JOHN THE BAPTIST=MORE AND LESS

MORE & MORE=LESS & LESS
(Saint John the BAPTIST)


TODAY we CELEBRATE the feast
Of Jesus' cousin=JOHN THE BAPTIST


Though John had disciples-
His PURPOSE was NOT to form them
Into a community


In fact, he FAMOUSLY once said,
“HE must become more and MORE-
And I must BECOME less and less” John 3:30


And isn't that=the WAY it should be=
For ALL of us CHRISTIANS


As we grow and mature=Jesus=
God=should become GREATER in
US-and we should=our personal wants
And needs should become-
LESS and less


“TRULY-I tell you-
Among those born of women


There has NOT been anyone
GREATER then John the Baptist


Yet whoever is least
In the kingdom of heaven-
IS greater than he” Matthew 11:11


John was SO GREAT=Jesus=
Even let him=BAPTIZE HIM


“I baptize you with water
For repentance


But after me
COMES one who is
More POWERFUL than I


Whose sandals-
I am NOT worthy
To carry


He will BAPTIZE you
With the HOLY SPIRIT
And fire” Matthew 3:11


John KNEW who he was=
He came to PREPARE the way
For Jesus


After that=he became
Less and less=and let Jesus
Take his ROOTS in him


Just as we should do=
He=more and more=
Us=LESS and less


The name John
Means “GRACIOUSNESS of God”


John was the LAST
Of the old testament prophets


And he APPEARED in the
Desert of Judah
DRESSED like Elijah


Many thought he was
A little bit “MAD”=but he was=
PROPHETIC-in announcing the COMING
Of the Lord


A little bid mad
A WHOLE lot prophetic


John's birth disrupted the
USUAL order of things
And announced


That soon-
There would be ANOTHER-
Who would DEFEAT the old order
For good


“Nor was my name UNKNOWN to you
When I was made in SECRET


When I was fashioned
In the depths of the earth” Psalm 139:15


And Jesus let John KNOW
The JOB was getting done
WHILE he was in prison


“So he REPLIED to the messengers:
'Go back
And REPORT to John


What you have seen
And heard:


The blind receive sight
The lame walk


THOSE who have leprosy
Are cleansed


The deaf=hear
The dead are RAISED


And the GOOD NEWS
Is PROCLAIMED to the poor'” Luke 7:22


Dear FRIEND=like John


We NEED to let Jesus
BECOME MORE AND MORE
In our lives


Robert P. Wallman
6-24-17