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 is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less.
John 3 vs. 29-30
It is probably a reasonable guess that Jesus and John grew up together. Their mothers, Mary and Elizabeth were related and they lived within travelling distance of each other. It is therefore humbling and challenging to see how John spoke of Jesus in this verse.
He had recognised and proclaimed Jesus as the Lamb of God as recorded in John 1 v.29 and on the second occasion, just a day later, when he again pointed to Jesus in this way two of his disciples left him and followed Jesus. Whereas crowds had been flocking to John to be baptised now people were forsaking him to follow Jesus and John was full of joy!
John knew that his God ordained task was to prepare the way for Jesus and although it meant him decreasing in the influence and standing he had and although his ministry led to his, humanly speaking, premature death at the hands of Herod he was able to rejoice.
There would seem to be two key reasons for this joy that filled him.
First he had fulfilled the task that God had given him to do
Second he was drawn by the irresistible Lamb of God and that created in him
‘an inexpressible and glorious joy’ 1 Peter 1 v.8
How John like are you and I this morning?
Are we confident that we are walking in the Father’s will, plan and purpose for us?
Does the beautiful Lamb of God, in whom we have life and who alone enables us to be godly, give us complete joy today?
The circumstances we find ourselves in today may be far from ideal but Jesus does not change. Those circumstances may be difficult to deal with but we have Jesus. There is no greater gift; no greater joy; no greater hope; no greater friend.
Let us lift our eyes to him today and rejoice as John did and may people see that we know the one who transcends anything that the world has to offer.