John Baptist was the forerunner to Christ (John1:6-8)
John the Baptist was sent to let people know that Christ was coming. We must first understand that it has been four hundred years since God has spoken to anyone. Now on the scene appears John and his job is to proclaim the coming of Christ Jesus the light of the world, the savoir God promised is coming. Is that not what we ourselves are to do? We like John are lamps in this dark world, our job as followers of Christ is to show the world who Christ is by how we live our lives. John was out telling the people that Christ was coming that it was all about Christ (John 1:19-24).
It’s not all about us (John 3 :22-30)
The book of John makes it clear that John the Baptist was not the light, this may seem silly to us that it had to be done, but if you read Acts 19:1-3 we find a group of people who worshiped John. In our life we can easily make everything about us. The world around us tells to make it about us, we have to do what feels right to us. This is a wrong philosophy this why we have churches saying that it’s ok to sin as long as you’re feeling good about it. Don’t worry do what feels good to you. But John the Baptist tells us it is all about Christ. “He(Christ) must increase, but I must decrease.” Our own sinful desires must decrease while allowing God to increase. People say things like it so hard to give up my old ways. That may be true but if we want to get real and have a true relationship with God we must start by allowing God to increase. We have to allow God to work in our lives and when He says it is time to change so He can increase we have to say ok.
How this applies to us in today’s world (John 1:9-12)
We understand that John was proclaiming the coming of Christ he was allowing God to work in his life. John knew that he was not the light but He could reflect the light that was Christ Jesus. As we read the next few verses in John we see that Christ was the true light. We can find a new life in Christ Jesus, by believing and by receiving Him we are able to come into a relationship God the Father. It is not enough to just believe in Him that saves us if that was the case many would be saved. A lot of people believe in Christ, but they do not receive Him into their lives. Matthew Henery says that the true believer “The true Christian’s description and property; and that is, that he receives Christ, and believes on his name; the latter explains the former. Note, First, To be a Christian indeed is to believe on Christ’s name; it is to assent to the gospel discovery, and consent to the gospel proposal, concerning him. His name is the Word of God; the King of kings, the Lord our righteousness; Jesus a Saviour. Now to believe on his name is to acknowledge that he is what these great names bespeak him to be, and to acquiesce in it, that he may be so to us. Secondly, Believing in Christ’s name is receiving him as a gift from God. We must receive his doctrine as true and good; receive his law as just and holy; receive his offers as kind and advantageous; and we must receive the image of his grace, and impressions of his love, as the governing principle of our affections and actions[1]
[1]Henry, M. 1996, c1991. Matthew Henry's commentary on the whole Bible : Complete and unabridged in one volume (Jn 1:6). Hendrickson: Peabody
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