reshape]
Do you get excited about Jesus? What I mean is this, are you crazy exited about Jesus? John the Baptist was overwhelmed at the mere presence of Jesus that he leaped for joy, while still in his mothers womb! That is a picture of excitement! Being close to the presence of Jesus caused John to leap for joy, even before his own physical birth had taken place.
John lived a secluded lifestyle in the wilderness. No matter what his lifestyle was, he remained faithful in calling people to repentance and baptizing those who would call on the name of the Lord.
Faith and repentance were central in John’s messages to the people. Yet, the foundation of his message was Jesus. John would often speak of and allude to another prophet who is greater than he was. When John saw Jesus on the shore, John spoke to those who followed him and said to them, “Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am…” (John 1:15) Later in John’s ministry when his followers were dwindling down and more were going to Jesus, John said this, “He (Jesus) must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.” (John 3:30)
Can you relate to John’s testimony? Is it in you to exalt the name of Christ above all else, including yourself? Jesus was never one to be self absorbed but consistently gave himself away. During his ministry, he spent time with people, speaking to their needs and teaching them about kingdom values, healing diseases, raising the dead and revealing the very heart of God to the people.
When I first became a believer, I was excited to read about the stories of Jesus and the signs and wonders he performed. I was amazed, I was shocked and often I would day dream of what it would have been like to be there, as an eye witness, sharing in these things.
Over time, these became nothing more than stories and nothing else. It was as if the Bible was a long list of God ordained miracles that happened in the past. I, on the other hand, live in the real world. I live in the world where people don’t have enough food to eat and die because of that. I live in a world where I have missed rent payments and suffered the consequences for it. I have grown accustomed to the notion that we should “Believe there are better days ahead but don’t expect them.” I bought into that mentality.
Reality check-Jesus is real and he is the same yesterday, today and forever! (Heb. 13:8) It is not an issue of whether or not God can still do the same things today as he did in ancient times but rather, will you and I rely on him to accomplish greater things in and through us?
You see, it is easy to point to Jesus and say, “He is greater!” Truth be told, he is. His ministry is greater for he is the one who spilled his own blood which introduced the new covenant. Yet, Jesus spoke to his own disciples and to those of us who follow him now and made a statement that is mind blowing.
As Jesus’ (earthly) ministry is drawing to a close, he is preparing himself and the disciples for what is next, namely, his arrest and crucifixion event. For the disciples, this was a time of great distress. These men, who had given up everything and left their lives behind to follow Jesus, were facing an uncertain future. So, Jesus, as the Good Shepherd, spoke words of encouragement over them. He spoke to them about the promise of the Holy Spirit who would lead and guide them. Then, out of the blue, Jesus drops this on his followers. “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.” (John 14:12)
There are times when Jesus states things that make me scratch my head. You see, Jesus isn’t offering a suggestion to believers but rather making a bold statement towards his followers (including us) that our belief in him will lead us into greater works. Our faith in Christ results in greater works. That is Jesus’ mission statement to us.
What does it mean to do a greater work? If I may simplify this, God moves in us when we move in faith. Faith reacts to Christ. When we step into our callings and live out our faith, God works through us.
The greater work(s) God desires to accomplish in our lives unfolds when we obey the command(s) of Christ which reflect our love for God. Greater works are accomplished by the Spirit of God and unveil the truth that “…the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.” (1 John 4:4)
Jesus followed this mission statement by saying, “You can ask anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.” (John 14:15) Connected with greater works is prayer, which is all too often neglected in the believers life. Prayer is of utmost importance as prayer is the key element in seeking the kingdom of God.
Prayer allows us to pursue God’s call on our lives. Prayer opens the door for us to actively live out our faith. Prayer allows us to communicate with the one who gave it all for us. Prayer is essential to the life of a believer and it is essential in living the greater works God has called us to. E.M Bounds once wrote, “The Gospel, in its success and power, depends on our ability to pray.”
Perhaps one of the most essential truths for believers to grasp is found in Joshua 1:9 which reads, “This is my commandment-be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” To be great for God, we must first pray. To be great God, we must know this-he is with us. That is his promise, to those who will follow after him and seek him with all of their being.
Joshua had a great task placed before him; he was to lead the people of Israel into the Promised Land. Joshua had served as an assistant to Moses and while he learned from Moses, he was not the senior leader. The task before him was great; the God who called him was greater.
In a world of uncertainties and in a world where we do not always know where we are going, and we don’t know the future and sometimes we don’t how to make the next payment of our bills, it is then our faith should shine. In my own life, when circumstances look weak, my faith is weaker.
God’s call on our lives and our greater works for Christ begin when we seek him, not the mission. God is calling his people to seek him and to pursue his passion and his desire and his heart. From that pursuit, we receive our calling to reach out to others. When we seek God above all else, when we seek his kingdom and his righteousness, all the things we worry about, fall into place.
