Jesus becomes greater each time we retell his story as it is revealed on the pages of Holy Scripture.

"He must become greater; I must become less." John 3:30

Jesus said, "Among those born of women there is no one greater than John" (Luke 7:28). What made John the Baptist so great? Was it his rugged appearance? Was it his desert diet? Was it his fiery delivery of the law? Was it the courage he showed in exposing the hypocrisy of the religious elite and condemning the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matthew 3:7)? Scripture leads us to a different answer. What set John apart as a great servant of God was simply this: John proclaimed Jesus!

JOHN PREACHED JESUS

When John lashed out against sin, his goal wasn't to reform society. John wanted the people gathered near Jordan's banks to face the reality that sin had made each one of them an object of God's wrath. "Every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire" (Matthew 3:10). No one who heard John preach could leave with the impression that they were "good enough" to meet God's holy standards. John's blistering law messages exposed the need for a Savior, the need for Jesus.
John was more than a law preacher. He brought good news to those troubled by sin. John pointed to Jesus as "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29). Though John's time on earth would end before Calvary and the empty tomb, he knew exactly what Jesus had come to do. True God in the flesh, Jesus would sacrifice his holy life on the cross. The innocent Jesus would suffer hell's torments and pay the full ransom price for every sinner. Jesus was none other than the Christ of God. So John preached Jesus! He told his followers, "The reason I came baptizing with water was that [Jesus] might be revealed to Israel" (John 1:31).

The Bible tells us that some misguided disciples of John became upset because "everyone is going to [Jesus]" (John 3:26). John could have leveraged their jealousy for personal gain. Instead, John told his followers, "He must become greater; I must become less" (John 3:30).

WE TELL OUR SAVIOR'S STORY

What a great personal mission statement! Jesus must become greater; I must become less! Charismatic spiritual leaders often develop a group of cultlike followers, but to what end? Does Jesus become greater with each sermon preached, or has the man in the pulpit only enhanced his own reputation?