This is talking about Jesus Christ, my Savior and Lord. John the Baptist said this in John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” This
is something all believers, including pastors, evangelists and teachers, need
to acknowledge. Sometimes we can think we
are more important than we are, and that is when we are found guilty of pride which
is one of the sins that God hates.
John the Baptist was the fore-runner of Christ, he announced
and identified Jesus, that was part of his calling and he was faithful. John was not the person people would expect to
see in that position, he didn’t fit the description of most of the men in that
day. Think about what was said concerning
John in Matthew 3:1-4;
“In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of
Judea, and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!’ For this is
he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:
‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make His paths straight.’
Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt
around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.”
That seems a little odd but it just proves that God is not a
respecter of men; He will use whoever He chooses to do His bidding. Even though you might say that John was different,
or unique, he was faithful and obedient.
John lived in the wilderness and he baptized many people, symbolizing that
they had repented of their sins. Many came
out to see and hear this odd looking preacher who was baptizing in the
wilderness. Because many people flocked
to see him, his popularity could have gone to his head but he stayed humble and
exalted Jesus to His rightful position saying this in John 1:29-34, “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward
him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me,
for He was before me.’ I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to
Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.’
And John bore witness,
saying, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained
upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to
me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He
who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and testified that this is
the Son of God.’”
John was very careful not to take any of Jesus’ glory for
himself. John was careful to point the
people to Jesus which all believers should be doing. I know a pastor that had a church in Vestal, NY
years ago, but he left the church because he felt that many of the people in
the church had their eyes on him instead of on the Lord. This pastor loved the Lord, and the people, but
like John the Baptist, he knew that Jesus must increase and he must decrease so
he thought the best thing to do was move on. This pastor didn’t just talk about love but he
demonstrated it by his actions and his congregation knew it.
What about you? Are
you bowing to the God of popularity or are you decreasing so that the Lord can
increase in your ministry and in your every day life? Something to think about! May you, and your day, be blessed!!
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