It's not about you
Notes
Transcript
Reading
Reading
John 3:22–36 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized (for John had not yet been put in prison). 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, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ 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. He must increase, but I must decrease.” 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.
Background
Background
This is the last pericope in a series displaying Jesus as Messiah to the Jews.
It is preparation for the famous encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well.
John 4:1–4 “Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. And he had to pass through Samaria.”
It is followed by two pericopes showing Jesus ministering to Gentiles.
Walk through Scripture
Walk through Scripture
John 3:22–36 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, Jesus had just been in Jerusalem with Nicodemus who rejected him at first. Now he and the disciples are taking to the countryside. and he remained there with them and was baptizing. again, John 4:2 clarifies that it was the disciples baptizing and not Jesus himself. Perhaps in the same way that Paul didn’t baptize because he did not want his administration of the baptism to become a distraction, I believe that Jesus did not administer for the same reasons. John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized (for John had not yet been put in prison). John the baptist is put in prison in Mark 1:14, that means that all of this happens beforehand. Mark places the start of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee while John is slightly earlier. Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. We aren’t sure what that discussion was about for certain. It is possible that Jesus was overseeing a baptism for the forgiveness of sins. The reason I speculate this is that he would have had the authority and in fact does practice this authority to forgive sins elsewhere in scripture. This would in fact cause a controversy. The disiples of the baptizer seem upset by the situation. Let’s read on. 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.”
John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ 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. He must increase, but I must decrease.” Story of bring Troy’s best man....It’s not about you.....Joy complete
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. He is ultimately supreme 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. In the same way that the Father has given the Son all things, so has the Son given us the church the Holy Spirit. 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. Later in his gospel chapter 14:6 clearly states that Jesus is the only way to eternal life with the Father; I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. Jesus is the eternal life with the Father, he is the way to that eternal life, and he is the very truth upon which eternal life is founded. The wrath of God remains until Jesus’ intervention. It is thwarted by none other than the Son.
As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. And David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him, so that Saul set him over the men of war. And this was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
John Piper says that Jesus is an egomaniac and deserves to be
There is none higher. You and I are to small a thing to be worshipped
Millions of people have worshipped something other than God....the sun…moon…fire…mountains…animals....made up idols....they have worshipped sex drugs and rock and roll....and ultimately they have worshipped self.
not from a place of discovery but from filling a need to worship. We are created to worship and we can’t help ourselves.
Jesus came to earth and said “worship me”!
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.