attraction
10 - 01/25 /15:39
People from Jerusalem and Judea and the area of the Jordan River, went out into the wilderness to hear John preach.
— Matthew chapter 3
What attracts people? The New Testament book of Matthew records that crowds from Jerusalem, Judea and the Jordan River valley trekked into the wilderness just to hear a preacher. John the Baptist was nothing to look at. He wore camel skins. His diet consisted of honey and locust. Imagine his teeth, or his breath. Yet crowds from throughout the region went into barren lands to hear John preach.
What attracted people? All John did was preach repentance, and challenge people to prepare for the coming of the Lord. John demanded confession of sin. Water baptism was offered to those who did confess.
In the 1970’s people were looking for meaning. The industrial culture treated humans as small and insignificant cogs in the machine, easily replaced. What’s called the Jesus People revival was the result of millions of people finding meaning and purpose and community via the Gospel of Jesus.
There’s evidence another revival could be breaking out. Newsweek and the New York Times report muslims in Islamic nations are converting to Christianity. The Times of Israel is disturbed that every year 30,000 Israeli Jews convert.
Historian and author Tom Holland wrote Dominion as an explanation for why he changed his mind about Christianity. 2023 Justin Brierley wrote The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God explaining how the New Atheism has grown old and why secular thinkers are re-considering Christianity. Ten years ago Dr. Peter Boghossian famously wrote A Manual for Creating Atheists. While Dr. Boghossian has had no road to Damascus conversion, he has recently undergone a remarkable change and is now troubled by the road our culture is traveling upon.
What seems to be attracting people today is a deepening fear that our civilization is failing. Even the chattering classes advocating for LGBTQ+ are whispering that a post-Christian culture may not work without Christianity. The faith, hope, and charity essential for community has become a too-rare commodity.
John the Baptist claimed he was a voice in the wilderness calling his culture to prepare the way for the Lord. What do we proclaim? What do we expect the Lord is about to do? ~
Blessings,
Dan Nygaard