Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-

 John the Baptist: Greatest Among Those Born of Women 

 
  Malachi 3:1-4
 Malachi 3:1
I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty
John the Baptist is one of the greatest individuals in biblical history. After all, how many men are prophesized hundreds of years beforehand? Foretold in Malachi 3 and Isaiah 40, he was chosen to “prepare the way of the LORD” (Is 40:3). The angel said to Zachariah and Elizabeth that he would go before the Lord “in the Spirit and power of Elijah” (Lk 1:17), even Jesus said there was no one born of woman greater than John the Baptist (Matt 11: 11). But what made him so great?
John’s first recorded words were “repent for the kingdom of God is near” (Matt 3:2), he urged the people to turn away from their sins, but recognized he was not the one to save them. Prophets spoke of the Messiah that would bring his kingdom, but John saw it almost first handedly. He ushered the kingdom of God by introducing Jesus as the “lamb who would take away the sins of the world” (Jn 1:29). John also had the qualities of Elijah who called nations to repent and criticized governments and religious leaders for not showing any fruit of their repentance (Matt 3:7-10). But we truly understand why Jesus calls John the greatest in the next verse, “who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he”. The disciples actively sought greatness and recognition for following Jesus, and Jesus often rebuked them for thinking in this way (Mk 9:34). However, John’s ministry was to make the savior known not with prideful boasting, but with humble rejoicing. John’s baptism was to help the people realize their need of a savior, but Jesus’s baptism would be what effectively saves them from their sins. Jesus is the “refiner’s fire” that burns away all impurities, HE is the “launderer’s soap” that washes clothes as white as snow (Mal 3:2). John was just a man who witnessed the true light of the world, that is what made him great. John is the great “I am not” while Jesus is the great “I am”.  In this season, we should pray to make Jesus more known and celebrated like John did. The gospel is the greatest news the world will ever receive, John knew this and sought to be lesser as HE became greater. Let’s approach the Christmas season with the same mentality and attitude, so Jesus’ greatness would be on full display.

Prayer
Lord, help us find peace and strength in knowing you. You are the only one who can satisfy our soles and in you alone, at your right hand, there are pleasures forever more. Like John the Baptist, give us a spirit of boldness and humility to make you known, so our friends, neighbors, and even strangers would come to know you as Lord and that they would be counted towards your kingdom.

Thought for the Day

There is no peace like the peace of those whose minds are possessed with full assurance that they have known God, and God has known them, and that this relationship guarantees God’s favor to them in life, through death and on forever.
 J.I. Packer, Knowing God

Shane Thomas, Long Island Mar Thoma Church, New York

Popular posts from this blog

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
  Constant, patient and welcoming love of God   St. Luke 15: 11-32  V.21: And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ The parable of the ‘Prodigal son’ is one of the most frequently quoted parables that Jesus told His disciples. The parable contains the rich mine of human virtues and emotions. This parable is lived and re-lived in progressing civilizations from time immemorial and continuing. It brings out in vivid detail the pathetic depth of human sinfulness and the glorious heights of God’s forgiveness.      As a story of human nature, fathers are generally merciful to their children in any circumstance. They are very protective and are eager to provide for and secure the lives of their offspring. Jesus is telling this parable to underscore the superlative love of God to His children. The nature of such love is reiterated by Jesus in Matthew 7:11. Humankind who are evil by nature, give good gifts t
Read more

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
PRIESTHOOD: THE ANOINTED MINISTRY Exodus 40:12-16 Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting... wash them with water. Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments, anoint him and consecrate him so he may serve me as priest (Exodus 40: 12-13). Priesthood among the people of God was a divine command and initiation. God wanted some people to be separated for the special ministry among his people. God appointed Aaron and his descendants to take up this kind of ministry among the people of God. Priests are always separated and appointed as channels that connect God with his people. All throughout the history of Israel, priests played an important role in connecting people with God and to lead and guide them in the statutes of God. But there are incidents in the Bible where the priests failed in their duties and that led the people to go away from God. So the priests have a special and significant ministry to perform in this world among his people. Two important things
Read more

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
Revelation for Liberation Acts 27:18-26 Sherine Thomas Long Island MTC, NY 20  When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest raged, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned. “After winter comes the summer.  After night comes the dawn.  And after every storm, there comes clear open skies” so said a Scottish clergyman from the 1600s. It’s been said, that hope can sometimes be the most dangerous weapon.  However, it’s sometimes the hardest weapon to carry when you’re living with the loss of a loved one, something that almost feels like a terrible nightmare that’ll never go away.  It’s a weapon difficult to carry when day in and day out no one seems to hear or see those tears that are shed or silent cries that are made during a heartfelt prayer. It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you see your loved one lying on that hospital bed.  It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you search and seek out answers to tell a child as to why they’ve been a
Read more