Where Has God Gone?

John 1:25-27

And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizes thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?

Here we see the chief priests and pharisees have come down to pay our teacher John a visit. I know we have seen the functions of the chief priests and pharisees before, have we not. These were teachers of the law that saved. Except it did not, not to any, not at all. Then we have one other who is doing most of the speaking, John the Baptist. He is so called due to his unusual habits. Everywhere he went, he baptized or dunked people in water, in rivers, in lakes, and in streams announcing that the kingdom of God was at hand. It can be seen then that John had but one goal, to announce the coming of Christ. Now, whether John should have been baptizing or merely just witnessing is another matter altogether.

Yet you will see as shown here in the text that the question is good, and one that these chief priests and pharisees themselves wanted to know. Why would any man in his right mind come to do the work of the Lord when it was not in his rightful place to even do so in the first place. Certain ones of course, had been sent and chosen and were yet to come whom they would have recognized whether Christ, Elias, or that prophet. Yet Christ had showed up all along had he not and in relatively short order only for these also to recognize him not. So too did his own receive him not as told in the text.

Here John quite rightly refers these back to his sender or source. How often when our authority is challenged, we need only refer back to God. He is our example, our teacher, our master and as we shall soon see being first of that order. So too you ought to make double sure it is his way you are standing in and after his calling lest he reprove you and you find yourself swallowed up of it instead. See, our knowledge is linked to how we portray him. That is why knowing God before anything else is quite so important.

John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;

Then too there is a difference between the calling of man and the calling of God or a danger of taking God's place for himself. Scripture says who is like our God, not because he does not already know but because he wants us to know and see for ourselves. John, it seems, then tells it quite well. There is one coming after who is not known, seen, or heard of such. Yet so does he by his nature along with his works testify thereunto. His instructions then were found in the greater as he of the lesser bowed thereunto. Notice the ways of being familiar but being unable to come thereunto. Who is like our God for a reason. Can't nobody stand thereunto, nobody. Here it seems John baptizes with water. This then is one of the physical proofs that speaks of his identity as a runner before. So too he is found faithful in all his work, even that of the purposes of God.

How often would John go out teaching and preaching saying 'repent, the kingdom of God is at hand.' So it seems he is as the voice crying in the wilderness indeed for he only thought of the Lord. You know, it is wonderful that those gates and everlasting doors be lifted up of their own accord so as to let him on in. Yet how many know that some of us would do well to facilitate such. See, John baptized in water but the one coming after whom he prepared the way for would even in spirit and in truth. It is this whom and what you know not then that John had to prepare the way for. So often some of us get caught up in the things of this life, never knowing that the one behind it all is God. Perhaps even now he's off in the distance, as in the prodigal son.

He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose

How often would the Father have just turned and ran off to meet him had the prodigal showed signs of wanting any such. That is why you must take care to the have not known of God. So often some might not know or even have heard but how shall they hear without a preacher, or the sent being called. Then again how beautiful are the feet of the sent, for they speak of the glad tidings of God whether an I am, I sent, or I reign. Herein are the feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace quite beautiful indeed. Some of us must prefer him just a little bit more till all our ways be established, rooted and grounded, built up in him. So too unloosing the shoe speaks of the familiarity seen in the servant.

No one is so familiar with God they are able to take off his shoes and tell him 'what are you doing.' It is just who he is. So often some of us talk about being the hands and feet for the Lord. But are you really, my friends, or are you more of a seeing eye dog making straight paths for his feet. It is done so the lame may not be turned out of joint but rather healed, the sinners called righteous, and those that once were not the sons and children of our God. Such is God's work and marvelous in our eyes to be seen with it my friends. But still, can't nobody do it quite like him which is why we bow down that he might come in. Oh, to know him so well. It's just who he is, my friends.