John 3:22-36

When we began our study a few weeks ago on the Gospel of John, we saw the author (John the Apostle) emphasize from the get-go the Diety of Christ (John 1:1)... Last week we finished a two part conversion that Jesus had with a pharisee Nicodemus where he tells Nicodemus that you must be born again to enter Heaven and then gives him what is the greatest summary of the gospel in all of scripture in John 3:16… Jesus had since been baptized and that lands us in verse 22 of Chapter 3 of the Book of John.

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 (ee-non) 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 one thing that is different about the Book of John from the other gospels, the synoptic gospels, is that John is not concerned with giving us the chronological timeline of Jesus’ life as the other gospels do.

His intent is to articulate the eternal significance of the coming of Christ, his diety and his finished work on the cross for our salvation.

Now remember…Jesus and his disciples had been staying in Jerusalem (Judea proper) which is where Jesus had the conversation with Nicodemus the Pharisee and now notice in verse 22 that John is detailed enough to tell us that Jesus and the disciples move from the city to the countryside of Judea, and began to have his disciples baptize there.

And it is here that I want us to make note of something…and that is the intertwining of the Lives of John the Baptist and Jesus.

Listen...John the Baptist is not just another historical person in the account of the gospel, but is directly contrasted and related to Christ.

John was the witness - Christ is the light (1.7-8)

John 1:7–8 (ESV)

He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

John was the voice - Christ is the Word (1.14 , 23)

John 1:14 (ESV)

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:23 (ESV)

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 baptized with water - Christ baptized in Spirit

John 1:33 (ESV)

I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’

To miss this... is to miss the significance of the role that God meant for John to play - God created him to be the mouthpiece of the Messiah... and He died, he was beheaded, for fulfilling that purpose.

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.”

Now…if this don’t sound like a baptist church then I don’t know what does....

Just a few short days ago John proclaimed Christ as the Son of God… Then Son of God is baptized by John in the Jordan River, which is followed by God speaking from Heaven solidifying the diety of Christ, with the Holy Spirit descending upon Christ as a dove...John’s disciples and a multitude of people stand in astonishment watching all of this … and now in verse 25-26...

Those same disciples got a problem because more people are begin following Jesus than are following John.

You know there are some people, they is some folks, who are always right on the edge.... of having a problem! LOL

Some people (you may be one of them) are always looking for points of disagreement, because they are unhappy about the fact that the world has ceased to revolve around them and they are not getting things that they want...

That is where we find the hearts of John’s disciples in verses 25-26

Let’ see how John responds...

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 verses 27-28…John ends the argument by focusing on and making known his devotion to Christ.

Read verse 27-28 again....

You know that their were some zealous people who were absolutely displeased with the answer of the baptizer.

In fact, later on in scripture we read that even after his death, that there were a number of people who continued to follow and promote the teachings of John rather than join those that followed Christ.

That doesn’t say a whole lot about what they thought about their leader…they only followed him when they liked his advice or his witness…which is not following at all....they missed it!

Listen…in the same way today…there are people who really struggle with jealously…who really struggle with seeing someone else (especially someone they don’t care for) succeed, who struggle with someone else getting more attention or notoriety than them, or being better than them in some way or being more influential or affluential than they are for some reason....

John destroys that mindset, that heart…when He says, “It’s not about me…It’s about Him!”

I love what he says in 29-30...

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.

So first off John uses the marriage tradition of the Jews to make his point…which is going to be pretty awkward for us here today and if it’s not awkward then we need to run a background check on you before you come back next Sunday…Ok!

… in Jewish tradition the bridegroom would select one or two of his closest friends who would escort the bride to the bridegroom’s marriage chamber and then wait outside the room or tent for the bridegroom’s shout, signifying that the marriage had been consummated.

Those friends would then certify with the guest of the wedding that the consummation of the marriage had taken place and the festivities could begin or continue.

But the point of the illustration is that John gladly accepts his role as the friend of the bridegroom.

John is elated that people are following Jesus.... but then look at what he says to his own disciples in verse 30...

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

There is a lot wrapped up in this verse

Number 1…John has served as a literal bridge between the old era of Israel’s prophetic voices and the new era of Jesus as the agent of salvation.

There is a change coming quickly.

Number 2…John is facing the reality that life is about to change…and he will not serve in the same role that he has for so long, but is committed to give all that he has to God no matter where life takes him.

Number 3…there is a willful submission is the heart of John the Baptist.

He joyfully and willfully submits all that He is to Christ.

Jesus’ testimony of who he was is trustworthy because he came from Heaven and spoke of what was there. His words were the very words of God. He is the Word.

And your whole spiritual life hinges on your answer to one question, “Who is Jesus Christ?”

John was convinced that he was the Christ…the son of God…the Messiah and savior....who has lived and will continue to live forever.

And it is only when we understand who Jesus truly is…that we are compelled to believe and do what he said.

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.