John 1:6-8, 19-28 (Make straight the way of the Lord.)

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.

This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, "I am not the Messiah." And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" He answered, "No." Then they said to him, "Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,'" as the prophet Isaiah said.  

Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, "Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?" John answered them, "I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal." This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.

The classic Christmas stories can be found in Matthew and Luke’s Gospels. Mark and John also have Christmas in mind as they start their Gospels, but their reference to it is more subtle. These two Gospels begin with the ministry of John Baptist. When Jesus turns up at the River Jordan, where John was busy at work, the Baptist pauses and starts waxing lyrical about the greatness of Jesus. But Jesus hadn’t done anything yet. There had been no preaching, no miracles, no claims. So, from where had John got the idea from that Jesus was such a great man? 

In the days of the Gospels it would have been quite normal for children to grow up within an extended family. John and Jesus were related, and there was only six months between their ages. It is almost certain that they would have grown up together. By the time they were adults (public ministry started at the age of thirty) they would have known each other very well. John would have become aware of Jesus’ character, wisdom and holiness, but there must have been something more to make him utter the extraordinary comments he made when Jesus appeared at the Jordan. 

The circumstances leading to John’s birth were extraordinary, and they would have been repeated endlessly at family gatherings! But John’s story would have been eclipsed by the details surrounding the birth of Jesus. These are the stories that would have been familiar to all members of the extended family, and they form the perfect backdrop to John’s claim that, "I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal."  

You have to give credit to John the Baptist: Under normal circumstances, his story would have been extraordinary, giving him huge kudos. But his claim to fame was totally eclipsed by Jesus’ story. You have to admire John’s humility as he goes on to say about Jesus, ‘I must decrease, and he must increase’. 

As we approach Christmas we look forward to welcoming Jesus afresh. We recall his title ‘Emmanuel’ meaning ‘God with us’. Inspired by John the Baptist we welcome Jesus, not as the one who comes to do our bidding but as the one whose company is pure privilege.