He Came as a Witness
2004 : Week 45  |  Website Version  

Today’s passages speak about John the Baptist and the specific task he was called to complete when he walked the Earth; they also teach a lesson that is relevant for every Christian. We all have a different path to walk. We all have a different calling, and we all have a different ministry. Despite this, all Christians are responsible to adhere to certain Christian duties. True, we approach these tasks in a different manner, since we all have unique perspectives and personalities. The point is not that we all complete our duties in the same way, it’s that we complete these Christian duties.

Some examples of these commands from God are seen in Matthew 19. In these passages, Jesus is speaking to a rich young man, and He states the following,

	19 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."
	Matthew 19:19 (NASB)

Be it a pastor of a church or a member of the congregation, we are all called to honor our parents and love our neighbors. We might show our love in different ways: some by being a readily available work hand and others by the words they speak. The important thing is that we love our neighbors, and it pleases the Lord when we obey all of His commands.

The verses for today show us that John the Baptist had a specific purpose on this earth: he was sent as a messenger from God, to preach about Jesus. The Bible uses simple language to communicate this important point,

	6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.
	John 1:6-8 (NASB)

The “Light” in this passage is Jesus Christ. John the Baptist was proclaiming that the prophecy in Isaiah had come to pass:

	14 "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.
	Isaiah 7:14 (NASB)

Jesus had arrived! The name Immanuel means ‘God is with us’, and John obediently preached about the realization of this prophecy. John cast the trappings of the world aside and steadfastly proclaimed the good news. Like John, we all have a responsibility to tell the world about Jesus. After the resurrection, Jesus gave us a command:

	18 …"All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you …
	Matthew 28:18-20 (NASB)

The world is lonely. It is full of people who have lost their way, and their souls will be lost for eternity if Jesus doesn’t save them. We Christians, because we have been saved by the divine grace of God, and because we see the difference Jesus has made in our lives, should be witnesses of these facts to others. We shouldn’t hide the truth we’ve been given. We tell people about a great movie we watched. We tell them about a great place to eat. We tell them about our great friends. How is it that we don’t tell them about the most important thing: the eternally beautiful and wonderfully liberating life in Christ?

We, like John, are all called to be witnesses for Jesus. John’s life was an inspiring example for all Christians, and while we don’t have to eat locusts to prove our love for Jesus, we should be willing to tell others of the difference He has made in our lives. For some, that will mean a life like John’s. For some it might mean the occasional mission trip. For others, it might be telling people at work, friends or your next door neighbors about the love of God. Regardless of where we are or what we do, we all should be telling people about Jesus.

May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you today and always…

***Words of Jesus Christ appear in red