How many of you remember the Patty Duke Show? She played Patty Lane, who just happened to have a cousin who could be her identical twin. And they would have fun sometimes at others expense, sometimes planned, sometimes accidental. But although they looked alike, they were completely different. Cathy, her well bred cousin was quasi-sophisticated, where Patty was described as a hot dog makes her lose control. Food must have been different back in the 60's. And I marveled myself at how much they looked alike, with the difference in their voices the main difference. I never told anyone, but I thought they were two different actors, and was amazed at how two girls could be so identical. Chalk one up for youth-actually ignorance, as they were both played by Patty Duke. And add that to the list of ageless questions about women at that age-Ginger or MaryAnn, Betty or Veronica, and now Patty or Cathy? To anyone who thinks growing up used to be easy, never had to deal with teen age hormones. For the record it was Mary Anne, Veronica, and the jury is still out on the Patty/Cathy thing.
Interchangeable cousins are nothing new, as even Mark Twain wrote the Prince and the Pauper, where two men exchange identities for a time, with a poor urchin taking over for a prince, and vice-versa. And you can imagine the many scenarios yourself. I prefer the fun ones, although Hollyweird has produced some wretched and perverse ones. But rest assured, even on the first date, most men could tell the difference between Patty and Cathy. Even today, two cousins recently switched identities to defraud someone.
Fortunately, all cousins are not the same. In Luke we find two sets of cousins, who are represented as mothers and their sons. Cousins Elizabeth and Mary. We find Elizabeth, barren in her old age, visited by Gabriel, the angel, and told she will conceive a child. And then six months later, we find her younger cousin Mary, the virgin, visited by Gabriel again, and told she will conceive, although a virgin. And the next time she meets Elizabeth, John, who is inside Elizabeth jumps and receives the Holy spirit. And Mary stays with Elizabeth until the birth of her son. And when Mary later gives birth to Jesus, it is John, who baptizes Him, and sees the Holy spirit in the form of a dove come upon Him. An interesting family to say the least. Wonder what their family gatherings were like? Not like mine, I'll bet. From the naming of John, no one had been born in that family with that name before, making it unique, to the common name of Jesus, like calling someone Joe today. And even their careers would mirror their fathers, John going into the ministry, and Jesus becoming a carpenter. But it was their mothers, the cousins, that would be the common thread.
And strangely, both would be hunted down by the evil Herods, who as a gift to Herodias, had John beheaded. Seems he came out publicly about brothers sharing wives. John would end up dying a martyr's death, and was buried in a tomb like his cousin would be. Today in some circles even his death is celebrated. And Jesus, who called John the greatest man ever born of a woman, dying on a cross-a finishing carpenter being nailed to two wooden beams-the world not realizing the significance of it. Gives some thought to the words "It is finished."
Two cousins, one worshipped and adored, the other shunned and crucified. With a common group of friends, the apostles. But with a relationship unique, because each knew who and what the other was. One doing the baptizing, but realizing the greatness and uniqueness of his cousin. Going against local and Jewish traditions, but forming a bond that today still exists into eternity.
I wonder today, if faced with the choice, which man would you follow? The well known John, whose followers still worshipped him after death, or his cousin Jesus, buried in a borrowed tomb? You see John the Baptist, as he was known, today has a denomination named after him. And Jesus, well He only has an apostate cult using His name-in vain. Although many worship Him in churches bearing His testimony around the world. And sadly today, many choose to be only a participant in a main line religion, or denomination before choosing Jesus. Choosing a religion before a relationship, don't want to get too personal, you know. Thinking this makes them acceptable to God. And although the name Christ will appear on many churches, some of these churches deny His deity. Two cousins losing their lives for what they believed, only Jesus being the son of God, and dying for our sins. One showing the way, the other being the way.
Who do you say Jesus is? Was He only John's cousin, or was He really the son of God? Was John, as Jesus said, the greatest man born unto woman, but Jesus truly the son of man? On the surface, it would appear John was the more celebrated, but truly it is Jesus who is the savior, and earned our voluntary worship. And as close as John and Jesus were, we can be closer, as we can be sons of God. Sharing a common Father, and not just cousins. Relationships mean something, that is why God sent Jesus to die for us, so we can have one again with Him.
And like Patty and Cathy, you can lose your mind-but these cousins, as close and similar-were not two of a kind. So don't lose control, or your soul. Choose Jesus, the ONLY, BEGOTTEN, son of the living God. Who died to save you from your sin. Jesus or religion? Can you tell the difference? Your answer...