Baptism as a Sign of Our Commitment

After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. John 3:22-23

John the Apostle begins by mentioning that as John the Baptist continued his ministry, Jesus (or more precisely His disciples) started baptizing. Numerous people came to Jesus to be baptized. Baptism is a significant act symbolizing our commitment to Christ. In the early church, it was the mark of identification with Christ and the opportunity for public confession of faith. It ought to be the same for us today. Our effective witness will not start until we are ready to make public our confession and faith in Christ. This is why baptism is very crucial for all who profess to belong to Christ. If you have not made this public commitment, would you consider doing so?

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the privilege we have to identify with You in Your death and resurrection through the rite of baptism. Give us the boldness to stand up in public and confess You as Lord and Saviour, and may we not be ashamed to declare this before all people. Amen.

It’s Not a Competition

(This was before John was put in prison.)  An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”John 3:24-26

John the Baptist’s disciples are jealous. The popularity of Jesus and His ministry is soaring to such heights that they are concerned on behalf of their teacher, or most probably on their behalf. The Baptist’s disciples may have followed their teacher hoping that once his fame and popularity grew, they would benefit from that. Alas, here comes another teacher, a new kid on the block, and he is hogging all the popularity and fame, at least in their eyes. Many of us struggle with jealousy, and how our witness gets affected! So many of the disagreements and conflicts we have with those around us are because we do not want to share the spotlight. John the Baptist teaches us how to respond in light of the growing success of others. While his disciples expected him to be disappointed, he was not. He was aware of His position and his God-given role.

Prayer: Dear Father, we acknowledge that we struggle with the sin of pride. It manifests in the way we react and treat others when they prosper. Help us to be thankful for what You have given us and the role You have called us to perform; so that we may be content in serving You wherever You have placed us. Amen.

Pointing Others to Christ

To this, John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven.  You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.  He must become greater; I must become less.”[h]John 3:27-30

For John the Baptist, God is the author and source of all that he has, so he is content to see Jesus receiving the honour that the Father bestowed on Him. Not only is John aware of who he is and what he has been given, but he is also aware of who he is not. He is not the Christ. Effective Christian witness should begin with a negative proposition. Our witness will be ineffective if we forget this. We are not called to draw people to ourselves. Instead of trying to make ourselves attractive, in the hope that people will see how good and successful we are and come to Christ, we ought, like John, to point others away from ourselves, to the One who is infinitely glorious. It should be evident to all that I am nothing special, that I am also a mess, and that only Christ is worth looking to. We cannot point people to Christ until we have learned to point them away from ourselves. 

Prayer: Lord, so many times our pride causes us to parade ourselves so the world would look at us and see how amazing we are. Forgive us, for there is nothing that we have that we have not been given. Help us to be faithful witnesses who point others away from ourselves to You, the only One in whom their hope and faith should be. Amen. 

The Supremacy of Christ

“He must become greater; I must become less.” John 3:30

For John the Baptist, not only is Christ greater than him, the strap of whose sandal he is not worthy to untie (John 1:27), but He also must continue to increase and grow in greatness, as John reduces. He must increase, as John decreases. John finds joy, not in grudgingly conceding victory to a superior opponent, but in wholeheartedly embracing God’s will and the supremacy it assigns to Jesus. The acknowledgement of the supremacy of Christ is shown as we decrease our selfish ambitions and desires, and allow Christ’s influence in us to grow. Are you prepared to do this?

Prayer: Lord, today we acknowledge Your greatness and supremacy. We surrender our ego and pride, and invite You to reign supreme in every aspect of our lives, for Your glory. Amen.

Courage in the Midst of Rejection

The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. ³² He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. ³³ Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. John 3:31-33

The supremacy and greatness of Christ are also manifested in the fact that He comes from above and is above all. This, however, was not a guarantee that He would be received. His testimony was rejected by the world. Neither His physical nation nor the world at large were ready to receive Him. This applies to our witness as well. We are not to be deceived that our witness shall be readily received by the world. Sin has blinded the world, and only God is able to penetrate this blindness. The good news is that, just like some did receive Him, we can rest in the sovereignty of the God who calls and draws people to Himself. God will draw many to Himself through our witness. May we remain faithful to the call to be witnesses of Christ.

Prayer: Dear God, grant us courage and perseverance as we testify about You. May we trust Your sovereignty and keep sharing the message, even in the face of rejection. Amen.

The Spirit Without Measure

 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God[i] gives the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. John 3:34

John the Baptist had already testified that he had seen the Spirit descend and remain on Jesus (John 1:32-33). He repeats this same truth, which not only applies to Jesus but also to all who are in Him. On the day of Pentecost God poured out His Spirit in fulfilment of prophecy. Among other things, God did this so that we would be His witnesses (“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” – Acts 1:8). We have the gift of His Spirit indwelling us for all time – without measure. Many Christians still doubt that have what it takes to go out and be witnesses of Christ.  The Spirit of God counsels us, empowers us, guides us, emboldens us, and teaches us. Because of this, we can go out in all boldness. What a glorious blessing that is!

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the gift of Your Spirit. May we be faithful as Your witnesses as the Spirit keeps empowering us. Amen.

All Can Have Life in Him

John 3:35-36

Jesus Christ is the beloved Son of God. He is not only the Creator and Sustainer of the world, but He is also the only Saviour. Without faith in Him, God’s wrath remains on us all. There is no other way to be saved except through faith in Him. That is the message of the gospel. That is the message that we, as His witnesses, should present to the world. Everyone can have eternal life in Him. Everyone is welcome.

Prayer: Father, we thank you for the message of the gospel, the gospel that saves mankind. May we not be ashamed of it. Give us the courage to proclaim it without reservation, as You draw nations to Yourself. Amen.

“In our witness today, while on the one hand, we avoid the negative, too often we also avoid the positive. We are not the treasure – we are just jars of clay – but nevertheless, we do have treasure to share (2 Corinthians 4:6). We are not strong – we are weak and inadequate – but nevertheless there is great power in our witness (2 Corinthians 4:7). The result of keeping the focus on ourselves is that we miss all that is on offer to ourselves and to others when we keep the focus on Christ. He is the Lord of heaven and earth. He is the Maker of all. By Him, all things are sustained, and in Him and through faith in Him we have eternal life.” –Josh Moody.