The term “advance man” was first used in 1925-1930. The advance man, used as a noun is defined as an employee or close associate who makes arrangements, plans meetings with influential people, secures a safe environment, and handles publicity in advance of an appearance or engagement by the employer. Most known in the political world as those advance persons sent ahead of the candidate to cities and towns to explore the best ways and means of influencing people for support of the candidate.
It was Billy Graham’s organization, however, that used this tactic as the Biblical way to advance the work of the Kingdom of God in evangelistic crusades attended by thousands for optimum success in reaching and teaching the lost! “Advance men” were sent months ahead of a crusade planned for a certain city to form teams of people to help their salvation efforts. These advance men would meet with local community leaders to train and encourage them to help the lost find and follow Jesus! This training included learning the logistics of managing a crowd of individuals seeking to know Jesus after the call to repent was delivered by Billy Graham each evening. Encouragement was given to help others know Jesus by allowing the Holy Spirit to lead them. The advance men also recruited and trained men and women of the extreme importance of follow up in the lives of the new believers. “Open your hearts and church doors to these new babes in Christ” with weekly encouragement to grow and mature in the faith so they won’t fall away and go back to the “old life”.
We discover that the idea of sending an advance man is not really a new concept. This unique plan of advanced action was created by God who sent John the Baptizer as the “advance man” for Jesus, the Messiah. John was born to be the advance man for Jesus! Remember the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth? (See Luke 1:5-19). Zechariah was a Jewish high priest and the husband of Elizabeth. Both Elizabeth and Zechariah were very old and they were never able to have any children. In this passage, an angel tells Zechariah that he and Elizabeth are going to have a baby and to name him John. Later, Elizabeth gave birth to a son, John. As an adult, he was known as John the Baptist, who proclaimed that Jesus was coming—the advance man of God to prepare the way for His Son!
Now, let’s dive in…
John 1, The Message
6-8 There once was a man, his name John, sent by God to point out the way to the Life-Light. He came to show everyone where to look, who to believe in. John was not himself the Light; he was there to show the way to the Light.
9-13 The Life-Light was the real thing:
Every person entering Life
he brings into Light.
He was in the world,
the world was there through him,
and yet the world didn’t even notice.
He came to his own people,
but they didn’t want him.
But whoever did want him,
who believed he was who he claimed
and would do what he said,
He made to be their true selves,
their child-of-God selves.
These are the God-begotten,
not blood-begotten,
not flesh-begotten,
not sex-begotten.
14 The Word became flesh and blood,
and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
the one-of-a-kind glory,
like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out,
true from start to finish.
15John pointed him out and called, “This is the One! The One I told you was coming after me but in fact was ahead of me. He has always been ahead of me, has always had the first word.”
16-18 We all live off his generous abundance,
gift after gift after gift.
We got the basics from Moses,
and then this exuberant giving and receiving,
This endless knowing and understanding—
all this came through Jesus, the Messiah.
No one has ever seen God,
not so much as a glimpse.
This one-of-a-kind God-Expression,
who exists at the very heart of the Father,
has made him plain as day.
Thunder in the Desert
19-20 When Jews from Jerusalem sent a group of priests and officials to ask John who he was, he was completely honest. He didn’t evade the question. He told the plain truth: “I am not the Messiah.”
21 They pressed him, “Who, then? Elijah?”
“I am not.”
“The Prophet?”
“No.”
22 Exasperated, they said, “Who, then? We need an answer for those who sent us. Tell us something—anything!—about yourself.”
23 “I’m thunder in the desert: ‘Make the road straight for God!’ I’m doing what the prophet Isaiah preached.”
24-25 Those sent to question him were from the Pharisee party. Now they had a question of their own: “If you’re neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet, why do you baptize?”
26-27 John answered, “I only baptize using water. A person you don’t recognize has taken his stand in your midst. He comes after me, but he is not in second place to me. I’m not even worthy to hold his coat for him.”
28 These conversations took place in Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing at the time.
The God-Revealer
29-31 The very next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and yelled out, “Here he is, God’s Passover Lamb! He forgives the sins of the world! This is the man I’ve been talking about, ‘the One who comes after me but is really ahead of me.’ I knew nothing about who he was—only this: that my task has been to get Israel ready to recognize him as the God-Revealer. That is why I came here baptizing with water, giving you a good bath and scrubbing sins from your life so you can get a fresh start with God.”
32-34 John clinched his witness with this: “I watched the Spirit, like a dove flying down out of the sky, making himself at home in him. I repeat, I know nothing about him except this: The One who authorized me to baptize with water told me, ‘The One on whom you see the Spirit come down and stay, this One will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ That’s exactly what I saw happen, and I’m telling you, there’s no question about it: This is the Son of God.”
WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?
John was born with the sole purpose of preparing the way for Jesus, the Savior of the world. God has a purpose and plan for each one of us!
John was born miraculously to an elderly couple who had given up bearing children. We know, or should know, that God is in the miracle business. “Nothing is too hard or impossible with God.”
“Call him John” said God’s angel to Zechariah. This naming directive reminds us of Mary’s encounter with God’s angel, who said, “and His name will be Jesus.”
Elizabeth was Mary’s cousin, a beloved family member who was probably the only person who would be able to understand Mary’s Holy Spirit pregnancy. Think of the orchestration of God who provided encouragement and help to both devoted women of God by giving them each other! (I’m not crying…you’re crying!)
John knew his position and mission. He was relentlessly focused on what God created him to be and do. He was honest and open to the world. He was not afraid of those who opposed him. We can learn much from John’s character and behavior!
John lived a humble life, unrestrained, and traveled light. He had a work to do and avoided anything that got in the way of that work given to Him by God. He was “born to be wild”—wildly devoted to God who gave him life and meaning! He was truly excited when John saw his cousin, Jesus, the Messiah, coming down the road. He knew his days were coming to an end when he said, “He must increase; I must decrease.”
Yes, later in John 3:30, John, the gospel writer, will share John, the Baptizer’s humble words; “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John the Baptist is talking about Jesus, saying his purpose in this world is to decrease. John, the Baptist realizes he has done the advance work according to God’s will and purpose. Now, Jesus must increase in the work of seeking and saving the lost. Jesus saves. John introduces them to the One who saves and redeems forever! John the Baptist’s purpose in this world was to exalt Christ, not himself.
If you really think about it, as believers in Jesus we are the “advance men and women” to the lost-not-yet-saved of the world. But first, In Jesus Name, we pray for God’s Spirit to prepare hearts to receive Jesus! We pray for opportunities to tell His story. Don’t worry, God will provide them for it is not His desire that anyone should perish without Him! We pray for boldness, courage, and clarity in telling; as led by His Spirit with the right words at the right time—because that’s what it means to be a “disciple” of Jesus.
Jesus calls and commands all disciples to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
Just as God was with John, the Baptizer and affirmed by Jesus, God’s Son, God is with us as wetell the Truth: Jesus IS the Son of God, Messiah, the One who saves us from all our sins once and for all. –And Jesus is coming back someday soon!
Lord,
It is inspiring and encouraging to read about your advance man, John, the Baptizer. You take us deeper in to the story each time we read it and meditate on the significance of each role of the participants. Thank you for teaching us that we all have purpose in you. Thank you for loving us the way you do for that teaches us to love well. Thank you for John who introduced Jesus as the One and Only who removes the sins of the world who believes. I pray for the lost around me who need to know you and for those reading this right now who want to grow in your love. Help us. Lead us. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen. I believe.
Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus) 