Decrease to Increase

Decrease to Increase

John 3:22-30

Text: John 3:22-30 (mentioned x 3)

INTRODUCTION:

Heidi and I have been blessed to live in our house now since 2009. It is a twenty year old house but the location is awesome. When we first looked at the house, Heidi, did not like the house at all. She thought it was plane and kind of boring. But the selling point for her was the fact that in all of the neighborhood, there were a bunch of mature trees. They are fully mature leaving trees and they are beautiful. It was the selling point for her. BUT, there in lies the issue. These mature cottonwoods have a nasty habit of very aggressive roots. One of them was planted near the drain field of my sewer system.

This past year the system shut down. I had sewer water backed up to the lid of the septic tank and then the problem was very real. I had the septic system company come and tell me what the issue was and it did not take long for him to say, you have a root problem but let’s put this camera down the pipes and see if that is really what is going on. So, they took a long cable with a camera at the end of it and ran it down the pipes. Sure enough, as soon as the camera got to the area of the tree, the camera stopped. The tree roots had collapsed the lines.

I thought of two things, first, I would HATE to be the camera down there in the filth, and the second issue is although that trees was the selling point of property, it is sure going to cause me some serious money, time and frustration. After fixing it, it did not just cost me money, it cost two of my friend’s time, money and hard work as well. The cancer of those roots cost us all greatly.

This story reminds me of roots in our lives that have the same effect. There are “acceptable sins” in our lives that go under the ground that cause greater damage than collapsed pipes. The hidden sin we will discuss is so bad that it has been attributed to the worst actions in all of human history and I can guarantee that it affects every one of us to some degree. This is the very sin that pinned Christ to the cross. Today we see the cause and effect of envy and the result that envy plays in our hearts; the antidote to envy is He must increase, we must decrease.

In our text today we are going to break this section up into two main parts. The first part is the hidden root that is crushing, destroying and breaking the hearts and joy of the believers. The second part is the antidote to the poison of envy and the true result.

1. Envy causes discussions that question.

Open please to Genesis 3 and put your finger there. Now while you have your finger there, open to Revelation 21. That is a huge section of text we will be covering today. We will be here a while. You see, in all of recorded human history, envy is front and present. Envy has shaped, changed and corrupted the will of man and its poison runs deep into the hearts and minds of mankind.

John 3:25, 26:

Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, whom you bore witness-look, he is baptizing and all are going to him.”

There are some key notes when we are looking at this verse:

1. “discussion” means: questioning. The exact nature of the questioning is not know other than it was about the “purification”. Meaning a moral process. You can see the influence of the “Jew” stirring the pot. The moral question was a key instigator to the disciples to act in Envy.

2. The baptism that was happening was NOT the baptism of salvation because Christ had yet gone to the cross. It was a ceremonial baptism (remember, we talked about this back in John 1). It was a ceremonial act signifying the baptism of repentance. Not salvation.

Before we go further, have you ever been around someone who “discuss” something in a way that it is not a discussion but accusatory? “Hey we need to pray for…” It really is gossip. The word “discussion” is an act of “questioning”. We can GUESS the tone because look at the effects of these questions. The disciples of John the Baptist stumble and succumb to the spirit of Envy.

Please jump to 1 Timothy 6:3

“3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain”

A discussion to share and exchange ideas is very profitable. This is where the body of Christ grows and sharpens each other. But, that was not what was happening in John 3:25. It was very much a different type of exchange. The exchange in John was what was being demonstrated here in 1 Tim. It was unhealthy, it came from a craving for controversy, it created quarrels over words and look at what it produced! ENVY. And when Envy poisoned the situation, it created dissension and evil suspicions that resulted in friction.

Unfortunately, we can easily be quick to point fingers at these guys and say, “those guys, shame on them! After all, they had Christ right there! Why do that? Now hold on! Let me take you one step further. Have you ever asked a question/started a discussion that created immediate division? Even if that was not your intent, sometimes our discussions create a response that is rooted in envy and we thought it was just a simple question.

Okay, we have talked about envy but what is it exactly. Is it jealousy? Let me be clear. NO where in the Bible is Envy used in a good way. Jealousy is. God is Jealous for us. But, NO place is Envy good.

Envy: grudge; plur. where related to various advantages.

The key word there is BEGRUDGE.

Go to Mathew 20:15

ADD BACK STORY TO THIS PARABLE! GOD’S ELECTION, GOODNESS

15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’

Look at that word: begrudge:

an eye: (b) ὀφθαλμός πονηρός (a Semitic idiom/”cats and dogs” Words that are used to describe not necessarily what is going on.), envy, ill will, Mt. 20:15, Mk. 7:22; (c) met. ‘the mind’s eye’

Envy is a Latin word for “I look at them” it means “eyeing each other”. When Jesus is telling this parable in verse 20, he is saying do not let your eye be bad.

