"I never talk about Politics or Religion!"
Light is attractive, so is Jesus . John 1.6-9
politics: https://www.pastorwoman.net/podcast/episode/2cf636a5/i-dont-talk-about-politics-or-religion-john-no2
Mention the subject of personal faith to someone and he might bristle and say, ‘I’m not really a religious person’ to which I respond, ‘no, no - me either. But I do really like Jesus.’ And then I smile...
Honestly, in all my years of conversations with strangers in taxis, Ubers, airplanes, grocery stores, LuckyBrand stores, airports and the gym, I have never brought up the matter of personal faith, and been shut down. It is all in the manner of engaging; and asking questions, being genuinely interested is the ticket to ride. You see, people truly are interested in talking about matters of faith though some have said, 'I'm not really religious--but I am spiritual.' Ah, well okay then--me, too--definitely not religious.
Jesus was the anti-religious, anti-establishment Man for others; there has never been another like him. Which is why it is so great to be in the first chapter of John's gospel. Fact is, Jesus was attractive--people would walk for miles to hear him teach, and they would stay without food into the dark to be near him. And as they learn about Him today, they cannot get enough. Attractive, Jesus...yes.
Here at the beginning, John the gospel writer tells of another John; we call him ‘the Baptist’ or ‘the baptizer.’ Isaiah prophesied of his coming and purpose1 some 700 years before Jesus was born to Mary - to prepare the way for the Messiah.
Let's look over John's shoulder as he writes of 'the Baptist' in chapter one:
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
...And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews (Pharisees) sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
20 He confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.2
By every standard, John-the-Baptist was a stand alone man chosen by God for a unique and particular purpose: to make people aware that they needed to repent of their sins because Jesus the Messiah was coming on the scene.
From Mark's gospel, we can picture John the Baptist's wild and wooly appearance--clothed only with camel hair and a leather belt around his waist. Much like the Essenes who he lived near in the Judean Desert, (interestingly enough, near the Qumran Caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found), the Baptist lived an ascetic lifestyle, and subsisted on locusts and wild honey.3 Chosen, he was. The extreme outspoken cousin of Jesus, chosen, to point the way to him.
John, the beloved disciple, our author, emphasizes two themes early in these several verses, light and life, and they replay throughout this beautiful gospel. John does not just begin with life, he also ends with it, as his purpose for writing is: that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.4
Interestingly enough, John then imbues this ‘life’ with greater significance by saying that it is also ‘light’. While darkness is the absence of light, it also symbolizes everything that is not light—evil, injustice, sin, ignorance, and unbelief. Jesus is the Light that shines in the darkness … hmmmm, yes. Light is stronger than darkness and overcomes it. What's more, the light of Jesus will never be extinguished. You and I, Christian, will live forever with the Light of the world in Heaven, never knowing darkness again. 'Read Revelation lately? "And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb."5 Friends . . . the Lamb? Jesus.
So, Light. One thing I know about light is that it attracts. And Jesus attracts . Religion repels, but Jesus attracts. Man-made constructs divide, but Jesus unites. Reminds me of the man, Charles Templeton, who was a contemporary of a young Billy Graham in the 1950s and 60s, but later denounced his Christian faith.
Your attention, please.....In an interview conducted while he was in his 80s, knowing he did not have long to live, Templeton had this to say about the Jesus he had walked away from:
“He was the greatest human being who has ever lived. He was a moral genius. His ethical sense was unique. He was the intrinsically wisest person that I’ve ever encountered in my life or in my reading. His commitment was total and led to his own death, much to the detriment of the world.”
The interviewer, Lee Strobel, commented, “You sound like you really care about him.”
“Well, yes,” Templeton acknowledged, “he’s the most important thing in my life.” He stammered: “I . . . I . . . I adore him . . . Everything good I know, everything decent I know, everything pure I know, I learned from Jesus.”
Strobel was stunned. He listened in shock. He says that Templeton’s voice began to crack. He then said, “I . . . miss . . . him!” With that the old man burst into tears; with shaking frame, he wept bitterly. 5
People do not forget the feeling of light… of life… of love… or who brought it into their lives. Just give people Jesus.
There are some needs only you can see.
There are some hands only you can hold.
There are some people only you can reach. 6
We talk so as to engage, not to argue. We discuss so as to listen and learn, not to shut down or win an argument.
Dear Father, please remind us to point those near us to you, to offer to pray for those who hurt. Remind us to be the conduit, the Way-pointer to you, just like John the Baptist! Amen
song: "Me and Jesus," Anne Wilson,
Grateful to be on the journey with you,
Christine
John, no.2
1 Isaiah 40.3
2 from John 1.6-9, 19-28; ESV
3 Mark 1.6
4 John 20.31
5 "A Skeptic Reflects upon Jesus Christ" - https://christiancourier.com/articles/a-skeptic-reflects-upon-jesus-christ
6 Tim Keller’s Instagram, 6.30.20
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