John the Baptist received the greatest compliment that Jesus could have given to a person who lived in the flesh. He said that John was the greatest of all prophets born of a woman. That’s a very high compliment considering that he was among the likes of Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, to name a few. These men were the hierarchy of all prophets to ever live on earth, and they prophesied the coming of the Messiah Christ. However, John prepared the way for the Messiah, Jesus Christ. And yet, when Jesus gave him such a high compliment, He clearly noted that John, being the greatest even with all He did, was still not as great as the one who is least in the kingdom of God.
Luke 7:28 I tell you, among those born of women, none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
What does this mean? John was a great prophet who prepared the way of Jesus by baptizing people into the water of repentance. The apostle Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” (Acts 19:1-6) John represented a great word that introduced us to the idea that Jesus was coming after him and would baptize us into the kingdom of God by fire.
Luke 3:16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but He who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and fire.
Jesus is the kingdom of God, and all those who abide in Christ, the kingdom, even the one who is least, is greater than John’s baptism into repentance. You can see this clearly in Teaching #57, Why Did Jesus Respond to Nicodemus This Way?
I often speak that Jesus is the better way. Another example is Teaching #73, Jesus is the Better Way. But here, in this saying from Jesus, it becomes clear again that He is teaching that being in the kingdom of God is a better way than just seeing the kingdom. John the Baptist showed us the kingdom of God was coming and prepared us to receive it by being baptized into the water of repentance, but by receiving Jesus, we enter the kingdom of God because we are in Christ, who is the kingdom.
Even the one who is least in Christ is greater than those still under the promise of His coming. Why? Because to be in the Kingdom is to be in Christ. Those who are in the promise are still looking for His coming. (If we put this in the flesh, we would say that Jesus has already come and resurrected, but if we look within ourselves, some may still be in a promise and need to have an experience with Jesus for this to be true in them. Everyone must have their own experience with Jesus, the kingdom of God.)
John was greater than all prophets; He was the prophet of the Highest. He got to see the Lamb of God, who took away the sins of the world and even baptized Him. But his ministry did not compare to the glory that was revealed in Christ.
Even John confessed that he was not the Christ but was sent before Him. He was a friend of the bridegroom that heard his voice and confessed that his joy was complete knowing that Jesus was finally here. And with that, he said now Jesus, the kingdom of God, must increase, and everything he represented must decrease. This statement is an admission that the kingdom of God is greater than he was. (John 3:28-31) I’m convinced John knew there was a greater place for us, so he prepared the way for us to experience Him.
What does this mean for us today?
Today we are not in preparation to experience the kingdom of God as if it’s a place that is coming. We are not even looking for it as a place we go after we die. The kingdom of God doesn’t come with observation, but it is here, in our midst, even within us. (Luke 17:20-25) How do I know? I know because Jesus is here, He is alive, and He is the kingdom of God. If you have experienced Jesus Christ, you have experienced the kingdom of God. Now all that’s left is to find your place in the kingdom and live free in the Spirit.