Making Jesus known.

Humility is a beautiful thing when we see it . . . especially when it would be the natural thing to react defensively.  Here again we see that John the Baptist never lost sight of his mission – he was here to point the way to Jesus, to make him great.  It was his purpose for being, all along the way, even when his own disciples just couldn’t understand and took up an offense for him:

“Then Jesus and his disciples left Jerusalem and went into the Judean countryside.  Jesus spent some time with them there, baptizing people. 

  At this time John the Baptist was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim, because there was plenty of water there; and people kept coming to him for baptism.  (This was before John was thrown into prison.)  A debate broke out between John’s disciples and a certain Jew over ceremonial cleansing.  So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people.  And everybody is going to him instead of coming to us.”

  John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven.  You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah.  I am only here to prepare the way for him.’  It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the best man is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows.  Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success.  He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.”  John 3.22-30

 Some of John the Baptist’s disciples were miffed on his behalf; Jesus was getting more play than they were—more people were in Jesus’ baptism line than in John the Baptist’s.  You can almost hear their ‘but its not fair, we were here first’ blowing in the country wind, can’t you?  But John immediately sets them straight—‘don’t you remember?  How many times have you heard me preach that folks are to prepare for the one who is coming after me—the one whose sandals I am unfit to tie—come on, men, that is Jesus!  I came to make his line longer than mine.  Soon, we will have no line, and he will have the only line.’  And then he gives them the bridegroom analogy. 

John the Baptist doesn’t stop there.  He goes on to say that, at Jesus’ success, he is “filled with joy”.  Wow!  That is beautiful.  Again, we see the character quality of humility trumpeted in the Scripture.  Our Lord God highly esteems humility.     Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you - James 4.10;  The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life - Proverbs 22.4; Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. -Philippians 2.3-4;  Now Moses was very humble--more humble than any other person on earth - Numbers 12.3.

John the Baptist likens himself to the ‘best man’, the friend standing next to the bridegroom at a wedding.  The ‘shoshben’ (the best man) had a unique place at a Jewish wedding.  He acted as the liaison between the bride and the bridegroom; he arranged the wedding, sent out the invitations, and presided at the wedding feast.  He brought the bride and bridegroom together, and had one special duty--to guard the bridal chamber and to let no false lover in.  He would open the door only when in the dark he heard the bridegroom’s voice and recognized it.  When he heard the bridegroom’s voice, he let him in and went away rejoicing, for his task was completed and the lovers were together.  He did not grudge the bridegroom the bride.  He knew that his only task had been to bring bride and bridegroom together.  And when that task was done, he willingly and gladly faded out of the centre of the picture.* 

This then is the perfect analogy for John the Baptist who did not resent Jesus for usurping his ministry ‘space’ but rather made him joyful!  Because what was most important for him was that Jesus became known . . . that was all that mattered.

Do you make Jesus known?

Christine

*William Barclay