One of our adult Sunday School classes study the daily devotions in the book The Upper Room Disciplines. One this week (written by Ben Yoshua-Davis) wondered about what John the Baptist felt about being just a warm-up act for Jesus [Matthew 3:1-12], a prelude, setting the stage.

Most of us see ourselves as the star of our show, making all those around us to be supporting actors. It was the birth of the author’s first child – with little sleep or even less control – that convinced him that he was no longer the star. Ben was the warm-up act for the next generation not just the recipient of what past generations had done.

John the Baptist cried, “Prepare the way of the Lord!” What role does he play in your preparations for Christmas? We’ve heard the challenge to “put Christ back into Christmas.” I’ve never hear anyone recommend putting “John the Baptist back into Christmas.” What’s he doing here?

Part of it is because of the Lectionary, a three-year calendar of scriptures shared by many denominations around the world. It includes something about John during Advent each year. It seems to say, “You can’t get to Jesus without first taking into account his cousin’s proclamation.”

Is that really necessary? Do we have to have his scorched-earth approach to sins? Do we really need to “repent” or can we just add Christ back in somehow, a little bit at a time? We could do all the cultural celebrations and then throw in a carol on top, right? Kind of like adding nutmeg (or pumpkin spice!) to the recipe?

Well, turns out, No. What the Lord is after is not just a tweak here and there to our lifestyle or a religious addition to our schedule, God wants to go deep and cure us of our ills… which have turned out to be more chronic than we usually admit.

But even if John’s “axe” cuts us down to a mere stump, a shoot of Jesse will spring up to bring life [Isaiah 11:1-10]. Don’t give up hope.

What problems do we have and how chronic are they? What’s the ‘cure’?

“Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King…”

As always, I would really love to get your comments or questions — ahead of time or afterwards. Just click here.