David Bahn – Reflections

John 3:22-36

After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. ²³ John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized ²⁴ (for John had not yet been put in prison).

²⁵ Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. ²⁶ And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” ²⁷ John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. ²⁸ You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’²⁹ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. ³⁰ He must increase, but I must decrease.”

³¹ He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. ³² He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. ³³ Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. ³⁴ For he whomGod has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. ³⁵ The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. ³⁶ Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Everyone knows that the Best Man at the wedding is really the second-best man – right?!? The friends of the groom are important, no doubt. But they’re not going to get the bride: she is reserved for the groom. I don’t mean to be sexist here; just stating a fact that John the Baptist knew when his disciples were worried that he was getting upstaged by the new guy on the block: Jesus of Nazareth.

But that was the point all along: John was a friend of the Groom, and I mean, “The Groom.” The Savior of the Church and the world is coming. John is making the preparations for him. When he arrives it is to be expected that he will take the spot light, and that the friends of the groom will do all they can to support, celebrate, rejoice with, and honor the groom.

So why do we ever worry about being up-staged by anyone? We are all under Christ. We all love and serve him. Our goals and purposes ought always to be united toward the honor of Jesus and the spread of this reign. If one of the other friends of the groom get out of hand, let the groom handle it – unless he or she is trying to upstage the groom himself. And even then, there are times for war and times for peace. Times to step in and times to wait. The main thing is to be a friend of The Groom. If you are, your place at the party is well reserved, and it will be a celebration like no other! Friend of the Groom? I am. How about you?