The first week!

John 1:19-28

When Jews from Jerusalem sent a group of priests and officials to ask John who he was, he was completely honest. 20 He didn't evade the question. He told the plain truth: "I am not the Messiah." 21 They pressed him, "Who, then? Elijah?" "I am not." "The Prophet?" "No." 22 Exasperated, they said, "Who, then? We need an answer for those who sent us. Tell us something-- anything!-- about yourself." 23 "I'm thunder in the desert: 'Make the road straight for God!' I'm doing what the prophet Isaiah preached." 24 Those sent to question him were from the Pharisee party. 25 Now they had a question of their own: "If you're neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet, why do you baptize?" 26 John answered them, I [only] baptize in (with) water. Among you there stands One Whom you do not recognize and with Whom you are not acquainted and of Whom you know nothing. 27 It is He Who, coming after me, is preferred before me, the string of Whose sandal I am not worthy to unloose. 28 These things occurred in Bethany across the Jordan [ at the Jordan crossing], where John was then baptizing.

Food for thought!

We are all in our first week of 2014. Starting from today's gospel passage, and going step by step, day by day, we will follow Jesus’ first week in the public life; in today’s reading we have the preparatory events of the first day. Jesus was preceded by John, who told the people, “I am nobody; I am only a voice telling you to get ready for the coming of the king, for he is on the way.” 

John was what everybody ought to be and do: be only a voice and pointer to Jesus. The last thing that John wanted men to do was to look at him and stop there; he wanted the people to see beyond him and see Jesus; he wanted to be an instrument of Jesus. He is the great example of the man and woman prepared to let Jesus lead. He was only, as he saw it, a finger pointing to Jesus. So as you go through your first week, remember to be another John the Baptist, promoting Jesus' interests, Jesus' principles.

John said something extremely important: "Among you there stands One Whom you do not recognize and with Whom you are not acquainted and of Whom you know nothing."

The plain truth is that many people don’t know who they are; they have lost self worth, they have lost meaning in life, they have lost themselves. They have lost direction. Few people can say like John who they’re; few people can answer these questions put to John: Who are you? "The Messiah?" "Who, then? Elijah?" "The Prophet?" "Who, then? We need an answer. Tell us something, anything, about yourself." Yes, we need to tell the world who we are by doing our best and being our best.

In each one of us stands one we do not recognize, and with whom we are not acquainted and of whom we know nothing. This is the man or woman that God created in his image and likeness. The person that God made and intended each of us is good, very good indeed. Unfortunately, the person that many of us have come to be in reality, leaves much to be desired. Many of us feel that we could be and do more; that our potential is yet to show.

Many of us have not yet been the person God intended; we are yet to show the world our best. And the world keeps asking us: "Who are you? "The Messiah?" "Who, then? Elijah?" "The Prophet?" "Who, then? We need an answer. Tell us something, anything, about yourself."

So, is it possibly true that within you there stands one whom you do not recognize and with whom you are not acquainted and of whom you know nothing? If so, follow Jesus in this first week. Remember what Jesus said in John 10:10, "I have come that you may have life, to the full!"