Scripture

“And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.”

Luke 1:76-77

Muse

Maybe it was the angelic birth announcement, Zechariah’s miraculous muteness, or his cousin-in-law’s divine conception that clued him in, but Zechariah knew God had a special plan for his son, John. After John was born, Zechariah is recorded in these verses prophesying over his child’s future. And what he sees in John’s distant career is something the people of God hadn’t seen for hundreds of years: a prophet. John was to be a herald, a precursor, an antecedent with a new and needed message. After years of oppressive governments and relentless political tyranny, Israel was confused about what sort of salvation they really needed. While Zechariah’s greater prophesy had Jesus rescuing His people from both oppressive governments as well as the judgment we all deserve for sin, John’s message was more narrow in scope. John’s message wasn’t primarily about civic emancipation but soul restoration. His message to the world was clear, confrontational, and bold: “Repent and believe.” He wasn’t coming simply with a message about salvation from Rome but “salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.” He wasn’t coming with hope about freedom from evil leaders but freedom from an evil heart. He wasn’t coming to proclaim deliverance from Rome’s subjugation but God’s condemnation. God sent John, at the right time, for this appointed moment to stir the hearts of His people and bring them the best message of salvation they could have possibly heard: your sins are forgiven.We are called to go and broadcast this same message to the world:

• “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15).
  
• “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
  
• “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf: ‘Be reconciled to God’ (2 Corinthians 5:20).
  

You may not be called to desert living, locust eating, and camel-hair clothing, but you are called to boldly share your faith in the context that God has assigned you.

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Our World

As we pave new paths in our families and communities with gospel living, our sacred assignment often comes with great costs relationally, emotionally, financially, and sometimes physically. Understanding, like John did, that human hearts are naturally hostile to the ways of God (Romans 8:7), we should anticipate opposition as we go before the Lord to prepare His ways. For that work, we’ll need Spirit-empowered courage and conviction.

On October 9, 2012, a masked Taliban gunman boarded a young girl’s school bus in the Swat District of Pakistan. “Who is Malala?” he shouted. Once identified, Malala was shot in the left side of her head. Ten days later, Malala Yousafzai, age 15, woke up in a hospital in Birmingham, England. Malala was targeted that day because of her defiance of her local governing law. She loved school, and when the Taliban took control of her town in Swat Valley, they forbade girls from attending school. Malala began to write articles through the BBC, defying the Taliban’s oppressive regime, and it made her a target for her enemies. Despite her injuries and months of surgeries and rehabilitation, Malala made the courageous choice to continue fighting child poverty, child marriage, and gender discrimination in schools through public activism and global charity. Two years after the shooting, Malala received the Nobel Peace Prize, becoming the youngest-ever Nobel recipient at the age of 17. For the 130 million girls out of school today, Malala has served as a forerunner and catalyst for change and reform, paving the way for free, safe, and quality education. Likewise, John the Baptist was a forerunner in his time. He stood boldly against the political and cultural tides catalyzing the work of Christ to come. Unlike Malala, John’s head injury was fatal, but I think if we asked him if it was worth it, we’d hear him echo his cousin’s words, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.”

• Both John the Baptist and Malala faced severe consequences for their boldness (John's martyrdom and Malala's assassination attempt). What does this tell us about the cost of standing up for truth and righteousness in a world that resists God’s ways?
  
• In what ways are we, as followers of Christ, called to emulate John in preparing the way for the Lord in our own families, communities, and the world?
  
• Who are you being called to reach with this message of forgiveness?
  
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Prayer

Jesus, what a joy to speak Your name, the name of the Most High God. Not only do I get to speak Your name confidently in prayer, but I also get to represent it before my peers. The One of whom John would say, “I am not even worthy to untie his sandals,” I get to call my “friend.” Lord, as much as we long for salvation from cancer, depression, betrayal, addiction, and injustice, we rejoice that our greatest need for salvation has been met in Jesus: the forgiveness of our sins. God, give me boldness to bring this message of the forgiveness of sins to my family, friends, coworkers, and community. I trust that if You’ve appointed me to this service, You’ll equip me and strengthen me for it. We say with John, “You must increase, but I must decrease.” Let us be the voice of one crying out within our communities, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

Amen.