Welcome to the Jesus Image Podcast.

Matthew 4, verse 4.

Now obviously the Lord here is being tempted by the devil,

which, man, I wish I had the time to unpack this morning.

But if you look at the progression of the Lord's life,

here is Jesus, we can just back up a few, just a bit in the timeline of the Lord's life,

here's Jesus being introduced to Israel as the Lamb of God by John the Baptist, who takes away the sins of the world.

And notice that that is the first point of introduction from the best man, John the Baptist, and this bridal paradigm, who will decrease, as the

Lord increases, that's all marital talk. It's very bridal in nature. The typography there is similar to a best man in a Mediterranean or Middle Eastern wedding,

which I'm really familiar with.

And as the bride and groom connect, the best man is taken off the scene to a degree and it's the nature of

preparing the way of the lord it's not only a time to come but it is a habitual lifestyle to be the one

that fades away as Jesus is glorified.

Does that make sense? So it's not just a moment where that will take place, but it is a habitual

rhythm of life that as Jesus is glorified, we dissolve into the shadows.

Not because we're not valuable.

It's just the nature of preparing the way of the Lord.

Okay.

And so, I remember leaving Kona one time.

I was teaching at YWAM, and I flew back a few months later, and Andy Bird introduced me.

Obviously, it was a dear friend.

We had the joy of starting the send together, and we still work together.

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