. . . The One who comes from heaven is above all. John 3:31b
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
The salvation story of Jesus Christ reaches around the world. So that the readers of our Daily Devotion may see the power of the Savior on a global scale, we have asked the volunteers of our International Ministry Centers to write our Friday devotions. We pray that the Spirit may touch your day through their words.
In Christ, I remain, His servant and yours,
Kenneth R. Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour
How unfortunate that our lives are often lived-and measured-in terms of what we accomplish and how great our reputations become.
Consider John the Baptist. He was a powerful and influential preacher; he was a very important person in the Kingdom of God. During his ministry he was becoming well known by hundreds of people who heard his words and were baptized by him. It would have been easy to latch on to this fame and bask in the recognition he received.
However, instead of looking to increase his own honor and glory, John knew there was someone else more important than himself -- Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah. John knew that God's Kingdom wasn't best served by putting himself first; rather, it was all about Jesus -- who He is and what He would do to rescue self-serving sinners everywhere.
John the Baptist is a wonderful example for us as we live as Christians in this world. He puts into clear perspective the most important person in our lives. When giving testimony about Jesus, he said this: "He must become greater; I must become less. The One who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The One who comes from heaven is above all" (John 3:30-31).
John knew that everything hinged on the person and work of Jesus Christ. As the Son of God and Savior of the world, Jesus is preeminent in all things. Through faith in the salvation we receive by virtue of His blood -- shed on our behalf -- our sins have been pardoned by the Father's grace.
THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for showing us the most important Person in our lives -- Jesus Christ -- Your Son and our best Friend. Teach us genuine humility of spirit and make us, like John the Baptist, voices proclaiming Your mercy and salvation to those lost in the wilderness. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.
About the Author: This devotion is based on a text submitted from Pastor Clovis V. Gedrat in Brazil. In that South American country of 200 million people, Lutheran Hour Ministries operates as Cristo Para Todas as Nações (CPTN)-Brazil. Outreach programs include "Five Minutes with Jesus," a radio program; "Messages of Hope," a voicemail response service that delivers more than 10,000 Gospel replies each month; and Bible Correspondence Courses (BCC).
To learn more about our International Ministries, click here or visit www.lhmint.org.
Today's Bible Readings: Isaiah 34-36 Romans 4
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