John 3

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George bday 83.. serving since he was 13… 70 years..

The guide for Jesus…

Take someone with you

John 3:22 (ESV)

After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing.

Jesus went … (Go)

Remained Diatribo pic Rub together.. spent time with…

Jesus was guiding his men to be like him

John 3:23-24 (ESV)

23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized 24 (for John had not yet been put in prison).

Aenon pic Jordan River….

Were coming.... kept coming.. non stop line of people….

There is not competition

John 3:25-26 (ESV)

25 Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification.

26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.”

Jesus from Galilee.. now in Johns territory Sharks and jets..

Purification. ..why is it here? Is there an answer for this?

There is joy in being the guide

John 3:27-29 (ESV)

27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore, this joy of mine is now complete.

We are the best men the maids of honor watching the church cleasned by Jesus and pointing to him all the way

Vs 27

God gives you everything.

1 Corinthians 4:7 (NLT)

7 For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?

John realizes this….

John 1:8 (ESV)

8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

John 1:20 (ESV)

20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”

John 1:21(ESV)

21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

John 1:23 (ESV)

23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

John 1:27 (ESV)

27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”

You want Joy to be complete.. look at vs 29

John 3:29 (ESV)

29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice

Therefore this joy of mine is complete.

Stand be still

Psalm 46:10  (ESV)

10 “Be still, and know that I am God.     I will be exalted among the nations,     I will be exalted in the earth!”

Moses pharaoh Egyptians stand before the red sea

Israelites said you should of left us as slaves

Exodus 14:13-14 (ESV)

13 And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

hear his voice Pray read

Jeremiah 33:3  (ESV)

3 Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.

Matthew 4:4  (ESV)

4 But he answered, “It is written,

“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,     but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

rejoice worship

Matthew 15:8-9a (ESV)

8 “‘This people honors me with their lips,     but their heart is far from me; 9 in vain do they worship me,

Philippians 1:20-21 (ESV)

20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Joy is complete

God is more concerned about your holiness than yur happiness.

The best guide is a humble guide

John 3:30 (ESV)

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

He gave his life that I might live so I live this life that I might give

1 John 4:9 (ESV)

9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.

1 John 3:16 (ESV)

16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

Humility

Andrew Murray (Humility: The Beauty of Holiness [Christian Literature Crusade], p. 12) writes,

Humility, the place of entire dependence on God, is, from the very nature of things, the first duty and the highest virtue of the creature, and the root of every virtue. And so pride, or the loss of this humility, is the root of every sin and evil.

Humility starts with us realizing

Who God is and who we are

John calvin said

“Nearly all the wisdom we possess, that is to say, true and sound wisdom, consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves.”

We are in God’s presence

Everything we have is Gods vs 27 ..what john b said

John Baptist was guiding his disciples to be like Jesus

You want your joy to be complete become less in this world and let Jesus become more.

We need Jesus

Will you be a guide for Jesus?

John 3:31-33(ESV)

31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony.33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true.

Your Choice

John 3:34-35 (ESV)

34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Jesus shares Gods word and then gives the spirit abundantly!

The Father has given all to the son

Faith results in obedience

Your choice

Purification resolved.

Thank George.. George end pic

John 3:22-36 (ESV)

22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. 23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized 24 (for John had not yet been put in prison).

25 Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” 27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore, this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony.33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. 34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

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