December 15, 2014

John 1:26 John answered, “I only baptize using water. A person you don’t recognize has taken his stand in your midst.” (The Message Bible)

This is an interesting passage when compared with the same one in Mark. The fact that there are close parallels between Mark and John about John the Baptist is interesting in itself because they are so different in many other respects. But this passage in Mark 1:7 says “As he preached he said, “The real action comes next: The star in this drama, to whom I’m a mere stagehand, will change your life” (The Message Bible). Mark says there is one yet to come while John makes a point of saying that the one he points to is in their midst even though they don’t recognize him yet. It is a fascinating question isn’t it? Is God going to do something and what I need to do is wait faithfully or is God already doing something, already in our midst, and I need to be aware of what it is God is doing. Both fit Advent and perhaps that is why they were the suggested texts (lectionary texts) the last two weeks. Are we waiting for something to happen or are we blind to what is happening already? You’ll have to ask that for yourself this week! I’d love to know your response.