Todays’ message is titled “Cousins”.
• Do you have a cousin you are very close to in age?
o I do: Vince and Greg
• Jesus had a cousin He was close to in age. We know him as John the Baptist.
Depending on which translation you read you will see “cousins” or “relative” or “family” or of same “bloodline”. For today’s message, I’ll use “cousins”.
• A couple of key passages:
o Isaiah 40:3
o John 1:29-34
• Today, I’d like us to examine some similarities in Jesus and John as well as some differences, or dissimilarities, if you will.
• And, the importance of relationships.
• It is the time of year we spend time with family.
o Some we see often, others only occasionally.
o Some with love, others we tolerate.
• Whatever the situation, let us be reminded of the importance of relationships.
• The first is the similarities and dissimilarities in the occasion of the pregnancies.
o In the occasion of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, an angel informs Elizabeth’s husband Zechariah, that she will become pregnant.
o I probably would have handled the notification differently than Zechariah, something like “Lord, I know her biological situation.”
o Zechariah was like “Lord, she’s old!”
o Then the Lord said “Zechariah, shut your mouth!”
o In the occasion of Mary’s pregnancy an angel appears to Mary and informs her “the Holy Spirit will come upon her, and the Most Highest will overshadow her”, and she will become pregnant.
o Although Mary had questions, she chose to sing a song, recorded in Luke 1:46-55, which is found in 1 Samuel 1:11.
o At this time, Elizabeth was already 6 months pregnant.
• Anyone here have a cousin who was named after his father?
o It was Jewish tradition that the first-born son was named after his father.
o However, the angel told Zechariah to name his son John. Of course, by this time, Zechariah had learned to obey God, so when Zechariah was asked what his sons name would be, he wrote on a Big Chief Tablet “John” and immediately Zechariah regained his voice.
o As we know, Jesus’s earthly father was named Joseph, but the angel told Mary that her child would be named Jesus.
• Some of the similarities and dissimilarities of these pregnancies:
o Both Zechariah and Mary were informed by an angel that they were soon to be parents.
o Both were unlikely pregnancies
o Both were instructed what to name the child.
o Both doubted the angels’ message, with very similar responses, but one lost his voice for a bit.
o And of course, only one was a Virgin birth.
• Have you ever lived with a cousin, or relative who was not your parent or your child?
• Have you ever lived in a house with two pregnant women?
o Scripture tells us Mary lived with Elizabeth for a few months.
o We aren’t given any details of the living arrangement, but I’m sure it would have made interesting reality TV.
? Elizabeth: I became pregnant at 60
? Mary: condescendingly looks at her “that’s the best ya got?”
• Any of you have cousins that dress a little weird?
o I grew up in the 60’s and 70’s when fashion wear was colorful to say the least. It might even be described as “charismatic”
• John the Baptist dressed a little differently than the crowd. In fact, Jesus evens mentions that.
• What is the most bizarre food you witnessed a cousin eat?
o Thinking about that reminded me a scene in The Lion King when Pumba eats a bug and says “slimy but satisfying”.
o We are told that John the Baptist made meals of locusts and honey. Locusts are probably “crunchy but satisfying” and I sure the honey helped them go down!
• Jesus and John the Baptist grew up in the same era and area, but dressed and ate very differently!
• Did you have a cousin that you knew when you were really young, but didn’t see each other for several years because “life happens”?
o We aren’t told much about Jesus or John the Baptist childhood, but
o In Luke 1:41 we are told this: “and it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
o You see, John began stirring things up at a very early age!
• Both Jesus and John the Baptist were filled with the Holy Spirit.
• Although we aren’t told much about their childhood, John the Baptist makes a grand appearance in the gospels. Starting in Matthew 3:1
o In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying “repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”
o v.4 “for this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying “the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the LORD; make His paths straight”
• Both Jesus and John the Baptist said “repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand”.
