A couple of Sundays ago we started a new series in the book of John.  After the beautiful prologue describing how Jesus is the Preexistent Word who created and who is the light shining in the darkness, there is a startling narrative.  Priests and Levites came and interrogated John about his identity, and later some Pharisees joined in.  They weren’t there to be baptized, or to become John’s disciples, but rather to make sure that their own power structures were preserved.    Some believe that John the Baptist was an Essene (or at least influenced by them).  The Essenes were a desert dwelling sect that was generally against the temple and religious structure of their day.  The Priests and Levites seemed quite concerned about the growing number of followers that John the Baptist was gaining.  

Yet John the Baptist viewed himself as merely a pointer, one preparing the way for someone greater.  When Jesus showed up and John’s disciples began to leave to follow Jesus, John is known for saying “I must decrease that he may increase.

I sometimes think that churches and Christians get into the power game, much like the priests and Levites.   The fear of losing control actually sets them up against the thing that God was doing.   What would it look like if rather than trying to always be the ones in the limelight or leading the pack, we were merely pointers to Christ and the current work that God is doing?