Who are you?

This is John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?”
John confessed (he didn’t deny but confessed), “I’m not the Christ.”
They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”
John said, “I’m not.”
“Are you the prophet?”
John answered, “No.”
They asked, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
John replied,
“I am a voice crying out in the wilderness,
    Make the Lord’s path straight,
    just as the prophet Isaiah said.”
Those sent by the Pharisees asked, “Why do you baptize if you aren’t the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?”
John answered, “I baptize with water. Someone greater stands among you, whom you don’t recognize. He comes after me, but I’m not worthy to untie his sandal straps.” This encounter took place across the Jordan in Bethany where John was baptizing. (John 1:19-28, CEB)

Who are you?

Do you know who you are?

John here is asked if he is a bunch of people, he is not. He knows who he is not.

When we meet someone new, we usually ask what the person does. As if our employment is actually who we are. I am a pastor, but that is not who I am; it is part of my identity, but not the full identity.

As John and you, I was sent to help prepare the way of the Lord. To make valleys high and mountains low. To help hearts be open and ready for Jesus.

I am a child of God. Named. Claimed. Sealed. To give love to the world.

Who are you?

prepare

Standing up, Paul gestured with his hand and said, “Fellow Israelites and Gentile God-worshippers, please listen to me. The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors. God made them a great people while they lived as strangers in the land of Egypt. With his great power, he led them out of that country. For about forty years, God put up with them in the wilderness. God conquered seven nations in the land of Canaan and gave the Israelites their land as an inheritance. This happened over a period of about four hundred fifty years. “After this, he gave them judges until the time of the prophet Samuel. The Israelites requested a king, so God gave them Saul, Kish’s son, from the tribe of Benjamin, and he served as their king for forty years. After God removed him, he raised up David to be their king. God testified concerning him, ‘I have found David, Jesse’s son, a man who shares my desires. Whatever my will is, he will do.’ From this man’s descendants, God brought to Israel a savior, Jesus, just as he promised. Before Jesus’ appearance, John proclaimed to all the Israelites a baptism to show they were changing their hearts and lives. As John was completing his mission, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I’m not the one you think I am, but he is coming after me. I’m not worthy to loosen his sandals.’ (Acts 13:16-25, CEB)

Paul speaks to people who are following God, both people of Israel and those who are not. Telling them the history of God’s People.

This section ends with John, who was called and sent to prepare the way for Jesus. John was not the one we were waiting for, but one sent to prepare the way of the one who is coming.

All of us are like John. We are sent to prepare the way for Jesus. To help others see Jesus.

Are you preparing the way for Jesus?

Are you helping others see Jesus?

replacement

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near Jerusalem—a sabbath day’s journey away. When they entered the city, they went to the upstairs room where they were staying. Peter, John, James, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James, Alphaeus’ son; Simon the zealot; and Judas, James’ son— all were united in their devotion to prayer, along with some women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. During this time, the family of believers was a company of about one hundred twenty persons. Peter stood among them and said, “Brothers and sisters, the scripture that the Holy Spirit announced beforehand through David had to be fulfilled. This was the scripture concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus. This happened even though he was one of us and received a share of this ministry.” (In fact, he bought a field with the payment he received for his injustice. Falling headfirst, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines spilled out. This became known to everyone living in Jerusalem, so they called that field in their own language Hakeldama, or “Field of Blood.”) “It is written in the Psalms scroll, Let his home become deserted and let there be no one living in it; and Give his position of leadership to another. “Therefore, we must select one of those who have accompanied us during the whole time the Lord Jesus lived among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when Jesus was taken from us. This person must become along with us a witness to his resurrection.” So they nominated two: Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. They prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s deepest thoughts and desires. Show us clearly which one you have chosen from among these two to take the place of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas turned away to go to his own place.” When they cast lots, the lot fell on Matthias. He was added to the eleven apostles. (Acts 1:12-26, CEB)

Judas, the one who handed Jesus over needed to be replaced, so Peter said, “Therefore, we must select one of those who have accompanied us during the whole time the Lord Jesus lived among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when Jesus was taken from us. This person must become along with us a witness to his resurrection.” Someone who was with us from the beginning to the end. Did you realize there were people who traveled with Jesus from his baptism by John until after the resurrection? Not only did the 12 do this, but others as well.

I mean, that is what Peter said. One who has accompanied us the whole time from the baptism until Jesus was taken from us, ascended into heaven. And there were at least 2 of them, men that is. And I assume more and if there were men, there were probably women and children too. So how many actually traveled around with Jesus?

And if others were there, why do we only focus on the 12? Yes, they were selected by Jesus, but was Matthias? I mean, the lot could have been chosen by God and given to him, but why those 12? Why not everyone else?

I ask this to say, sometimes we get hung up on the little details that will not matter in the end. Yes, there were others who traveled with Jesus and the 12, and they are important, and yet we do not know who they were, and they still have an impact on the mission and ministry of God.

