Sheri and I decided to travel to Nicaragua to visit my friend Craig who was in the Peace Corps. It would be an adventurous journey. I bought the book, “Central America on a Shoestring Budget,” published by Lonely Planet Press. The only reservation we made for a two week journey was a one way ticket into Managua, Nicaragua, and another one way ticket from Costa Rica back to the Los Angeles International Airport. We didn’t pack suitcases. We packed backpacks. The plan was to travel by bus from Managua to Estelí. The bus we got at the airport was not a greyhound bus, no seats that recline, no AC, and definitely no toilet. It was a school bus. There wasn’t any room for our backpacks, so the driver let us put them at the front on top of the engine. We kept a close eye on them as we drove north into the mountains. The closer we got to Estelí the more road construction there was. Travel slowed to a crawl. By the time we reached the small city of Estelí the roads were totally torn apart with countless people working. 

Nicaragua Bus via flickr Hurd

Have you ever seen people building roads in a developing country? It’s a little bit different than what you might be used to. Think of cobblestone roads. Construction workers pour concrete footings and curbs only. The middle section has dirt that is tamped down and then bricks or stones are meticulously laid down in rows under yellow strings that are pulled tight as a guide to make the road level. Finally we lurched into the bus depot in Estelí and there was my friend Craig waiting patiently with a big smile. He welcomed us, and asked how the drive was. I said that it was slow because of all of the road construction. Sheri didn’t say much at all. I think maybe she was in shock. I asked Craig why there was so much construction. He laughed and said that it was because an election was coming up. The local governor was up for re-election. He had run on a platform of improving roads and infrastructure a few years ago. Now he was attempting to get the work done to prove that he was worth earning another term. Craig said that most people thought it was hilarious because the election is in a couple of weeks, so there’s not a whole lot that he can get done. The people were frustrated at the government for not caring for them, and for making life difficult.

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People in the time of John the Baptize were also frustrated with the government and religious leaders. The problem was that the temple based religion had become corrupt. It was expensive and burdensome for most people to physically travel to Jerusalem, go to the Temple, exchange Roman money for the Temple currency, and then buy an animal sacrifice to give to the priest in order to have their sins forgiven. It was a lot of expensive work! Does this remind you of anything?

During the time of Martin Luther it was also expensive and burdensome for most ordinary people to buy or earn and indulgence that would give them the assurance of sins forgiven and religious salvation. Luther studied the Bible and discovered that salvation couldn’t be bought or sold, or even earned, but that it was a free gift given by God to all of creation. You are saved by grace through faith and not by works. Luther took it as his life’s mission to proclaim the Word of God and make it available to as many people as possible. 

John the Baptizer also had a mission to proclaim the Word of God. He called people to repentance, baptized them in the River Jordan, which is how he gets his name, and declared to people the forgiveness of their sins. In other words John preached the grace of God that forgives, and not the work of going to Jerusalem and abiding by all of the rules to have one’s si