Decrease in Order to Increase

Intro:

Decreasing in importance and power is not a normal goal for most people. Athletes exercise and do drills to become stronger, fester, and better. They want to be the best. They don’t just hand over a position to someone else. They fight for it.

Musicians go through the tedious practice of scales and arpeggios day after day so they can increase their range, skills, and sound quality. They compete for spots in orchestras or audition for spots in bands. They strive for perfection. After they’ve earned those spots, they don’t give them away.

You push for promotions in your job. You strive for excellence and do your best everyday. When you make it to a higher position you celebrate the increase in pay, or status, or whatever perk you get. You don’t work to get demoted. You don’t work to have less or be less in your job.

In life when we go the opposite direction, we see it as failure. To decrease is to fail! However, in the spiritual sense, if you want to become greater, you must become less. you must give authority over. You must submit and follow another’s orders.

Often time when

John the Baptist was a man who was a cut above others. He was a mighty prophet whom the Jews respected. He baptised Jesus. He had an amazing following. He had many disciples. His position demanded respect. John knew there needed to be more Jesus, and less John.

The New King James Version Chapter 3

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.

Tempted to Compete

The scene opens up in the dirty, murky waters of the River Jordan at Aenon. Jesus is there with his disciples. They are drawing monstrous crowds. The crowds are electrified. People seem to be coming out from under rocks to see them.

On the other side of the river is John the baptist and his disciples. Their crowd is substantially smaller, but still respectable. It was definitely less impressive than Jesus’ camp.

Some of John’s disciples started to argue with a man about purification. We don’t know the specifics about that.

Then they went to John. John’s disciples saw the big crowd that Jesus was drawing. They told John, “Hey! Isn’t that the guy that you baptized. Look at this. Everyone is going to him and his disciples. Are you just going to sit there and let this happen?”

These men wanted the glory days back. They wanted the big crowds. They wanted the recognition. They wanted the spotlight!

Without realizing it, they were asking John to compete with the Messiah, Jesus. They wanted him take back all of the glory and fame that he had when they began following him.

Johns response to them was a joyful Good! His importance must increase. Mine must decrease!

There are times in our lives, just like John, that we are challenged by others or ourselves to compete with Christ.

Recently Morgan has been trying to network with parents that have children with 22q Syndrom like Noah has. Some networking, and a support system kind of thing.

We found one such person here in town with a little girl about the same age as Noah. We’ve gotten together for some playdates to get to know there family. That’s really good. It’s something we want to do. We’ve also had this parent ask, “How about we meet Wednesday evening at the park?” Sorry, we can’t do that. We have church.” “ Ok.” They say. “How about Saturday. “ Saturday comes…it rains. We can’t meet. That’s ok…How about tomorrow? Tomorrow is Sunday. Our family will be at church. I’m sorry. We can’t do that.

Something to realize is, it’s often good things that are wanting to compete with our relationship to Jesus. It’s a good thing for us to make those friends. It’s a good thing to have the resource and connection of another parent expereincing the same things. We want those things. But the worship and service of God has to come first. Our desires have to become secondary in this case. Less of my desire, and more of God’s.

You hear these messages in the world all the time. They sound nice too. Things like, “Just follow your heart.” I know you may be married, but your just doesn’t appreciate you like you should be. “Follow your heart.” “Do what makes you feel good.” “Do whatever it takes to get you where you want to be. To get that promotion. To get that new house.”

So many of these things are good things. Things that we desire. Things that aren’t wrong.

John and his disciples preached repentance. Through the preaching of John and his disciples people were brought to God. They baptised many people. They shared God’s truth. His disciples remembered how nice that was. They wanted it back. Those things were good. The only issue was they would be conflicting with Jesus’ ministry. John knew that wasn’t what the case should be. His purpose was to prepare the way for Jesus.

There are things that we want. Good things! That can come between us, and the ministry that Jesus wants us to have. It may be work. School. It could even be your family. I know how busy life gets. I know a lot of times Sundays are your only day off with your family. Make sure that family time includes church, and showing them the importance of worship to our savior and creator.

Like John we have to decrease our desires so Jesus can become greater. It’s also important to remember, that just like John prepared the way for Jesus in other people’s lives. You do the same too!

The Best Man

When John illustrated the point that his job was to work to the benefit of Jesus he chose to tell them about the role of best man. The role of best-man was different than it is now. It was a bit more involved. According to some scholars, this friend of the groom would act as Liaison between the bride and groom. He would relay necessary messages. He would in large part help plan the wedding, get out the invites. At the end of the night, the bride would go to her chamber to wait for the groom. The best man would guard the bride and watch and listen for the grooms voice making sure no imposters came in.

