Rebekah Wilson, Alpha Team
Rebekah Wilson 0:07
Welcome to Elmhurst CRC’s daily dose of the word of God. Today is Tuesday, February 21st and this is Rebekah Wilson. This week we’re Journeying with Jesus toward the cross, stumbling along with John the Baptizer in John Chapter 1, verses 24-28.
Rebekah Wilson 0:25
“Then those who were sent by the Pharisees asked him, ‘If you aren’t the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?’ John told them, ‘I baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not know, who will soon begin his ministry. I am not even worthy to be his slave.’ This incident took place at Bethany, a village east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.”
Rebekah Wilson 0:54
Normally, someone was immersed in baptism when converting to Judaism, so only Gentiles were the ones who would receive a full immersion baptism. This was different than the purification washing that the Jews were instructed to perform. So why was John baptizing Jews and treating them, essentially, like they were Gentiles? Well this would require the Pharisees to send a delegation to investigate.
Rebekah Wilson 1:18
The Pharisees are seen many times in the New Testament. They were a small division within the Sanhedrin, the ruling counsel for the Jewish faith. Although they weren’t Levites and had nothing to do with the care of the temple, the Pharisees were devote Jews who strictly adhered to the Torah, or Laws of Moses. They added more protocols and more rituals to prove how very serious they were about following Adonai. But who was this strange man living in the wilderness, dressed in animals skins and claiming to baptize in the name of repentance? Did he think he was Messiah, the one foretold in the prophets, who would come to liberate God’s chosen people? Was this Elijah, the man predicted to be Messiah’s predecessor?
Rebekah Wilson 2:05
John’s ministry was written about in the prophets. Isaiah 40 talks about one who would prepare the way for the Lord. But did John know that? Here he denies being Elijah but in the gospel of Matthew chapter 17, he is described by Jesus as being the prophet. “But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him…” No, they didn’t recognize John and in the same way, the Pharisees failed to recognize who Jesus was, even as he suffered at their hands.
Rebekah Wilson 2:42
Let’s pray. Lord God, We look back on passages like this and wonder how the Pharisees missed John’s calling and ministry to prepare the hearts of their people for the arrival of Messiah, the Anointed One. And yet, we confess that we also fail to recognize Your power and presence in our lives today. We confess that we fail to trust You or live our lives like we believe that You really have the power to conquer death and sin and give us peace that passes all understanding. Help to prepare our hearts now for this season of Lent. Help us to provide time and space for your Spirit to minister to our hearts or Your word to speak into our lives. amen.