Episode Transcript
CONSECRATE
Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.
Jesus, I belong to you.
I lift up my heart to you.
I set my mind on you.
I fix my eyes on you.
I offer my body to you as a living sacrifice.
Jesus, we belong to you.
Praying in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen.
HEAR
Luke 3:15–17 ESV
As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
CONSIDER
Our text cuts to the chase of the big scene on the Gospelling stage today. And, yes, it's more checkers. It's been about thirty years since yesterday when the big player was Caesar Augustus. Same board. Same pieces. Different players. Still checkers.
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—
when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea,
Herod tetrarch of Galilee,
his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and
Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene—
during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, . . . (vv. 1–2a NIV)
And all of that is what the world wants you to believe is the big game. It's the VIPs and the dignitaries at the state dinner and the stars complete with their entourages trailed by the social media influencers and they're all access Hollywood lifestyles. And, yes, there's a pantheon of religious rockstars to boot.
But, it's still checkers. And, remember, God plays chess.
Here's the big chess move for the day: "the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness" (v. 2b).
Let's break that down: "the word of God."
Lamp unto my feet—light unto my path. Sweeter than honey—more precious than gold. Sharper than a double-edged sword. Always accomplishing the purposes for which it is sent. Because the "grass withers and the flower fades, but the Word of the Lord endures forever" (Isa. 40:8).
"The word of God came to . . ." Not Caesar, not Pilate, not Herod, not Philip. Not Lysanius, not Annas, not Caiphas. The word of God came to John—a thirty-year-old man living in relative obscurity wearing clothes made of camel hair (not of the sport coat variety, mind you), who ate locusts with a side of honey for most meals (when he ate, which was not often).
I've noticed how in some circles of spiritual leadership these days people don't want to include the names of leaders and sometimes their faces—as though that somehow detracts from the face and name of Jesus. I get it. They are rejecting fame and celebrity culture and the pain caused by the failures of prominent leaders. However, the hallmark feature of personhood is a person's name and face. Every person has a face and a name and that name and face matter every bit as much as the name and face of Jesus. It's why he came—to call your name and see your face (and mine). Yes, the word of God came to John and the Word of God comes to you. But here's my favorite part: "the word of God came to John son of Zechariah."
We don't get John's title or resume or qualifications or LinkedIn profile. We don't get his Facebook friend or Instagram follower count. We get his identity. John is a son. He has a father. And, yes, he has a mother and I wish they had said son of John and Elizabeth (but such were the conventions of ancient genealogies). And we get his Father's name: Zechariah. John belongs to Zechariah. The Word of God only comes to sons and daughters and we are—every single one of us—long before and well after we are ever anything else—a beloved son or a blessed daughter.
Yes, "the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness."
The Word of God did not come to the state house or the royal palace. The Word of God did not come to the halls of power or the playgrounds of the rich and famous. The Word of God did not come to the respectable religious leaders in their sanctuaries.
The Word of God came in the wilderness, the place of desolation; of long stretches of lost years; the place of exile and wandering; the place where we suffer the wounds of loss and disappointment and wonder if happiness will ever come again; the place where we learn to trust beyond our feelings and where words like, "Don't be afraid. Only believe" become our daily bread; where we learn to say to ourselves, "the Lord is my portion, therefore I will wait for him." And can I get a witness? Yes, "the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness."
Checkmate!
PRAY
Yes, Lord Jesus, you are my portion, therefore, I will wait for you. Word of God, come to me, [speak your name], your beloved and blessed son/daughter, in the midst of this wilderness called the world. It's your move. Word of God speak. For your glory. For others' gain. For my good. In Jesus's name, amen.
