“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
1 Corinthians 1:18 ESV
When we look at the people who were listening to John. There was the average person, government representatives, military personal. The range of people and social classes was great, but what else should you expect from those following the word of God.
God’s word stretches across any different social classes, geographical landscapes and into people’s hearts and lives. John’s words have power not because of his style, or location, it was because the words came from God, through the Holy Spirit. God’s words have power over the powerful. Our place in the world does not dictate or protect us from the truth of God’s words. When confronted with God’s truth, our lives are forever changed. Either we listen and follow and allow God’s words to lead us in life or we deny them and thus deny God and become separated from Him in our lives. At times God’s words and actions can seem like folly, the cross doesn’t make sense and yet it has brought the most life, this implement of death.
The cross, like God’s words call us to recognize our sin and our sinfulness and in that horrible realization of our own fallenness, God lifts us up and surrounds our broken selves with His eternal love and grace. The message of John prepared the way for the mighty work of God through Jesus Christ that is still calling us to be confronted with our own sin and the words and actions of our loving God saying come back to me. No matter how broken you are, come back to me. No matter how far you have wandered, come back to me. No matter how much you have forgotten about me, come back to me so that we can walk together again in life, in love, in peace.
