Scripture to Read: Luke 7:28b–30
Jesus had a little more to say about John the Baptist in Luke 7:28b, “yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” Though John was great, John did not have the opportunity to be born again under the New Covenant since he was beheaded before Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. On this side of heaven, John never enjoyed the benefits of the New Covenant as recorded in Hebrews 8:6–13. That is why Jesus said that even the least in His kingdom are greater than John. As Christians, we’ve been given God’s Law in our minds and hearts. As followers of Christ, we are His children, we’ve been rescued from the kingdom of darkness, and God the Father has cleansed us completely of all of our sins, past, present, and even future (Colossians 1:13–14, Colossians 2:13–14). Charles Spurgeon said it this way, “The least in the Gospel stands on higher ground than the greatest under the law.” We have so much to be grateful for as followers of Christ. Then, God had Luke write this in Luke 7:29–30, “When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they acknowledged God’s justice, having been baptized with the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John.” What we see here is that those who had been baptized by John found it pleasing to hear the words of Jesus. But the religious leaders who never repented were rebellious toward Jesus due to their hardened hearts.
Challenge & Application
What all has Christ done for us as His children?
When you consider the gifts you have through Christ, how does that motivate you to share Him with others?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!