Annointed to Proclaim Good News
Scripture
“To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:
“’ We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge,
and you did not mourn.’
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds” (Matthew 11:16–19).
Reflection
John and Jesus were different in many ways. John dressed in camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, ate locusts and wild honey, and sought out the loneliness of the desert. Jesus fit into his culture; he dressed like other men, reclined and ate with dear friends, visited the temple, and attended social events.
The two men had things in common, as well: both were falsely accused— John of being demon-possessed and Jesus of being a glutton and a drunkard, among other things. But far more important, they both sought only to obey God, and they proclaimed an identical message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 3:2; 4:17).
John was the “voice of one calling: In the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him’”(Luke 3:4). His coming was foretold by Isaiah more than 700 years earlier (Isaiah 40:3). True to his prophetic calling, he prepared for the one who was greater and more powerful than he, whose sandals he was not worthy to carry (Luke 3:16).
Jesus was that one; he came to do his Father’s will—he was anointed to proclaim good news to the poor, to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free (Luke 4:18). Everyone who believed in him would have eternal life (John 3:15).
To all his critics, and John’s as well, Jesus taught, “Wisdom is proved right by her deeds.” What were Jesus’ deeds? Through his ministry, the blind saw, crippled people were healed, lepers were cleansed, and demons were expelled. Jesus transformed the lives of those who came to him for healing and forgiveness. Jesus still heals, transforms, and saves. This is why, more than two thousand years after his resurrection, we can still affirm with the earliest Christians: Jesus saves!
Prayer
Father, the world invites us to go along with the crowd, to compromise with evil, to remain silent in the face of popular injustice. Guide us and give us courage to resist evil and follow your call, no matter the cost. Let your wisdom and truth rule our hearts and guide our actions. We ask this in Jesus’ name and through the power of the Spirit.
Activity
Find a quiet space to reflect on how the Lord has moved in your life. Each of us has stories to tell about how Jesus and our relationship with him has transformed us and led us safely through temptation and hardship. Your stories are your testimony of faith, your witness to the power and presence of God. Share them with others—show them Jesus’s love, care, and transforming Spirit.
Watching and Waiting For the Lion of Judah: Advent Day by Day
Rev. Richard Hasselbach