You are important and have an impact on the mission and ministry of God, even when you think nobody cares or sees it.

Do not worry about the little things. Know you are loved and sent to share love.

deceived

“Then if somebody says to you, ‘Look, here’s the Christ,’ or ‘He’s over here,’ don’t believe it. False christs and false prophets will appear, and they will offer great signs and wonders in order to deceive, if possible, even those whom God has chosen. Look, I’ve told you ahead of time. So if they say to you, ‘Look, he’s in the desert,’ don’t go out. And if they say, ‘Look, he’s in the rooms deep inside the house,’ don’t believe it. Just as the lightning flashes from the east to the west, so it will be with the coming of the Human One. The vultures gather wherever there’s a dead body. “Now immediately after the suffering of that time the sun will become dark, and the moon won’t give its light. The stars will fall from the sky and the planets and other heavenly bodies will be shaken. Then the sign of the Human One will appear in the sky. At that time all the tribes of the earth will be full of sadness, and they will see the Human One coming in the heavenly clouds with power and great splendor. He will send his angels with the sound of a great trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from the four corners of the earth, from one end of the sky to the other. “Learn this parable from the fig tree. After its branch becomes tender and it sprouts new leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all these things, you know that the Human One is near, at the door. I assure you that this generation won’t pass away until all these things happen. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will certainly not pass away. (Matthew 24:23-35, CEB)

Do not be deceived. We need to remain focused on Jesus and what we are called and equipped to do.

Everything but the word of God will pass away, and nothing is to be clung to except the word of God. And here the word of God means Jesus. The Bible is a book of stories to help us know God and how God loves us. It was written in dead languages and translated, usually for political purposes, and points us to God, but it is not the thing we cling to.

Cling to Jesus and do not be deceived by those who claim to be him or try to lead you astray.

Love like Jesus.

we need each other

What more can I say? I would run out of time if I told you about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. Through faith they conquered kingdoms, brought about justice, realized promises, shut the mouths of lions, put out raging fires, escaped from the edge of the sword, found strength in weakness, were mighty in war, and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured and refused to be released so they could gain a better resurrection. But others experienced public shame by being taunted and whipped; they were even put in chains and in prison. They were stoned to death, they were cut in two, and they died by being murdered with swords. They went around wearing the skins of sheep and goats, needy, oppressed, and mistreated. The world didn’t deserve them. They wandered around in deserts, mountains, caves, and holes in the ground. All these people didn’t receive what was promised, though they were given approval for their faith. God provided something better for us so they wouldn’t be made perfect without us. (Hebrews 11:32-40, CEB)

I had to read this a couple of times because of the last sentence. “God provided something better for us so they wouldn’t be made perfect without us.” Because this is the end of the faith chapter, some cheated death, and others endured death, and yet none of them received the promised but were given approval for their faith. Because “God provided something better for us so they wouldn’t be made perfect without us.”

God provided us, those who came after these told about here in the passage something better, so that those in the passage would be made perfect with us.

We need all believers, and until we understand that, we will continue to wait for Jesus to return.

We need each other.

Grace

So what are we going to say? Should we continue sinning so grace will multiply? Absolutely not! All of us died to sin. How can we still live in it? Or don’t you know that all who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore, we were buried together with him through baptism into his death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too can walk in newness of life. If we were united together in a death like his, we will also be united together in a resurrection like his. This is what we know: the person that we used to be was crucified with him in order to get rid of the corpse that had been controlled by sin. That way we wouldn’t be slaves to sin anymore, because a person who has died has been freed from sin’s power. But if we died with Christ, we have faith that we will also live with him. We know that Christ has been raised from the dead and he will never die again. Death no longer has power over him. He died to sin once and for all with his death, but he lives for God with his life. In the same way, you also should consider yourselves dead to sin but alive for God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:1-11, CEB)

We have received grace. I have a tattoo of a statement of a pastor friend of mine who told his story of how he used to cut himself in front of 30,000 of his closest friends at an ELCA Youth Gathering. His phrase is, “There’s Grace for That.” I have this on my right forearm, with other tattoos about suicide. Because there is grace for that.

But knowing there is grace for that does not mean we continue doing things that we know are wrong or harmful, and yet sometimes our own minds convince us we need to do them. We do not do wrong or harm to get grace; grace is there to help us move beyond the harm and live in the reality that our demons lie to us and our own minds can play tricks on us.

We are all enough as we are, and God’s grace is enough for all of us.

You are enough.

And no matter who you are or what you do, there’s Grace for that!

