John 1:29-30 (ESV) The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.
Our job as Christians is much like John the Baptist’s job to diminish and to exalt Jesus. Sometimes we let complexity get in the way; we want to make the gospel more intricate though it’s simple. Billy Graham used to say it took him hours of study to keep his messages simple. The message of Dr. Graham and the message of John were the same: “Ignore me and look to Christ.”
We get involved in ourselves at times, and this will stand in the way of God’s message in us. We learn something new, we hear something interesting, we find some fault in another brother or sister and think about sharing that not because it will edify others but to lift us up in their eyes. That’s a no no for Christians.
A mentor, friend, and pastor once told me he threw up before every message he preached for the first 18 months he was pastor. He wasn’t sick because he was nervous how people would see him or if they would like what he had to say. It was the exact opposite. He was sick with worry he might not present Jesus well. He was afraid something said in his own power would stand in the way of the message God had for His people.
I think we all should worry about this if we aren’t already. Our lifestyle might stand in the way of someone knowing Jesus. The way we talk or act can draw or drive people away from our Lord. Ours is to be a life of consistency with the Bible. When we seek to please God in our own strength, we might impress others but we fail Him. Paul knew this and sought only God’s favor:
Phil 3:8-11 (ESV) Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Pride is our issue, putting ourselves before Christ. Paul spoke of this in the chapter before as well:
Phil 2:1-4) So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Why is this important?
The Holy Spirit is a Gentleman. He will not force us to serve Christ. It is our choice and not just in accepting Him as our personal Savior but also in how we present Him to others. If we ask for God’s help, He’ll bless. If not, we are sure to fail.
When I thought about this at first, I was thinking of teachers and preachers who are held to a higher standard than the average Christian.
James 3:1-2 (ESV) Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.
Years ago I was told by the same pastor/mentor/friend I had the gift of teaching but said I should stay as a member of a Bible class for a while before leading a class of my own. He said I was teaching already from where I sat.
We all take the teaching and preaching role at times. We need to hold ourselves to that higher standard God holds for teachers and preachers whether on the street, in a Bible study, or in the pulpit. We are to represent God faithfully at all times and, like John, see to it people are not looking to us but to Christ.
None of us is perfect, but we can work toward perfection by practicing self-control and leaving the teaching and preaching to the power of God within us and not our own strength.
Believers Armed and Dangerous 