1 Peter 2:17 ~ Love

 

God is very fond of Shining Water.

His own Throne has a Stream of Shining Water.

1 Peter 2:17

Show proper respect to everyone: 

Love the brotherhood of believers, 

fear God, honor the king.

One of the reasons I enjoy the Magi coming, the continuation of Christmas in Church. God has not brushed past the Gift of His Son again to this generation, trusting us to act in prayer and to pray for Damar Hamlin. The gift of hope bursts out.

And I like to have Christmas up, then the season progresses, and I am ready after the Magi to have Christmas acknowledged, filled, enjoyed and placed for next Christmas.  Even the Liturgy moves on to John the Baptist.

Like all of our Gospels, John the Baptist is familiar to the Biblical reader.  What we need to consider is the viewpoint of John the Baptist. Sure, we can find Marty Feldman like John the Baptist art. Funny John the Baptist. Even in old art. But the primary theological and artistic history recording of John the Baptist has strength in him. Flawed, acknowledged by Jesus to not be the strongest saint in the cookie jar.  But with his unusual John the Baptist History, he could have started in the Temple playing the Archangel card. "Oh yes, I have a Dad is a Levite Priest Undergrad and my PhD is in Archangel Gabriel announcing my arrival. Wonderful old chap is Dad. Quite the miraculous beyond the challenges."

Why did we become the generation looking at John the Baptist as renegade? Probably the Essenes and the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Maybe add in the Hippies who looked like Jesus in 1970s.  The Litmus test of wise theology in the Hippie era was profound cynicism to the Virgin birth. Sure, uhhuh, won't catch me being Marty Feldman Virgin Birth appreciator.  And this came to pass into the distant past.  Maybe really twas, finally, a Hippie to be in favor with the Hippies.

Hippies still are Hippies, but John the Baptist would ask us to look again.

Who is John the Baptist? 

We think of John popping locusts with honey dripping off of him. Running around in camel robes, when others were wearing light colors and looking pristine and well groomed. Maybe he was Jesus' won let's look deeper, cousin.

Please notice, with me, we have a camel visual image on today's post. Now let's talk about camel, as in sport coat.

Chaff is good for feeding livestock and quickly burns.

Matthew 3

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
make his paths straight.’”

4 Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”


13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 

14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and do you come to me?” 

15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” 

Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, 

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

To whom did Jesus turn to in His cleansing, the beginning of His ministry?

Matthew 3:13-15

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 

15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.

Now, now, now we have John the Baptist's problematic with Jesus. Voila. Prophetic Jesus.

John the Baptist was going to die, suddenly John the Baptist wanted to improve the timing of the Lord's Holy Spirit. Fulfill all righteousness, Now, Please.  We could all understand this. But John the Baptist does his protesting and questioning in the prison, in front of the Roman guard, who will largely spread God's message 16 years into Rome and the Empire with the worried Roman Emperor. 

Isaiah 5

8 Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of deceit and pull sin along with cart ropes, 19 to those who say, “Let Him hurry and hasten His work so that we may see it! Let the plan of the Holy One of Israel come so that we may know it!” 20Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who turn darkness to light and light to darkness, who replace bitter with sweet and sweet with bitter.…

2 Peter 3:4

"Where is the promise of His coming?" they will ask. "Ever since our fathers fell asleep, everything continues as it has from the beginning of creation."

Jeremiah 17:15

Behold, they keep saying to me, 

"Where is the word of the LORD? Let it come now!"

The problem is using John the Baptist slated in one direction, it just doesn't reason out well.

Mary rejoices, Mary quickly to the cousins. Mary wonders what is going on. Mary ponders. Mary off to Egypt. Mary leaves Jesus behind. Mother Mary says, Jesus come on home, you are creating a fuss. Mary is human.

And we will go further, seeing the Words spoken by the Son of God recording John.

Matthew 11:11

Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven 

is greater than he.

Joseph is going to get a quiet divorce. And then Joseph takes heavily pregnant, still just betrothed Mary 80 miles to Bethlehem and secures a barn for first time baby birth. Embarrassing, yet determined, takes Jesus to be presented to the Temple. Obeys God when Joseph understands what is going on with the Plan of the Almighty and Father. Joseph is human.