Be prepared

“But nobody knows when that day or hour will come, not the heavenly angels and not the Son. Only the Father knows. As it was in the time of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Human One. In those days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark. They didn’t know what was happening until the flood came and swept them all away. The coming of the Human One will be like that. At that time there will be two men in the field. One will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill. One will be taken and the other left. Therefore, stay alert! You don’t know what day the Lord is coming. But you understand that if the head of the house knew at what time the thief would come, he would keep alert and wouldn’t allow the thief to break into his house. Therefore, you also should be prepared, because the Human One will come at a time you don’t know. (Matthew 24:36-44, CEB)

The Boy Scout motto is Be Prepared. Be ready for any situation. Now, is it really possible to be prepared for every situation you could encounter? No, it is not. However, you can be prepared for how you handle situations you are not prepared for.

This passage for the First Sunday of Advent, where we are preparing for the coming of Christ, as a baby, and for the return of Christ, helps us understand we do not know when this is going to happen, but in that we still need to be prepared.

It is not about knowing when, but being ready for when it happens.

We are prepared for this by doing what Christ has told us to do: Love God, Love neighbor.

Love.

Be Prepared.

Live love.

Now Jesus left the temple and was going away. His disciples came to point out to him the temple buildings. He responded, “Do you see all these things? I assure that no stone will be left on another. Everything will be demolished.” Now while Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will these things happen? What will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age?” Jesus replied, “Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I’m the Christ.’ They will deceive many people. You will hear about wars and reports of wars. Don’t be alarmed. These things must happen, but this isn’t the end yet. Nations and kingdoms will fight against each other, and there will be famines and earthquakes in all sorts of places. But all these things are just the beginning of the sufferings associated with the end. They will arrest you, abuse you, and they will kill you. All nations will hate you on account of my name. At that time many will fall away. They will betray each other and hate each other. Many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because disobedience will expand, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be delivered. This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world as a testimony to all the nations. Then the end will come. “When you see the disgusting and destructive thing that Daniel talked about standing in the holy place (the reader should understand this), then those in Judea must escape to the mountains. Those on the roof shouldn’t come down to grab things from their houses. Those in the field shouldn’t come back to grab their clothes. How terrible it will be at that time for women who are pregnant and for women who are nursing their children. Pray that it doesn’t happen in winter or on the Sabbath day. There will be great suffering such as the world has never before seen and will never again see. If that time weren’t shortened, nobody would be rescued. But for the sake of the ones whom God chose, that time will be cut short. (Matthew 24:1-22, CEB)

The reader should understand this is an interesting parenthetical comment here.

Do you understand, “When you see the disgusting and destructive thing that Daniel talked about standing in the holy place?”

What was Daniel talking about? What was standing in the holy place?

Daniel’s final vision (Daniel 11:31) talks of the sanctuary being made impure, and there will be a desolating monstrosity. Historically, this is most associated with the Syrian-Greek king Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who defiled the Second Temple in the 2nd century BCE by setting up an altar to Zeus.

But you see, we can not actually know when the kingdom is coming, as signs happen again and again. Wars. Nations rising against Nations. Earthquakes. Natural Disasters. These things happen all the time.

Best to live love. And let God handle the rest.

By faith

Faith is the reality of what we hope for, the proof of what we don’t see. The elders in the past were approved because they showed faith.
By faith we understand that the universe has been created by a word from God so that the visible came into existence from the invisible.
By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice to God than Cain, which showed that he was righteous, since God gave approval to him for his gift. Though he died, he’s still speaking through faith.
By faith Enoch was taken up so that he didn’t see death, and he wasn’t found because God took him up. He was given approval for having pleased God before he was taken up. It’s impossible to please God without faith because the one who draws near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards people who try to find him.
By faith Noah responded with godly fear when he was warned about events he hadn’t seen yet. He built an ark to deliver his household. With his faith, he criticized the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes from faith. (Hebrews 11:1-7, CEB)

Hebrews chapter 11 is the Faith Hall of Fame! It is the place where the author of Hebrews names the people in the scripture who have lived their lives by faith.

Faith is the hope in what we can not see or prove. It is the thing that moves us forward. It is the thing that when people ask for proof of things we hope for and there is no empirical proof, we fall back on.

Faith is what makes a person in the middle of a desert build a boat.

Faith is what keeps a father of three believing in the love of God when their world is crashing around them.

Faith is what will always see us through.

Have faith!

Bread.

When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus replied, “I assure you that you are looking for me not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate all the food you wanted. Don’t work for the food that doesn’t last but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Human One will give you. God the Father has confirmed him as his agent to give life.” They asked, “What must we do in order to accomplish what God requires?” Jesus replied, “This is what God requires, that you believe in him whom God sent.” They asked, “What miraculous sign will you do, that we can see and believe you? What will you do? Our ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, just as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” Jesus told them, “I assure you, it wasn’t Moses who gave the bread from heaven to you, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. The bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said, “Sir, give us this bread all the time!” Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. (John 6:25-35, CEB)

Jesus says when we believe in him, we will never be hungry or thirsty. And we know this is not physically true.

God provides for us. Not always in tangible ways, but through being with us and helping us love.

We need to store up our treasures in heaven with God and work for the bread that God provides.

Live in Jesus and be thankful for the love you have.

Share that love with the world.