Have you ever tried to talk to someone about God and they totally shut you down? Or you poured and poured into someone, and then seem interested, but then never follow through? It can be frustrating, especially if it's a family member or loved one. Sometimes we just want to make the choice for someone, or force them to believe!
Jeff Deitrich shared with us in chapel this morning (which you-all are welcome to come to any Tuesday morning at 9am), John 1:19-23:
The Testimony of John the Baptist
19 This was John's testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John, "Who are you?" 20 He came right out and said, "I am not the Messiah."
21 "Well then, who are you?" they asked. "Are you Elijah?"
"No," he replied.
"Are you the Prophet we are expecting?"
"No."
22 "Then who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?"
23 John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah:
"I am a voice shouting in the wilderness,
'Clear the way for the LORD's coming!"'
One thing he said that really connected with me was, John the Baptist recognized who he was. He knew he wasn't supposed to BE the Messiah, he was supposed to clear the way for the Messiah! Jeff said, "You are not here to do God's job. You are to prepare the way for him. God does the inside work." He quoted the old adage, "You can bring a horse to water, but you can't make him drink."
It is the job of each and every one of us to prepare the way for people to come to Jesus. We do the leg-work, Jesus does the heart-work! We need to remember to cover our efforts in prayer, that God would work through us and in the hearts of those we're trying to reach. For each of us, our efforts could look very different! Each one of us has different gifts and talents, and we use them in very different ways, but with the same goal. So what's your mission? What's your passion? And how are you going to use it to prepare the way for Jesus?
Jeff Deitrich shared with us in chapel this morning (which you-all are welcome to come to any Tuesday morning at 9am), John 1:19-23:
The Testimony of John the Baptist
19 This was John's testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John, "Who are you?" 20 He came right out and said, "I am not the Messiah."
21 "Well then, who are you?" they asked. "Are you Elijah?"
"No," he replied.
"Are you the Prophet we are expecting?"
"No."
22 "Then who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?"
23 John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah:
"I am a voice shouting in the wilderness,
'Clear the way for the LORD's coming!"'
One thing he said that really connected with me was, John the Baptist recognized who he was. He knew he wasn't supposed to BE the Messiah, he was supposed to clear the way for the Messiah! Jeff said, "You are not here to do God's job. You are to prepare the way for him. God does the inside work." He quoted the old adage, "You can bring a horse to water, but you can't make him drink."
It is the job of each and every one of us to prepare the way for people to come to Jesus. We do the leg-work, Jesus does the heart-work! We need to remember to cover our efforts in prayer, that God would work through us and in the hearts of those we're trying to reach. For each of us, our efforts could look very different! Each one of us has different gifts and talents, and we use them in very different ways, but with the same goal. So what's your mission? What's your passion? And how are you going to use it to prepare the way for Jesus?
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