Episode 6 - Telling Others About the Light

John 1:6-8

John 1:6   There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

The Apostle John pauses momentarily from his discussion about the Word and tell us about another person named John. We often refer to this person as John the Baptist. There are a few things the author wants us to understand about him before we actually meet him in this story.

First, he was “a man sent from God.” Already, we have a sense that he is important. 

Second, God sent him for a specific purpose of telling others about the “light” so that “all might believe through him.” Isn’t it interesting that God decided to send a man to tell others about the light so that all might believe in him? It would seem to me that God didn’t need John the Baptist to do testify about someone with the kind of power and ability. It would simply be evident if that person demonstrated that power and illuminated people’s understanding of God’s nature and work.  Personally, I find it exciting that God would choose to use a man to tell others about what God is doing. More on that later.

The third thing we can learn about John the Baptist from the author is that John was NOT the light; only a person to “bear witness about the light.” Nowhere in this book does the author suggest that John has divine nature. He is not equated with God as is the Word. He’s just a man sent from God.

 One of my favorite qualities of this book is the humility of the author and the humility we will see in John the Baptist. How he will compare himself to the Word is no small difference.

These facts about John the Baptist should provoke in us the question of whether God might want to use us to tell others about His “light.” What would you do if you understood that to be true? Would you do it?