Again My Cousin Testified about Me & is Arrested

Meditations based on readings from

The Story of My Life As Told by Jesus Christ

August 12, 2019

Again My Cousin Testified about Me & is Arrested

Page 58-59

John 3: 22-36; Luke 3:19-20

Our human nature invariably compares our lives with the lives of others. The world’s culture teaches people to determine their worth on the basis of how well they compare to others. C.S. Lewis said that one of the challenges for the followers of Jesus is to learn to play great parts without pride and small parts without shame.

God is working His plan of redemption and has a part for every one of His children. From God’s perspective, each part is essential. As John the Baptist models for us, our response is to accept our part, and do our very best to fulfill God’s role for us.

Our roles in God’s play change over time. John the Baptist spent many years as a student, preparing for his role. The day came when he was the only voice for God in Israel. The scriptures tell of masses of people making pilgrimages out into the wilderness to hear John and to be baptized by him. Then the day came when God revealed the Messiah to John, and John’s role changed as he passed the torch to Jesus. John’s message to Israel may have diminished somewhat, but it only changed; it did not end!

I believe we all have similar experiences in life. As a pastor, there was a time when I was casting God’s vision for the congregation, when I was God’s voice to the congregation. Then a time came when my role changed; and I passed the torch to the next pastor. I no longer serve as the pastor of a congregation, but I still serve and do my part “to go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).

My Takeaway: Today’s passage is an invitation to reflect on my life. How well am I flowing with God’s plans for my life? Am I following His plan, His agenda, or am I pushing forward with my own agenda? As I ponder these questions I am comforted by Jesus’ final words in Matthew’s Gospel:

“And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age”

Matthew 28:20b

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Copyright © 2019 by Alex M. Knight

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

• Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

• The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.