Why did Jesus need a forerunner?
Wasn't Jesus great enough to deliver his message without somebody preparing the way for him?
Of John the Baptist, Luke 1:16 says "Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God." Now wait a minute. Were'nt these Israelites living in a society that revolved around God? Didn't they have Rabbis constantly reminding them to keep God's commandments? Didn't they celebrate Passover and do all the things that were supposed to remind them of God's goodness? How then does a society that revolved around God need to return to Him?
You probably don't have to look far to find that answer. (Maybe you could look inside you.) Every Sunday there will be millions of people heading to church to hear about God. At Christmas, we all hear songs that talk of Jesus, the born Messiah. Yet, amongst all the religious trappings, are we really close to God?
The problem with Israel can be seen today. They had a religion of rituals, not a religion of relationship.
What was the solution? Major changes were needed. John the Baptist started the ball rolling. He didn't dress like the religious elite - he wore camels hair clothes. He didn't hang out in the religious centers of Jerusalem - he preached in the wilderness. It took a radical man to let the people know that radical change was coming.
I found this quote that speaks of the mission of a forerunner. "Forerunners are messengers who proclaim "right now" what the Holy Spirit is "soon" going to emphasize in a universal way across the nations. They are "one short step" ahead of what the Holy Spirit is about to openly release. This way they can prepare the people to respond rightly to Jesus by making known God's plans so the people can make sense of what will happen before it actually happens."
John talked about what it really meant to be close to God - starting with repentance. The people had to repent so they would be in a position to receive the message and the gifts of Jesus. Something big was coming, and if the people weren't prepared to receive it - they were going to find themselves on the wrong side of the line. I would do well to tell you that your favorite movie star or sports hero was going to be walking down your street at noon. If you weren't prepared - that moment would pass by without you knowing it. Jesus' coming meant so much more than this. It was because of God's mercy that he sent John the Baptist to prepare the way. Without his call to perk up our ears and prepare our hearts - we would be left out in the cold, having missed the greatest gift that was ever given.
Wasn't Jesus great enough to deliver his message without somebody preparing the way for him?
Of John the Baptist, Luke 1:16 says "Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God." Now wait a minute. Were'nt these Israelites living in a society that revolved around God? Didn't they have Rabbis constantly reminding them to keep God's commandments? Didn't they celebrate Passover and do all the things that were supposed to remind them of God's goodness? How then does a society that revolved around God need to return to Him?
You probably don't have to look far to find that answer. (Maybe you could look inside you.) Every Sunday there will be millions of people heading to church to hear about God. At Christmas, we all hear songs that talk of Jesus, the born Messiah. Yet, amongst all the religious trappings, are we really close to God?
The problem with Israel can be seen today. They had a religion of rituals, not a religion of relationship.
What was the solution? Major changes were needed. John the Baptist started the ball rolling. He didn't dress like the religious elite - he wore camels hair clothes. He didn't hang out in the religious centers of Jerusalem - he preached in the wilderness. It took a radical man to let the people know that radical change was coming.
I found this quote that speaks of the mission of a forerunner. "Forerunners are messengers who proclaim "right now" what the Holy Spirit is "soon" going to emphasize in a universal way across the nations. They are "one short step" ahead of what the Holy Spirit is about to openly release. This way they can prepare the people to respond rightly to Jesus by making known God's plans so the people can make sense of what will happen before it actually happens."
John talked about what it really meant to be close to God - starting with repentance. The people had to repent so they would be in a position to receive the message and the gifts of Jesus. Something big was coming, and if the people weren't prepared to receive it - they were going to find themselves on the wrong side of the line. I would do well to tell you that your favorite movie star or sports hero was going to be walking down your street at noon. If you weren't prepared - that moment would pass by without you knowing it. Jesus' coming meant so much more than this. It was because of God's mercy that he sent John the Baptist to prepare the way. Without his call to perk up our ears and prepare our hearts - we would be left out in the cold, having missed the greatest gift that was ever given.
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