Church we must move from John the Baptist to Jesus. John was clothed in camel’s hair, this was sackcloth, he wore the clothing of mourners. He was mourning over the state of the nation; he was lamenting over the sins of Israel. He was a forerunner for Jesus who would come dressed in garments of praise, rejoicing and feasting.

This theme is found throughout the gospels. Jesus said in Matthew 11, “We played the flute for you, And you did not dance; We mourned to you, And you did not lament.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.”

John was known for fasting as a sign of mourning, Jesus was known for feasting as a sign of rejoicing. Zechariah even prophesied the change that was coming in chapter 8 of his prophecy. “Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, “Thus says the LORD of hosts: The fast of the fourth month, The fast of the fifth, The fast of the seventh, And the fast of the tenth, Shall be joy and gladness and cheerful feasts For the house of Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.’”

Church we must move from mourning, fasting, gloom and doom to feasting, rejoicing, celebrating for we have been forgiven, we have been redeemed, we have been transformed, we have a Savior. Joy should be our disposition; celebration should be our sound; life and life abundantly is our inheritance; and we are more than conquerors.

When the church moves from John to Jesus we will see a revolution of the likes we have longed for but have yet to see. A cheerful heart is good medicine, healing will break out as joy is our disposition. New wine will be served and tables will be set for feasting. I hear the sound of a celebration getting louder and louder. John got you to Jesus, but now you must leave John and follow Jesus. Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org