The Picture/The Purpose

The story is told of a monk who joined a monastery and took a vow of silence. Once a year he was invited to appear before the abbot, and he was permitted to say one thing. After the first year when he was asked what he had to say, he replied, ‘The bed is too hard!’

At the end of the second year when he was asked, he responded, ‘The room is too cold!’

At the end of the third year he was asked the same question. He replied, ‘The food is terrible. I quit!’

At that point the abbot smiled with relief and said, ‘Thank goodness! Because you have done nothing but complain ever since you got here!

Complaining...hold on to that thought for a few.

I do not know about you but I have been enjoying the series on the Gospel of John. And as you can see, we will be looking at John 3:22-30.

We come back to a character that we saw in chapter 1, John the Baptist. It is here in chapter 3, that John give us a clear picture and a purpose for the modern church. When I am speaking about church, I am meaning both us as the temple and this physical building where we worship during the week.

The modern church tries so hard and does so much, if you would look at the scriptures, church was meant to be very simple. Like the Pharisees, we have gummed up the system so much that lost people look at us confused and frankly, scared.

Dani and I were talking about this when she saw a tiktok where a woman said that you are not allowed to say Hallelujah during Lent, because it diminishes the suffering Christ did for the 40 days before the cross.

I mean this will all the disrespect in the world, it is ridiculousness like this that makes my job so much harder.

Church is not meant to be a set of rules you jump through. If people would stop thinking they are smarter than the words written here in the bible, churches would see lost people come to Christ.

Let me explain what I mean by looking at our text for today.

Let’s start with John 3:22-23

John 3:22–23 CSB

After this, Jesus and his disciples went to the Judean countryside, where he spent time with them and baptized. John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water there. People were coming and being baptized,

Let’s pray.

Just in these two verses, we see two examples of the picture and purpose of the church.

Picture/Purpose

Baptism

Continuing the work/Sanctification

We have talked about and done several baptisms here at NEC. Today, I want make sure that we understand what baptism is and why it is important to the church.

There are three views when it comes to baptism.

The sacramental view in which grace is bestowed upon you when you are baptised.

The covenantal view where the baptism seals a covenant between the believer and God.

And the view we hold here at NEC, is the symbolic view.

This view stresses the symbolic nature of baptism by emphasizing that baptism does not cause an inward change or alter a person’s relationship to God in any way. When someone has made the decision to follow Christ. They believe He is the Christ and that he rose again, they go down in what is known as the believer’s Baptism.

Baptism is a sign, or an outward expression, of the inner change that has already happened in the believer’s life. It serves as a public deceleration that this change has occured.

We do this by immersion in water. It is to symbolize that the believer is laying down their old life and coming up new with Christ. It is a symbol of the death and Resurrection of Jesus.

This is one of the verses we use to indicate why we do it by immersion and not just sprinkling. Notice that John the Baptist had to find a place with enough water. It says that there was plenty of water there.

As I was studying this message, it caught me that John the Baptist continued the work he was doing even after he baptised Jesus.

John could have easily said...that is it, I am done. I did the job I was called to do. I pointed everyone to the Messiah. There is Jesus, now leave me alone. I can now eat something other than these locust and honey. I can wear the latest fashion, instead of this itchy hairy clothes. No more baptising these big ole people that splash around and drag me down with them.

No, he continued the work. Just because his supposedly job was done, he did not stop.

This is anoth beautiful picture and purpose of the church.

Just because you came up, repented of your sins, gave your life to Christ, went down in the waters of baptism...you still have work to do. Both in you and at the physical church.

here at the church, there is always something to do. Trust me, there is always something to do. If you are not sure what, get with Rod or Robert, they can guide you to task that can be completed.

What I really want to focus in on is something called sanctification.

Sanctification:

the process by which the believer is separated from sin and becomes dedicated to God’s righteousness, that which results in holiness.

This is just a fancy way of saying, you are not done yet. You need to pray, worship and study God’s word. The prince of pastors, Charles Spurgeon said it best...

The truth is the sanctifier, and if we do not hear or read the truth, we shall not grow in sanctification. We only progress in sound living as we progress in sound understanding. Morning And Evening, Page 372

Charles Spurgeon

The modern church has done a poor job of ensuring sound teaching. They say if you are a good person and you said the sinners prayer, you are good to go.

As your pastor, I am telling you, if there is not growth and dedication to God’s word in your life, is there really true belief.

So we have Baptism and Sanctification...now let’s get back to the complaining!

John 3:25–27 CSB

Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a Jew about purification. So they came to John and told him, “Rabbi, the one you testified about, and who was with you across the Jordan, is baptizing—and everyone is going to him.” John responded, “No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven.

One of the greatest tools the devil loves to use is the complaining disciple. The one who is never satisfied. The one who looks at other churches and gets church envy...where they say, we been doing this or that and now this church comes along and does the same exact thing and they are growing...they must be preaching to tickle the ears. And sometimes they are right, some of these bigger churches are preaching a watered down message, but we must see that it is not our kingdom we are growing, It is His Kingdom.

Picture/Purpose

Baptism

Continuing the work/Sanctification

It is His Kingdom!

Look, I want NEC to grow, I want to see every chair filled with butts on a Sunday morning and Wednesday evening, but I can not complain when another church that is preaching the Word of God grows.

Where the modern church gets it wrong is when they start to grow, they think it is because of the programs they have, the fine preacher they have, the good food at the fellowship. They stop being humble and the start thinking it is all about them and what they do.

John the Baptist understood this. His job was not done, but it wasn’t about him and his prophecy anymore, it was all about Jesus.

John 3:30 CSB

He must increase, but I must decrease.”

I can almost hear John’s disciples!

We loose sight to the fact that the physical church and you as the church is meant to rejoice over the lost soul coming to Christ...not worry if it is at our church or the church down the road.

Luke 15:7 CSB

I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance.

Our job is to rejoice...not complain.

Picture/Purpose

Baptism

Continuing the work/Sanctification

It is His Kingdom!

Proclaim the Good News!

The last point I want to make today is a point that is sourly lacking in the church today, evangelism.

Let’s look at John 3:29

John 3:29 CSB

He who has the bride is the groom. But the groom’s friend, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the groom’s voice. So this joy of mine is complete.

A little historical context here is needed. John calls himself the Groom’s friend. In modern terms, he is the best man. The best man’s job was to announce to the wedding party when the groom had arrived. Once that was done, the duty of the best man was completed. If the groom say never showed up, it was the best man’s fault. Probably drank too much wine at the other wedding in Cana.

So seeing this verse in that light, John was saying, I announced Jesus to the world, my joy is complete.

The church, me and you, are the bride for Jesus Christ. We can also look at ourselves in the best man position. We are called to announce Christ to the world.

We do this through living our lives through growth in God’s word, getting baptized, rejoicing over a lost soul coming to Christ, and by speaking His name to this world.

Guess what church? Christ is coming back. As the best man, we must announce His coming.

We must try to reach as many people with the word of God. This world is getting further and further from God. We must be light that shines his name in this dark dark world.