10 January 2015 - the voice

So they came to John and said to him,
"Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan,
to whom you testified,
here he is baptizing and everyone is coming to him."

John faces a real challenge when Jesus comes to his turf and starts doing his thing. John is anointed to prepare the way of Jesus. But it is fair to wonder if this is what he expects. John's one special role is to proclaim his baptism of repentance and tell the world about the one who is coming. But here is Jesus. He isn't doing much more than John is, apparently. But the crowds are going to Jesus, now, and not John. This is a moment of truth for him. This sort of challenge can only be met be one who is truly surrendered to God. It proves to be an occasion of profound humility for John.

The one who has the bride is the bridegroom;
the best man, who stands and listens for him,
rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. 
So this joy of mine has been made complete. 
He must increase; I must decrease.

If God is going to take "his thing" from him and not even show him the benefits he hopes to see, John can still rejoice. He rejoices because this very surrender of his plan to God means that God is close. He hears the bridegroom's voice. John is able to rejoice even though he does not see the promise fulfilled. He tells us, "we know that what we have asked him for is ours." John knows it but we need to be reminded. We are too busy holding onto "our thing" to rejoice in the bridegroom's voice. We insist on being involved in the fulfillment and so we miss the one on whom the fulfillment of the promise entirely depends.

We know that anyone begotten by God does not sin;

As we realize that we are caught up in our selfishness we have a hard time seeing ourselves as begotten by God if that means we do not sin. Yet this is not a condemnation. It is an invitation. We can enter more into sonship and daughterhood this morning. We can rely more and more on the Fatherhood of God. This trust and surrender transforms us and makes holiness possible. It is this relationship of surrender that allows John to rejoice at the bridegroom's voice. It allows us to rejoice as well. It allows us to rejoice even while we have to lay down our entire lives and purposes as we understand them. It protects us from the Evil One and allows us to know the one who is true and to remain in him. It keeps us from falling for the false promises of idolatry. It allows us to decrease while he increases. It shows that this is, in fact, the only source of true joy.

Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy upon their couches;
Let the high praises of God be in their throats.
This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia.