30 This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."
The man had a message and not a message from man rather a message from God. John the Baptist was privileged to be the revealer of Jesus to God’s people Israel. When God gives a man a message to proclaim, it burns within him until it is delivered. I am reminded of the prophet Jeremiah’s words regarding God’s word within him:
9 But if I say, "I will not mention him or speak any more in his name," his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot. Jer 20:9 (NIV)
Later, God speaks through Jeremiah regarding the penetrating effectiveness of His word compared to the straw like quality of man’s words:
28 Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?" declares the LORD. 29 "Is not my word like fire," declares the LORD, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces? Jer 23:28-29 (NIV)
Interestingly, we should take note of the Baptist’s ways. Certainly, he did not arrive on the scene to impress man. Dressed Bohemian style in camel hair and leather, dining on locust and wild honey, ministering in an obscure remote area and proclaiming to the religious elite of the day the following eye-opening, blistering message showed that he neither came to win a popularity contest nor tried to find favor with man. His approach, if you will, was anything but “seeker friendly”- he certainly mixed sandpaper with velvet by making them aware of their folly and then providing them with a remedy – he constantly pointed to Jesus. His passion was to awaken the dead and then offer them life:
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. Matt 3:7-10 (NIV)
10 "What should we do then?" the crowd asked. 11 John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same." 12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?" 13 "Don't collect any more than you are required to," he told them. 14 Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?" He replied, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely--be content with your pay." Luke 3:10-14 (NIV)
Yet given all of this, John the Baptist had a large following. The Truth consistently preached will woo and draw God’s people because it will always accomplish God’s purposes. Matthew tells us crowds were arriving constantly to be baptized by him:
5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. Matt 3:5-6 (NIV)
Not too dissimilar to the Baptist, modern day believers in Jesus are likewise called to reveal Him. This does not mean only missionaries, preachers and Sunday school teachers. All believers are called to reveal Jesus whether it be in our homes, or in our workplaces, or among our friends or among our enemies. Basically, wherever God places us is our spheres of influence, we are to show forth Jesus. We do this by dying to selfish ambitions and vain conceits and allowing the Holy Spirit to manifest Jesus’ life through our words and our actions. It is an emptying of self, a filling of Him and a spilling out to those we daily encounter. It would do us well to come to the realization, as the Baptist clearly demonstrated, that it is not about us rather it is all about Jesus.
How does this show forth in a life? We are to rid ourselves of anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language choosing rather to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. We are to demonstrate to others the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. We are to bear with one another and forgive grievances just as we have been forgiven. Furthermore, we are to encompass about all things in love as love binds everything together in perfect unity. I wonder if this steps on anybody else’s toes or just my own. So how are we doing in this endeavor? Tenacity in this area is always inspiring, is it not? Surrendering our all to the Holy Spirit’s leading and direction in our lives is not easy in that our flesh will fight it every step of the way. Not only our flesh, the world also gives us a giant daily dosage of “it is all about us”! When we encounter people walking like Jesus we take note of the difference in their lives. We find ourselves desiring to be like them. It is God’s desire for us to be conformed to the image of His Son leaving behind us in every encounter we have, the aroma of Christ.
6 Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. 1 John 2:6 (NIV)