Words of Grace

By Rev. Mahlon Nevel

John was a prophet who was sent by God to announce the coming of the Son of God “Among them that are born of women there has not risen a greater than John.” (Matthew 11:11)

When John saw Jesus for the first time, he called him the Lamb of God. He came down from heaven to take away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)

The greatest of prophets realized that there was one far greater than himself. “After me comes a man who is preferred before me,” he Confessed, “for he was before me.” (V.30)

All the glory and honor was given to the eternal Son of God. John didn’t even feel worthy to unloose his shoe latchet. (v.27) His unselfish desire was that Jesus would increase, but he would decrease. (John 3:30)

John was a preacher, a powerful preacher. He dressed like an Old Testament prophet, and preached like one too.

His preaching exalted the Lord Jesus. In one of his sermons he declared:

“He that comes from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaks of the earth: he that comes from heaven is above all” (3:31).

Jesus came down from heaven. Someone once said we can’t think about heaven and not think of Jesus:
“The light of heaven is his presence.
The melody of heaven is his name.
The harmony of heaven is his praise.
The theme of heaven is his work.
The employment of heaven is his service
The fulness of heaven is Jesus himself.”