They briskly made their way to their teacher, John, sometimes called the Baptizer. Their faces were flushed with frustration and anger. Jealousy emanated from their continence. They muttered among themselves has they walked. "How dare this new comer take people away from John? Someone should remind him that John baptized him. He'd be a nobody if John hadn't testified about him." They were sure that John would be crushed when he heard the news. They thought it would be better for him to hear it from loyal followers than from strangers. John looked at them as they formed a circle around him. Before he uttered a sound one of them blurted out; Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan - the one you testified about - well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him! "Surely John will take care of this now. He'll march over and put that man, put that one, in his place", they thought to themselves
They were staggered as the
husky, rugged, strong, boisterous John slowly sat upon a rock on the shore of
the pond and softly replied:
A man can receive only
what is given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said,
'I am not the Christ' but am sent ahead of him. The bride belongs to the
bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for
him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy
is mine, and is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less. (John
3:27-30)
John continued on to teach
his reluctant learners that Jesus is The One and their faith belonged in him for
whoever believes in him has eternal life. But let us pause here with John's
wonderful testimony : That joy is mine, and is now complete. He must become
greater; I must become less.
Elton Truebood once noted
that nothing has done more to damage the Christian witness than joyless
Christians. Why is Christian joy so illusive to so many? Perhaps for some it is
because they have not learned that:
How is it then that the wilderness wondering John possesses complete joy? We'll look at that the next time we pause to ponder God's word. (see devotional John's Complete Joy)
Keep Close To Jesus
Pastor Gerry