THEN THERE WAS JOHN...

A man named John was the son of a woman named Elizabeth, who was of the same family as Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mary had traveled by herself from Nazareth to Elizabeth's home in a larger city, perhaps Jerusalem, to see Elizabeth and tell her the exciting news that she was carrying the Messiah, by God's Spirit.  John's father, Zachariah, a priest in the temple there, had lost his speech after hearing that his wife,  Elizabeth, was to bear a child who would grow to be the man who would eventually be the messenger who would announce The Messiah to the world. This family proudly invited Mary to stay with them for a while.


The two women soon learned from each other that they were both chosen by God for this wonderful event. And Elizabeth's child stirred for the first time when Mary entered their home, as if he knew he would "prepare the way" for the child Mary carried in her womb.


From this beginning, John knew he was to bear witness to Jesus, the Christ, and when he was near-grown he went into the desert to prepare himself spiritually. He was a man of deep faith and one of desert strength, born for the privilege God had given him.


The two first met as men by the bank of the Jordan River where John had been baptizing the local community, instructing the people to remember their covenant with God. John had a fine following;  all the people spoke well of him, except for the Pharisees who were jealous of those who loved him.


Then suddenly, Jesus was before him stepping down onto the sand which fringed the river. What was in their hearts, their minds at that moment?  Two men, both of God, doing God's will--what could they be thinking? Were they speechless for a moment?  John was a brute of a man; would he have said, "Well, let's get on with it?"  Jesus...what was he thinking?  "Here is my cousin, whom I have never known.  Even now, I do not know him!"


Yet, the Father had sent him to this man who was to baptize him.  It was to be a beginning, the beginning of a ministry as yet not totally revealed.  And Jesus gave himself over to the Baptist to be baptized just as the people had been baptized.


Suddenly, just as Jesus came up from the water, a white dove flew to Jesus and settled on his shoulder. A voice spoke, "This is my Son in whom I am well pleased." The Spirit of God, the Father God, and the Son of God,  all three, all One, perfect, present, witnessing,.  Was it not encouraging to John?


Yes.  Yes, it was good, John  must have thought. He had done what God had asked of him.  But the people, his following?  Would they now follow the Christ? John understood all and let it be known:  "He must become greater; I must become less." (John 3:30)


Jesus was now prepared.  The people... the hungry, tired, broken, lost, sick, dying...would now be waiting...................and in due time, so  was the Cross!