The Best Man | by Taia Colaitiniyara

God made mankind to be in a relationship with their neighbours. A man is blessed if he has true friends who will accompany him in many walks of life. 

When a young man comes of age and has chosen a life companion to be married, it is usually the tradition of normal wedding ceremonies that both the groom and the bride have two friends that are really significant in their lives as best man and bridesmaid. 

After the night of Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus, the Lord spent some time in Judea with His disciples ministering and baptizing. On another side of the country, John the Baptist continued his ministry with his disciples. Then there arose a question between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purifying.

They came to John asking, "Teacher, he that was with you beyond, to whom you bare witness, and baptized, has begun baptizing and all men come to Him." John's answer is the source of the title of this blog post. He simply said, "A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.  He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:27-30)

The Bible story is about a bride who lost her way before marriage and went trailing off on a rampage of sin. That bride is the human race and God is our Husband. For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. (Isaiah 54:5) 

Throughout the story, the groom and his best friend work together to rescue the bride from the pit of sin she has fallen into. The groom's best friend represents people who have been saved, called, and chosen by God to rescue others from sin. God give them this strong exhortation, "Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." (1 2:9-10)

Jesus gave the commission, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned, and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." (Matthew 28:18-19; Mark 16:15-16)

Jesus Christ has entrusted this work to His best friend here on earth. Like John the Baptist, the spirit of Elijah should permeate the soul of one who is sent. God gives the prophetic utterance, "I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." (Malachi 4:5-6)

Our work is the reconciliation of the lost with God, to act as bridges for people to be led to Christ. Our joy is fulfilled when Christ wins His bride back. If you're reading this, the call comes to you! Jesus said, "You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you..."