Every person is introduced to the world by someone else. The minister at a wedding says, “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride. I now present Mr. & Mrs. John Doe.” When someone is elected, on election night they say something like, “the next senator from Florida, John Doe.” Even when a baby is born the doctor says, “It’s a girl!” Everyone has an introduction.
The introduction of Jesus to the world took place through the prophets of the Old Testament, but someone had to write it on the marquee. And so we see the introduction of the introducer is told about in advance. John the Baptist, as he came to be known, was foretold by two prophets in the Old Testament, Malachi & Isaiah. Mark simply records the name of the longer of the two in his attribution. They didn’t have stylist writing guides back then. No footnotes, endnotes or reference lists. He simply wants us to know that God announced that someone would prepare the way for Jesus.
The reason John came was because God foretold it. John is right in the middle of obeying God as he goes about his ministry of preparation. He has a job to do and he is doing it.
If you look at the job of John the Baptist, he is really a loud speaker system. His job is to let people know that Jesus is coming. He is the advanced team, getting people ready. His job is to prepare the way. In modern PR terms, he is the front man. He goes to make sure all the arrangements have been made: the hotel rooms, the venue contract, the catering, the guest list, and the list goes on and on. They must make sure that things go smoothly, that nothing falls through the cracks.
When we are preparing to introduce Jesus to someone in our world, what are the preparations that we take? Do we just stumble into the introduction? Do we bath it in prayer and humility? Are there specific things you do in preparation of yourself and of the other person? Do you get to know their needs? Do you help meet their needs? Do you build a relationship that helps validate the content of the message by demonstrating the change Jesus has made in your life?
Now John’s job was very specific. He was to go before Jesus, the Promised One. As the preparer, he told people to prepare. He was not just preparing for a general idea, but for the person of Jesus. The Gospel is about a person, not a lifestyle or an ideology. We enter into a personal encounter with Jesus and it changes us.
Are you ready for Jesus to show up in your life?
The Arnold Journey 