The Friend Of The Bridegroom

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INTRODUCTION

Intro to social media

We live in a culture obsessed with being noticed.

More followers. More influence. More recognition. More success.

Everything around us teaches us:

Build your platform. Protect your reputation. Make a name for yourself.

But the Kingdom Of God asks a different question.

Not:"How many people know your name?"

But:"How many people know Jesus because of your life?"

And that's where we find John the Baptist.

John 3:22–26

English Standard Version Chapter 3

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.”

CONTEXT

John's ministry has exploded.

He has preached:

"Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand."

People are coming from all over.

People are being baptized.

He's boldly declared:

"Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."

John is successful by every earthly measure.

Crowds. Influence. Attention.

Then something changes.

People start leaving.

Not because John failed.

Not because he sinned.

Not because his preaching got worse.

People leave because they're following Jesus.

And John's disciples don't celebrate.

They panic.

"Rabbi, that man you were with across the Jordan... everybody is going to Him."

The discussion started about purification.

But that isn't the real issue.

The real issue is jealousy.

The real issue is comparison.

The real issue is:

"We're losing what we thought belonged to us."

Johns response is why we are centering around thus text today

English Standard Version Chapter 3

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.”

POINT 1: Everything Is A Gift.

John 3:27

"A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven."

John understood something his disciples forgot.

Everything was a gift.

The ministry was a gift.

The crowd was a gift.

The influence was a gift.

The opportunity was a gift.

Here's the deeper issue

John was aware of his assignment.

His assignment was never: Build the biggest ministry.

His assignment was: Prepare the way for Jesus.

And that assignment never changed.

The audience changed.

The crowd changed.

The attention changed.

But the assignment remained.

Application

Some of us confuse our assignment with peoples approval.

You can lose an approval and still be faithful.

You can lose recognition and still be faithful.

You can lose influence and still be faithful.

The question isn't: “How many people are watching?"

The question is:"Am I still doing what God asked me to do?"

Punchline: God Calls you to be faithful, before he ever calls you to be successful.

POINT 2:PEACE COMES WHEN YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE

John 3:28

"I am not the Christ."

Nobody asked him that.

Why does he say it?

Because John knows comparison always tempts us to become someone we were never called to be.

Comparison whispers

Be more like them.

Have what they have.

Build what they built.

But calling says:

Be faithful to what God gave you.

Application

One of the reasons we're exhausted is because we're trying to live somebody else's calling.

Somebody else's marriage.

Somebody else's ministry.

Somebody else's life.

John has peace in this moment because he knew:

"I know who I am."

And just as importantly:

"I know who I'm not."

Punchline: You'll never have peace trying to be someone God never called you to be.

POINT 3 His Job Is Complete

John 3:29

"The friend of the bridegroom..."

This is where most modern readers miss the depth.

The friend of the bridegroom wasn't just a groomsman.

He organized the wedding.

Managed the celebration.

He carried tremendous responsibility.

But there was one thing he never forgot.

The wedding wasn't about him.

Protected the bridal chamber.

And when the groom arrived...

He stepped aside.

Not because he failed.

Because he succeeded.

Here's what John's saying

"My joy is complete."

Why?

Because the Groom has arrived.

Jewish listeners would've immediately understood something else.

Throughout the Old Testament:

Isaiah

Hosea

Jeremiah

God repeatedly calls Himself the Husband of Israel.

The Bridegroom.

So when John calls Jesus the Bridegroom...

He's making a massive statement.

He's saying:

The God we've been waiting for has arrived.

Application

The church is not our bride.

It's Christ's bride.

The ministry is not ours.

It's His.

The spotlight belongs to Him. The spotlight in peoples life should be jesus

Punchline: The goal ishould never be becoming the Bridegroom. The goal is faithfully introducing people to Him.

POINT 4:THE JOY OF POINTING PEOPLE TO JESUS

John 3:30

"He must increase, but I must decrease."

This isn't insecurity.

This isn't low self-esteem.

This is worship.

Notice:

John isn't depressed.

He's joyful.

His ministry is shrinking.

His influence is shrinking.

His platform is shrinking.

Yet his joy is growing.

Why?

Because Jesus is increasing in the lives of people.

That's the challenge of this text

Can we rejoice when Jesus gets the glory even if we don't?

Can we celebrate when God moves through somebody else?

Can we be okay not being the center?

Application

Every day we choose:

Who gets bigger?

My pride?

My preferences?

My reputation?

Or Jesus?

Punchline : Real joy begins when Jesus becomes the center of the story.

POINT 5 WHY JESUS DESERVES THE CENTER

John 3:31–36

English Standard Version Chapter 3

31 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.

Notice how the entire passage ends.

The camera slowly moves away from John.

And zooms in on Jesus.

John says:

He comes from heaven.

He speaks God's words.

The Spirit is upon Him without measure.

The Father loves Him.

Everything has been placed into His hands.

The climax isn't John's humility.

The climax is Christ's supremacy.

John's final sermon isn't: Look at me.

It's: Look at Him.

CONCLUSION

The disciples thought John's ministry was dying.

John knew his mission was succeeding.

Because from the very beginning...

His goal was never to gather people around himself.

His goal was to point people toward Jesus.

Maybe you've spent your life asking:

How can I become greater?

How can I be noticed?

How can I make an impact?

How can I matter?

John would answer:

Stop asking how to become greater.

Start asking how to make Jesus greater.

Because at the end of the day...

The most successful life isn't the one that draws attention to itself.

It's the one that points people to Christ.

FINAL CHALLENGE

This week ask yourself:

Does Jesus increase in my conversations?

Does Jesus increase in my decisions?

Does Jesus increase in my relationships?

Does Jesus increase in my priorities?

FINAL LANDING

BIG IDEA

Faithfulness is not making much of yourself; faithfulness is helping people see Jesus more clearly.

One day, nobody will care how many followers we had.

Nobody will care how big our platform was.

Nobody will care how much influence we gained.

The question will be:

"Were you faithful with the assignment God gave you?"

And like John, may we be able to say:

"My joy is complete."

Because people saw Jesus.

And that's enough. 🔥