)

 

Context

• The Christian Century magazine featured an interesting take on John the Baptist.

• A student nurse was in the spotlight after winning a fairytale.

• Six-year-old Milo Joyce went viral after landing a top role in his school nativity play.

 

Ideas for sermons or interactive talks

• In Scripture, God’s word to humanity often comes seemingly from nowhere (See Isaiah 6:1ff; 1 Kings 17:1ff; Ex. 3:3ff; Luke 1:26ff). The appearance of John the Baptist – out of nowhere – is as sudden as Elijah’s appearance in 1 Kings. There was no advance publicity for the appearance of these wild and woolly messengers of God! As Advent is about expectation, how might an openness to the unexpected approach of God help us in our response?

• Having heard of John the Baptist’s testimony and proclamation regarding Jesus, the local religious authorities question John: ‘Who are you?’ Here John provides an unusual (for him) triple response: ‘He confessed and did not deny it but confessed.’ Why this threefold assertion? Were the Levites and priests truly interested in discovering John’s identity or were they more interested in protecting the religious status quo? They basically ignore John’s confession, ‘I am not the Messiah,’ and enquire whether he is Elijah or ‘the [unspecified] prophet’. Under further questioning, John then identifies himself with the message of the prophet Isaiah (40:3): ‘I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, “Make straight the way of the Lord”’. Perhaps this careful questioning is due to the prescription for false prophets in
  Deut. 18:20?

 

Questions for discussion

• Has anyone ever put you on the spot regarding your faith – at work, at home, in a pub? If so, how did you respond and why?

• Read the Scriptures cited above: Isaiah 6:1ff; 1 Kings 17:1ff; Ex. 3:3ff; Luke 1:26ff. Now put yourself in the shoes (or sandals) of one of these individuals. How might you react? What would be your first thoughts or actions? Why?

• Have you (or anyone you know) ever been hostilely deposed in a court of law? What was it like? One is often asked a number of questions in quick succession – not unlike John with the Levites and priests. It is not always clear to the lawyer, judge or jury to which question you are answering yes or no! For us today, it’s a matter of perjury.
  For John, it could have meant life or death. Sometimes it’s not so easy to be in the spotlight!

Revd Dr Jack Lawson is a freelance writer and novelist. His latest novel, Joab, (Wipf & Stock) is based on the life of King David.

 

Check-in

Connecting faith with everyday, real-life issues for young people

Questions, questions and more questions. That was what John the Baptizer faced. Are you Elijah? Are you a the prophet? Who are you? The questions were coming from religious leaders. They did not have all the answers and neither do the religious leaders of today.

What is going on in the Middle East? How can we do something about it? How can we make a difference? These questions were on my mind at church on Sunday. Like many churches we decided to leave the second candle on the advent ring unlit. We had a short liturgy and explained that the candle was remaining unlit in solidarity with Christians in Bethlehem who were leaving their lights unlit.

The lady who was reading the liturgy was reduced to tears. She told me afterwards that at that moment all the pictures she had seen, all the pain and all the suffering came upon her. However she felt much better when told of a special prayer time for peace in the conflict.

Here is something important for all of us. We are limited in what we can do but there are two ways we can make a difference. One is to stand in solidarity with those who are suffering and the other is to pray for them.

And John stood in solidarity with the people who came and by baptising them he prayed for them.

Solidarity and prayer - there’s something to think about.

Revd Stuart Wild is Superintendent Minister of the Blackpool and South Fylde Methodist Circuit.

 

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