Point to Jesus

Introducing the Narrative

Today we read just a few verses from Luke that come towards the end of a little bit longer series of events. You see, Zechariah - the guy mentioned in what we just heard - was a priest actively serving in the temple. While he was serving in the temple, an angel appeared to him and told him that he would have a son. Zechariah asked the angel for proof that this was going to happen, because both he and his wife were too old to be having children. In response, the angel tells him that he won’t be able to speak until his son, John, was born.

Elizabeth and Zechariah

*keep mouthing words but don’t let any sound come out, act out the following with charades*

*Zechariah and Elizabeth*

*Elizabeth gets pregnant*

*In her womb, John recognizes Jesus and gets excited - even as a baby!*

*John is born.*

*Elizabeth says to name him John.*

*They name him John.*

And the second that they name him John, God’s promise to Zechariah is fulfilled and Zechariah can speak again! But that doesn’t necessarily explain why Zechariah wasn’t allowed to talk for nine months or why John’s name being John was so important. And I’m not going to pretend to know exactly why God did it that way, but I think part of it might be to draw attention to what was going on. When the priest comes out of the temple and suddenly can’t talk - that makes people pay attention that something might be going on. When a couple who should be too old to have kids suddenly has a son - that makes people pay attention that something might be going on. Even when parents name their child something completely unexpected - that makes people pay attention that something might be going on. All of this comes together and it’s almost like when you’re using navigation to get somewhere on the highway and you get that warning “in 2 miles, take exit 97 for Hidden Valley Parkway.” You don’t necessarily have to do anything about it right then and there, but it gives you a heads up that you don’t want to miss something that’s coming up soon. From the perspective of Elizabeth and Zechariah, they’re lives started to gently point the people around them to something that was coming up - something big.

John

And if Elizabeth and Zechariah were gently telling people that something was coming, John was shouting it into a megaphone on the street corner. Sure, he started off calmly enough, just a baby celebrating in Elizabeth’s womb when he got near to Mary and Jesus but before long he was preaching to people down by the Jordan River. He told them to bear fruit in keeping with repentance and pointing to someone who was mightier than he was, the strap of whose sandals he was not worthy to untie.

Zechariah’s son grew up into the man who would be called John the Baptist. He stood on the shore of the river, his feet planted in the sand, and he preached. Crowds made their way from town and gathered all around him. Some of them stood in the back where instead of sand there were tough plants, some sat on the ground - willing to get their clothes all sandy so that they could listen to John longer, and some were moved by his words. They stepped forward and he led them into the water to baptize them - calling them to repent. And even as he called them to repentance, he pointed them to someone who was even more powerful, someone who had the power to forgive sins and grant eternal life. Then one day, someone unexpected walked up to John on the beach asking to be baptized - Jesus Christ the Son of God. And when John baptizes Jesus, the heavens open up and the voice of God tells the people gathered there exactly who is in front of them. This Jesus is the Son of God, who takes away the sins of the world.

To go back to our example of a navigation, as you get a little closer to the exit, your navigation updates. It tells you that your exit is coming up and it even highlights the lane you’re going to want to be in to make your exit as smooth as possible. From the perspective of John, he’s pointing people as directly as he can to Jesus. John knew that Jesus came for a reason, that He came to overcome all of his sins and mistakes and shortcoming, that He came to overcome all of humanity’s sins, that He came to overcome all of your sins and all of my sins. John is pointing the people in front of him, and because this part of his life has been passed down he is pointing us too, to the Savior of the World, the Wonderful Counselor, the Prince of Peace who takes away the sins of the world.

You

But there is still pointing left to be done, because there are still people who haven’t gotten it. You and I point to the same promise that Elizabeth and Zechariah drew attention to, we point to the same promises John proclaimed, we point to the same promise the Jesus fulfilled on the cross.

But how clear are our directions?

Do our lives unmistakably point to Jesus? Are we constantly looking out for chances to tell people what He has done for them? Are we brave enough to open our mouths and share about the promises of God?

Or are we content to say “that’s someone else’s calling” or “that’s pastor’s job?” Do our lives not look any different from someone who doesn’t know what Jesus has done for them, except maybe we’re busy on Sunday mornings? Do our lives even look that different, where we would say no to a trip or a brunch or an event because it would mean we couldn’t go to church? And the answer should be yes right, we know that ‘yes’ is the right answer. But is it the accurate answer?

We have the most incredible news in the world. We know that the Son of God died for us so that we can spend eternity in paradise with Him. So let’s point to that promise! Let’s go out and tell people about it! If Jesus comes back tomorrow, make sure your friends and families have heard about His promises for them. Because those promises are for them, and for you, and for me now and for eternity. Amen.