He Must Increase

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!!