Path makers sent ahead by God obviously possess the traits of the One whose path they are sent to prepare. Though an imperfect reflection, God's glorious presence remains discernible in their lives and ministries. Moreover, they resemble the path maker sent way ahead of them---the path-maker model---that is, John the Baptist. He made straight the way, raising up every valley and making low every mountain and hill.
Why do I say this?
Photo by Lili Popper on Unsplash.
Because God will not take the trouble to describe John in the Gospel if this were not so. And Mark 1 says the good news about the Messiah begins with the ministry of John, showing how it was prophesied in the Old Testament and painstakingly described in the Gospel. If that's not important, I don't know what is.
“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way”[C] —
3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”[D]
- Mark 1
If you and your ministry claim to be sent by God (or are from God) and a herald or precursor of Christ's second coming, don't forget to stay close to how your predecessors looked like--John and Jesus--if not look exactly like them. They looked alike and we should blend in the appearance. This was how people saw Jesus' ministry:
Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” [Matthew 16]
See that? They looked alike. One look and people could tell how they were closely related. We cannot afford to look differently from how people saw the prophets and John and Jesus. Thus, we should emphasize the traits of a prophetic path maker and an apostolic Messiah. Aside from being sent by God, path makers must be:
- A voice. Not "the voice" but merely a voice. You're just one among many others. You're nothing special, merely chosen by grace. Although Jesus and John were highly esteemed in the spirit realms (Jesus pleased the Father so well and John was the greatest among those born of women), Jesus emptied himself and John didn't think himself worthy to untie Jesus' sandals.
God's path makers are nobodies. Faceless. Extremely low profile. They never put themselves forward but are called and wait for God's move and timing like eagles. Thus, John saw himself only as a voice. You wonder what this makes of people so eager to have titles and degrees, positions, mega ministries, influence and popularity. Remember the Kingdom standard---the least is the greatest. - In the wilderness. John was a voice in the wilderness and Jesus often stayed in remote places, preferring the company of the marginalized, tax collectors (the rejected) and sinners (sinners curious about God). They frequented the small corners of the marginalized and despised, not the halls and corridors of palaces.
Jesus once hinted what real men of God are most UNLIKELY to be wearing and where they're most UNLIKELY to be found: "What did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings' palaces," [Matthew 11.8]. This connotes extreme simplicity in status and lifestyle (the life of a non-joiner). Yet, most church leaders are keen on wearing particularly fine clothes to gain entry in kings' palaces. God's path makers are radically low-profile and settled in places of rejection, disapproval and discomfort.
Path makers, in fact, are tasked with paving a straight "highway" in the desert for God [Isaiah 40.3]. It's not the highway (or broad way) to destruction that Jesus warned about but an extensive offer to anyone who wants to deny self and carry Jesus' cross daily, to repent and redirect to the right path less traveled and be found in places where no want wants to be. An offer to be a non-joiner like Jesus. - Promoting Kingdom values. God's path makers follow and promote Kingdom reversed principles where the least is the greatest and the greatest the least. They are never impressed by what greatness this world makes possible because their God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Their God intently looks for the despised and rejected, those seen by the world as weak and scorned.
Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low. [Isaiah 40.4]
This should be more pronounced in church where the body parts that are less presentable should get more help, attention and honor (today, mega churches get all the honor and glory and small churches are belittled and looked down on). This is why Jesus chose ordinary people to be his apostles.
22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body (probably why the church is divided into denominations because of wrong values system), but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.
[1 Corinthians 12.21-26].
Many church ministries have deviated too far from this Kingdom paradigm, which Jesus and John exemplified. They have gone after the ways and standards of the world which they deem more effective because they draw or lure lots more people to church and produce more members and church income. If they do not subscribe to the ways of the Sender, who, then, sent them?
GET MY EBOOK!
SURRENDERING TO JESUS
Ask forgiveness and repent of your sins. Believe God's forgiveness. It is promised in the bible. Receive Jesus Christ into your heart as your sole Savior and Lord. Then be assured of heaven, not because of anything you have or do (not your good deeds or religion or church), but because of God's grace and mercy through what Jesus Christ did on the cross.
In Jesus alone is salvation.
Jesus is: ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ 12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other Name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” [Acts 4]
Surrender to Him by intently studying the bible daily (ask guidance from the Holy Spirit) and applying in life everything you learn. And then pray that God lead you to the right person who'd disciple you, one who is totally surrendered to Jesus and living His Word in the bible.
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