carson cont'd

1. portrait of a discouraged baptist

Verses 3-6 of chapter 11 show that john was disappointed with jesus, and doubting that He was the Messiah. Matt 3 describes how John expected the Messiah to clean up the mess, that He would be a blessing, yes, but that He would bring judgement: 'His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.'

John didn't have an image of the Messiah as King AND suffering servant.
[next bit, notes don't make much sense... i'll skip]
Basically, he had no category for a crucified Messiah. So Jesus, in response to John's discouragement and doubt, details His ministry - referring to the Messianic prophecy. Interestingly, the context of the passage in Isaiah is one of massive judgement - but Jesus left those words out. Why? v6: Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me. The Messianic indication are falling all around, left, right and centre - indicating that judgement is coming.

2. portrait of a defended baptist [11.7-11a]
Apparently, there was a bit of a competitive streak running between John's disciples and Jesus' disciples. So, this fairly public pwnage of John's questioning probably got some of Jesus' discples up on their high horse towards John's disciples.
Jesus wouldn't have a bar of it.

He recognises their pride, and addresses it immediately.
He describes how John was not a wimp, not a 'reed swayed by the wind'. John was more than a prophet -
he was the subject of a prophecy in Malachi, the one preparing the way, who would introduce the visitation of God Almighty!!!

Pretty much, what Jesus is saying here is: "John's greatness is that he introduces me".
He's either a meglomaniac. Or it's quite simply, true.

3. portrait of an eclipsed baptist.
When He speaks about greatness, on what axis is He talking?
John's greatness came from His role as one who could point to Jesus Christ as Messiah with greater clarity and immediacy than anyone before him. The prophets knew there was a Messiah coming, and they could prophecy certain things about Him - but John could point to a man in the flesh and say "LOOK! Here is the One who was promised!!"
But he doesn't get to see Jesus' resurrection. He was beheaded a few verses later.
John is at the apex of the old covenant, but he definitely belongs to it.

So, the point is this: even the least of all Christians can point out who Jesus is with greater clarity and immediacy than John, simply because of the sheer privilege of living this side of the Cross and Pentecost.

[Carson then went on to explain his thoughts on v12- 'forcefully advancing' is disputed. Basically the point he made was that ch13 describes how the kingdom is not coming wth a bang with clear divisions between just and unjust - it is pushing back the darkness, and others are pushing against the light. ie. There are tensions!]

There are different roles in redemptive history. John's was a turning point.
The OT takes us to John - but Jesus introduces a new dawn.

That in mind, what is the deepest Christian criteria for self-assessment?

What is your self-identity based on? Your education? Your spouse or girl/boyfriend? Your ethnicity? Your appearance? Your intelligence or wit? Your abilities?
If you are revolted by yourself, what is your criteria based on? Because no Christian has the right to use the criteria of the world.

Are you bound up in how the world assesses you?

Don't be crippled by that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What makes us great is not bound up in social parameters. We are social, but that doesn't confine us. Choose your treasure. What you value most, your heart will follow. Our goals are too small, and our gods are too small.

We are called to be RADICALLY Christ-centred.
We are called to be RADICALLY tied to proclamation and witness.

Knowing Him IS the assumption of greatness. The utter privilege of being on this side of Jesus means that we can communicate things about Jesus directly. Our providential placement in redemptive history means that we can point to Jesus, with such immediacy [HE LIVES INSIDE US FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!] and clarity, things that are simply incomprehensible in a world that doesn't know Jesus.

Our self-image? It's tied to our eternal destiny. We have the privilege of bearing witness. We have more sense of alignment with Jesus when we share our faith - there's this sense of deep deep joy. "It's axiomatic". What gets me up in the morning IS BEARING WITNESS. Anything less is idolatry, because it is worship of a false god.

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I'm not sure I captured the last bit. I was so entranced by the powerful way God was weaving these different threads through Carson, and bringing them all together at the end in this one extraordinarily powerful blow!!

His prayer had me in tears. He read out a poem that I later looked up.
Here is part of it:

shall forests hide their beauty?
shall rainbows fade to grey?
shall mountain streams stop dancing?
shall lambs forget to play?

and shall i keep silent at grace beyond degree?
before the cross
i count as loss
what once was dear to me.

Knowing the identity of Jesus Christ is the single greatest thing any person could ever have. Not just the greatest thing you can know. But it is something which you possess. Or that possesses you. Has been entrusted to you.

As the hymn says:
'Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face. And the things of this earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.'

Blew my heart to splinters.