by George Pendergrass, Associate Director
Have you ever found yourself immersed in a gripping drama where the storyteller deliberately leaves gaps, compelling you to fill in the missing pieces with your imagination? That’s precisely the essence of the narrative in John 1:19-46, when John the Baptist denies being the Messiah.
Picture yourself as an unseen observer—perhaps one of the individuals sent by the Pharisees to question John the Baptist, a rather eccentric character. While others interrogate him, your task is to assess the surroundings. To grasp the full context, let’s rewind a bit: in Matthew 3:1-17, Mark 1:9-11 and Luke 3:21-22, we witness Jesus’ baptism. Yet it is the previously-mentioned passage in John’s Gospel that sheds the most light on this pivotal moment, unveiling how Jesus is revealed to everyone He encounters.
At the time John didn’t know that his cousin, Jesus, was the Messiah (John 1:31, 33, Matthew 11:2-4). But John did know that he, John, was not, and identified himself instead as a voice preparing the way for the Lord who was yet to come.
From Luke’s perspective, John isn’t some bizarre, bug-eating figure, but rather a bold, no-nonsense preacher—one who proclaimed that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. The crowd responds fervently to his fiery sermons, while the Pharisees remain fixated on trying to identify if he is one of the prophesied figures of old. Amidst this intrigue, John points to Jesus, proclaiming Him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Despite not fully comprehending, John trusts the sign revealed to him: the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus.
John’s disciples soon begin secretly following Jesus without saying anything to him. Finally, like an embarrassed celebrity, Jesus turns around and says, “What do you want?” They responded, “Teacher, where do you live? Where are you staying?”
Isn’t it interesting how so many spiritual encounters begin where people live or where they spend most of their time? Jesus invites them to His dwelling, marking the beginning of a spiritual journey. This pattern repeats when Philip introduces Nathaniel to Jesus, echoing the same invitation to “come and see.”
You’ve watched this story from a distance—from a safe place. Maybe you’ve seen Him through the eyes and ears of someone else’s encounters on the frontiers of mission. Today, allow me to extend the same invitation to you: come and see Jesus at work among those who don’t yet know Him. Experience His hospitality, humor and simple lifestyle through the lens of a different culture. Come and see for yourself; it is the best way to truly understand His mission and discern your role in it.
We believe that each person has a role to play in making the Good News of Jesus accessible among the world’s least-reached peoples. Our team would love to help you discern your God-given role in frontier mission. Click here to contact a mobilizer and learn more about how you can discover the frontier.
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