Dear brothers and sisters,
I just HAD to send out another Word for the Week today.
I have just received an article from my dear friend Pastor Jegede Sunday E
from Trinadad on 'Prepare the way of the Lord'. It reflects so clearly the
Word for the Week I sent out this past week and I found it so so encouraging
because it shows me that we ARE hearing right and that what we carry at the
BBN is consistent with what "The Spirit is saying to the churches"
today.
I do hope thart you will be as blessed as I was.
Thank you dear brother Jede. We love you!
Dr Howard Barnes
Intn'l Director of the BBN (UK)
*“For this is he who was spoken of by the
prophet Isaiah, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare
the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.'" (Matthew 3:3
NKJV)*
*Sunday, June 19th
2016 - PREPARE THE WAY OF THE
LORD*
In ancient times it was customary for messengers, harbingers, or
forerunners to be sent before the eastern kings to prepare the way for the
chariots and armies of their monarchs, to proclaim their approach, to provide
for them, to level the ways and to remove all impediments before
them.
Similarly, when the Messiah,
the King of kings and the Lord of lords, was to come into the world to redeem
the fallen men, John the Baptist was sent ahead of Him as the messenger or
the forerunner to prepare the way of the LORD and to make His paths
straight.
Like John the Baptist,
every born-again believer today is God-sent messenger or forerunner to
prepare the way for the second coming of Jesus Christ into the world. As a
believer, it is your responsibility to announce or proclaim constantly the
imminent return of Christ and look forward to the day with
eagerness.
Apostle Paul admonishes
us to be *“looking for the blessed hope and glorious
appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us,
that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His
own special people, zealous for good works.” (Titus 2:13-14
NKJV).*
Apostle Peter also
admonishes us to be *“looking for and hastening the
coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved,
being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?” (2
Peter 3:12 NKJV).*
Without any doubt, John the Baptist
fulfilled his noble calling as the forerunner of Christ’s first coming into
the world. He clearly, perfectly, and publicly revealed Jesus Christ to his
generation as the Messiah that was to come into the
world *(John 1:29,
36)*.
The Scripture
amply testifies to John’s fulfilling his ministry.
*John 1:*
*29* *The next day John saw Jesus
coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin
of the world!” (NKJV).*
*35
Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. *
*36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of
God!" (NKJV).*
The Lord Jesus
publicly commended John the Baptist, saying, *“Truly, I
say to you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than
John the Baptist…”
(Matt. 11:11 RSV). *
The Lord also called
John *"the burning and shining
lamp” *in his generation, for he truly revealed Christ
to the
Jews* (John 5:35).*
Like John the Baptist, the believers today
as the end-time forerunners of Christ are also expected to be the burning and
shining lamps that will clearly reveal the Lord Jesus to the people and
prepare the people for the Lord’s second return.
Therefore, it is wisdom for us to learn from John the Baptist, who
was the burning and shining lamp of his generation and who truly fulfilled
his divine mission as the fore-runner of the Lord’s first coming into the
world* (Rom. 15:4).*
*First, John the Baptist was completely devoted to his mission in
the world.*
Although John the
Baptist came in the spirit and power of Elijah, yet he refused to introduce
himself as Elijah, for he knew that would draw much attention and affection
towards him, thereby hindering or truncating his divine purpose to bear
witness of Christ – to make the Messiah known to the world.
The Scripture records
in *John 1: *
* 19 Now this
is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from
Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"*
* 20 He
confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the
Christ."*
* 21 And they asked him, "What then? Are
you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered,
"No."*
* 22 Then they said to him, "Who are you,
that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about
yourself?"*
* 23 He said: "I am 'The voice of one
crying in the wilderness: "Make straight the way of the LORD,"' as the
prophet Isaiah said." (NKJV).*
Although, John the Baptist was the greatest of all the prophets under
the Old Covenant, yet he would not even introduce himself as a prophet to the
Jews lest the people should seek him rather than the Messiah he was sent to
reveal to
them *(Matt. 11:11). *
When the Jews pressurized John to disclose
his spiritual identity and mission, he simply
responded, *"I am 'The voice of one crying in the
wilderness: "Make straight the way of the LORD.”
