Thomas Edison held a lifelong obsession with Morse Code. This fascination started early, as he became a professional telegraph operator at the remarkably young age of 15 in the mid-19th century.
This fixation even manifested visually: he carried a mysterious, tattoo-like symbol of dots and dashes on his left arm. Some speculate that this symbol may have contained a hidden message.
Edison’s deep involvement with the code permeated his personal life as well. He famously used it to bestow nicknames upon his children. When his daughter, Marion, was young, her father dubbed her “Dot.” A couple of years later, when his son, Thomas Jr., arrived, Edison naturally nicknamed him “Dash.”
Even when it came time for Edison to remarry after his first wife’s death, his passion for the code played a role. He taught Morse Code to his new fiancée, Mina, and it is documented that they often communicated with each other using the very system of dots and dashes.
Ultimately, Edison’s dedication to this communication method was productive. His intense interest in Morse Code drove him to invent the automatic telegraph well before the turn of the 20th century. What an extraordinary and fruitful obsession!
An obsession is when a single idea, image, or desire completely takes over a person’s thoughts and feelings. However, if that obsession is a positive one, it can actually be a very useful and powerful tool.
There is someone with his life-long obsession in today’s reading from Matthew. He was known as ‘John the Baptist’. He was also called ‘a voice in the wildernesses.’ He lived most of his adult life in the desert, living on locusts and wild honey. He didn’t care about his appearance… because he had a very special life-long obsession.
His obsession was with someone called the Messiah.
If you remember from the chapter we looked at last Sunday, John’s main message was: “Change your ways, because the kingdom of heaven is coming soon.” This message about the kingdom was incredibly important to John. He was so passionate that he wasn’t afraid to announce it even to King Herod and question his authority as king. This bold action is essentially why he was imprisoned.
Though he was in prison and knew that he would soon be executed, his passion for Christ remained strong. There was one thing that he wanted to know before his life would be over.
He wanted to know if this person called Jesus was really the Messiah. He wanted to know, had it all been in vain? Had he been barking up the wrong tree in his entire life?
John wanted to know if the person called Jesus was truly the Messiah. Had his entire life been wasted? Had it all been in vain?
Many of us share this feeling at times. We naturally seek proof that the Christ we believe in is real. We long for assurance that heaven and eternal life are more than just comforting stories. Deep down, we want confirmation that the Easter and Advent seasons we have celebrated for years actually mean something—that these momentous events truly took place here on Earth.
With all this doubts and hopes, he sent some of his disciples to Jesus and asked him, “Are you the one who is to come? Are you the Messiah? Tell us. Have we been waiting for the right one?”
That kind of obsessive passion was the reason for his life and ministry, and even his purpose in life. And he believed it. So chose a life in the wilderness, delivering his Advent message: “Repent! Kingdom of God is coming. Make a straight path for him to come! Prepare a road for the Lord.”
Around at this time in modern life, many people have a ‘Christmas obsession’ focused on very temporary things. They obsess over gifts, schedules, and decorations, or trying to create the ‘perfect’ family gathering and parties. They spend too much money and time on these things, and end up completely stressed out.
I wonder if we have that kind of passion—that deep commitment— that near obsession, for our Christian journey, especially when preparing the road for the Lord during this Christmas season.
I wonder if we have that serious commitment and dedication to achieve what we set out to do before our life is over on this planet.
John the Baptist was the ultimate “road preparer” for Christ. His entire life was dedicated to that: “Prepare a road for the Lord to come.”
He never sought the spotlight for himself; instead, he made it his mission to highlight the coming of Christ. He didn’t point to himself; he pointed to Christ.
I believe this is the foundational ministry of the church. We point people to the reality of Jesus Christ. Every volunteer, every member, every agenda, every program, every budget and discussion, and every decision our church council makes… comes down to one thing: pointing people to the reality of Jesus and His Kingdom.
In the scripture, John’s disciples came to Christ with the question, “Are you the Messiah? Or do we have to wait for someone else?” Interestingly, Jesus didn’t just say, “Yes, I am.”
Instead, He described the work He was doing: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news proclaimed to them.
We need to hear this today. Even faithful churchgoers have doubts. You might ask: “If God is real, why doesn’t He fix my problems? If God really exists, why do these things happen to me or my loved ones? Why is there suffering? If God gave me a sign, I wouldn’t doubt at all.”
If you really want to meet a king, go straight to the source. Simply put, you must enter the Kingdom to meet the King.
John’s mission of preparation is complete. Now, the Kingdom is here with us. If we truthfully want to meet Christ, our questions—and even our doubts—must shift to: “How do we live Jesus’ Kingdom life?”
And, these are the signs that God’s Kingdom is around in our lives.
•The blind see: People who were previously ignored or overlooked are finally recognized. The forgotten are finally seen.
•The lame walk: The powerless find the strength to stand for justice. The marginalized find the support and are invited to the centre.
•The deaf hear: The silenced find their voice. Their lives and stories are acknowledged.
•The dead are raised: Hope comes back to life inside us. A sense of purpose and possibility is rekindled within a community, where many people find again new life.
•The poor hear good news: Those facing economic hardship gain access to a new opportunity. The needy are given a second chance of better life.
Friends, these are precisely where we meet and experience Jesus, the Son of God, our Lord, our Saviour.
The road that John the Baptist prepared is no longer just a one-way street. It has become now a two-way road. Christ travels on it to transform our lives, and we travel on it as God’s kingdom people.
When that happens, when others see that happen in our lives, they will see God through us. Amen.
