HERALD WHO?

“...he had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention, no special appearance that we should want to follow him.”

-Isaiah 53:2b

If one could summarize the entirety of the Old Testament in one word, that word might very well be - anticipation. Beginning with, well, “the beginning” in Genesis 1:1, the macro-narrative of the Bible, and every micro-narrative therein, anticipates and heralds Jesus Christ.

Strangely enough, the anticipated Hero of the story goes largely unknown most of His life. When finally recognized by those gifted with the ancient Scriptures, which anticipated the kind of man He’d be (Isaiah 53:2), the tribe and family from which He’d be born (Genesis 49:10; 2 Sam 7:13), the nature of His incarnation (Isaiah 7:14), the scope of His ministry (Isaiah 49:6; 61:1), the very city of His birth (Micah 5:2), specifics of His triumphal entry (Zechariah 9:9), and of His crucifixion (Isaiah 53:5), rather than heralding Him as the anticipated King, Christ, Messiah - they sent Him, as prophesied, to His sinless death.

But the one aspect of Jesus’ life and ministry that seems so often overlooked, especially in our contemporary culture of maximum shock factor, is His humble manner. In Isaiah 53:2b we read, “...he had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention, no special appearance that we should want to follow him.”

In a time and culture where Jesus could have put on the world’s largest pyrotechnics show, reigned from a gilded throne, invented and advertised on social media and infomercials, solicited or even demanded the support of the powerbrokers of the day - He did no such thing. Instead, the Son of God chose to humble Himself and be born in an animal pen. He subjected Himself to physical and intellectual development. And as Hebrews 5:8 tells us, “Son though he was, he learned obedience through that which He suffered.”

Jesus didn’t preach 45+ minute sermons in palaces with angelic choirs each week. In fact, He and His disciples publicly preached variations of the simple message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Certainly, there are biblical records of longer sermons (e.g. The Sermon on The Mount and The Olivet Discourse), but those seem to be the exception rather than the norm. In Luke 11:32, Jesus even pointed out that Jonah’s brief sermon, "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown" (Jonah 3:4), was sufficient to cause an entire city of rebellious Ninevites to repent and turn to God.

So why the contemporary disconnect? Why is there no statistical distinction in America between non-believers and Christians regarding crime, divorce, premarital sex, bankruptcy, and racism? Why does the Barna Research Group report than less than 7% of American Christians are Evangelicals - people who don't merely profess faith in Christ, but who actually live to share His Gospel?

Maybe because the current M.O. of the American church is to emphasize Sunday production and congregational entertainment rather than evangelism and discipleship? Maybe because we have search teams and committees that pursue, recruit and even fight over savvy entertainers rather than poor shepherds after God’s own heart?

“...he had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention, no special appearance that we should want to follow him.”

If that was Jesus’ approach, and if He told His disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me,” then why aren’t we following?

Why do pastors plead with virtually the same group week-in and week-out to give their lives to Jesus? Why doesn’t the church prioritize multiplication and equipping? Why don’t we empower people in ministry? Why don’t we disciple, mobilize and take the fight straight to the front gates of Hell? Why don’t we invest personally in the advancement of the Gospel to the ends of the earth? Why aren’t we crying out “THY KINGDOM COME!” with every word and deed?

The whole of Scripture anticipated Jesus Christ, the One who came humbly without stately form, visual majesty or special appearance that we should want to follow Him. It also anticipates His return.

Does your worship, ministry and life herald and anticipate that same Jesus?

Blessings,

-Kevin M. Kelley

aMostUnlikelyDisciple.com