Another great example to consider is John the Baptist. John’s mission was simple and clear-to proclaim the coming Messiah and to prepare the way for him to come. It was a simple and direct mission which John took very seriously. Even before Jesus began his public ministry, John pointed him out to his followers and revealing his identity as the “…Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29) John’s (and our) understanding of Jesus’ identity comes straight from the Holy Spirit. Throughout John’s ministry, he always pointed to Jesus being greater!
[How did John become great for Jesus?]
Mark 1:1-4|
“This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. It began, just as the prophet Isaiah had written: “Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way. He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, “Prepare the way for the LORD’s coming! Clear the road for him!” This messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.”
First, John was obedient to his calling. John sacrificed what was necessary to live out his purpose-to prepare the way for Jesus. He lived as one set apart for God, calling the people to turn from their ways and return to God, the one who had never forsaken them. God isn’t looking for the most capable of men to accomplish his task but rather those who are willing to do so.
John 1:19-20, 22-23, 26 |
“This was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John, “Who are you?” He came right out and said, “I am not the Messiah.” “Then who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” John relied in the words of the prophet Isaiah: “I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, “Clear the way for the LORD’s coming!” John told them, “I baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognize. Though his ministry follows mine, I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal.”
Secondly, John was humble in his place in God’s plan. John understood he wasn’t the Messiah and he was okay with that. John didn’t need top billing and he didn’t need to make a name for himself. He pointed to Christ as the one we all need but he did more than point to Christ. He acknowledged his own dependence on Christ. John’s ministry came first but John knew he was last. All that mattered to John was making Jesus famous!
John 3:22-23, 26-28, 29b-30 |
“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…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 everyone is going to him instead of 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.’ …Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.”
Third, John exalted the name of Christ. John’s ministry was never about the numbers. While there is truth behind the saying, ‘Every number has a name. Every name has a story. Every story matters to God.” There can easily be a shift to focus on numbers. John was careful not to focus on the numbers of people being baptized but rather his focus was kept on what he was called to do, to prepare the way for Jesus. That never skipped his mind.
A while later, John’s ministry came to an end at the hands of Herod, who had the man imprisoned. While there in prison, John was given the opportunity to send a few of his own disciples out to inquire about Jesus. The news of what Jesus had been accomplishing had reached John and he wanted to know if this Jesus was the one true Messiah. While John had previously made this claim before, doubt can easily sway us, especially in the corridors of isolation.
It was here in prison where John found himself wrestling with his flesh and facing doubt head on. He was removed from the ministry of baptizing people and calling for repentance. Often times, the things we do for God give us great meaning but without Jesus we have nothing.
John heard of the things Jesus was accomplishing through word of mouth and he wanted to know if Jesus was the expected Messiah. To gain some sense of closure, as I assume John knew his time was short, he sent out his own disciples to ask Jesus that question.
Matthew 11:1-7a,9-11
“When Jesus had finished giving these instructions to his twelve disciples, he went out to teach and preach in towns throughout the region. John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the Messiah, or should we keep looking for someone else?” Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen-the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor. And tell him, “God blesses those who do not turn away because of me.” As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds. “What kind of man did you go into the wilderness and see?…Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet, John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say, ‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare our way before you.’ I tell you the truth, of all who ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is!”
Forth, John was great because his faith was still seeking Christ. It would be nice to think that Jesus gave John the answer he was seeking. John, I am sure, was anticipating a simple “Yes” or “No” from his disciples upon their return. They would not provide any of those answers though. Rather, John’s disciples were equipped with the message of what was happening. Miracles were being displayed and the Good News was being preached.
John didn’t receive the message he was anticipating but rather he was given the message he needed. Jesus, in essence, gave John the greatest message in the world, that God was moving! What Jesus did next was beyond belief.
The Scripture says, while the disciples of John were leaving, Jesus returned his attention to the people. Since Jesus was a known Rabbi, which meant teacher, the disciples would have continued on their way, knowing this was a customary act of Jesus. Had the disciples stayed, they would have heard Jesus make the claims he did-that John was greater than any prophet before him!
Why didn’t Jesus tell the disciples of John to tell him what he said to the crowd? So John wouldn’t lose his spirit of humility. More often than not, we want to hear a message from God about how we are doing but God doesn’t give us that message. Sometimes he delivers the message to others.
John was great because the one who called him is great! John was great because he was willing to sacrifice and surrender his own will to lift up the name of Christ! John was great because, even in the midst of isolation, he was still seeking Christ. He still desired to know him.
Sometimes in our lives we wonder where God is and we wonder if we are being used by him. We can struggle in our faith, wondering if God’s kingdom is being spread across the land. John’s ministry had come to the ends of its road and he began to doubt. Jesus’ indirect response was to the crowd. Jesus’ indirect response was to share with them what he thought of John. His message concerning John was one of encouragement. So perhaps you’re in the state of wondering where God is in your life. God would call you to seek him, treasure him above all else. Pursue the heart of God with a child-like faith.
THROUGH CHRIST, WE HAVE BEEN SET FREE TO LIVE FREE. IN CHRIST, WE ARE FREE TO LIVE HIS STORY SO OTHERS MIGHT SEE HIS GREATNESS LIVING IN US.
