Resist Envy By Acknowledging Christ

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John 3:22–30 (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.”

Opening Prayer

Setting the Stage

This is the fourth section that points out the ways in which Jesus fulfills and surpasses Judaism.

The Wine at the Wedding

Jesus replaced the water used for purification with wine.

Which points us to the truth that Jesus fulfills the ministry of the Law by fulfilling it...

And the condemnation that comes from the ministry of the Law...

Has been replaced by joy in the work of Christ.

In Christ, purification is no longer necessary because we have been forgiven and made righteous by Christ, forevermore.

The Temple Cleansing

Jesus cleanses the Temple and points to the fact that He is the true Temple of God.

The temple was a Mediator between God and man.

The temple was the place in which mankind was allowed to interact with God.

It was a symbol of the presence of God and the access we can have to Him.

Jesus stated as proof of His divine authority...

Tear this physical temple building down and in three days I will raise it up.

Speaking of His resurrection and the fact that He was the fulfillment of the Temple...

The true Temple of God.

The true Mediator between God and Man.

We now have full access to God through Jesus Christ.

The Conversation with Nicodemus

In this conversation, Jesus tells Nicodemus of His divine authority...

And, that He is the Seed who will bring the new covenant blessings, including spiritual circumcision (new birth)...

And, that He is the ultimate fulfillment of the snake lifted up in the desert.

Now, we come to this fourth section in which Jesus is shown to be far superior to John...

And, any baptism or rite of purification he can present.

John the gospel writer brings us back to John the Baptist to see that in the light of all this truth regarding Jesus...

John the Baptist maintains his unwavering support.

John the Baptist is still Pointing People to Jesus.

Let’s look at the Passage

John 3:22–24 (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).

So, Jesus has left the more populated urban areas of Judea, like Jerusalem...

And has gone out to the less populated rural areas.

It seems that for a short period of time Jesus and John were both baptizing...

Although, we know from John 4:2 that it was actually Jesus’ disciples who performed the baptisms and not Jesus.

Nonetheless, Jesus and John’s ministry ran parallel for a short period of time...

Until John was arrested.

John 3:25–28 (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.” 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.’

So, a Jew was discussing purification with some of John’s disciples.

We don’t know what was said. We don’t know what the sub points of the discussion were.

We just know they were discussing purification.

It seems that something in that discussion turned John’s disciples to set their minds on Jesus.

It’s interesting and insightful to see their comment to John.

John 3:26 (ESV)

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(you need to know), he is baptizing, and all are going to him.”

It’s hard to believe that these disciples don’t know Jesus’ name.

John has been faithful to testify about Him...

To point people to Him.

To proclaim His name and that He is the Christ.

It’s obvious from what John’s disciples say and from John’s response to them that...

John’s Disciples Weren’t Happy

What we see in this text seems to be a resentment in John’s disciples...

Such a resentment that they won’t even speak His name.

We also see envy in the disciples.

John 3:26 (ESV)

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.”

We know that not everyone was going to Jesus...

John 3:23 (ESV)

23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were (kept)coming and being baptized

But, think about John’s ministry...

He was calling for people to repent...

To prepare their hearts for the Christ...

And, then pointing them to Christ...

To go to Christ and unite themselves to Christ.

There is envy in John’s disciples words.

The crowds were larger around Jesus than John.

The crowds were not as ample as they used to be.

And, this caused these disciples, who seem to be dangerously loyal to JB over Jesus, to be envious.

Envy caused the over-exaggeration of Jesus’ crowds and the under-exaggeration of John’s in John’s disciples statement.

Exaggeration to express their envy and entice John to be envious, as well.

And, make no mistake, envy is what caused the resentment.

Let’s think about this...

A Danger we see in John’s disciples that we succumb to as well:

Envy

—>Envy will get us off the path that God wants us on quickly.

Listen to this definition of envy.

Envy is a sin that causes us to feel resentment or anger or sadness because another person has something or another person is something that I want for myself. Envy makes me aware that another person has some advantage, some good thing, that I want for myself. Additionally, envy makes me want that other person not to have it.

So, there are three elements to envy:

Discontentment

not satisfied with God’s providence

Covetousness

wanting what God has given someone else

Lack of Love for Others

wanting them to lose the good gifts of God

Envy makes me feel like the loser.

Envy makes me want to be the winner.

—> At the cost of the other person losing.

And when envy drives us to win, we lose because we become prideful because the path to obtain the win was with sinful motives.

Envy causes me to sinfully compare myself with people that are similar to me.

And, rather than rejoice at the goodness of God in other’s lives...

I resent them for having things I don’t have...

And, it puts a wedge between me and someone that I would typically be able to have a deep and meaningful relationship with.

Oh, how often, rather than be happy for the blessings others receive and enjoy...

We envy that we do not have it...

And if we cannot have it we’d rather them lose it.

We try to keep all of this as an issue between us and someone else...

But, the reality is that it is that envy and all three of it’s elements are all aimed at God.

