Okay, so I’ve never seen one. But I think I’ll come up with a way to create one. I realize that this may not be an easy task. I’ve never even seen what I’m looking for and that could be a problem. You have your angel, shepherds and magi (always three, but that’s a whole different story) and of course Mary and Joseph – all with necks and faces bent to look down at baby Jesus lying in the manger. But where’s John? I have yet to see a manger scene with John waiting in the wings – getting ready to begin his life’s calling to “prepare the way for the Lord.”
Of course if I manage to find some way to add John to the nativity set that I place on the mantle over my fireplace, then I’d have to add John’s parents - Zechariah and Elizabeth – considering that John was only six months old at the time of Jesus’ birth. And I’m sure that having a second infant present would only confuse nativity sets around the world. And then there’s the small detail that Zechariah, Elizabeth and the six month old little baptizer weren’t physically present in Bethlehem the night that the angels sang to shepherds and the Son of God came to be among us as He was born of the Virgin in a stable “because there was no room for them in the inn.”
Even with all that aside, I know that John was THERE. He may not be cast as a nativity figurine, but he was there nevertheless – not in physical terms, but definitely in terms of the plan of God. As the Father and Son knew from before the creation of the world that humans would choose the death of sin over life with God, there came the plan that one night in Bethlehem there would be a young maiden who would give birth to a her firstborn, who would also be the Father’s only-begotten son, come in the flesh. And in that plan to rescue a lost and rebellious race, there would be a forerunner who would point to his coming when it was time for a public ministry among these lost and rebellious humans. And we have been invited to open up the book and read that story and in doing so – to learn that this forerunner’s name was John. He was there. He was (and is) part of this incredible true tale of how a merciful God would not turn His back on his sinful children, who in their desire to be god, didn’t even want to acknowledge Him as their Heavenly Father.
But this whole idea of John being there shouldn’t really surprise us, because I would propose that you and I were THERE as well. No, I’m not suggesting that you take a small picture of yourself and paste it on the face of one of the shepherds or magi – though that would be kind of cool too. What I mean is that we are ultimately meant to be a part of this unending story of God’s salvation. When the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us (John 1:14), the truth of the matter is that He came for you and me as well. We are part of the reason that He was wrapped in tattered cloths and placed in a feeding trough. You are I are part of that of lost and rebellious human race He came to save. Maybe we should write a Christmas edition of the great spiritual song, “Were You There”? Because to have a “John the Baptist” is to realize that we don’t simply read about the Christmas Story, we are part of it. We live because Christ-With-Us is the reality from which we receive life now and life forever.
Of course if I manage to find some way to add John to the nativity set that I place on the mantle over my fireplace, then I’d have to add John’s parents - Zechariah and Elizabeth – considering that John was only six months old at the time of Jesus’ birth. And I’m sure that having a second infant present would only confuse nativity sets around the world. And then there’s the small detail that Zechariah, Elizabeth and the six month old little baptizer weren’t physically present in Bethlehem the night that the angels sang to shepherds and the Son of God came to be among us as He was born of the Virgin in a stable “because there was no room for them in the inn.”
Even with all that aside, I know that John was THERE. He may not be cast as a nativity figurine, but he was there nevertheless – not in physical terms, but definitely in terms of the plan of God. As the Father and Son knew from before the creation of the world that humans would choose the death of sin over life with God, there came the plan that one night in Bethlehem there would be a young maiden who would give birth to a her firstborn, who would also be the Father’s only-begotten son, come in the flesh. And in that plan to rescue a lost and rebellious race, there would be a forerunner who would point to his coming when it was time for a public ministry among these lost and rebellious humans. And we have been invited to open up the book and read that story and in doing so – to learn that this forerunner’s name was John. He was there. He was (and is) part of this incredible true tale of how a merciful God would not turn His back on his sinful children, who in their desire to be god, didn’t even want to acknowledge Him as their Heavenly Father.
But this whole idea of John being there shouldn’t really surprise us, because I would propose that you and I were THERE as well. No, I’m not suggesting that you take a small picture of yourself and paste it on the face of one of the shepherds or magi – though that would be kind of cool too. What I mean is that we are ultimately meant to be a part of this unending story of God’s salvation. When the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us (John 1:14), the truth of the matter is that He came for you and me as well. We are part of the reason that He was wrapped in tattered cloths and placed in a feeding trough. You are I are part of that of lost and rebellious human race He came to save. Maybe we should write a Christmas edition of the great spiritual song, “Were You There”? Because to have a “John the Baptist” is to realize that we don’t simply read about the Christmas Story, we are part of it. We live because Christ-With-Us is the reality from which we receive life now and life forever.
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