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Why is no one trying to be like John the Baptist?

This Sunday morning the sermon was taken from John 3:22-36.  In that passage, two of the disciples of John come to him with the report that Jesus was now baptizing more people than John.  John's response is one of the most humble in all of Scripture.  It was in reading that response that a thought occurred to me.  With all the leadership and ministry books out there, why do we not have people picking up on the ministry style of John the Baptist?  Maybe I am a little cynical, but I guy who gets his head chopped off might be a bit of a tough sell in our success-driven marketplace.  Can you imagine the title?  "Five Easy Steps to Losing Your Head." I can't imagine that book making it on the Christian bestsellers list.

Yet John the Baptist is a great example to those of us in ministry.  His clarity about his own place and role in the ministry are worthy of emulation.  Here are some of the observations I made as I looked at his response to his disciples.

1.  He knew the ultimate source of all ministry.  He responds to the question by saying that no gets anything unless it is given to him by heaven (John 3:27).  It was not his ministry or his converts but God's work that was being done.  He was just a steward of that which God had entrusted to him.  Likewise the success of another's ministry was also due to God alone.  As Paul would say later, one sows, another waters and another reaps, but it is God who gives the increase.  There is a strange possessiveness that can grow around our ministries.  We can begin to take the credit for ourselves for any gains.  John reminds us that is not us - It is all of God.

2.  He knew who he was not.  John clearly enunciates that he has always admitted that he is not the Christ, but simply the forerunner to the Christ.  Now this might be a little heavy-handed, but I am not sure that some ministers today really know that they are not the Messiah.  Oh, I know that theologically they know that they are not, but practically they act as if they are.  It amazes me how many narcissists are attracted to ministry and how many  ministries are a personality cult that revolves about the beloved leader.  Any true a gospel-centred ministry must revolve around Jesus alone.  Our job is to point people to Jesus and then get out of the way.

3.  He rejoiced that Jesus was honoured.  I love the illustration John uses in 3:29.  In it he paints himself as the best man and Jesus as the groom.  He says that his personal joy in seeing the work of Jesus expand is like the joy the best man has when he sees his best friend the groom get married to his beautiful bride.  It is not jealousy in seeing another receive what he cannot have, but joy because a beloved friend is experiencing joy.  There is so much of a spirit of competition in the world of ministry today.  Is there no place for joy in the ministry of others who are also serving Christ and glorifying his name?

4.  He was willing to humble himself in order to glorify Christ.  "He must increase, but I must decrease" (3:30).  What a perspective!  O Lord make this the willing prayer of my heart!  It is not about me.  Ministry is all about Jesus.  If at the end of the day I have done my job in a way that pleases God, the evidence will be that the name of Jesus will be exalted.

Well, I still don't think that book about John would be a bestseller in today's market, but as a final word I defer to the Lord Jesus.  His conclusion on the matter of John was this:

Matthew 11:11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist.

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