pramsay posted on December 14, 2006 07:57 997 views

“It doesn’t seem fair to me. You were at it first. You were getting the big crowds before He stole the limelight. You were preaching and people were flocking to hear you and you were getting results. Thousands were repenting and getting baptized. Now it seems He’s getting all the attention. What’s going on here?” Humanly speaking the potential for jealousy, rivalry and hostility was great.

When John the Baptist began his ministry, the 400 silent years between the Old and New Testaments came to an end. God was once again speaking to the people through a chosen set of human lips after a long silence. He drew big crowds and preached with power. God was definitely using him in a mighty way.

But then Jesus walks on to the stage of time and He is preaching and doing many amazing miracles. He quickly became the talk of the countryside. John’s followers and others couldn’t understand what was happening. Their man was being upstaged by ‘this Jesus.’ Their leader was fading into the shadows. Did they say to him: “John, we’ve got to turn this around? We are your loyal supporters. We’re with you for the long haul. What’s your take on all of this? Aren’t you concerned?

John’s response: “Concerned? No! I’m delighted. I see myself as the Best Man who attends to the details leading up to the Groom’s appearance on center stage. He’s arrived now and I am just thrilled to see Him and hear Him.”

John said:

“…this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
He must increase, but I must decrease.
He that cometh from above is
ABOVE ALL:
he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth:
he that cometh from heaven is
ABOVE ALL.”

(John 3:29-31)

John the Baptist knew his mission in life was to announce the arrival of the One who is ABOVE ALL. He was definite on his role right from the start. He was merely a voice crying in the wilderness. His role was clear and simple: to make way for the arrival of the Promised One and to promote HIM above all others and above all things. That’s what got him out of bed in the morning. John was motivated by a singular mission in life and that was to promote Christ. He knew that Christ was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. For John, Christ was Above All from eternity past, is Above All now and will always be Above All in the future.

What about you? Where does Christ rank in your life? Is HE above all? Do you have goals and aspirations that displace Him? Is there anything or anyone else who is above all in your life – or is Christ truly ABOVE ALL? Does He occupy the throne of your heart? Do all your short term, intermediate and long term goals feed into your ultimate purpose of honoring, promoting and glorifying Christ your Saviour and Lord? Do they all flow together the way streams and rivulets flow out, feed into and contribute to the ever widening river?

How does the big focus in your life just now connect with your overall purpose of pleasing and promoting Christ? Is there a direct link or a major disconnect? Is it a contributor or a detractor? Spend some time today answering that question.

Verse 1
Above all powers
Above all kings
Above all nature
And all created things
Above all wisdom
And all the ways of man
You were here
Before the world began

Verse 2
Above all kingdoms
Above all thrones
Above all wonders
The world has ever known
Above all wealth
And treasures of the earth
There’s no way to measure
What You’re worth

CHORUS
Crucified
Laid behind the stone
You lived to die
Rejected and alone
Like a rose
Trampled on the ground
You took the fall
And thought of me
Above all.

-Michael W. Smith

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