Decrease to Increase

Introduction

I was in a small group recently with a few gentlemen and we were challenged with this idea of fighting for something that we believe in. Not just fighting, but actually potentially dying for something that we believe in.

In fact Martin Luther King had this quote, which I believe is pretty challenging.

If a man hasn’t discovered something that he will die for then he isn’t fit to live -Martin Luther King Jr.

The movies, stories, or images that inspire us the most are the ones where someone takes on some sort of goliath that is standing in their way because they believe there is more. They believe there is more freedom. They believe there is more good and so they fight and willingly lay down their life for this belief.

It makes me think of William Wallace in braveheart.

The story of William Wallace is a great example. He was one of Scotland's national heroes who fought for the freedom of Scotland from England. He was an inspiration to his people, but he was envantually caught and killed for his “treason”, but because of him Scotland persisted and eventually won their freedom.

Faced with that our minds are probably racing to think of something that we would actually die for. Would we die for a friend? Would we die for a family member? Would we die for our beliefs? Would we die for the name of Jesus? I mean have we discovered something that we would be willing to die for?

Faced with that our minds are probably racing to think of something that we would actually die for. Would we die for a friend, would we die for a family member? Would we die for our beliefs? Would we die for the name of Jesus? I mean have we discovered something that we would be willing to die for?

Background on the Gospel of John

John wanted to encourage and show people that Jesus was someone who was worth dying for.

The Gospel of John was written somewhere between 60 and 95 AD. John wanted to awaken faith in unbelievers and to build up those who were already saved. The gospel of John is considered by many to be the most “spiritual” of the Gospels. The reason that people say this is first the Gospel of John is a lot different than Matthew, Mark, or Luke and secondly John speaks a lot about the light that Jesus is and the people who come to believe that He is that light. It is why he is called John the evangelist. It is the gospel that defines Jesus divine role probably the most clearly.

The Decrease

John 1:28-4

John 1:28–34 NIV

This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”

I don’t want us to forget this one important detail. John the Baptist and Jesus were cousins. Now let’s put ourselves in the John’s shoes for a moment. You probably grew up with this person. You probably played with this person as a kid. You were probably in the same friend groups growing up. Now you are being revealed by the Holy Spirit that this is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

I don’t think John gets enough credit for his humility at all. I mean the dude wore camel hair and ate locusts. He most likely looked like a wild man because his hair and beard would have been extremely long. He was waiting for the Messiah. The one he was proclaiming and now he has come and it is his cousin Jesus, and John says this.

John 1:30 NIV

This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’

Now living here in America in 2019 it might be a little difficult to understand just how crazy this was. John was sold out for this Jesus. He was willing to lay it all on the line for this Jesus because this was real. In fact I love how John responds to the priests and Levites. They ask him who are you? He doesn’t respond with a I am John, or I am from this family. Immediately he removes all credit from himself and he says I am not the Christ and when he finally had to give an answer he still pointed it to Jesus.

John 3:30 NIV

He must become greater; I must become less.”

So what does it mean? What can we learn from John?

The Holy Spirit is calling for a decrease of ourselves in our lives. Only with less of ourselves can Jesus increase in us.

If we are increasing then what is happening is the Holy Spirit is getting suppressed. He is being pushed down and while He is still there living inside of us there is no flow of His power in our lives. There is no Fruit of the Spirit, there is no desire to pray for others, there is not desire to draw more close to Him.

Ephesians 5:18 NIV

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,

What Paul is saying is stop being influenced by the things that you desire. Stop being influenced by your selfishness and yourself. Be influenced by the Holy Spirit by allowing the Holy Spirit to empty you of yourself and fill you with Him.

Last week we talked about intimacy and some of you might still be questioning its importance. Let me tell you this truth. When you are intimately getting to know the Author and Perfecter of your Faith understand this. He is really good at being the power that will empty you and fill you with him.

Intimacy with Jesus is saying God I acknowledge I can’t do this without you and oh boy He is faithful. (Wrap back into this at the end)

As I was praying this week I was just asking God empty me of me and fill me with Him and what I noticed was a radical shift in my outlook. I noticed a radical shift in the way I prayed. I noticed a radical shift in the way that I thought. This is real. Maybe you aren’t seeing an immediate shift. Someone of us have a lot to empty (joke). But I do promise you that if you are desiring and asking you will begin to see some powerful change.

The promise of His increase

There is a assurance in the statement that John makes. It is necessary! Jesus must increase therefore I will decrease. There is a beauty to this now that we get to experience for ourselves. Christ dwells inside of you through the Holy Spirit. So when he increases he increases in and through you.

I want to skip ahead a little in the passage to when Jesus calls Peter.

John 1:40–42 NIV

Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).

I want us to break this down for a moment. Jesus called Peter and Peter left all to follow Jesus, decreasing himself. Now get this. I think this is so cool. Jesus “looked” at Peter. That word looked in Greek means to look intently or directly and doing this He said you will no longer be called Simon but you will be called Peter. The name Peter means “rock”. If you remember after Jesus resurrection he says on this rock I will build my church to peter. Jesus was already increasing in Peter because of Peter’s willingness to let go of himself.

Each one of you

I believe that God is calling us today and looking at us intently with a desire to give us a new name and increase Himself and His power in us, but He is calling for a decrease of ourselves before that can happen.

Look how the first chapter of John finishes.

There are some people who need to hear from God today that there is an increase of His power coming if you are obedient to empty yourself of you. Look how the first chapter of John finishes.

John 1:51 NIV

He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”