So
while John understood the importance of not getting in the 'way,' Jesus
recognized the significant importance of a man with a mission as John's.
Likewise, we all are
forerunners. We must recognize that our assignment is not without
significance for the kingdom.
1 Corinthians 12:27 [Amplified]:
27Now you [collectively] are Christ's
body and [individually] you are members of it, each part severally and
distinct [each with his own place and function].
There are
certain names that have gone down in history and
are synonymous with a daring feat or outstanding
accomplishment. When you
mention the name Michelangelo, thoughts of outstanding paintings fill
the
mind. The name Beethoven stimulates thoughts of a melodious
symphony. The
Wright brothers conjure thoughts of defying gravity. Anywhere you go
the name
Albert Einstein is synonymous with sheer genius. Regardless of the
field
of endeavor, these individuals have left a mark that cannot be
erased. They will live forever in the annals of history.
Among the many outstanding individuals that have graced the
earth is a man by the name William Wilberforce. Wilberforce was a
strong
antagonist of the institution of slavery, and fought for many grueling
years to
see it abolished. Even though he suffered a number of defeats,
which
spanned a period of twenty years, he pressed on to see his heart's
yearning
realized.
In 1807 after two decades, he experienced his
first
success when
a bill was passed to abolish the slave trade in the British West Indies. Although a step in the
right direction, "this statute,
however, did not
change the legal position of persons
enslaved before its enactment…"
Several
years prior to the enactment of this statute, John
Wesley had written an encouraging letter that proved to be of great
help to
Wilberforce:
"Unless the
divine power has
raised you up… I see not how you can go through your glorious
enterprise in
opposing that execrable villainy, which is the scandal
of
religion,
of England,
and of human nature….O be
not weary of well doing! Go on, in the name of God in the power of His
might,
till even American slavery (the vilest that ever saw the sun) shall
vanish away
before it"
Wilberforce
persisted till the end. He became the
forerunner to the emancipation of slaves and the abolishment of
slavery. In 1834, a year after his death, 800,000 slaves, mostly
in the British West Indies were set
free.
Etymology or root meaning of the word
'forerunner': Prodromos, an
adjective
signifying "running forward, going in advance," is used as a noun, of
"those who were sent before to take observations," acting as scouts,
especially in military matters…In
the NT it is said of Christ in
Hebrews 6:20,
as going in advance of His followers who are to be where He is, when He
comes
to receive them to Himself. In the Sept., Number 13:21, "forerunners
(of
the grape)"; Isa. 28:4, "an early (fig)."---(Vine's Complete
Expository Dictionary).
So forerunners are "those who are sent before to
take
observations." This is so crucial. Why? Because 'how' they see what
they
see determines 'what' they report back. Literally, the forerunner is
the
'animated tape player' for the one he precedes. In essence, he sets the
tone!
A forerunner is also synonymous with the word
foretoken. A foretoken is
simply something that serves as a sign of future
happenings.
This means a forerunner does not provide a full picture, but is simply
a
glimpse of what is to come. Another related word is advertiser.
Oftentimes, we see an ad before we handle the product.
The
forerunner
is an announcer.
The
forerunner is the first person one comes in
contact
with, and then one meets the person he precedes. He (the forerunner)
sets the
stage for the one to come after. From a position of timing and
sequence, the
forerunner appears to be more significant than the one he goes ahead
of.
However, when the one who emerges after him comes on the scene, the
forerunner's main assignment is now over. It is important to
note:
the forerunner is a part of something much greater than himself. Our
fathers are like forerunners to us. The
circumstances
under which they have brought us into the world either impact us
positively or
negatively. The stage they set either makes life easier, or
more difficult for us to live. Some have had it good, others not so
good. The
forerunner principle indicates that the
forerunner's
mission is to create an atmosphere conducive for the operation and
multiplying
impact for what will come after. So the whole idea is to create a
path
that makes it easier for the one who is to come: both quantitatively
and
qualitatively.
At the memorial service for
Archbishop Benson Idahosa held in Tulsa, Oklahoma,
a young evangelist got up to speak. What brought this man to that
memorial
service was both a trail blazed and a legacy lived. The evangelist
expressed
his gratitude regarding the deceased minister's impact on his life. The
young man
articulated how he had been ignored when he reached out for support and
encouragement from leaders he respected. He knew he had a call to
ministry.
The evangelist met the
Archbishop when he came to his church as a guest speaker. Taking
interest in
him, the Archbishop invited him to Nigeria. While there, he
watched
the Archbishop in crusades as miracles of salvation and healing swept
across
the large crowds. A passion that he did not acquire at home in America
was now
imparted to him abroad. At the end of that life-changing visit to Nigeria,
the
Archbishop turned to the evangelist and
said
“GO AND DO LIKEWISE!” He left Nigeria
with his dream restored. Today the ministry of this evangelist has
taken him to over 78 nations of the world preaching the gospel of Jesus
Christ.
Will we speak
positively into people,
not necessarily at
the peak of their performance, but even in the valley of their
self-doubt?
Provocative thought: Perhaps, you
are the one who needs someone to speak into your life. While you wait,
you can be speaking into the lives of others through what you already
know.
I
am convinced that our leaders, teachers, mentors, parents
and ancestors are our forerunners. They either succeeded or failed in
creating
a path of life for us to tread. All things being equal, we ought to
demonstrate
better results than did our predecessors.
John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus. Then
Jesus “increased” and John “decreased” (John 3:30).
This increase is not addition, but a multiplying
effect, the result of which is the Church.
End of Part One
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