“God’s Choice…!”

“God’s Choice…!”(Mk, 1:1-11).
The attire and food choices of John the Baptist fits that of a Nazarite. When someone took a Nazarite vow he had to keep long hairs for the duration of the vow, and he did not eat or drink anything related to the vine(Num.6:1-21). The Nazarite vow seems to be the motivation for Rastafarian.
John was a nobody. He popped up from nowhere but caused shockwaves as he baptized, “preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness sins.”
Mark says “The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him” This is a hyperbole which indicates the high interest that was created by his preaching.
When the people came to him, they confessed their sins and he baptized them.
Baptism was for Gentile converts. It was unheard of that the children of Abraham should be asked to come for baptism. Religious bigwigs must have asked, “Who is this nonentity that has become the talk of the day pulling crowds to the Jordan?”
The answer is simple: God’s choice does not consider class distinction. Come to think of it, “What was the qualification of those who conferred the first Master’s degree or PhD on X? In the same way the first king was not a prince!
Paul reminds us through the Corinthians, “think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him…”(I Cor.1:26-31).
David was the youngest of Jesse’s sons. His stature was not commanding and his father didn’t consider that he could be God’s choice for the second king of Israel. “The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart…”(I Sam.16:1-13).
And that is how little David, a shepherd boy became king and has become a household name.
Mark introduces his gospel in few words. “The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Yet this Son of God also went to John to receive the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Why did he do this? He told John, “Let it be so for now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfil all righteousness(Mt. 3:15).
Since John’s baptism was repentance for the forgiveness of sins, Jesus had to identify with fallen humanity since he had to give his life for God to forgive our sins. At his baptism the Trinity was concretized. The Holy Spirit descended on him like a dove and the Father himself spoke, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
Dear friend, if today we are in Christ Jesus it is because even God humbles himself. God is who he is despite us. God has done what he has done in Christ for us despite us. May he whose Son has baptized us with the Holy Spirit be our only boasting content. May he make us humble messengers as each one of us become evangelists to others..
Sunday prayer: Lord, make us humble messengers as we preach repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.