John the Baptist & You! (Mt. 11:11)

John the Baptist was a prophet who prepared the way for Jesus. How did he do this? Well, he came preaching to people that they needed to 'repent of their sin', because the Kingdom of God was near. (Mt 3:2)

Jesus said that John was the greatest prophet and greatest man born to woman! (Mt 11:11a) Although Jesus was paying John a high, personal tribute, Jesus was also making a very, very important point about truth and about you and me!

Jesus said that all the prophets, up to and including John, were 'prophesying' - or preaching and teaching the truth of God - 'until now.' (Mt 11:13) 'Now', however, the time of Jesus Christ, was time for something completely new, completely separate, completely different. Jesus said it was so radically different that even in light of how 'great' John was as a prophet, the very least of someone (you and me) in this new 'Kingdom', was even greater than John! (Mt 11:11b)

What did Jesus mean by this? It is, in fact, very simple. So simple, that Jesus said unless we became like children, we would actually miss this truth! (Mt 18:3) What Jesus meant is that there is now nothing between you (or anyone) and God himself. There are no longer traditions, commandments, prophets, or 'laws', between man and God. John came as a prophet, 'pointing' at Jesus as God. But the person who 'points' to the prize is not as 'great' as the person who actually gets the prize. The person who points to the door, is not actually as significant, so to speak, as the person who goes through the door.

The 'Law' (the Old Testament books of the bible), and the prophets, exist to lead us to Jesus. (John 5:39-40) John was the last of these prophets. (Mt 11:14; Mal 4:5-6) John and the bible leads up to Jesus himself. Now, standing here before Jesus, God in the flesh, we need to make a decision. Do we believe the Law, the prophets, and actually repent and believe in Jesus Christ? If we do, we pass 'beyond' the Law and the prophets, and pass through a door into a 'new humanity'. Do you want to be part?

'Jesus said, 'I am the door, and anyone who believes in me will be saved...' (John 10:9)

'His purpose was to create in himself a new humanity...' (Eph 2:15)

For more on taking 'First Steps' in a relationship with Jesus Christ, please visit: https://1peter1three.weebly.com/first-steps.html

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