ANALOGY: I was in starbucks and a lady was sitting across the store from me.

One more example of how bad this is. Please go to Ecclesiastes 4. Solomon, observed something that I find alive even today. Why do people work so hard? We all like to say it is for our families, for our goals and for our health. Look, men were created to work, not stay home and play video games. And all of those efforts are good. But, what is the root of that work?

Look at Ecc 4:4

“Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man’s envy of his neighbor”.

Hear me when I say, Godly ambition is 100% good! But, are your discussions, efforts, questions, and desires an attempt to take control, challenge God’s plan for your life or others? Is our ambitions driven from a heart that is right? We will get into how to fight this poison in a few minutes but we can see its power here on full display.

I told you we were going to go through the entire Bible. Ready?

1. Satan fell from heaven because he “eyed” what God had: Envy

2. Eve was tempted because she saw that the fruit was good for knowledge: Envy

3. Cain killed Able because: Envy

4. Issac’s well were filled with sand because they envied

5. Joseph and him bragging about the dreams and coat: Envy

Look, I can go all the way through the entire book. But the worst is when a NON believing pegan sees it in “God’s people”.

Turn to Mark 15:10

“For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd …”

It is absolutely no surprise. Envy is the easiest to sell for the evil one. Think about this. How hard is it for you to see lust? How about murder, theft, lying or adultery. Look, those are mechanical. I can see that. Envy can even come across as noble, but you can see if it is envy or not by what it causes. It causes hurt, division and defensiveness.

Let’s go back to our main text of John 3:26

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.”

Allow me to highlight the effects demonstrated right here:

a. Envy caused the disciples to be blind: Who was it back in John 1 and 2 that John pointed to all along? Christ. Why couldn’t they not see this? Envy. Envy made them blind.

b. Envy created a jealous heart that gave birth to action. That action immediately crushed something that is always at odds to Envy: contentment. We will talk a lot about this in a few minutes.

c. Envy separates the body of believers. We see this play out in the progression of behavior. It starts with an attitude and then over time the bitterness overtakes the person and will eventually lead to murder.

d. All is an extreme word. It drew attention to the possible emotion.

And on this last one, I want to just pause and tell you, I can deal with mechanical sins. I can deal with things I can see, touch and fight. But church, this one right here is the scariest of sins because to be honest, it is the single most divisive and destructive sin in the body of believers. It breaks my heart to see it on display.

How many church’s fall? How many split over stupid stuff? How many prayers go unanswered?

James 4:1

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Church’s wonder why their prayers are ineffective? We are asking from a position of envy, pride. If MBC is to glorify God i.e. be successful, it is not the numbers of the people in the seats, it is the hearts of those who are here now. If MBC is to be successful in this community, in this state, it is in the hearts of you all.

I am reminded of the pastor who stood up in front of his congregation and shared that we are starting a building campaign! We need 10 million dollars and the good news is the money is here today. It’s in your pockets.

I want to change that. Melba Bible Church, we are starting a building campaign and it starts in your hearts. I don’t care about your money, I care about your hearts. If we are passionate about eradicating Envy, we will not be separated. Our prayers will be heard, our efforts will be right in the eyes of the Lord and we will see clearly the direction God is directing.

2. The cure for envy is knowing our place.

But pastor, how do I cure envy?

Envy is a cancer that requires immediate and swift medicine. It is a disease that if treated early with the most aggressive of treatments, can be managed. But, the pills are at times very hard to swallow. To be 100% clear, getting these pills down are impossible without help. To get a clear understanding of what I am talking about, let’s look at how John the Baptist responds to his own followers.

John 3:27-28

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

In John’s response we see the needed medicine on display.

A. We cannot receive anything except from above.

When we know where “it” the blessing of what we have comes from NOT us, it gives the right perspective on what to get fired up about. It crushes the desire to hourd, or protect when it isn’t ours in the first place. The issue is that we default to thinking that the blessings are due us instead of recognizing that the blessings are an undeserved gift to begin with.

What Johns recognizes here is that even the few that followed him at the first were actually NEVER his to hold onto! “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given…” that given there naturally implies that there is a giver. That giver is from above who owns it all. Jesus Himself challenges us to realize that what John the Baptist was doing was FROM heaven. When challenged by the pharisees about His authority he asks his own questions in Mat 25 “25 The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?”

John and Jesus recognized that his baptism ministry was from heaven, not man. When we recognize that our blessings, position and ministry are NOT from us it changes our priorities in ownership.

B. What we have is not ours to fight over.

When we recognize that the ownership is from heaven, it changes the fight. Is it worth fighting over whose baptism was more effective, more valuable, or impactful? That is what John’s disciples were concerned about. Please allow me to make this a bit personal.