Discontentment is ultimately being dissatisfied with God and His wisdom and His providence and His care.

Covetousness is similar but it is saying God is not right or wise in His providence towards the other person as well. God made a mistake and gave to someone else what really belonged to me.

Lack of Love towards Others is rejecting God’s command to love your neighbor as yourself. And, if you want what your neighbor has at the cost of them losing it, you’re not loving them. And, underneath it all is a desire that if you had it, you would want others to rejoice in your having it.

Now, let me take all of this truth about envy and relate it to how it does what I said earlier...

Envy will get us off the path that God wants us on.

When we are envious it causes us to drift away from God.

It causes is to be slow to acknowledge God.

And, this is unhealthy for anyone.

And, we see it in the disciples of John...

John 3:26 (ESV)

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.”

They knew the name of Jesus.

—> But the envy in their heart kept them from saying it.

They knew that John was pointing and sending people to Jesus.

—> But the envy in their heart was keeping them from going to Jesus.

This is what sin does it keeps us from acknowledging Jesus.

And, we, as Christians, fall into this sinful trap...

And we need Jesus to lift us out.

We need the church to help lift us out.

Because the church is the ordained means of God to minister on behalf of Christ to one another and the world.

I think John’s disciples may have felt that the ministry of John and His and their service in ministry obligated God to bless them.

Obligated God to sustain and grow their ministry.

And, with more and more of John’s followers moving over to follow Jesus...

They felt let down by God and it created envy in them.

They forgot the truth that the ultimate blessing of doing ministry is not the fruit of the ministry...

But, the One whom we serve in ministry.

The thought that we can actually serve God...

And, that our serving is accepted by God...

Should astound us and cause us to rejoice in worship.

We, like John’s disciples, easily stray into the mindset that if we serve, God should be astounded and obligated to bless.

The Solution to Envy

John knows it. John is resting in it.

John 3:27 (ESV)

27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.

John is resting in the sovereign, providence of God.

He is resting in the goodness of God ordained differently for each person...

And, specifically designed for our ultimate good.

If what we receive has come from God’s hand...

And God is all-knowing and all-wise...

And God is all-powerful and no one can restrain His hand in giving us what will be/is ultimately best for us...

Than our situation in life should be filled with contentment rather than envy.

Worship rather than complaint.

Overwhelmed by His goodness in His blessings to us rather than envious of others’ blessings.

John 3:28 (ESV)

28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’

John reminds his disciples that not only can we not have anything but what God gives us...

But, we cannot be anything more than what God has ordained us to be.

The disciples were saying it’s you, John that should have the spotlight.

It’s you that should have the greater following.

You were first.

And, John says, I’ve told you that and everyone else that I am not the Christ.

The spotlight, the glory, the worship, the praise is not for me to have...

It is for the Christ…who is God in the flesh.

And, to top it off…John says beautifully...

I have been sent before Him.

In this phrase is the understanding that the one sent to represent can only represent/do what his Sender’s purpose intends for Him to do.

I am fulfilling my purpose and that purpose is to point people, lead people to Jesus.

For Him to receive the glory, praise and worship.

John’s Parable

John explains his role in the grand scheme of the Kingdom of God by using a parable to help his disciples understand.

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 now complete.

In the OT, we see the faithful to God depicted as the bride of the Lord.

John is pointing to the Kingship of Christ as the Groom & Messiah to His people.

The role of the current equivalent of the “Best Man” was to make the preparations for the Groom.

The joy of the Best Man was to see the ceremony proceed without a problem...

And, seeing the Bride and the Groom united.

The fact that people are flooding to Jesus brings joy to John...

The Best Man has served his purpose...

And, this brings John great joy.

To serve God faithfully and complete the purpose God gave him in ministry.

And, John understands this and concludes...

John 3:30 (ESV)

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

John has told all of his hearers, the marks of the One to look for...

The quality and character of the One to put their hope in.

He has pointed the crowds to the Lamb of God.

Now that the preparations have been made for the Groom...

And the Groom has been introduced...

The Best Man steps away.

The Groom now takes over.

The Groom now fulfills His part.

And, we see as we go through the gospels...

That Jesus unpacks the riches of His new covenant...

That He will obtain by His life, death, and resurrection...

And, that those who put their faith in Him will fully enjoy.

Let’s think about this...

When the temptation to envy comes your way...

How will you handle it?

Will you convince yourself it’s just between people?

Will you deceive yourself by telling yourself that envy is unrelated with your relationship with God?

Will you exaggerate circumstances to justify the envy in your heart?

Or will you, like John, acknowledge the goodness of God in your life?

Will you acknowledge God’s sovereignty over your circumstances? Will you rejoice for the good favor of God on your neighbor?

Will you praise God for His infinite wisdom in your circumstances?

Will you believe that He loves you and is caring for you in ways that you do not have insight?

Will you believe that He is carrying you to a good end?

Oh, the lessons we can learn from John...

To be able to comfortably say with joy...

Christ must increase and I must decrease.

Not my will be done but Yours, Oh, God.

Closing Prayer