By the River – John the Baptist

[Journey with Jesus – Day 3]

I was there, you know.  Saw everything first-hand.  I’ve always gone wherever the crowds go, to be honest, and the crowds were gathering here, by the banks of the Jordan River.  People from all over Judea and Jerusalem thronging together, all because they wanted to catch a glimpse of the latest phenomenon at work.  I first heard about it after a particularly dull meeting of the synagogue – the Rabbi’s really boring, if you ask me, I’ve heard all his utterances before.  I commented to someone that I could do with a little more excitement in my religious life, that I was considering switching to a synagogue that was a bit more happening, and they asked me,  “Have you heard about the Baptist bloke? He’s causing quite a stir … he’s baptising people in the Jordan River – they’re being dunked in their droves! All of them longing for a brand-new start, apparently!  He’s a bit of a weirdo, though,” they continued, “Dresses in camel’s hair, has a leather belt around his waist and his diet is made of locusts and wild honey”.  Well, I was completely sold – I had to go and see for myself – I  tried to be cool about it and somehow pretend that I was going to Bethany because everyone else was and I didn’t want to miss out on the excitement, but deep down I wondered – I hoped – that something I saw down there would give me what I was missing, what I’d been longing for since for as long as I could remember.  I’ve had a restless spirit all my life but no matter how many rabbis I listened to at the temple, no one had what I was looking for.  Perhaps this Baptist figure would be different? He was certainly unconventional, that much was sure – with his camel’s hair and weird diet he would definitely look different. Would he sound different too? I hoped so.  When I told my parents that I was heading down to the Jordan to see the Baptist for myself, they rolled their eyes, thought it was another fad that I was following.  “But what if it isn’t?” I asked them, “What if he’s different?”

“We’ll be able to tell by the look on your face,” they replied.  

It was a bit of a long trek – 20 or so miles down the Jerusalem to Jericho road and into the desert, it would be hot, dusty and possibly dangerous – you had to travel when the road would be at its busiest, as the crags of that valley gave plenty of hiding places for bandits and there would be safety in numbers, but I didn’t mind taking the risk.  It’d be worth it if this was could bring me what I was looking for.  As it happened, I had company all the way down to the Jordan – I wasn’t the only one checking out the Baptist.  A right motley crew we were – some people were poor, with threadbare clothes and bare feet or rags on their feet, others were more well off, some were from the military, and then others were clearly officials from the temple – sent to spy on him, most likely. 

As I got closer, it got noisier and the numbers of people grew.  Until we became part of a sea of people in this wilderness by the river.  I elbowed my way through the crowd to get closer to where he would be standing – and he was just what I expected.  Shaggy hair, sun kissed, wild.  He was standing in the shallows of the river.    I was arrested by his appearance … and then I heard him speak.

“You’re a bunch of snakes.  God’s judgement is coming, he calls you to change your ways.  It doesn’t matter how religious you look or how good your pedigree.  What matters is your heart and the way you live, not the words that come out of your mouth.  Put your money where your mouth is.”

“But how?” someone cried out, “What should we do?”

“If you have two shirts, give one away to the one who has none, and if you have food, do the same,” he replied. “Live generously.  Live fairly.”

I was cut to the heart, and I wasn’t the only one.  I looked around. While some were clearly offended by the way this “uneducated ruffian” was speaking to them, the majority of people were really affected – and they genuinely wanted to change their ways.  I wanted to too – and without really realising it I found myself in the queue of people wanting to be baptised by him, longing to have a new start, to know what it is to be clean once more.  A soldier was in front of me, and behind me was a Pharisee.  All of us went under the water.  What a moment that was.  Being fully submerged and then coming out, feeling renewed. Alive again. I felt exhilarated, closer to God than ever before. 

After I’d been baptised I stayed around the area – I didn’t want to leave – watching people going through what I had experienced was amazing.  Around me, people were talking about the Baptist.  Who is he? They asked each other? Some reckoned, he’s Elijah come back, others asked, breathless with hope – could he possibly be the Messiah? The promised anointed one sent by God to be our rescuer?

The Baptiser obviously heard someone voice this, for he called out, “Messiah? Me? No, I’ve been sent by God to prepare the way for the Lord.  I baptise you with water, but someone else is coming.  He’s much more powerful than I … and I’m not worthy to untie his sandal straps! He will baptise you, not just with water, but with the Holy Spirit and with fire! He’ll change you from the inside out – make a clean sweep of your lives and set everything in its rightful place!”

You could hear the excitement spreading through the crowd at this, people murmuring, speculating.  Well, who was this figure then? Who could possibly have such power?

While musing on this, taking it all in, I turned to watch the Baptist at work – all was usual for a few minutes, until he stopped and looked at the man standing in front of him.  He shook his head, looked confused.

“No, no, why are you coming to me to be baptised? I need to be baptised by you!”

The man replied, “Let it be this way for now.  It’s God’s will, part of his plan.”

“Ok,” the Baptist replied and immersed this man in the water.

At the moment when he came back out of the water, the heavens seemed to open and there was a sound like thunder.  I could swear I heard a voice speaking … “This is my Son, whom I love, and I am very pleased with him.” Others around me looked astonished, as if they were checking they’d heard the same thing too. 

“Who is this man?” I asked the person nearest me.

“I think his name’s Jesus.  From Nazareth in Galilee.”

Eventually others left, planning to make their way back home, up to Jerusalem or wherever, but I couldn’t leave, not after what I’d just witnessed.  I just stood staring out across the river. Just who was this guy Jesus? Then I noticed someone standing next to me. With a start I realised it was him.  “What is it you’re looking for?”

I didn’t know how to answer that question – there were numerous answers going through my head, but something within me told me that he had the answers to what I’d been looking for the whole of my life.

He didn’t say anything for a while, but then motioned to a group of young men gathered a few metres from us.  “Why don’t you join us? You may just find what you’re looking for.”

So I began to follow him that day and I’ve kept following him ever since.  I’ve truly found the one I’ve been looking for, who’s met my deepest needs.