October 5, 2009 - Fullbacks

I was watching a football game last night and the commentators were discussing what a good job the running back was doing. The back had been benched the week before and had obviously got the message. He truly was having (and had) a great game.

The funny thing was that on one of his touchdowns we got to see it in slow motion from the perspective of being in the backfield. This is not to take anything away from the young man that scored, but the fact is the front line and the fullback created a hole for him that you could have driven a Mack truck through. They prepared the way for the running back. And even though the announcers mentioned the blocking, those guys that did the blocking remained faceless and nameless for the most part. They simply did their jobs without an issue of “ego.”

Biblically I think that John the Baptist was a great “fullback or lineman.” His job was very basic: prepare a “hole” for the Savior to “run” through.

John 1: 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

John understood it was not about him. Even when those around wanted to shine light on John he quickly reflected it to Christ.

John 1: 26 John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. 27 It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”

This past weekend I was privileged to share messages at a retreat about “The Character of a Christ-centered Man.” It was a great time at we looked in the Scriptures for qualities that should be true of us. One of the things we discussed is the fact that “character’ (unlike reputation) is something that is true of you even when no one is looking.

Therefore in my mind (and teaching) I went a bit farther to this idea of “reputation.” So I asked the question “What does a Christ-centered man look like?” This is a “reputation” question – what do other see?

My conclusion: The Christ-centered man is invisible. Guys like John the Baptist made it a point for people to see Jesus.

John 1: 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

And later John said this: John 3: 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

In your life – who is the center of attention? You or Jesus?

Be a great “fullback” and prepare the way for the Lord in people’s lives.