What Jesus Did! 'He Is Greater by Far' — John 1:30

Monday, January 19, 2026

[About Jesus, John the Baptizer said,] "He is the one I was talking about when I said, 'A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.'"
— John 1:30 NLT

Key Thought

What John says in this verse sounds kind of like a broken record. [1] John the Baptizer doesn't falter or fail in this testimony about Jesus. He remains faithful and true to his task of pointing others to Jesus. He praises Jesus' greatness and trumpets the need of all people to repent. [2] He tries to prepare hearts for the Kingdom of God. John the Baptizer shows us faithfulness over the long haul - faithfulness to God, faithfulness to the truth, faithfulness to his mission, and faithfulness to the Savior and his Kingdom. May such faithfulness be ours!

[1] cf. John 1:15, 22-23, 26-27.
[2] Matthew 3:1-2.

Today's Prayer

Father, forgive me for my unfaithfulness. Renew a steadfast spirit in me and rekindle my resolve to live faithfully for Jesus throughout all my days. In his name. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

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Illustration

Illustration of John 1:30 NLT — [About Jesus, John the Baptizer said,] "He is the one I was talking about when I said, 'A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.'"

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About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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