To be in this role is a great honor. As the man in that place you want things to go well for the groom. You take great joy when things finish and are a success. It is great joy to see the bride and groom together.

To be in this role is a great honor. As the man in that place you want things to go well for the groom. You take great joy when things finish and are a success. It is great joy to see the bride and groom together.

To be in this role is a great honor. As the man in that place you want things to go well for the groom. You take great joy when things finish and are a success. It is great joy to see the bride and groom together.

John saw that through God’s power, and use of John, Christ was successful and accepted as the messiah by many. In verse 29 he says “There this joy of mine is fulfilled. “ He saw his job as groomsman was complete. His work paid off. The transition had successfully been made.

John saw that through God’s power, and use of John, Christ was succesful and accepted as the messiah by many. In verse 29 he says “There this joy of mine is fulfilled. “ He saw his job as groomsman was complete. His work paid off. The transition had succesfully been made.

3. As a Christian, your part of your job is to play the role of best-man. Yshould making

As a Christian part of your job is to play the role of best-man. You should be making a path for people to come to Christ.

One of the things about being a best man is that you’re in it for the groom. Not yourself. When it comes to how things should be done at a wedding, you may feel you know better yourself. It’s possible you think, I’d never do things that way. It’s not about you. It’s about the ones being married. Their desires are the important ones.

We must be worried about what Christ wants out of us in our lives. We need to be seeking what he tells us we should do.

When you only do things your own way, you’ll end up making things difficult, and worse off.

I often have a hard time handing things over to people or asking for help. I don’t know if I feel like i’ll be a burden, they won’t do it right, they’ll think I’m incompetent. Probably a combination of all. just end up doing things my own way.

At the end of every school year in Crane, we had to clean all of the band instruments. There were dozens. Woodwinds, brass, percussion, all with several nooks, crannies, and buttons. When you have to clean 60 or 70 instruments it takes many hours. The head director knew this. He told me, “David, you need to call some kids and have them come help you clean these. Me and the other director, and some students will clean the stuff at the High School.” So me being me, I think to myself, “These middle school kids can barely clean themselves. How are they going to clean a $3000 dollar instrument?” So I do things my way. Where I have full control. Where I do it all alone. Where I spend 3 days going in early, leaving for home late doing it myself. By the end of it I’m in a rush to get done. I’m tired of it. I’m completely done, the only issue is, the instruments aren’t. So I do a sloppy quick job on the last few rounds. If I had gotten out of my own way, and followed the instructions of my boss, It would have taken me half a day. Everyone who cleaned would have done a good job. I would have had more time at home, and much less stress.

I didn’t though. Why? Because I insisted on doing things my way. The less good way. The ineffective way. My opinion needed to decrease. My boss’s opinion needed to increase.

John knew He wasn’t the Messiah. If he had stayed in the spotlight, he wouldn’t have been like Jesus. John would not save souls. He took joy in knowing that people were flocking to Jesus!

He took joy in knowing that people were flocking to Jesus!

We should want to see people flocking to Jesus. John understood himself to be sent to make Christ known and bear witness to Him. We serve the same purpose. We should make Christ known through our speech, our actions, the way we spend our money, the way we treat people, where our priorities are seen to lie. Like the best man our goal should be to work for the grooms benefit. Working for Christ, to make him known. People won’t see if you’re standing in the way though. You must increase his will, and decrease your own.

Conclusion:

The thought that we should put Christ’s heart and desires in front of our own doesn’t always add up to our minds. It’s hard to grasp? What good will that do me. I won’t amount to much if that’s all I do. Not to mention it’s hard! I can’t do it. That’s true. Not on your own. Christ has to take over. We are not strong enough to do this.

Paul said that in his weakness, God’s strength shows through. When we let Christ take over and rely on him to take care of things, His strength will show.

When you pursue his will over yours, you’ll find that you’re more successful in your Christian walk. You’ll find more contentment in life. You’ll find strength that wasn’t there before. You’ll find peace in turbulent times. You’ll find that when you decrease, your life will in fact increase. Christ said that he came to give life and give it more abundantly.

Even though in the world to decrease, is not seen as success. It is the only way to succeed as a Christian.

What better thing can you do than relinquish control over to someone who will take better care of you than you will. Someone who will do a better job than you can. You must decrease, and He must increase.