3:28
John never had any doubts about his mission, his place in God’s plan. If we want to discover the meaning of life we need to realise that it is all about Jesus, it is not all about us. Jesus said “he who tries to save his life will lose it, but he who loses his life for my sake will find it”, and we are to take up the cross and deny ourselves (Matt 16:24,25).
John knew he was not the Messiah. All church leaders need to remember this, especially the “successful” ones. Now we might think this is obvious, how could I ever imagine that I am the messiah? Well we do this whenever we think something is absolutely dependent upon us, or the success of something revolves all around me. Now there is a dilemma here. We actually are important, we do have a vital role in God’s plans. So we need to keep a balance. If we think “I do not matter” we are talking nonsense, indeed being blasphemous, for we are saying that God created someone who doesn’t matter. But if we say “it’s all about me” we are definitely being blasphemous.
The solution, as it is to everything in life, is to make Jesus the centre of it all.
3:29,30
John then uses the analogy of the wedding to explain. Remember the first miracle that this gospel described involved a wedding banquet. John the Baptist describes himself as the groom’s friend, or best man. According to Pawson, in that day the prime role of the best man was rather different from the role it has in our society. His role was to get the bride to the wedding! This perfectly describes John the Baptist’s role. His job was to get the bride, ie us, to Jesus.
So when Jesus came and assumed the lead role John’s disciples were dismayed and felt threatened. But John himself was full of joy, for his purpose was nearing completion.
Verse 30 shows how well John understood his role. Now this manifestly does not mean that John was of no importance. Rather his importance came from serving Christ.
May our focus always be upon Jesus, may our joy always come from seeing His Name glorified.
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