TD Jakes - Knowing Your Role in the Kingdom
There are two different jobs: John the writer is one of the sons of Zebedee, described as the «son of thunder.» His mother, Simone, is said to be the sister of Mary, and John the writer is said to be a cousin of Jesus. Now we understand why he leans on Jesus' breast; he was a young protégé, younger than Peter and the others. That’s why he outran them when they went to the empty tomb—because he was young while they were getting older. That’s why he outlived them and ended up on Patmos writing, dying of old age; he was not martyred the way the rest of them were.
We’re talking about John the writer, who immediately in the first chapter introduces us to John the Baptist. What was it about John the Baptist that made John the writer write about him? Can I have some time with this? You see, John the Baptist is the one who introduced John the writer to Jesus. Saint John, the writer of this book, started out not as a disciple of Jesus Christ, but as a disciple of John the Baptist. So, John the Baptist was his first pastor, and he writes to us about the experiences and lessons he learned from him.
John the Baptist, who ate locusts and honey, the one in the funny clothes who ministered in the wilderness, broke the protocol and was not like his father; he did not serve in the temple but preached in the wilderness. John the Baptist was confident in his own skin. He had his own name set apart from all of his kindred, and none of them were called by his name. John the Baptist, his first pastor, knew who he was. He said, «I am not Elias; I am not the Messiah. I am a voice—just a voice crying in the wilderness.»
John writes to us about his first pastor, John the Baptist, and theologians agree that it was John and Andrew who were introduced to Jesus when John the Baptist was baptizing in the Jordan and said, «Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!» It was indeed this experience that caused them to follow Jesus. You will remember the text: they heard John, but they followed Jesus. That is something you need to understand: when the Gospel is best applied, they need to hear you but follow Jesus. They need to hear you, but they must follow Jesus. They don’t hear you and follow you; they hear you and follow Jesus. They heard John, and they followed Jesus. That text refers to John and Andrew. They heard John, but they followed Jesus.
In John 1:35–39, we begin to understand that John the Baptist pointed out Jesus at the expense of losing some of his own disciples. He was confident enough to be willing to suffer loss because he knew his role. Good God, have mercy! See, the problem in your office is: do you know your role? Did they ask you to comment on that? Did they ask you to fix that? The problem in most of our relationships is that people do not know their roles. John knew his role; he said, «I indeed baptize you with water, but there is one coming after me who is mightier than I.» And that’s where most of us lose it. We’re fine until someone mightier comes. We’re happy until someone prettier or smarter comes, and then we become frustrated. We stop being ourselves, trying to be them, because we compare ourselves to others rather than being satisfied with who we are.
But John said, «You’re not going to make me pretend I’m excited, and you’re not going to trick me into trying to be the Messiah. I am not the one; I am the forerunner of the one.» And there is one coming after me who is mightier than I, and I’m okay with it. There’s one coming after me who’s prettier than I, and I’m okay with it. There’s one coming after me who is more intellectual than I, and I’m okay with it. Knowing your role is all about being comfortable in your own skin and being happy with who you are.
Can I go deeper with this? When I came to this church and started pastoring, we were in magazines everywhere. By the year 2000, we were the fastest-growing church in America. People were coming in busloads to see our facilities; they called it the «smart church.» We were the fastest-growing church in America; everyone in Texas was talking about it. Until Daddy Olson died, and Joel started pastoring and built that stadium and filled it up, and the cameras turned to Houston. They got the title of the fastest-growing church in America. You know what? I was cool with it. I was comfortable with it. I’m still cool with it because there’s always someone coming along to do greater things. You have to be happy doing you. Until you learn to be satisfied with the gifts God gave you, you’ll never be strong enough to introduce someone greater than yourself.
You’ll never be strong enough to walk into a mighty room and be comfortable instead of competitive. You’ll never be strong enough to stop being envious of everyone else. John said, «The one coming after me is mightier than I,» and I’m okay with it because I know my role. I excel at preparing the way for what’s next. John the Baptist was so self-assured that Saint John wrote about him in his opening chapter because John the Baptist knew how to play his role. He said, «Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world! This is the guy right here who is coming after me; he’s mightier than I. I’m not even worthy to tie his shoes.»
And I’m okay with it. I’m happy to be me. You’ll never find fulfillment until you learn to walk in the joy of how you were created, even if you’re «quite lacking.» You’ve got to learn how to walk around happily and understand you’re doing what you were created to do. Whether you spread your wings like the eagle and soar in the air while the wind is beneath you, you can’t be looking down at the chicken, saying they want their eggs more than they want mine. Or even if you’re walking through the forest, occasionally spreading your wings like a peacock and catching people’s attention, even though you don’t fly at all, you know who you are.
John the Baptist knew who he was, he was happy to be himself. He said, «I am a voice crying in the wilderness. Prepare ye the way of the Lord!» I’m just a voice. My name’s not important; my degrees aren’t important; my background isn’t important; my pedigree isn’t important. I’m just a voice crying out in the wilderness, preparing the way of the Lord. Greater is coming, and I’m okay with it. Bigger is coming, and I’m okay with it. More is coming, and I’m okay with it. I won’t compete with your calling or your gifting; I’m happy to be who I am.
Here’s my final statement: John, who seems so humble, knows his role and is so cool being in it. He says, «There’s one coming after me who is mightier than I.» He’s talking about Jesus. Not long after he introduces Jesus, he fulfills his purpose and dies because he has done what he was created to do. That’s why you die: because you have fulfilled your purpose. And when he had done it, he died. The one who was greater, Jesus, is now preaching the eulogy of John the Baptist. Jesus, the one John the Baptist declared was greater, when he preaches John the Baptist’s funeral, says, «There is none greater, not sharper; there is none greater among all the prophets than John the Baptist.» How could Jesus say there is none greater than John the Baptist? John never wrote a book of the Bible; John never performed a miracle; John never parted the Red Sea. He was just a voice crying in the wilderness. Yet, Jesus says there is none greater than John the Baptist. What made John the Baptist greater is that he knew his role.