PREPARING PEOPLE'S HEARTS FOR JESUS

BY STEVE DUNN

In just a few days we will be celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.  It is a time of great rejoicing for the Messiah, the Liberating King, enters time and space to save His people from their sin.

But there was another noteworthy birth about that same time.  He was the earthly cousin of Jesus and his name was John, known to us as John the Baptist.  There may be some question of which one was born first.  All we really know is what Luke records:

"When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy." (1:57-58) 

But the birth order is not what is important.  The purpose is.  At John's birth, his father Zechariah after months of God-imposed silence proclaims: "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." to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins." (1:76-77)

Zechariah's words echo a prophecy long before of Isaiah: 

"A voice of one calling:
'In the desert prepare the way for the Lord;
make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.
And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
and all mankind together will see it.

For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.'" (Isaiah 40:3-5)

Later John appears on the scene as that voice and his ministry of the coming Messiah and the repentance from sin indeed prepares the way for the message and ministry of Jesus.  Soon after Jesus appears,  John even says, "I decrease so he can increase."

Have you ever thought of yourself as one who prepares the way for Jesus as through our relationships we introduce them to Him--his promises and His power?  Or as Dan Kimball describes it, "The bridge to the Bridge."

There is no more important calling.

© 2018  by Stephen L. Dunn.  You have permission to reprint this provided it is unchanged, proper authorship is cited, it is in a publication not for sale, and a link is provided to this site or to www.drstevedunn.com. For all other uses, contact Steve at sdunnpastor@gmail.com 

GOD IS MY MAKER

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.- Psalm 139:14

BY STEVE DUNN

My body ain't what it used to be.  It's never been the sleek, buff guy in GQ and I'll never make anyone's "most attractive men" list (except for my wife Dianne's).  The hair is greyer and thinner.  Some of my teeth have now gone to be with Jesus.  My feet are downright ugly--even my doctor says so.  And today I took a tumble and badly twisted an ankle.  I just got clumsy coming off a step and went down before I could even put out a hand to stop.  (Did I mention the state of my reflexes?)

But our  body is not who we are?

My mind has always been sharp, my analytical skills finely honed.  I have mastered extemporaneous speaking.  I am known for my creativity and intellectual intensity.

But our mind is not who we are?

Yes, the complexity of our body's designs and the human mind is an awesome thing when it is functioning properly.  These are two factors that always remind me of the Intelligent Design that put me together, and knowing that the Master Designer has created even better versions simply affirms the divinity that shapes humanity and the world.  

Although God is perfect, I am vividly aware of my imperfection.  I love what is written on Ruth Graham's tombstone:

“Under Construction: Thank you for your patience.” 

 
Yet my imperfection does not change the wonder of who I am.  I am a person created by the Living God--and then created anew out his unconditional love and amazing grace--so that I can live according to His purpose.  And that purpose is the Good News that we all belong to God and have a part of the wondrous work He is doing to redeem humankind, and to demonstrate people living in this time that there is "a more perfect way" that He will empower them to live/

(C) 2013 by Stephen Dunn

MATURITY

 Reading: Psalm 71:14-19

Since my youth, God, you have taught me,
   and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.
¹⁸ Even when I am old and gray,
   do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
   your mighty acts to all who are to come.

I am now sixty years old but I still refuse to join AARP.  I can get just as good a discount deal from AAA and I don't need more life insurance.  Everything below my shoulders has the look and shape of a man my age, but my heart and spirit will subtract a decade or more.  My golf game is so bad that I'll never be able to shoot my age, but I can still yank a ball up the left field line for a hit (I just can't get past second base).

Lately I have been spending a lot of time with our student ministries as we transition to a new youth director.  I have been serving both as a teacher, spiritual counselor, and male influence especially for some of the young men who are part of this congregation.  They have graciously accepted me into their company and confidence, even Facebooking me. They acted incredulous went it was announced I had hit the big Six O.  That was a tremendous ego boost.

Bur I am also conscious that my remaining years of ministry are numbered.  They've always been numbered, I am just now more conscious of the fact. Financially, I plan to work another 10 years before "retiring."  But that's not where I am coming from.

God has already blessed me with 40 years of ministry. They have been fruitful years and they have been a purpose-driven life that I would trade for nothing.  I have been blessed to see God at work in powerful ways and I have been privileged to help facilitate transformed lives.  There are many people who are now fruitful servants of God experiencing life to the full as promised in John 10:10 because of the work God has given me and empowered me to do.

Yet I am intensely aware that there are still too many people for whom God is out of sight, out of mind; who maybe have a religion but not an authentic relationship with the Living God. I am aware that there are still generations who have not been reconciled to God, a reality that has eternal significance.  And that continues to be my purpose.  That's why I resonate with these words of David's; spoken in the years of his maturity.

 ¹⁴ As for me, I will always have hope;
   I will praise you more and more.
 ¹⁵ My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds,
   of your saving acts all day long—
   though I know not how to relate them all.
¹⁶ I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign LORD;
   I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.
¹⁷ Since my youth, God, you have taught me,
   and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.
¹⁸ Even when I am old and gray,
   do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
   your mighty acts to all who are to come.