It was John the Baptist that made that statement.  He said of Christ in John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”  John the Baptist is recognized as the forerunner of Christ, preparing the way for Jesus through his ministry of repentance and baptism.  We read of him in Mark 1:2-4, “As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.”  “As is it written” refers to the prophesy about the coming of John written in Isaiah 40:3.

In John 1:19-36, we have the introduction of John, and his pronouncement of the Lord Jesus.  We read of this in John 1:29-30, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.”  This astounding announcement is a fulfillment of the words that Abraham said to his son, Isaac in Genesis 22:8, “And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb…”  John’s announcement declared that the Lord Jesus was that Lamb of God and He had come to take away the sin of the world.  In verses 31-34, we learn that John baptized the Lord Jesus. (Read Matthew, chapter 3 to read more of John’s baptism and his baptism of Christ.)  Now, let’s read John 1:37 of John the Baptist, “And the two disciples heard him (John) speak, and they followed Jesus.” 

This was John’s purpose…to put himself in the background and point others to Christ.  Thus, he said in John 3:28-30, “Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.”  John understood his mission and he understood his place as “the friend of the bridegroom.”  He found his joy in announcing Christ to the world and realized the more Christ become known, the more he needed to fade into the background.  John finished the work he was sent to do and honored the Lord in his work.

I want to compare John’s sentiment to the Apostle Paul’s sentiment in Colossians 3:3 where he declared, “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”  He also stated in Colossians 3:11, “Christ is all…”  John the Baptist was the last Old Testament prophet.  It was natural that attention would be drawn to him so that he might point to Christ.  In our day, we should not desire any attention at all.  Our life is hid with Christ.  Christ is all. 

May we, as believers, learn to completely hide ourselves behind the person of Christ.  May it be that through our words and actions people might see Christ in us.  The lives we live should reflect Christ in us as we read in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”  The words we say should reflect the truth and love of Christ as we read in 1 Peter 4:11, “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

Dear readers, let us find our joy in shining for Christ, having His name promoted and seen by others.  “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16).  Indeed…NOTHING of us and ALL of Christ.  (CC)  (722.4)