ANALOGY: “how's the church going”

When I respond, I have to remember that MBC is not the center focus. It is not the end goal. The end goal is something far greater and far more important to the world than what we think. The greatest importance is found in John 3:29

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.

C. There is Joy being the friend of the groom (contentment) (1 Tim 6:6,7)

The most powerful pill/medicine to envy is found in contentment in the bridegroom. That bridegroom is what it is all about! That bridegroom is what the wedding is all about. I know that flies in the face of today’s understanding of a wedding. Today it’s all about the bride. It’s all about what the bridezilla wants and who cares about the groom. That is 100% opposite in this situation. In the Word of God, it’s all about Christ. It’s all about Christ loving the bride (His church). The friend of the groom is the best man NOT the man.

John says, “friend of the groom”. Is a reference to:

Judges 14:2020 And Samson’s wife was given to his companion, who had been his best man.

John is saying, I am the best man, not THE man. I am second, He is first. This understanding brings with it contentment.

1 Tim 6:6,7

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.

Contentment in the bridegroom is “great gain”. Meaning in the context to the verses in 1 Tim, it is the opposite of envy and a pill that crushes the power of envy. The great gain is an indicator of the great light that is in us as believers that we covered last week. That light is the Love of that Bride groom and His love in us.

Col 3:13

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

All of this love is impossible except for the last and final point today. If we were to drill down the entire text of John 3:22-30, the entire message is summed up in 7 words.

3. HE MUST INCREASEAND WE MUST DECREASE. (HP)

A. The bride and Groom is the center stage. We have spent all of John 1-3 on this simple but powerful point. John 1:1, Christ is Word, who was with and is God, all things were created through and for Him in John 1:3. He is the Lamb of God as a propitiation for the payment of our sin in John 1:29. He calls His beloved out of the masses and in John 2 He is king of the temple (physically and spiritually) in John 2:13-17, the king who cleanses and drives out sin. In John 3 he is one to believe in and the ONLY way to be born from above. He is the one to be elevated and the source of salvation for the lost in John 3:15. He is the conduit of God’s great love in 3:17 deflecting the justified condemnation of God’s justified wrath. He is the light that we rest in and the source of our spiritual birth in John 3:20-21. In three short chapters, we see the importance of the groom. But, His importance is NOT just in John. His importance and value is more than what three short chapters capture.

B. We need to rejoice at His voice. WE MUST do what John is doing. We must rejoice at the sound of His voice. But pastor, how do I know what his voice sounds like? READ HIS WORDS and you will hear Him. Obey His commands in Love and He shows us how to overcome the grips of sin.

1 John 5: 1-3: By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome

D. He must be Increased as we decrease.

In your life, is he increasing and you decreasing? During the believers life, our walk should look less like ours and more like His. I hate hearing, “Jesus wants a better version of you”. NOPE, that is not it. Jesus wants a different you. Meaning, if you think there is ever a “better version of you out there”, that must mean a more effective way of hiding the sin of envy. How about being a completely new creation without the power of envy in you?

2 Cor 5:14

14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

I would rather give control of my life completely to the one who can replace my sin with HIS great love then me try and do this better. I would rather surrender the envy, pride and hurt to the father then me try and gut it up and do it on my own. Freedom from envy is solely found in the Love of Christ and that Love in us.

Romans 12:9-21

9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.

Look, “outdo one another in showing honor”. I’ll add LOVE in action.

ANALOGY: Taking the wrong medicine

The ONLY medicine to fix the issue of envy is for us to decrease and HE increase. Trying any other approach is like taking the wrong medicine for a chest cold.

THE UNBELIEVERS ASIDE:

Envy is the way of the lost and it is the destruction of the human heart. The cure is not holding onto what you think you own. It is recognizing that the story is IN the bridegroom, Christ. If your heart is not right (regenerate) then there is no cure for envy. A non-regenerate heart sees no hope for fixing this. Remember what I said “regenerate” means? Regenerate means God has changed your heart into one that is new. A heart that wants to hear that He is the way and truth and the light. No man/woman comes to the Father except through Chrsit Jesus, the bridegroom as John the Baptist says. The only way out of this sin, guilt and shame is IN Christ and Christ alone. But, if you are saved, there is freedom from this. Call out to Christ. He is faithful and just to hear your call and forgive your sin.

CONCLUSION:

Envy has been involved in human existence since the day and angel of God desired and wanted what only God had. It costs relationships and makes us spiritually blinded. The cure for envy is knowing our place in Christ. Knowing this will make Jesus increase and us decrease. If you would like an in depth study on “envy” I am going to direct you to a great 4 part sermon series by Pastor Mike Fabarez from Compass BIble Church.

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