Why Me?

Intro: Before grunge was cool, Pigpen made his debut in the Peanuts comic strip on July 13, 1954 and since then has been the butt of "dirt" gags. He walks around in a cloud of dust, sprinkling dirt on all he comes in contact with. Pigpen is happily messy. He doesn't try to explain it, hide it, or fight it. For him, it's just a fact of life. The Jews of Jesus’ day looked at Gentiles in the same way. To them, all Gentiles were like Pigpen, a dirty person in need of cleansing.

I. What John offered not only to the Gentiles; but also to the Jews was this type of ritual cleansing.

A. The Jews reserved baptism for the proselyte (GK = STRANGE) The Jews believed they were already “clean” and acceptable to God because they were the chosen people. They saw no need to identify with the “dirty” Gentile.

B. Jesus did not fit the requirement of a candidate for a baptism of repentance. Yet, Jesus came to the Jordan River where sinners were called to repentance as well as to John.

C. A CEO of a manufacturing firm got into the habit of showing up in the production area unannounced. Sometimes he would take off his coat and tie, roll up his sleeves, and help on the assembly line. One of the employees asked him why he did that. --- “to understand how the workers think and feel.”

II. VS. 14 - John was surprised by the humility of Jesus’ action. “Why me? Why now?” were John’s questions.

A. Jesus showed up at the wrong time, in the wrong place and did the wrong things. For John, this was not the way things were supposed to be.

B. A pastor stood by the graveside of a young mother with her husband and 3 children. The husband looked at the pastor and demanded, “This isn’t the way things are supposed to be! Tell me, do you believe this is the way God meant it to be? Is this the end of everything?” --- The pastor answered, “You know deep in your heart this is not the end. You haven’t stopped loving your wife. Do you think God has? You know that life with God is eternal. You must believe what your heart already knows.”

C. The young widower and John share a common bond. They both stood before God with their expectations dashed needing to be reminded that God’s plan may not be ours and God’s time is not ours.

III. VS. 15 – When Jesus says, “let it be” He is openly saying, “I understand it doesn’t make sense to you. Just do it!”

A. John protests because he felt unworthy. He even says that Jesus should be doing this for him. God has called him to a task to which he feels unequal.

B. It would be like the great cellist, Yoyo Maw coming to my house asking me to play the piano for him. Though I do play the piano, it is not with anywhere near the musicianship of such a musical master.

C. “I’m not good enough!” --- Without Christ we are not good enough. But, with Christ we are.

Conclu: Jesus didn’t ask John, he told him, “Let it be NOW.” Now is the time. Robert Schuller once said, “there will never be another now so make the most of today. There will never be another you so make the most of yourself.” When Christ calls you to a task and you catch yourself asking, “why me?” Remember, Jesus’ answer is “WHY NOT?”

Gaither Bailey

Home

First Presbyterian Church, Georgetown, Kentucky, is a member of Transylvania Presbytery of the Synod of Living Waters in the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A.