Hey, Carpool Crew, it's Pastor Justin. This is the last John the Baptist episode with my good friend Cathi. Now, Cathi is one of the very first people to hear Carpooling with Jesus back when it was just an idea and a few demo episodes. So having her host these five episodes means so much to me, and I know how much you've loved it. So we're gonna have her back again, I promise. Now, before we jump in, I just wanna remind you, she has an awesome book out. She's a friend, and I never talk about my friends' books. Trust me, I have a lot of friends, and they have a lot of books. But this one's special because it's one I can share with my kids. And it has a story and a theme that every one of my kids can connect with. I hope you check it out. It's called Little Star. It is amazing. Now let's jump in with the final episode of Carpooling with Heroes of the Bible on John the Baptist. Hey, Carpool Crew, I'm Cathi, a friend of Pastor Justin's, and today we're back for episode five, our final episode on our journey with John the Baptist, a true hero of the Bible. Last time, John was in prison and he sent Jesus a big question: Are you the one? Jesus answered with evidence of what God was doing. He learned that it's okay to have your doubts, and when you do, you can bring them right to God, and then take time to remember what God has done in your life or in the lives of others, and let it strengthen your faith. Today is our last episode with John, and it's the end of his story. I want to tell you the hardest part first, and I'll keep it short. John was still in Herod's prison. Herod threw a big birthday party for himself with all the important people in the land. And at that party, Herod made a foolish promise in front of all of his guests. And to keep that promise, Herod had to put John to death. The Bible says Herod was actually very sad about it, but he did it anyway. That's a hard thing to hear, and it's okay if it makes you feel sad. It is sad. John didn't do anything wrong. He told the truth, and it cost him his life. Here's what happened next. John's friends came and took his body, and they buried him, and then they went and told Jesus. The Bible doesn't tell us what Jesus said when he heard the news, but it does tell us what he did. Jesus got in a boat and went away to a quiet place by himself. Remember, Jesus and John were relatives, and John had spent his whole life getting people ready for Jesus. So when Jesus hears that John died, he must have been very sad. When something sad happens, sometimes we need a quiet place, too, and Jesus understands that. But John's story doesn't end with sadness because people didn't forget him. Jesus himself once described John this way. He said John was a burning and shining lamp, a light in a dark place. And sometime later, Jesus crossed the Jordan River to the very place where John used to baptize people. Remember that spot? The river where the crowds came out to hear the man in camel hair who ate bugs and preached about Jesus. Now, people were coming to that same spot to see Jesus himself, and here's what they said. It's in John chapter ten, verse forty-one. "Many came to Jesus and said, 'John never did a sign, but everything John said about this man was true.'" A sign means a miracle. John never healed anyone. He never walked on water. He never did a single miracle. But the people said, "Everything John told us about Jesus, it was all true." And the very next verse says that many people believed in Jesus right there on the spot. Think about that. People came to Jesus at the very place where John used to preach. And what did they say about John? Not a word about his camel hair clothes or his bug lunches. They talked about how he told the truth about Jesus. That's what stuck with them. That's what John's whole life was for, pointing people to Jesus. Before he was born, he leapt when Jesus came near. In the wilderness, he told everyone someone greater was coming. At the river, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God." He let his followers leave him to go follow Jesus with joy. Even in prison, he took his questions straight to Jesus. John wasn't perfect. He had questions, he had hard days, but he kept pointing. And the one John pointed to, well, that story, the story of Jesus, was just getting started. Here's the big idea I want you to take with you: You don't have to do something amazing to be used by God. Just keep pointing to Jesus. You might think you need to do something huge for your life to matter, like be famous or be the best at something or do something everyone sees. But John never did a miracle, and Jesus called him one of the greatest people who ever lived. Pointing to Jesus can look really small. Telling the truth even when it's hard, inviting a friend to church, praying for someone who is hurting or scared. Small, true things count. They count a lot. So this week, try this. Tell one person one true thing God has done for you. That's pointing to Jesus. That's what John the Baptist did. Thanks for riding along on Carpooling with Heroes of the Bible. Before we say goodbye, let's look back at our whole journey with John the Baptist. In episode one, everyone wondered, "What then will this child become?" Nobody knew yet what John would become, but God's hand was already on him, and it's on you, too. In episode two, we met John in the wilderness. God used John just as he was, camel hair and all, to point people to Jesus, and he can use you, too. In episode three, John stepped out of the spotlight to make way for Jesus. When Jesus gets bigger, our joy gets bigger, too. In episode four, John asked a big question from prison. Remember, it's okay to have doubts and questions. Just bring them to God. Remember what God has done for you and the people around you. And today, we learned that everything John said was true, and you don't have to do something amazing. Just keep pointing to Jesus. Thanks for spending time on this journey with me, Carpool Crew. Now go point somebody to Jesus, and remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. Thanks for riding along with Carpooling with Heroes of the Bible. We'll see you again soon.
