JOHN’S CALL
- The first several verses fix the time and political circumstances of John’s call.
The story begins with a roll call of important persons: governors and kings, even the high
priest. In surprising contrast, however, ‘the word of God’ comes not to any of
these but to an unknown prophet out in the wilderness. The redemptive work of which Mary
sang in the Magnificat is under way: ‘He has brought down the powerful from their
thrones / and lifted up the lowly’ (1:52). In all ages, God’s work proceeds
among the poor and the dispossessed. A middle-class church in a nominally Christian
society that enjoys religious liberty will have a hard time grasping the fact that Luke
does not use these terms in a merely metaphorical or spiritual sense. [1]
ALL PEOPLE . . . SALVATION - Luke’s inclusion of Isaiah 40 moves forward
Luke’s universality of the gospel; embedded within the prophetic voice of the past is
God’s embrace of the world-not just people of Palestine. God has all along planned to
include everyone in the good news of Jesus Christ. [2]
ORIGEN [FL 200-254] - I believe that the mystery of John is still being achieved in the
world today. If anyone is going to believe in Christ Jesus, John’s spirit and power
first come to his soul and ‘prepare a perfect people for the Lord.’ It makes the
ways in the heart’s rough places smooth and straightens out its paths. [3]
What do you remember of community
leaders / global events / when you got your first car? If you were to parallel Luke’s
who’s who description in this lesson with today, who would you put on the list of
notables-secular and ecclesiastical?
"The word of God came to John . . . in the desert" (3:2). In contrast to what
has just preceded, what do you think Luke wanted us to think about with this phrase?
What valley needs filling in your life? What about crooked paths? Or what mountains
need leveling? Any rough edges need to be planed?
If you want to create tension as a way
to enter the text through the recent ordination and consecration of the US Episcopal
Church’s first gay bishop. The event sounded on every radio wave around the world on
Sunday, November 2nd. Go on to other major world figures or scenarios that were occurring
simultaneously. Then shift the focus to a small seemingly insignificant occurrence that
potentially could have large impact.
Move to the text and know what and who makes the list of Luke’s dignitaries. Have
them sitting together on the platform in a huge stadium-important people.
Contrast that impressive scene with a lonely figure hunkered down in a deserted,
godawful place-John the Baptist-to whom the Word of God came.
What does that teach us about God and messages? What does Luke want us to learn about
power and weakness and the Kingdom of God? You might also draw connections of reversal
from Mary’s Magnificat as a way to see how God uses small, weak, insignificant things
to carry forth God’s programme.
What about us? What word is God saying to us? What message are we to proclaim? Which
group have we been most a part of and how has that allowed us or kept us from hearing
God’s Word with clarity?
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[1] The New Interpreter’s Bible IX (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1995), page 81.
[2] Fred Craddock, Interpretation Series: Luke (Atlanta: John Knox, 1990), page 48.
[3] Ancient Commentary on Christian Scriptures III (InterVarsity, 2003), page 60.