(John 1:23NKJV).*
What a humility and simplicity!
If not for his humility and simplicity, John
the Baptist would have succeeded only in projecting and proclaiming himself
as the Elijah who was to come rather than Jesus the Messiah who was to come
into the world.
Unfortunately
today, John’s kind of humility and simplicity is very rare. Many ministers
of God today would pay any price or do anything to be recognized and called
by special designations or appellations.
Like John the Baptist, we must be careful not to bear or answer any
title or name that would constitute a distraction to our divine mission in
the world, or that which would draw or divert people’s attention and
affection to us rather than to Christ.
We must constantly, consistently or continually remember that we are
in the world, not to make ourselves known to people or to draw people’s
attention and affection toward us, but to make Christ known to people and to
draw people’s attention and affection to Christ alone.
*Second, John the Baptist was pleased to
decrease so that Christ may increase.*
There came a time when some of John’s disciples who were
spiritually undiscerning called his attention to his fame and followers
dwindling down as a result of his continuous public testimony or proclamation
of Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah and the Saviour of the world.
They sought to provoke John to envy or
jealousy, saying, *"Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the
Jordan, to whom you have testified--behold, He is baptizing, and all are
coming to Him!" (John3:26 NKJV).*
However, John the Baptist was quick to
rebuke and remind them, saying, *"You yourselves bear me
witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent before
Him.' "He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the
bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the
bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. "He must
increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:28-30 NKJV). *
What a contrast to the mindset of many
servants of God today!
John the Baptist joyfully accepted to decrease in fame and followers
so that Christ may increase in fame and followers.
Unlike many pastors or evangelists today,
the joy of John the Baptist was not in gathering or pulling a large crowd to
himself, but in making Christ known to them.
Until you also esteem making Christ known to
people by your speech, conduct, attitude, action or lifestyle as your
greatest joy in life, you will not be an effective forerunner of
Christ.
Lastly, the success of
John the Baptist as the herald or forerunner of Christ’s first coming was
also due to *his kingdom’s mentality and
lifestyle.*
Undoubtedly, John the
Baptist was totally unlike the religious and hypocritical scribes and
Pharisees of his days, who did all their works only to be seen by men, and
made their phylacteries broad and enlarged the borders of their garments, and
loved the best places at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues, and
greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by special appellations or
titles *(Matt. 3:4, 23:5-8).*
While the religious leaders of his days were
primarily concerned with the gifts the people bring to the altar and their
compliance with religious rites and traditions of men, John the Baptist was
apparently concerned with the people bearing fruits worthy of
repentance.
John’s emphasis in
his preaching was totally different from that of the Pharisees!
The Scripture
testifies, *“In those days John the Baptist came
preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand!" (Matt. 3:1-2 NKJV).*
John’s emphasis was on repentance, faith in the Messiah, and
seeking God’s Kingdom and His righteousness. This should also be our
emphasis today!
Beloved, when the
King of glory returns, would He commend you as the burning and shining lamp
in your family, home, office, school, community, or city, who brightly
reflected and manifested Him to those around you, just as John the Baptist
did?
Let us arise today to prepare
the way for our King’s second coming by demonstrating His love to others,
walking in His footsteps, devoting our lives and resources to the expansion
of His kingdom in the hearts of men, calling sinners to repentance and faith
in Christ, and proclaiming, praying and looking forward to Christ’s
glorious second coming into the world.
John writes, *“He who testifies to these things
says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”
(Rev. 22:20 NKJV). *
Prayer: Dear Holy Spirit, teach and help me to live in
such a way that will perfectly and brightly reflect Christ and Him alone, to
those around me. I draw divine grace to live daily as a forerunner of Christ,
in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar