Imagine the simplicity of a road sign; it never draws attention while pointing us in the right direction.
John the Baptist was a road sign pointing us to Jesus.
Imagine you’re attending a wedding. The Best Man has an important job — he keeps the rings, offers a toast to the bride and groom, welcoming them to married life, and he makes sure things run smoothly.
But if the Best Man tried to stand at the altar and marry the bride, it would be a disaster. His whole job is to support the groom. John understood he was the “Best Man”, and he was perfectly happy with that.
Now, who is John the Baptist? We’re not told who he is, but who he’s not.
“And he confessed and did not deny; and this is what he confessed: ‘I am not the Christ.’” — John 1: 20
John the Baptist is not John the Messiah.
The Jewish authorities had sent a group of priests and Levites into the wilderness to ask John the Baptist who he was. Then they asked if he was Elijah and he said, “I am not Elijah.” Finally, they asked if he was the prophet and he answered, “I am not the prophet.”
If you’re driving along and you find a road sign, you don’t stop and worship the road sign. You don't hug the post and pray to it or stay with it.
You look at where the sign is pointing and you drive in that direction. John the Baptist was the ultimate road sign. His life, his words, and his fame all pointed in one direction — toward Jesus.
Finally, they had to have some sort of answer for the Pharisees who were waiting back in Jerusalem. So, they asked one more time and John said, “I am a road sign.”
John knew two things. He knew who he was and he knew who he was not.
Sometimes we baptizers and pastors are confused and come to believe that we’re the center of attention because we’re up front. We’re not! We, like John the Baptist, are road signs.
“ The next day he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” — John 1: 29
Jesus is not a road sign. He’s at the end of the road.
We have a problem — sin. And we look for road signs to send us to a place where we can find the answer to our problem.
Jesus is the answer to our problem with sin. He came, not to lighten our load, but to remove it. Jesus is the Messiah!
Think of a spotlight on a stage. John steps out of the light so Jesus can be seen clearly. Corrie Ten Boom tells the story of the donkey Jesus rode into Jerusalem and asks, “Do you think that donkey ever once thought all the palm branches and shouts of ‘hosanna’ were for him?”
You and I are called just like John the Baptist and John the Apostle to be road signs pointing the way to Jesus!
Charles “Buddy” Whatley is a retired United Methodist pastor serving Dawson Street Methodist Church in Thomasville, Ga. With wife, Mary Ella, they are missionaries to the Navajo Reservation.
