Am I Small Yet?
Tony Schachle
Am I Small Yet? • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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SCRIPTURE
SCRIPTURE
22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized. 24 For John had not yet been thrown into prison. 25 Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!” 27 John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to 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 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
Daughter's first flight; watching planes look small from the ground beforehand
In the air: "Daddy... am I small yet?"
Wonder, not fear — smallness = proof of altitude
TRANSITION
TRANSITION
John the Baptist has reached that place spiritually.
He's not having an identity crisis.
He's having a perspective change.
The higher his view of Jesus became...
...the smaller he was content to become.
SETTING THE SCENE
SETTING THE SCENE
Jesus has begun His public ministry.
People are leaving John's ministry.
John's disciples panic.
"You're losing followers!"
Imagine telling a modern pastor:
Attendance is dropping.
Baptisms are happening somewhere else.
People like another preacher better.
Most leaders would panic.
John celebrates.
MESSAGE
MESSAGE
Small People Don't Compete With Jesus
26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!”
Small People Know Their Assignment
27 John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’
Small People Rejoice When Jesus Gets the Glory
29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.
The Greatest Sentence You'll Ever Live
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
APPLICATION
APPLICATION
Ask yourself: Am I small enough to...
celebrate someone else's success?
serve without recognition?
apologize first?
let someone else receive credit?
obey when nobody notices?
In ministry
It's not: "How many people know my name?"
It's: "How many people know His?"
At work
It's not: "How do I get promoted?"
It's: "How do I glorify Christ here?"
In marriage
It's not: "How do I win?"
It's: "How do I serve?"
The Gospel
Ironically...The only way to become great...is to become small.
Jesus taught exactly this.
The King became a servant.
The Creator became a baby.
The Highest became the lowest.
He humbled Himself...so that sinners like us could be lifted up.
CLOSING
CLOSING
Imagine the little girl still looking out the airplane window.
"Daddy...Am I small yet?"
Her father smiles. "No sweetheart… You've just discovered how big everything really is."
John would answer differently.
"Yes. Finally.
I'm becoming small…because I'm seeing how great Jesus really is."
CALL TO ACTION
CALL TO ACTION
Every day we have a choice.
Will today be about making my name larger...
or making Christ's name greater?
John leaves us with one sentence that every believer should pray every morning:
"Lord, let me become smaller today, so that You become greater in everything I say, think, and do."
