Scripture/Sermon of the Day

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one about whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is really greater than me because he existed before me.’ 31 Even I didn’t recognize him, but I came baptizing with water so that he might be made known to Israel.” 32 John testified, “I saw the Spirit coming down from heaven like a dove, and it rested on him. 33 Even I didn’t recognize him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit coming down and resting is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and testified that this one is God’s Son.”

35 The next day John was standing again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus walking along he said, “Look! The Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard what he said, and they followed Jesus.

39 He replied, “Come and see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon.

40 One of the two disciples who heard what John said and followed Jesus was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Christ ). 42 He led him to Jesus.

I. Do you ever watch late-night television? When I was growing up, most people watched Johnny Carson. And Johnny had a sidekick — an announcer. Do you remember who that was? Ed McMahon. He came on the show in 1962, and every show — until the last on on May 22, 1992, Ed would announce Carson, saying, “Heeeeere’s…..Johnny!”

There are some differences. Do you realize — in the Gospel of John — Jesus and John don’t talk to each other — don’t say a word. Even in the other gospels, Jesus says a word or two — but the two of them don’t have a conversation.

III. And after a brief appearance of John in chapter three — where, again, he doesn’t talk to Jesus — that’s the last we see of him. And in the final appearance of John, he says this kind of famous line — and then DISAPPEARS. He says, — does anyone know? (If you can answer this, you will win a free night at the Motel 6 in Milford — a $71 value.) The last thing John says in the gospel of John is, “He (Jesus) must increase, but I must decrease.” Which he does — he decreases right out of the gospel.

IV. And talking about announcers for Jesus — one of the greatest was the man was born January 15, 1929 — he would be 97 now if he were alive: Martin Luther King, Jr.

The “burning bush” experience for Martin Luther King, Jr. came in 1955, when the “Montgomery Improvement Association” — led by E.D. Nixon, president of the NAACP, chose Rev. Martin Luther King who was just 25 years old. King was chosen to lead the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955 after Rosa Parks was arrested for not giving up her seat on the bus to a white person. The boycott was a nonviolent protest, and King was chosen because he was young and had not yet been “intimidated” by the white leaders of Alabama. But King didn’t want the leadership role. HE SAID NO — he did not want to do it.

And E.D. Nixon humiliated King in front of a crowd of black ministers and community leaders. Nixon told King that these poor people on the busses are the ones who put money into the collection plates so he can live well — and he’s supposed to stand up for them — how could he refuse? Nixon threatened to reveal King’s cowardice to the black community. King spoke up — he said he was not afraid and would lead the boycott. But the clock was ticking on King’s life — he’d have just 14 more years.

Under the system of segregation on Montgomery buses, the 10 front seats were reserved for white people at all times. The 10 back seats were reserved for black people. The middle section had 16 unreserved seats for white and black people on a segregated basis. White people filled the middle seats from the front to back, and black people filled seats from the back to front until the bus was full. If other black people boarded the bus, they had to stand. If another white person boarded the bus, then everyone in the black row nearest the front had to get up and stand so that a new row for white people could be made. IT WAS ILLEGAL FOR WHITE AND BLACK PEOPLE TO SIT NEXT TO EACH OTHER. When Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat for a white person, she was sitting in the middle section.

Also — when boarding the buses, black people had to pay at the front, get off, and reenter the bus through the door at the back. White people paid at the front, sat in the front, and exited in the front. Occasionally, bus drivers would drive away before black passengers were able to reboard. This had happened to Rosa Parks.

VI. Two of John the Baptist’s disciples left him and went to Jesus. They asked Jesus, “Where are you staying?” Jesus said, “I’m a black person on a segregated bus in Montgomery Alabama in 1955, about to be arrested for not giving my seat to a white person.”

Where are you staying, the disciples asked Jesus. He said, “I’m in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955 leading a bus boycott. I’m 25 years old. In 14 years a white, segregationist fugitive, James Earl Ray, will shoot me in the face. The bullet will sever my spine and I’ll be dead in 30 minutes.”

The disciples asked Jesus: “Where are you staying?” Jesus said, “I’m in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I’m a 37 year old wife and mother of a 6 year old I just dropped off at school. I’m supporting my immigrant neighbors and friends as they protest federal agents. Like my brother Martin, I’ll be shot. According to the Minneapolis Fire Department Incident Report, I’ll take four bullets — two in my chest, one in my arm and one in my head — my pulse is weak. I’ll die quickly.”

“Where are you staying?” the disciples asked Jesus. “I’m in Hamden, and North Haven and Cheshire and Beacon Falls — I’m everywhere there’s a need for help, and healing, and love. Come with me and see.”