The Forerunner – Part 3: The Mandate

The mandate of a forerunner is by far the weightiest subject to be addressed in this set of posts. Within my own reflection, I tend to define this as a commissioning the Lord gives to believers for the ushering in of a greater “kingdom now” reality. It is a ’sending’ (greater authority given) from God (you will understand to what and when you have been sent) to make ready humanity’s intellect and spirit for the coming of Jesus, by way of the “Kingdom” emerging into the “now” in an increased measure.

We have all been given a gifting for ministry (Eph. 4:11) but we are to use these giftings to walk out a greater calling, which has been strategically set upon our lives (example – Paul was an apostle, but he was sent to the Gentiles). In essence, what we are talking about is a sending. This mantle pervades

The Forerunner – Part 2: Power of the Message

Here in part two we are going to look at what I think is the framework of a forerunners message. What makes the substance of a forerunners message so alluring is the ‘voice’ that has been gained (click here for Part 1: Being a Voice) but it’s what is at the heart of their message that matters. The ‘message’ is our delivery of divine content that has been entrusted to us by Jesus through the Holy Spirit. The Spirit’s job is to take of what is Jesus’ and make it known to us. He is to take the mysteries hidden in the God-man and drive them into our ideological convictions for the purpose of bringing glory to the One who is the full representation of the Father (Matt. 13:11, 35; Jn. 16:14; 1 Cor. 2:9-11).

The Forerunner – Part 1: Being a Voice

Over the next few posts my intention is to look at the calling of a forerunner and what all this entails for those of us who have that ‘burn’ and need of a message realease. Due to the rather large amount of information this subject holds I will most likely try to keep these posts to a few paragraphs. This is so there is not such a large document to read each time I post.

Forerunner: A person or thing that precedes the coming development of someone or something; also a sign or warning of something to come (Oxford American Dictionaries).

Many seem to think the delivery aspect of a message is the most difficult in the preparation and learning process. Delivery is somewhat wearisome, but the most demanding angle of this growth process, by a large margin, is the spiritual discipline that is obtained while focusing on the finish line. Anybody can proclaim a message to their buddy over coffee they received from an early morning devo. And that counts, I don’t want to minimize that. But there is a dimension of being one who has the true calling of a forerunner that involves the process of gaining both a voice and a message.

A Time to Mourn

“Blessed are those who mourn,” Jesus tells us in His infamous sermon that was chronicled in chapters five through seven in the Gospel of Matthew. The mourning Jesus refers to here does not have a negative context. It constitutes the necessary step that brings in true repentance and a trembling heart before the Father of Glory. In Revelation 1:7 we see a personage of mourners who are engaing in said emotion due to the return of Christ. This is a glorious moment for humanity, and the mourning that is taking place here is just that, a glorious response to His return. This is an emotional response by those who have accepted Him as King and are trembling at the now visible truth of their King coming to receive His Bride. For it is their comfort that He promised to these mourners, oh so long ago, coming from the heavens.

Here is a very interesting quote from jewishencyclopedia.com — Mourning Customs:
Several of these seem to be the same as those used in divine worship. Thus, to tear the clothes and to put ashes upon the head (II Sam. i. 11) are customs also employed in worship (Josh. vii. 6; compare Joel, ii. 12). The wearing of the saḳ or sackcloth (II Sam. iii. 31, xiv. 2) is likewise a usual accompaniment of fasting (Isa. lviii. 5). Cutting or shaving the hair is both a mark of mourning (Jer. xvi. 6) and a solemn sign of the end of the Nazarite’s vow (Num. vi. 18). To go barefoot (Micah, i. 8 ) is a sign both of mourning and of recognition of the divine presence (Ex. iii. 5); fasting both a manifestation of mourning (II Sam. i. 12, iii. 35) and an act of divine worship.