• The prophet Isaiah foretold of Jesus’ coming as Savior as found in 9:6, and of a forerunner, that being John the Baptist, in 40:3
• Do any of you have an outspoken cousin?
You know the one I’m talking about, the one that makes you cringe when they speak? Check this out:
o Matthew 3:7 “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”
o Then he goes on to beat them up a little bit with doctrine.
o But he doesn’t stop there, he flat out calls King Herod on the carpet in Mark 6:18 … “it is not lawful for you to have your brothers’ wife”
o Can you imagine standing up to a king like that?
o And we know what happened not long after that!
• Both Jesus and John the Baptist spoke the truth, Jesus spoke with truth and grace, John the Baptist, perhaps not so much with grace!
• Have you ever worked really hard for a cousin, or done everything to have their back, only to question if you did the right thing?
o John the Baptists’ ministry was to straighten the path for Jesus, and declare Jesus as the messiah, but while in prison, he begins to have second thoughts. After all, if He can do anything, why hasn’t there been a prison break on John the Baptists behalf, right? So, he sends his disciples to inquire about Jesus’ status, so to speak.
o Read Matthew 11:2-14 from my bible.
Let’s re-read v.6 and blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.
I’m right there with John the Baptist. Why hasn’t Jesus come to his rescue?
I think the answer is found in v.6
NASB-“and blessed is he who keeps from stumbling over Me.”
o Several commentaries on this verse, and the general consensus is that Jesus is saying “don’t stop believing in Me. Just because it isn’t turning out like you thought it would, don’t lose or stumble in your faith.
o I don’t think John the Baptist was questioning Jesus’ motives, but maybe His means!
o It probably is true of you and me on occasion as well.
o We know Jesus’ motives are in our best interest, but sometimes the means of achieving those motives, are a mystery.
• One final question…maybe
Have you ever grieved the loss of a cousin.
There’s a really moving scene in The Chosen where Jesus and John the Baptist are having a conversation, and during that conversation, we pick up on the fact that Jesus knows this is the last time He will see John alive.
• Most often when we see someone for the last time, we don’t know that is the “last time”.
• In this season of celebrating our Saviors’ birth, keep in mind that EVERYTHING about Jesus is His relationship with us.
• Last year, I was struggling with a few members of my family, not Lisa or the kids, about covid. A long and convoluted story, but I was being uncharacteristically pig-headed, and two people who ministered to me really made a difference in my decision.
• One was my brother.
o You see, celebrating Christmas together is a REALLY big deal in my family, and I had all but backed out over my disagreement in some things.
o Bobby said “I’ve got your back with whatever you decide.”
• Pastor Jeff was the other person who ministered to me.
o He said “Oh I get it”.
o Any of you who have had Pastor Jeff minister to you can probably hear him say “oh I get it”.
o You see, I was sort of expecting him to talk me down off this ledge, and convinct me of my “stinkin’ thinkin’”.
o He said “oh I get it. This is about you wanting to have unity with your family, and at the same time, not backing down on your principles. But in the end, you have to do what is right for you”.
o Wait what?
o But the funny thing is, although if he said that to you, it may not have made any sense, but it made perfect sense to me.
o Jesus told John the Baptist “don’t falter in your faith. Don’t stumble over Me.”
o I’m confident John the Baptist understood exactly what Jesus was telling him, just as I appreciated what my brother Bobby told me, and understood what Pastor Jeff told me.
o In case you were wondering, I did join my family in Christmas celebration. About 30 of us spent it on Crystal Beach, and I’m so thankful I didn’t miss it!
• If you have some fences that need mending, lift those hurts or disagreements up to Jesus and let Him be the Great Healer that He is. He is about relationships!
• Lastly, all of us need to have a little bit of John the Baptist in us, whether it is:
o Dressing in a weird way
o Or eating locusts
o Or being outspoken in truth
o Or clearing a path,
For someone to have a relationship with Jesus.
• I hope today’s word has caused you to think about relationships with you family,
• But more importantly I hope it has caused you to think about your relationship with Christ!
