Our Mission: Pointing To Jesus

John the Baptist is a major character in the Gospel lessons. This is very unusual. Why would John the Baptist have such a prominent place?

In Matthew 11, Jesus says of John the Baptist that no man born of woman is greater than John. What makes John so great?

Was John the Baptist great because he was so popular? With a message like: “you brood of vipers” one doesn’t tend to win too many popularity contests. As you may recall, John’s life was ended when his head was chopped off by a displeased hearer of John’s message.

Was John great because he was successful and wealthy? It seems that he lived a pretty simple life, locusts, honey, and a camel coat. He resided out in the wilderness.

Was John great because he was a gifted orator? He didn’t seem to be too creative in his speechmaking, relying mostly on quotes from the Old Testament.

Was John great because he was powerful? He denied being powerful by saying that he was unworthy of even touching the Messiah’s sandals.

So what made John the Baptist so great? The answer I believe is found in the first chapter of St. John beginning with verse 35: “The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples; and he looked at Jesus as he walked and said, ‘Behold the Lamb of God!’ The two disciples heard John say this and they followed Jesus.”

John’s greatness was found in the fact that he pointed to Jesus. He knew that it wasn’t about him. Rather it was about “The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world-Jesus.”

So it is for us today. The mission of the church is to point to Jesus. It is not about you or about me. It is not about a church family or an institution. It is about pointing to Jesus, who came and comes to save the world; “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.”

In Christ,

Bishop Gary Wollersheim

Image: freechristimages.org

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