“When Jesus Becomes Greater”

Sunday Morning Service 19th October 2014

Intro:

Reading: John 3 v 22-30

25 A debate broke out between John’s disciples and a certain Jew* over ceremonial cleansing. 26 So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people. And everybody is going to him instead of coming to us.”

27 John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven. 28 You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.’ 29 It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the best man is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. 30 He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.

TITLE: “When Jesus Becomes Greater”

Imply: We read today one of the greatest things a human being ever said.

Vs 30

30 He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.

Read v 22-24

What two things are happening?

One group follows the last prophet of the Old Testament age; the other follows Jesus. Imagine some of the conversations among the disciples in each place.

Imply: First – John had disciples before Jesus had

Second – John didn’t stop baptizing after Jesus’ baptism

Third -Not Jesus but His disciples now also having baptizing people in the same river

JESUS DOESN’T DO CHURCH

John the Baptist: We look at the life of Hollywood, rich and famous.

Most everyone, believer and non-believer alike, has heard of John the Baptist. He is arguably one of the most significant and well-known figures in the Bible. While John was known as “the Baptist,” he was in fact the first prophet called by God since Malachi some 400 years before his own birth. John’s own coming was foretold over 700 years previously by another prophet. In Isaiah 40:3-5 it states:

John’s ministry grew in popularity, as recounted in Matthew 3:5-6: “People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.” We also see that he spoke very boldly to the religious leaders of the day, the Pharisees and the Sadducees, calling them a “brood of vipers” and warning them not to rely on their Jewish lineage for salvation, but to repent and “bear fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:7-10).

FOCUS: LEARN FROM JOHN’S WORD

The disciples of John were unhappy, uncomfortable, or probably a bit confused with what they’d seen and because they love John, they’d wanted to know and do something about it.

Read: “everybody is going to him instead of coming to us.”

Exposition: How did John respond?

The disciples probably expecting John to be angry, jealous, and responding with bitterness like most of us.

Imply: But instead He first responded like a person of understand, with peace, with knowledge, with awareness of what was happening and to Whom is happening too.

John knew that there is nothing he or anybody could do unless it’s coming from God alone.

ONE:

“No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven”

Question: Do we contribute anything good to our own salvation?

From the Bible's perspective, a person contributes nothing to his or her salvation. Salvation is a matter of faith that Jesus Christ is the resurrected Lord (Romans 10:9), and has nothing to do with works. While salvation is a free gift from God, it must be received by believing in Jesus. When you receive a gift, you do not expect to pay for it

Scripture is clear that Jesus is the one who has contributed everything necessary for salvation. He has paid the price for our salvation on the cross and now offers eternal life freely to those who will believe in Him by faith.

Illustration:

TWO

I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.

Exposition:

John was a godly man and full of grace.

This verse clearly show us that John understood his role as just a Servant.

His birth / His call / His

We sometimes forget the purpose of our calling

We allow our own the / prosperity / blessings / reputation / career / position to get the best of us and forget that a just a vehicle for Jesus to be manifest.

What does this remind us of (for example, in 1 v 26-34)?

There is a lovely irony here. They complain that “everyone is going to” Jesus to be washed—but this is exactly what John the Baptist wants them to do!

My job is to point joyfully to Him!

Read v 27

John the Baptist is talking about his job and Jesus’ job. You’ve got to do the job God gives you.

So what was his job? Read verse 28 and look back at John 1 v 19-23.

Now read v 29

John uses an Old Testament picture. God is the bridegroom and His people are His bride. So where does the best man fit in? He mustn’t try to get the bride for himself! No, his job is to be very happy when the bridegroom marries the bride. He’s there to help that happen.

Time out

John the Baptist speaks for the Old Testament, and its purpose is to point people to Jesus. So beware of anyone or anything that uses the language of altars, sacrificing priests, and sacred buildings today!

JOHN THE BAPTIST

While his ministry was gaining strength, John’s message was gaining popularity. In fact, it became so popular that many people may have thought that he was the Messiah.

There are several lessons we can learn from the life of John the Baptist. First, whole-heartedly believing in Jesus Christ is possible. John the Baptist could have believed in and worshipped any number of gods available to him before Jesus arrived on the scene. But at some point in his life John knew that the Messiah was coming. He believed this with his whole heart and spent his days “preparing the way” for the Lord’s coming (Matthew 11:10). But the road was not an easy one to prepare. Daily he faced doubters of various influence and popularity who did not share his enthusiasm for the coming Messiah. Under hard questioning from the Pharisees, John shared his belief: “‘I baptize with water,’ John replied, ‘but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie’" (John 1:26-27). John believed in the Christ and his great faith prepared him for hardships, but it kept him steadfast on his course until the time when he could say as he saw Jesus approach, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). As believers, we can all have this steadfast faith.

Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/life-John-Baptist.html#ixzz3GWsZctoT

THREE

30 He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.

The greatest challenge that John laid down not only for himself but for all humanity.

Exposition: The Goal for us is for Him to increase in our lives.

Understand what John is Saying here;

I must become less and less -

We pattern our lives after John’s by first examining ourselves to be sure we are truly in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). Second, like John, we are to know and believe that “to live is Christ and to die is gain”

Another words, Jesus must become known and manifest instead of ourselves.

Jesus must be praise with the talents and gifts that is granted to you by he Holy Spirit.

Illus: The World teaches us to live and be proud.

We have men and women whose names are becoming more recognized and famous than than the very name of Jesus.

Apply: Are we following the man or our own agenda. We can make it

Closing:

If you serve in a church, do you want people in any way to become attached to you, or to think you are someone special? Repent of this attitude and pray that through your Christian life people will fall deeply in love with Jesus.