Tuesday, October 13, 2015
John 5:33 "You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth."
WITNESS: JOHN THE BAPTIST
John the Baptist was perhaps the most well-known witness of Christ. John was given the unique title of "Forerunner" because he came immediately prior to Jesus and was tasked with preparing the people to receive Him. John did an excellent job in this work. He declared openly that Jesus was the "Lamb of God," thus connecting Him to the Old Testament Passover which foreshadowed Christ's atonement. John also was present at Christ's baptism, where the Father spoke with approval of His Son's work.
Initially, John's ministry was popular. Some people even thought he was the Messiah. In the context of John chapter five, Jesus also reminded the Jews that they rejoiced in John for time. But eventually John faded to the background and was martyred for his testimony. Many might think that John's witness was ultimately a failure. But even this temporary defeat was part of God's plan. John summed it up well when he said of Jesus, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30).
Many voices in the world urge us to think the same about witnessing for Christ today; that our success is only dependent on the person's reaction to the message. If we suffer defeat or adversity, the easy deduction is that we failed. But John the Baptist reminds us that at times the witness will need to be taken out of the spotlight in order to glorify Christ. May we have courage in Jesus to remember the same in our lives!
