John: Making Jesus look good
Thoughts for Promiseland shepherds.
When I first heard the term "Lamb of God," it used to evoke fuzzy feelings in me about a lamb and how soft its wool would feel. But the biblical truth is radically different. Jesus is not meant to be seen as a pet. Instead, He is the sacrificial lamb, perfect and innocent and ready for sacrifice.It is a bloody picture when you think about sacrifice and all that it entails. It is a violent act as well, taking the life of one in order to redeem the life of another. When John calls Jesus "the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29), I wonder what mental image passed through the minds of John and his disciples. I cringe inwardly at the prospect of seeing Jesus' lifeless body laying forlorn and destitute of breath at the altar. Jesus being nailed at the cross with bloody wounds all over his body lifeless is no less graphic a scene.
John was pointing out a rather graphic and violent end to this man he and his disciples were passing by. I am sure that when John continued his ministry of telling others that the time is near to repent of sin, baptizing them in the Jordan River to symbolize their desire for change, and pointing them to Jesus as the light he is testifying to, that image must have stayed with him. He must have thought that if Jesus was willing to be this Lamb of God, then John was going to be willing to live his life as his messenger and die for him, if need be. John knew what his life's purpose was—and he willingly lived that way, because of the day the Lamb of God would willingly lay down his life.
Not to say that John didn't falter or have any doubts. Matthew 11 records one time when John is in jail and hears about Jesus' ministry. He wondered, "Is Jesus going after a large preaching ministry with many followers or will he be the Messiah (the Lamb)?" John sends people to ask Jesus, "Are you really the one we're waiting for?" Jesus' reply is rather cryptic. "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me." (Matt. 11:4-6)
The NLT translates verse 6 this way, "And tell him, ‘God blesses those who do not turn away because of me.' " In other words, "John, rest assured I am the one, and keep persevering and don't turn away from what you know is true" (my paraphrase).
John does persevere and as a reward, he is beheaded. And yet, he fulfills God's purpose for his life. To point others to Jesus. To testify about the Light. To decrease and see Jesus increase. To make Jesus look good.
That explains our roles as shepherds. We're in this to point children to Jesus. To testify to children about the Light. To decrease in those who admire us and see Jesus increase. To make Jesus look good to the children and their families. Let's keep on encouraging each other to persevere.
posted by Mr. Frank @ 6:20 PM
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