POINTING THEM TO JESUS: I Must Decrease, He Must Increase

My one-year-old granddaughter is into pointing. She points at anything and everything. With her arm stretched out and that little stubby finger extended, she points to something she sees or wants. I laugh when I see her doing it. As a kid, I was always told that it was rude to point. As adults, we often caution others when pointing, especially in an accusing or judgmental manner. When we point one finger at someone, there are three (plus a thumb) pointing back at ourselves!

Pointing at others, or calling out others for their sins, their different (insert - wrong) opinions, political views, is often a deflection tool we use to make ourselves look better, or right, or more righteous in the eyes of others. After all, we all want our way, to be right, righteous, or as our politically charged world would say, “to be found on the right side of history.” Richard Foster, in his book Freedom of Simplicity states; “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:25). If we possess the inward reality, it must manifest itself in an outward lifestyle.” (Foster, p. 10). Pointing others to Jesus can never be about shaming them into compliance by pointing out their faults, their sins, or their cultural and ethnic errors so that they see their need for Jesus. We don’t point others to Jesus by making ourselves look better than them. Yet, that is often how we respond, whether we see it or not, or whether it is unintentional or not.

Enter John the Baptist. Early in his ministry, John attracted followers, disciples, if you will. His reputation was growing. He was a holy man, a prophet, he preached and proclaimed with great boldness and people followed him. One day he saw Jesus approaching and he pointed at Him with this declaration; “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:29). When John’s disciples pointed out that Jesus was also baptizing and that “all are going to Him” (Jn. 3:26), John did something remarkable, something that I think was reflected in the quote by Richard Foster, he pointed them to Jesus, not himself.

After listing several preparatory truths in Jn 3:27-29;  “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven, you yourselves bear me witness that I have said I am not the Christ, I have been sent before Him, the one who has the bride is the bridegroom, the friend of the bridegroom rejoices greatly at the bridegroom, my joy is now complete,” he then makes this incredible statement in Jn. 3:30; “He must increase, but I must decrease”. What did he just say?

I think the apostle Paul echoed this idea when he said, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Gal. 2:20). If we are going to point people to Jesus, it does not begin with a sermon. It does not begin when we point out their sins or highlight our righteousness. It begins when we decrease, and Jesus increases.

I recognize that in my sin nature I am sometimes a legend in my own mind. So how then do I “decrease” so that Jesus increases? Perhaps it begins when I stop pointing at people. Perhaps it begins when I see others as Jesus sees me – a broken person for whom he willingly died so that I might live. To do that I have to stop pointing at others.

There is much discussion today by believers, much of it on social media platforms, that calls for our rights, our freedoms, our constitutional and religious liberties. There is a way, a proper way to advocate for these. It is not, however, by shaking our fists and pointing angrily at one another. I must decrease, but HE must increase. Ponder again the words of Richard Foster; “If we possess the inward reality, it must manifest itself in an outward lifestyle.”

Learning to decrease, so that Jesus increases!

Rev. Bill Allan
AGC President