April 11 - I Must Become Less

April 11 – I Must Become Less

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. (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.”

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.”

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. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them. (John 3:22-36)

In my Church Doctrine class this last week we spent time looking at the spiritual gifts and Paul’s varying lists.  The one thing that I took away from that lesson was that these gifts were always to be used for the greater good of the community and never for the greater good of the individual.

Leadership is a big deal these days.  There are books, classes, lectures, seminars and even more books that are offered to help a person become a successful leader.  It is a big deal in the church.  We seem to always be looking for ways to make a person into a great leader.

But the great leaders of the church were not what we think.  Paul was a great leader of the church, yet he is never seen as part of the foundational leadership for any single church.  He built others up to take those roles, supporting them and encouraging them.

John Wesley’s leadership came as a result of his teaching others to take the message out to the wilderness.  He could preach a heckuva sermon, but he is best remembered for putting together an organization that would live long after he had died.

Martin Luther King’s leadership came as a result of his willingness to serve.

John the Baptist had a few followers that were a little defensive for him.  They weren’t too sure about this preacher on the other side of the river who was getting more attention than their leader.  He knew that he needed to become less so that Jesus would gain that attention.

That is what we need to do as well.  Our leadership comes when we are serving … when we bow out of the limelight so that Jesus Christ shines through us.  It is when the world sees Him instead of us that we truly become the leaders God calls.