'Snakes Alive'
In all my years of contact with the religious and the contemporary 'Christian' Church scene, and having personally listened to approximately 8,000 sermons and messages, heard countless religious tapes, and read numerous 'Christian' books, plus flicking through the Television religious programmes, I have heard, seen and read heaps on such topics as Faith, Love, Grace, Discipleship, Giving (including many on the Old Testament method of tithing !) and most other notable topics of theology …..
all except one !
Over many decades now, in all my listening, hearing and reading, I cannot recall hearing any such message that paid much more than perhaps a scant mention of John the Baptist, and his unique ministry and message.
Now why is that ? I ask myself and any one else ?
JOHN THE BAPTIST !
A lonely biblical figure that constantly I find myself being attracted to .....
my interest is aroused repeatedly by this remarkable personage.
Of whom Jesus spoke about ... among those born of women there has not risen a greater than John the Baptist Matthew 11 : 11 and more than a prophet
Now, that's the pinnacle of high praise indeed coming from the Master's own lips.
Among those born of women, which to my reckoning would just about cover all men and mankind ! There has never been a greater mortal !
So why don't we hear more about him in religious circles and messages ?
Could it be something about his very lifestyle that serves to rebuke us all ?
John the Baptist preached from - and presumably lived in - the wilderness or the desert, maybe in a cave ... so no ‘dwelling place’ ... so the real estate agents didn't waste their time on him !
He was clothed with camels hair and leathern girdle or shorts ..... not a fashion model … so the clothing trade didn't seek his business.
He lived on locusts and wild honey ... raw natural protein indeed ... so the restaurateurs and the merchants didn’t get his trade.
No mention of a horse or donkey to carry him around …. presumably he walked everywhere …. so no second hand car dealers to bother him.
Presumably he earned No income ..... so No taxes to pay ! Wow !
He had no appeal to any dealers, retailers, financiers, speculators, insurance agents
contractors, traders, merchants or any in the commercial world at all.
No mention of a wife, children, family ... there was no distraction to his God appointed mission .... to prepare the way of the Messiah who was to follow him, and to prepare the hearts of the people of the entire region.
His simple message basically consisted of just the one word - REPENT, which would never be a popular message in any age or era !
He called for personal confession of sin, repentance, and baptism by immersion ...
Also to share what clothing and food you have with others.... not to be violent, not to tell lies, not to be covetous - to be content with your wages and income.
A simple message of personal responsibility and accountability !
But his ministry drew and touched the hearts of an entire nation !
Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region about Jordan were drawn to him
Matthew 3 : 5
His message reached inevitably to the ears of the political rulers .... he even publicly rebuked Herod the ruling Tetrarch for his infidelity, which action would eventually cost him his head and his untimely death in his early thirties – no old age pension nor retirement plan for him !
And his message also reached to the temple and the professional religious class – the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
Many of them were drawn to John also but his message to them was quite different ..
YOU GENERATION OF VIPERS he called them, who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come ..... REPENT ..... and don't depend on being descendants of Abraham (on your religious affiliation !) Matthew 3 : 7 – 9
(I curiously notice that the next 3 verses 10 – 12 end in the same word ... FIRE !)
YOU GENERATION ( progeny, off-spring ) OF VIPERS was John's term for such religious legalists, who had turned the temple into a market place and a ‘den of thieves.’
And as we turn the pages, a surprising fact ....
Jesus called them exactly the same name as John used .... twice ....
Matthew 12 : 34, & 23 : 33,
and He even added the word SERPENTS to His description of them!
V I P E R S, S E R P E N T S .......... SNAKES indeed !!
Neither John nor Jesus minced their words .... SNAKES alive and well
Snakes that slither and slide, beautiful in their portrayal and presentation, but to the unwary their bite and venom can suddenly strike .... with deadly effect to the recipient …. ( for the letter of the law KILLS, only the Spirit gives life
2 Corinthians 3:6 )
So why is John the Baptist not a favourite topic of sermons I ask again ??
Could it be that his message (and even the very simplicity of his chosen lifestyle) either consciously or unconsciously, penetrates and offends religiosity and the clergy class of the present structured religious system of this planet.
John was no crowd pleaser.
He was not interested in popularity, nor forming his own little kingdom, having his own building, or counting the numbers of his followers.
His ministry was with a pure motive ... to prepare the way for Jesus and the Kingdom of God ……. He (Jesus) must increase, but I must decrease he said John 3 : 30
When he was asked who he was, he answered simply … I am the VOICE of one crying in the wilderness John 1:23 … and that voice was clearly heard … no compromise to any person or degree !
No self-promotion in this man ! I must decrease …. !
How comparable is this attitude with contemporary Church-ianity and the religious system and its paid professional clergy, vehicles (even personal aircraft), travel expenses (often first class), luxurious accommodation and life-styles, religious titles, garb and gowns, and all the rest of the religious trappings and paraphernalia that are so blatantly obvious, evident and offensive to most of us !
While John's title was simply that of .. THE BAPTIST - one who calls to repentance
and a baptiser of those whose hearts God opens, and are prepared to change their ways and modify their actions.
Are the VIPERS, SERPENTS and SNAKES of the religious system still alive and well in this day and age ?? I ask again.
Are they still as discernible and offensive as back then !
Perhaps not much has really changed since John’s time.
And perhaps this is why we don't hear so much of John’s message and see the example of a simple lifestyle among the professional religionists of these days !
May God forgive us all ………. as we seek to follow the Master
But what a lesson , and an example, and a Hero we find in such a one as ........
JOHN the BAPTIST …. a VOICE of God
Footnote ….
To those down through the ages who have been personally called and chosen to leave their families, houses, property and even their homelands to serve the Master .. and obeyed …… my deepest and heartfelt gratitude and respect for their courage and commitment ….. their reward will indeed be great according to Matthew 19 : 29 |
