The pink candle represents the Introit for today - "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice." Philippians 4:4ff.
The Prophet of Isaiah 40
KJV Matthew 11:2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, 3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
This passage is described two ways, one as John the Baptist being uncertain about Jesus, the other as John having his disciples learn that Jesus would follow and become the fulfillment of Isaiah 40. Not surprisingly, my Harvard trained teacher at Augustana College tried to promote the first idea, downplaying Jesus - "John had an enormous following."
The Book of Isaiah makes it clear. The forerunner of the Messiah will be Voice crying in the wilderness (dessert), - Prepare the Day of the Lord. The Savior would appear after being announced to Israel. That was embedded in Israel's memory because of the signs in Isaiah of it becoming true.
I was thinking about what was happening 30 years ago, just as my parents remembered key events and people 30 years before I was a young lad, the coming of the Depression and WWII. They compared our prosperity with the difficulties of those two epochs - almost on a daily basis. One speaker said on his audio tapes - "The Depression must have been great, because those who lived during that time never stopped talking about it. They had no money but they had plenty of love and vegetables from the garden."
Likewise, Israel remembered the Star of Bethlehem and all furor around that event. Everyone saw it gleaming in the night sky. Thirty years ago, I was stunned by the beauty of the cloudless sky in the dessert, and the way the glow of Phoenix showed the way from Yuma back to home. Everyone saw the Hale-Bopp comet, because it was unusual and impossible to miss.
John was not doubtful but following the urge of the Spirit. As the forerunner of the Messiah, his role was to prepare the people through preaching about repentance and faith in the Savior. Thousands went out into the dessert to listen to him as the last of the prophets. Parents could say to their children, "We saw the Star."
I grew up during a time when many scientists and Leftist theologians mocked the Star of Bethlehem. When the computer models and planetariums reproduced the Star, the doubters moved to another topic.
John was preparing his disciples to follow Jesus, who had been clearly identified as Messiah, baptized, and identified as the Son. As Luther wrote,
The other reason was because Christ appeared so very humble and common, being the son of a poor carpenter and of a poor widow. Neither did he belong to the priesthood, nor to the learned; but was only a layman and a common apprentice. He had never studied, was brought up as a carpenter apprentice just like other lay-men; hence it seemed as though the excellent testimony of John concerning Christ and the common layman and apprentice, Jesus of Nazareth, did not at all harmonize with each other.
Luther also wrote that John had the greatest role at the moment, because he pointed to his humble figure and said, "This is the One."
Today, the majority will have something good to say about Jesus, but that often means a watered down and politicized version, like Godspell, Braaten-Jenson, and the Unitarians. Hearing about the risen Christ makes them angry and vindictive.
4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: 5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
- The blind see
- The lame walk
- Lepers are cleansed
- The deaf hear
- The dead are raised up
- The poor have the Gospel preached to them.
The Trinity is implied in this list of six signs, miracles from God, which continue in this day. Seven is -- blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended (GJ -scandalized, fallen from faith) in me.
What Jesus did then is still happening today. And people are still scandalized, which means the revelation of the Scriptures is not acceptable to them.
7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
This change to Jesus preaching about John displays the unity of the Scriptures. John baptized and pointed out Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus pointed out John as the final Old Testament prophet. 1. Does a reed move from the wind? (Wind, Greek, Spirit) 2. Do prophets wear beautiful silken robes, like the yes-men serving in royal households? 3. Did curiosity pull you out to find the final prophet from Isaiah? Note - Yes, and more than a prophet.
10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Lenski, Matthew p. 486 "The greatness of those who are officially less than John consists
in the great treasures of revelation given to them by
God. Read 13:16, 17. Jesus is speaking of the time
now in progress. In spite of his great office John could
not in prison see the great miracles Jesus was working.
Soon he would give up his life, and, therefore, could not
see the consummation of Jesus’ work (death, resurrection, etc.)."
So we are greater than John the Baptist in that all the treasures of Heaven are revealed to us.
Big John just told me about a pastors's wife who wrapped her arms around a Super Giant print Bible and said, "This is mine!"
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