This week we’re going to explore the first three Gospels (Mark, Matthew and Luke) as they give us the most details on the ministry of the one we call John the Baptizer. It is interesting that in Mark’s Gospel, the work of John is mentioned by the second verse of the first chapter, whereas, both Matthew and Luke wait until the third chapter of their respective Gospels to talk about his work out in the Judean wilderness. Mark’s Gospel, is really the “action” Gospel – spending more time on what Jesus did, rather than what he said. It may be for this reason that Mark gives none of the details of what took place in Bethlehem on Christmas Eve. The first verse simply says: “The Beginning of the Gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” And then we move into the action of John’s voice calling out in the wilderness to “prepare the way for the Lord.”
There is much to talk about in terms of what John did and said that attracted large crowds out of Jerusalem into the desert. They were drawn to hear what he had to say, and to act upon his powerful message with the baptism for repentance that he offered to them. But before we get into all of those aspects in subsequent days, let’s begin with the characteristics of John that visually make their way into our memory banks. We may or may not remember the key words spoken here: “Prepare the way for the Lord,” but if there is something John is most known for, it would have to be his appearance as it related to his choice of clothing and food.
Ask any Sunday school student who’s been through these lessons a time or two and he or she will give very similar descriptions about John. They might mention the bushy hair on his head and beard on his face. How do they know this? Is it just because that’s how Sunday School lessons picture him? No, there’s more evidence than that for this description. In Luke 1, Gabriel tells Zechariah his son is to be dedicated to the Lord’s service – never taking alcoholic drink. This is called a Nazirite vow (see Numbers 6:1-8 for more details) and says that in addition to the lack of alcohol consumption, no razor was to be taken to his hair. So the kids have that detail exactly right. Next up – John’s clothing. Obviously he didn’t pick out his wardrobe at the Jerusalem Gap. He was wearing the garments of Old Testament prophets like Elijah, but it was also the clothing of those who lived in the wilderness. He wore camel’s hair clothing as his outer garment with a leather belt around his waste.
Finally comes the eating habits of this long-hair, camel’s hair wearing, man of God. It says he ate wild honey, but it’s the locusts that we may find hard to swallow. For some cultures, eating these large grasshoppers are considered a delicacy - but not in ours. We hear this detail of John’s life and we jump to the conclusion that John is a bit odd to say the least. How else can you explain this strange choice of food? It makes us think of the new breed of adventurous TV personalities who travel the world in search of exotic foods – eating things that turn the typical American stomach.
But the reality is that in John’s day this was a common food for the poor who lived out in the wilderness where survival made for some strange food and drink. In fact, locusts were considered acceptable food on the Jewish list of kosher foods. As disgusting as the thought of eating locusts may be to us, it was not his choice of food that made him unique (a.k.a. odd). He simply ate what others around him would have eaten. No, it was his singular and passionate focus on the coming of the kingdom of heaven (see Matthew 3:2) that set him apart from others. It was this focus that caused him to live a life of pointing others to Christ. But when you think about it, isn’t that a pretty powerful Christ-with-us way to live?
In fact, to have a “John the Baptist Christmas” means that we live a unique life in the middle of a culture of self-focused, self-indulgent, men and women, boys and girls, all calling out: “Look at me! Look at me!” But we are called to live a life that says: “Look at Him! Look at Him!” And that is a life worth living!
There is much to talk about in terms of what John did and said that attracted large crowds out of Jerusalem into the desert. They were drawn to hear what he had to say, and to act upon his powerful message with the baptism for repentance that he offered to them. But before we get into all of those aspects in subsequent days, let’s begin with the characteristics of John that visually make their way into our memory banks. We may or may not remember the key words spoken here: “Prepare the way for the Lord,” but if there is something John is most known for, it would have to be his appearance as it related to his choice of clothing and food.
Ask any Sunday school student who’s been through these lessons a time or two and he or she will give very similar descriptions about John. They might mention the bushy hair on his head and beard on his face. How do they know this? Is it just because that’s how Sunday School lessons picture him? No, there’s more evidence than that for this description. In Luke 1, Gabriel tells Zechariah his son is to be dedicated to the Lord’s service – never taking alcoholic drink. This is called a Nazirite vow (see Numbers 6:1-8 for more details) and says that in addition to the lack of alcohol consumption, no razor was to be taken to his hair. So the kids have that detail exactly right. Next up – John’s clothing. Obviously he didn’t pick out his wardrobe at the Jerusalem Gap. He was wearing the garments of Old Testament prophets like Elijah, but it was also the clothing of those who lived in the wilderness. He wore camel’s hair clothing as his outer garment with a leather belt around his waste.
Finally comes the eating habits of this long-hair, camel’s hair wearing, man of God. It says he ate wild honey, but it’s the locusts that we may find hard to swallow. For some cultures, eating these large grasshoppers are considered a delicacy - but not in ours. We hear this detail of John’s life and we jump to the conclusion that John is a bit odd to say the least. How else can you explain this strange choice of food? It makes us think of the new breed of adventurous TV personalities who travel the world in search of exotic foods – eating things that turn the typical American stomach.
But the reality is that in John’s day this was a common food for the poor who lived out in the wilderness where survival made for some strange food and drink. In fact, locusts were considered acceptable food on the Jewish list of kosher foods. As disgusting as the thought of eating locusts may be to us, it was not his choice of food that made him unique (a.k.a. odd). He simply ate what others around him would have eaten. No, it was his singular and passionate focus on the coming of the kingdom of heaven (see Matthew 3:2) that set him apart from others. It was this focus that caused him to live a life of pointing others to Christ. But when you think about it, isn’t that a pretty powerful Christ-with-us way to live?
In fact, to have a “John the Baptist Christmas” means that we live a unique life in the middle of a culture of self-focused, self-indulgent, men and women, boys and girls, all calling out: “Look at me! Look at me!” But we are called to live a life that says: “Look at Him! Look at Him!” And that is a life worth living!
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