Standing in line next to Jesus

“When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too.” Luke 3:21 (NIV)

The shopkeeper was quietly taking his place in the long line that had formed following the Baptizer's message. For weeks Jerusalem had been buzzing with the talk of the strange man from the Judean countryside who spoke like the prophets of old. He wore a simple garment and was reported to live an austere life on the edge of civilization. But that was not what made him remarkable. It was his strong message of calling people into a changed life by a public act of immersion into water that had got all of Judea worked up. Wherever he showed up, he was an event and people flocked to hear his words even though they were not ones of comfort but rather of discomfort. The shopkeeper had heard the stories from those he did business with how the Baptizer was not afraid to call out even those of the religious establishment into this changed life. “The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire,” was one of the prophet's sayings that he had heard retold several times in the marketplace. So, one day when he learned that the Baptizer was down at the Jordan again he decided to close up shop and go hear for himself this one that had all of Jerusalem talking.

A very Hagrid-looking John

Hundreds of people had chosen to do the same thing that day so that quite a large crowd were gathered to hear this wild-eyed preacher of righteousness. It was just as it had been described to the shopkeeper: The people gathered tentatively around the large man as if approaching a lion in the bush and then he pounced with a voice that had claws in it. From what the shopkeeper could tell, every spectrum of Jerusalem society were present – shopkeepers like himself, tax collectors, soldiers, run-of-the-mill folks, those of the Pharisee persuasion and even some who worked at the Temple. They were all here to see for themselves this messenger who referred to himself simply as the Forerunner. Wrath was coming (he said). Judgment. A separating. Another is coming who will do the separating – those who are “good seed” will be harvested; those who are “bad seed” will be burned up like so much chaff. “Take a good look at your life. Is it alive and bearing the fruit of righteousness? Or is it so much deadwood? Because you know the only thing that deadwood is good for...” On and on the Forerunner went for some time and before long the shopkeeper was no longer listening impartially but was paying attention acutely to his words. He referred frequently to the “main event” which was coming – the One who would clean house and set things right. Those who were true sons of Abraham would be made clean within. And those who were fakers, Jews in name only...? They would be hauled out to the Kidron Valley where all the other refuge from Jerusalem was taken and burned up like so much trash.

"The ax is at the root of the trees..."

As the Baptizer was finishing up his message, he called the crowd to do more than just hear his words but to humble themselves, respond and be immersed into the Jordan as a sign of readiness for this One to come who would set things right. The shopkeeper had been moved by the message and somewhere during his preaching had turned introspective. “Take a good look at your life...Is it bearing fruit or not?...the ax is at the root of the trees...” The prophet's words piled up like so much weight on the shopkeeper's scale and he was found wanting. His lack of regard for Yahweh. His lack of kindness toward certain neighbors and competitors. His lack of faith that Roman occupation or not, Yahweh still called his people to a certain way of living and in little ways he thought of how he had compromised on more than one occasion. As the Romans had taught them to do, people began forming a long line following the Baptizer's message to be immersed in the waters of the Jordan.

There wasn't a lot of chatter in line. People either looked down at their feet or scanned briefly ahead to see just how far they were from the river. He heard some sniffles, too, as a few were weeping under the persuasion of that thunderous voice. A couple guys in front of him is a tax collector. You can always tell the type based on the finely spun clothes lacking any telltale sign of belonging to the party of the Sadduccees who ran the operations at the Temple. The shopkeeper lifts his eyebrows at the sight of him and wonders to himself, “What is he doing here?” Directly in front of him is a tall, broad-shouldered young man who looks straight ahead patiently waiting his turn. The shopkeeper, who sees all kinds of people in the market every day, thinks he must be a craftsman of some kind from up north. His clothes are too plain and homespun to be anything else. They are nearing the river. The tax collector wades out to the Baptizer who ceremonially dips him under the water. He wobbles back to the shore struggling under the weight of his robes. Then the craftsman walks out to the prophet. He too goes under the water but when he comes up he lifts his hands in prayer, as is the custom, and lingers there. The Baptizer is saying something to him the shopkeeper cannot hear. For what seems a long time but only lasts but a handful of moments, the craftsman remains in a state of devotion and prayer, face upward and smiling. In fact, a broad beam of pleasure has creased the craftsman's face. The shopkeeper hears a few disgruntled murmurs in line of the inordinate amount of time this man seems to be taking in his response to his immersion. But soon he is done and wades back to shore and merges into the mass of others who have also been baptized that day. And then the shopkeeper begins his wade out to the voice from the wilderness who is calling to any and all to respond to the message of preparing the way for the coming of the Lord.

The shopkeeper is nervous. After all, despite his vehement denials of the same, there are some who have wondered aloud if perhaps this towering figure from the Judean hills is indeed Messiah at long last come. And if so, it is a fearful thing to be in his hands. As he makes his way out, the Forerunner is lifting his voice again citing the ancient prophecy:

“Every ditch will be filled in,
Every bump smoothed out,
The detours straightened out,
All the ruts paved over.
Everyone will be there to see
The parade of God's salvation."

As the Baptizer takes his hand, the shopkeeper knows he is referring to him – that he is a “bump” that needs to be “smoothed out”, that he is a “rut” that needs to be “paved over” before He comes who will bring the salvation that he and his people have been waiting for years beyond count. 

(Scripture references from Luke 3, The Message)