“A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven… He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:27, 39).

John the Baptist is certainly one of the most interesting characters in the New Testament. He was on the scene for a very short period of time. As you know, he was quite eccentric. The gospel of Matthew tells us that he preached in the wilderness. He wore a garment of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his diet consisted of locusts and wild honey. Further, his message was not meant to please the crowds, but was simple and direct; “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand… prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” You know the outcome of John’s life; as a result of his preaching, he was arrested by Herod and subsequently beheaded.

Now there’s no doubt that Jesus thought very highly of John. In Matthew 11:11 Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist.” That’s a remarkable statement, would you agree? Jesus’ words tell us that John was greater than Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David or any of the prophets and disciples. That’s incredible! What Jesus said about John caused me to ask what it was about John that Jesus thought so highly of. Could it be that Jesus said what he did about John because of what we read in the passage cited above?

Take a look at John’s words and you will see something that’s highly prized by God. John understood that everything he had came from God. And further, he was a deeply humble man, even in light of the public following he acquired. Let me say that in a different way. John had no desire to possess anything the world might offer, nor did he seek anything for himself. His only desire was to see himself decrease as Jesus increased. I’d say that’s a wonderful philosophy to live by, especially in our status and possession driven culture. And further, I’d say that’s a particularly important attitude for anyone in ministry to adopt as well.

Let me suggest now how John’s words apply to you and me. I’ve come to see in my own life that the single most important thing for me to recall is that the Christian life is not about me, but rather about Christ. The degree to which we acknowledge that he must increase as we decrease defines our fruitfulness for God. As soon as we start to think otherwise, it’s only a matter of time before it becomes more about us and less about Christ. 

So in that light, how would you define yourself? If your desire is to make life more about you, be careful. You might get what you are after, but at what cost? On the other hand, if you define yourself as making much of Christ and less of yourself, you will receive a reward far beyond anything you might imagine; the favor of your Savior and the pleasure of God. Which is it for you?

“God called to him, ‘Moses, Moses’ and he said, ‘Here I am’” (Exodus 3:4).

I am constantly amazed at the number of times I engage in conversations with friends who are seeking to determine whether God is calling them to do something, to step out in faith in one manner or another. At times, those I am speaking with are on the edge of taking a huge step. At other times, they are simply working a process to see what God is doing. In either case, they are at various stages of determining God’s will for their lives.

One of the things I’ve learned is that, when we are about to act upon something God may be calling us to do, our attitude should be similar to Moses’ attitude, “Here I am.” That’s simply to say that a ready person never needs to get ready. He or she is ready at all times to do even the smallest thing God asks.

At the risk of offending you, let me share that I frequently become frustrated when people spend undue time speaking of how they want to serve God and be faithful in all things, while at the same time stand still doing nothing. Moses did not stand still. He did not need to get ready. He had the right relationship with God. As a result, he was ready.

The reason why we seem unready is that when God speaks, many of us are like men caught in a thick fog. We give no answer because we are standing still. That is to say that the best way to know how to heed God’s call is to be moving forward in serving in some way or another. The form of the service is irrelevant. The process of obedience displayed through serving is what’s important.

Let me encourage you with these thoughts. We have no choice in what we want to do should God call us in a particular direction. The only choice we have is to be obedient. God can and does put us where he wants us. He can put us in pleasant places or otherwise. That’s up to him. Yet far too often, our desire to serve is shallow because we are in a fog. We are inactive, thus never in the proper place to hear God’s voice. Serving helps lift the fog.

Let me be very direct with you on this point. Some of you are feeling God “loosening the roots” on what has become familiar and comfortable to you. It’s an uncomfortable feeling; I know. My advice is simple. Keep serving or start serving. As you serve the Lord, he will make his voice clear. He will provide the clarity and direction you desire. His voice will become stronger, and your vision will become clearer and clearer. It’s hard to steer a vehicle that’s not moving. The same thing applies to our lives. Get serving and let God do the steering.

“If I then, your Lord and your teacher, have washed your feet, you also should do just as I have done to you” (John 13:14).

There is a very real sense in which an accurate measure of the love we have for Christ and others is the degree to which we wash the feet of God’s people. Note how Jesus put it in the text cited above. He told them that, even though he was their Lord and their teacher, his washing of their feet was meant to encourage them to serve others to the same degree. I’ve spent a good deal of time meditating on that passage this week. Further, I witnessed an example of such service that sticks in my mind.

This past week, I attended our District pastors’ conference in Germantown, WI. The Alliance Church in Germantown (Crossway Church) is a vibrant and growing congregation. Last fall they moved into a brand new worship center. The building still smells new. During one of the breaks in the conference, I left to go to the washroom. When I entered, I saw one of our district pastors washing the outside door of one of the stalls in the restroom. And by the way, this individual is the senior pastor in one of the larger churches in the district. He’s a good friend. I asked him what he was doing. He commented that he noticed a large “scuff mark” on the outside of the door. He thought that he would clean it because the building was new and he wanted it to look as good as possible.

Now as I’ve thought about that, I must tell you that I was quite taken by the manner in which he “washed the feet” of Crossway Church. It wasn’t his church. It wasn’t his responsibility to clean the door; and further, he was a guest who could have easily left the mark for others to clean. Yet he didn’t. His simple act of service, which would have gone completely unnoticed if I had not entered at that moment, is a perfect example of what Jesus meant in John chapter 13.

This now leads to a very simple question for each of us. In what manner are you actively and intentionally engaged in washing the feet of God’s people? And further, to what degree are we as parents teaching our sons and daughters to do the same? I believe it is as simple as this: serving is not an option, but a solemn responsibility. And further, the act of serving is something that must be taught to our children. One of my greatest joys is when I watch many of you, children alongside, serve in one form or another. Can I tell you, as an older father, that you are doing the right thing as you serve and engage your children in serving also? I am grateful that we are a church that relishes serving one another. Yet there are still needs. Check the bulletin to see what I mean.

If Jesus Christ could wash the feet of the disciples, I wonder what we might do to further abound in serving one another. Start small if need be, but start! God will be glorified and you will be blessed as you wash the feet of God’s people. And yes, feet can be smelly, but the resulting joy is well worth the effort!