Today’s Community Scripture – 2/18/2025

After John’s messengers left to make their report, Jesus said more about John to the crowd of people. “What did you expect when you went out to see him in the wild? A weekend camper? Hardly. What then? A sheik in silk pajamas? Not in the wilderness, not by a long shot. What then? A messenger from God? That’s right, a messenger! Probably the greatest messenger you’ll ever hear. He is the messenger Malachi announced when he wrote, I’m sending my messenger on ahead To make the road smooth for you.“Let me lay it out for you as plainly as I can: No one in history surpasses John the Baptizer, but in the kingdom he prepared you for, the lowliest person is ahead of him. The ordinary and disreputable people who heard John, by being baptized by him into the kingdom, are the clearest evidence; the Pharisees and religious officials would have nothing to do with such a baptism, wouldn’t think of giving up their place in line to their inferiors. “How can I account for the people of this generation? They’re like spoiled children complaining to their parents, ‘We wanted to skip rope and you were always too tired; we wanted to talk but you were always too busy.’ John the Baptizer came fasting and you called him crazy. The Son of Man came feasting and you called him a lush. Opinion polls don’t count for much, do they? The proof of the pudding is in the eating.”

Luke 7:24–35 (MSG)

Key Verse – A messenger from God? That’s right, a messenger! Probably the greatest messenger you’ll ever hear. Luke 7:26 (MSG)

– Reflection:

Is He the One We Are Expecting

Jesus presents the crowd with two contrasting images: reeds and haute couture. Reeds thrived by the water’s edge and swayed with the slightest breeze. Nobody ventures into the wilderness to see something so ordinary; it doesn’t require a journey or a quest to find. In the next verse, Jesus inquires if they sought out someone clad in luxurious robes. The wilderness isn’t a setting for the high fashion of the affluent. Do you seek the commonplace? No. Do you yearn for the improbable? No. Instead, they ventured into the wilderness to meet John, the prophet who prepared the way for the Messiah. As one commentator notes, John is positioned between everyday life and the kingdom of God.

– Where do we go from here?

What do we seek to experience when we gather for worship? Or when we embark on a mission trip? Or when we participate in a faith formation class? Or when we serve alongside a ministry partner? What, or who, do we hope to encounter? How will we prepare to welcome the presence of the Messiah into our lives?

Our Prayer for Today

Father, you sent John the Baptist to pave the way for your Son’s arrival. He boldly fulfilled the mission you placed in his heart, preparing the path for the true one. Grant us the wisdom to discern your purpose and the openness to hear your will so we may prepare the way for Christ to build his kingdom. Amen.

Coach Arthur Poston Jr.
Focused Development Organization
Middle School Coach