The Shepherds seem to go home after all of this. And yet, are so changed, we know Bethlehem contained the true Joy of the Immense Birth of Jesus at Christmas.

 

John 1:29-31

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

This is he of whom I said, `After me comes a man who ranks before me, for he was before me.' I myself did not know him; but for this I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel."

So .... why didn't John recognize Jesus??? 

\

For the same reasons we didn't recognize Jesus, until we invited Him to be part of us. 

Before we really knew Him: we heard about Jesus from other sources. Not all the sources were credible. Family (Church) is sometimes boring and the time it takes to get there and back is too long. Why put the effort into going when people aren't always nice? We missed the family get-togethers (Church) for so long, people hassle us about That too. If you don't remember the family stories correctly there is mocking. It's all a big tangle to sort out and we have other things to do.

Then, more importantly, it comes to the decision time. As John grew spiritually into God's plan for him, Jesus became important to him. John took the time to dwell and think about who Jesus is. God revealed not just family, a good man, but a Savior. John, bravely, and with certainty says, "And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."

 



1 Corinthians 12:21
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

Leviticus 19:32
"Stand up in the presence of the elderly, and show respect for the aged. Fear your God. I am the LORD."

Ephesians 4:11-12
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.

And after John the Baptist was killed by Herod, how did Jesus react? He fed the thousands. He is recorded before and after the celebration, rather like a funeral reception, seeking very private time.

1 Peter 2:17

Show proper respect to everyone: 

Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.

Abba, Father, 

When You look at our Souls, the only eternal aspect of us. 

What do You hope to see? 

You are not that far from us - dwelling within us - 

yet You are vast we ask to see with Your eyes what You delight in.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Love!!! Affection, appreciation, fondness, friendship, passion, respect,

 tenderness, 

yearning, adulation,
allegiance, ardor, attachment, cherishing, delight, devotedness, 

enjoyment, fidelity, involvement, and like.

Joy! Comfort, delight, elation, glee, humor, pride, satisfaction, 

wonder, exultation, frolic, gladness, gratification, indulgence, merriment, 

rejoicing, revelry, and good humor.

Peace ~ love, hope, bounce, reconciliation, 

truce, unity, affability, concord, tranquility, 

calm, forethought, groundwork, restfulness, 

reflection, optimism. Generosity. 

Forbearance. Fortitude, endurance, moderation, 

restraint, temperance, easy going. 

PATIENCE. 

Goodness ...the expectation thereof!

Faithfulness - the willingness to do the right action even at a cost. 

Knowing you are giving more than what would have been done for you. 

Loyalty. Endurance. Recreating a spark. 

Remembering past gratitude. Adherence. 

Care. Constancy. Dependability, trustworthy, giving truth.

Gentleness - tenderness and kindness.

Self-control - restraint.

When we turn to the Lord - 

the Lord is Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 

And when we behold the Glory of the Lord 

we are transformed into the image of His Glory - 

and we differ in degree of glory to another. 

For this comes from the Lord, Who is a Holy Spirit.

Father God, You ask us to look for what is pure and good 

and each day God's mercies renew. 

It is in loving - we renew.

In Jesus,  we lift to You these qualities in ourselves, 

our loved ones, our friends, Church family, 

co-workers, merciful neighbors, and our communities, 

Churches, State, the Nation 

and the Nations worshiping You, Father God. 

We ask Your blessings! Please.

Amen in Jesus. 

Dwell in us.

Dwell in those we Love.

Help us to seek You first.

And in Jesus, we will finish well.

Thank You for the Blessings You have given us to count

this year. 

Thank You, You create a new path

with new hopes

and new expectations.

We are renewed in Our Love

You Place in Us.

In Jesus Christ,

We pray for Your Good Creation.

This Nation

and all Nations seeking Your Son.

We pray good health and 

good new year for Damar Hamlin

Thank You, You Hear our Prayers.

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yay Jesus