We are well beyond the 4th of July and yet people around the lake are still shooting off fireworks. In fact, several doors down, they are putting on a show that must have cost thousands of dollars. Now I am one of those guys who is probably considered a party pooper, but when it’s over, it’s over – and the 4th is over…
If someone wants to put on a show, they should have done it 5 days ago or wait until next year. In fact, I consider it somewhat disrespectful. It’s getting late and while there are some nut jobs around the lake whooping and hollering; clapping and providing encouragement with their screams, I have had enough. Lexie is freaked out and doesn’t know where to hide and I’m trying to concentrate on what I am doing… I guess one good thing that has come from all this is the fact that it was easy to pick out a topic for this evening. To put it bluntly, this whole fireworks show is very disruptive – I must be getting old…
But you know what? Like our neighbors several doors down, Jesus was disruptive. He didn’t go for the status quo. Wherever He went, He changed the norm. Whether it was healing people, or turning water into wine, or calming the sea, or walking on water – Jesus pushed the boundaries and would not conform to the ways of the world. He came to save the world and nothing was going to stand in His way. But Jesus was never disrespectful.
It was clear that He was on a mission – to do the will of His Father and nothing was going to stand in His way. Our verse for tonight highlights the words of John the Baptist announcing the arrival of Jesus and His ministry. We are told, in Matt. 3:1-3, “In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” And so the ministry of Jesus began – with His baptism.
My encouragement this evening is that Jesus wants us to disrupt the world with the Good News of His offer of eternal life. We are not to stand silently and wait for the rest of the world to act. My prayer is that we will meet the challenge of Jesus and take bold steps to prepare the way of the Lord and invite people to accept the gift of eternal life – disruptive but respectful. Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace…