Jesus Defines ‘Great’

The next day, he saw Jesus coming to 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 didn’t know him, but for this reason I came baptizing in water: that he would be revealed to Israel.” John testified, saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending like a dove out of heaven, and it remained on him. I didn’t recognize him, but he who sent me to baptize in water, he said to me, ‘On whomever you will see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.”      John 1:29-34 (WEB)

“I didn’t know him…”  BUT that didn’t matter because John was sent to do a job.  The job did not include becoming famous or rich.  Mark tells us in his gospel how monk-like John’s life was by the Jordan River.  It was the mission and the revelation that John had been given by God’s Spirit that he was passionate and focused.  John’s eyes were on a Kingdom that was NOT of Rome.

“I didn’t recognize him…” EXCEPT that John had heard God’s voice and God’s prophetic truth.  Does it seem strange to you like it does to me that if God was going to give John ‘a Word’ – why wasn’t it: “Hey, John!  Your cousin Jesus is the Messiah!”  Instead, God said it would be an unnamed person that would be baptized by John and that he, John, would see a dove rest upon Him and THEN he would know that this One was the Messiah!!!  Convoluted, isn’t it?  Does God’s words sometimes seem that way?  Does it seem like I must be told something by God and then WAIT on the message to become clear?  Yes, it does.  God is all about timing and testing.

[John said,] “He who comes from above is above all. He who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. What he has seen and heard, of that he testifies; and no one receives his witness. He who has received his witness has set his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for God gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand. One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won’t see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” John 3:31-36 (WEB)

John continued his ministry and set the example for us all.  Any ministry that GOD has given to us is all about GOD, not us.  In all things, every word, every book, every teaching, — in ALL THINGS that God may give me as opportunities – it is about HIM, not me.  I am to keep pointing everyone that comes across my path toward.  They are HIS disciples, not mine.

The disciples of John told him about all these things. John, calling to himself two of his disciples, sent them to Jesus, saying, “Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for another?” When the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptizer has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?’”

In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits; and to many who were blind he gave sight. Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John the things which you have seen and heard: that the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me.”

“For I tell you, among those who are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptizer, yet he who is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he.”            Luke 7:18-23, 28 (WEB)

John is in prison.  Maybe he had another revelation from God and he knew he was not going to leave prison alive.  Maybe.  It seems it was a time when John needed encouragement.  After years of preaching and living a solitary life, John reached out to the One he KNEW and asked, “Are you REALLY THE ONE?”  Jesus did not answer with a simple “Yes” or “No”.  He gave John some proof by what John’s disciples had witnessed for themselves … miracles.

Have I testified to a miracle lately?  Jesus said that John was ‘great’.  Jesus also said there was more greatness to come!  Hmmm.