We have heard in these past sermons about the work of John the Forerunner. He plays a significant role in redemptive history. John himself is beheaded for speaking the truth to political figures. He does not see the death of His Lord, He does not see resurrection or ascension. But yet his role of preparation for Messiah was fulfilled so perfectly that He pointed his contemporaries to the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. And we are familiar with John’s motto: He must increase, but I must decrease. “Though Luke does not quote this saying, the early chapters of his gospel are written to illustrate exactly this principle. Luke tells about the greatness and miraculous conception of John (1:5-25), and then tells about the superior greatness and even more miraculous conception of Jesus (1:26-56). He tells about the birth, circumcision, and naming of John, which evokes song from a Jewish priest (1:57-80); then he tells us about the birth of Jesus, and angels fill heaven with song (2:1-14). John is the son of a priest who serves in the temple, but the Master of the temple is Jesus’ father (2:41-51).”[1]
John points us to the unmistakable greatness of Christ. This table points us to the perfect sacrifice of Christ for our sins, and when we eat of his flesh and drink of his blood, we too embrace the motto of John. We too decrease in humble submission to the Price of Peace so that He who lives and reigns must increase. Let us come to the Feast!
[1] Leithart.
