Good morning everyone,
Have you seen the TV reality show “The Voice”? I only glimpsed a few minutes of one episode, but I saw that the program has an intriguing element called a blind audition. The coaches who decide whether they want a singer on their team only hear the voice. They don’t initially see the person. The idea is that then the focus will be where it should be, on the quality of the voice, rather than personal appearance.
It’s a good point, but take it another step. What is more important, a message or the appearance of the messenger? If you think about it, obviously the message is more vital than who delivers it. Yet in our media age often much more attention is given to the messenger. The political candidate who looks the best on TV and has a more charismatic personality than his opponent may garner the most votes. The words of a movie star are automatically taken as truth by fans.
John the Baptist did not look nearly as impressive as the Scribes and Pharisees, yet he preached a message of repentance which everyone needed to hear. Jesus didn’t look the part of the outwardly regal Messiah many had envisioned, so they didn’t listen and missed the message of salvation.
The important thing when it comes to our standing with God, our purpose in life, and our eternal future is not the messenger, but the Message, the news of God-made-man come to be our substitute and Savior from sin and death. The messenger may be Mom or Dad, the pastor, a Sunday School teacher, a friend, or as we will hear tomorrow, John the Baptist. But no matter who the messenger, the power of the Message is the same: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16). No matter who the messenger, may we hear the voice of our Lord and respond in grateful praise!
The choir will rehearse tomorrow at 9:10 a.m. Men only this time. Women next week.
The adult Bible class will continue the review of the Third Article and the various aspects of the Spirit’s work in our individual lives and in the Church overall.
See you tomorrow,
Pastor
