There once was a man, his name John, sent by God to point out the way to the Life-Light. He came to show everyone where to look, who to believe in. John was not himself the Light; he was there to show the way to the Light.

The Life-Light was the real thing… (The Message)

”There was once a man…” He had a name. His name was ”John”. But he was not about his own name, rather the Name of another.

He ”was once”, but is no more as far as life in this world is concerned. We each of us get only one shot at life. But John’s legacy lives on. His influence still affects us. We are reading about him today, are we not? Like Abel, he:

” still speaks, even though he is dead” (Hebrews 11:4)

John demonstrated (demonstrates!) the essence of Christian witness. It is to be a signpost to Jesus. It is to point away from ourselves to our Lord. It’s in Jesus that people will find ”the real thing”. John, as a humble messenger never confused himself with the message. Our lives can endorse and authenticate the message. But we are not the message.

”For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake” (2 Cor.4:5)

Later in the chapter we will hear John adamantly asserting again that he is not the Messiah; he is merely His prophesied forerunner.

John shone like the moon at night, with reflected light, but he never thought he was the Sun.

A modern day John (Stott) prayed this prayer before he preached:

‘Heavenly Father, we bow in your presence.
May your word be our rule,
Your Spirit our teacher,
And your greater glory our supreme concern.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

PRAYER: Oh Lord, cause me to shine with your light, as John did. Enable me to be a signpost to you by life (even when I’m not aware it is happening) and by lip. Grant that ‘your greater glory’ will always be my ‘supreme concern’. For your Name’s sake. Amen.