If like me you are glad that the X factor is over for another year, you must wonder why it captures the public imagination on such a large scale year after year? I guess we are all looking for that something special, someone a bit out of the ordinary someone who we can see rise to fame and fortune.
Don't get me wrong John the Baptist was odd but he certainly had the X factor. Every year on the X factor there is always some unusual character who is a little bit weird but the public keep voting for them to come back next week. John was certainly pulling in the crowds, he was a great public speaker and Luke tells us, that the whole area was rushing out to see who this eccentric man was and what he had to say. John was certainly winning the battle in the TV ratings so to speak.
But while John might have had the equivalent of the preacher's X factor this wasn't enough! And John was under no illusion about this, he knew that as powerful as his ministry was and while he will always go down on record as the greatest of the prophets, there was something missing.
Bible
'The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."Luke 3:15-17
John says listen, I can baptize with water but you know really anyone can do that. The messiah, he's going to do something far greater than baptize with water. The messiah, the one who is coming, he can actually fix your problems! When he comes, he will bring the Holy Spirit in a way that has never been seen before. He will bring the Holy Spirit because he is more than a man.
At Christmas, God had to come himself, because we needed so much more than what a mere man could give us. Yes you can repent, yes you can even be baptized, you can go to Church and enjoy all the trappings of religion, but it's the Messiah and the baptism of the Holy Spirit that each of us needs, if we are going to be renewed, if we are going to be remade.
Prayer
Lord Jesus we need so much more than the salvation that is offered by mere men. We thank you that you came at Christmas with the power to actually fix our problems. You came with the power to save and the power to judge. Christmas is both a wonderful and yet a terrifying time. Help us to remember who you truly are and help us to humbly submit ourselves to you. Amen
Steve
for
Kruger
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