The Ninth Person of Christmas is John

Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.  Luke 1:66

I struggled with whether or not to include John in our list.  He was just an infant when Jesus, his cousin, was born.

But oh, John is so important to this story. 

Remember what the angel Gabriel said:  "He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God."  And Zechariah himself prophesied concerning his son: "And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him . . . "

Even Luke, the writer of this book, proclaims about John at the end of chapter 1:  "And the child grew and became strong in spirit [or in the Spirit]; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel."

God created John for a very special role:  to prepare the way for the Messiah.  John was called to get people ready, to prepare their hearts for the King.

It's such a good lesson for us all, today.  Re-read the verse, above:  the child [John] grew and became strong in the Spirit.  God calls us all for important work.  But He doesn't expect or even want us to do it on our accord, of our own strength.  He gives us everything we need to do our job.  He literally puts the nail in one hand, the hammer in the other, sets us before a board, and all we have to do is swing.

John lived to become strong in the Spirit.  He prepared himself before he ever tried to help his people prepare their hearts. 

It seems to me that John the Baptist knew exactly who he was, and was bold in his calling.  He knew what his role was.  He didn't tangle up God's will verses his.  He didn't confuse his ambition or agenda with God's.  He simply lived the life God called him to live.

It wasn't an easy, or glamorous life.  He lived in the wilderness!  He died a horrible death.  But the way he lived, the way he died, tell us a lot about God.  It tells us that God has a special role for each one of us.  It tells us that relying on God's strength, instead of our own, is the only way to get through.  And it tells us that no matter how special or great we may think we are . . . we are simply humble servants, whose thoughts, deeds, and words should point to the Messiah.

John is important to the Christmas story, because his life exemplifies the calling of God on each Christian.  In John 3:30, John said, "He must become greater; I must become less."  That's one of my favorite verses in the whole Bible.  It's the summary of John's life.  He was created to teach us, to show us, that our lives serve as a message, whether we purpose to do that or not.  The message is there.  What does your message say? 

Our hearts must be ready to receive Him.  And while we do the leg work, it's God who does it all.