Confronting Pride

Jiohn 3.22-30

John 3:22–30 KJV 1900

22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized. 23 And John also was baptizing in Ænon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized. 24 For John was not yet cast into prison. 25 Then there arose a question between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purifying. 26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. 27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. 28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. 29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

The text begins with Jesus and John the Baptist in the Judean Wilderness.

The scene shifts from the temple in Jerusalem to the countryside .

The first portion of this chapter described the Lord Jesus’ witness in the city of Jerusalem. From this verse to the end of the chapter, John describes Christ’s ministry in Judea, where doubtless He continued to proclaim the good news of salvation. As men came to the light, they were baptized[1]

John the Baptist was confronted by his disciples about Jesus and whose Baptism was greater .....

Right out of the gate - pride and controversy was introduced.

Illustration of pride:

They are wordly because:

1. Fault-Finding

While pride causes us to filter out the evil we see in ourselves, it also causes us to filter out God’s goodness in others.

We sift them, letting only their faults fall into our perception of them.

Johnathan Edwards: “The spiritually proud person shows it in his finding fault with other saints. . . . The eminently humble Christian has so much to do at home and sees so much evil in his own that he is not apt to be very busy with other hearts.”

“The spiritually proud person shows it in his finding fault with other saints. . . . The eminently humble Christian has so much to do at home and sees so much evil in his own that he is not apt to be very busy with other hearts.”

2. A Harsh Spirit

Those who have the sickness of pride in their hearts speak of others’ sins with contempt, irritation, frustration, or judgment.

Again Edwards writes, “Christians who are but fellow-worms ought at least to treat one another with as much humility and gentleness as Christ treats them.”

3. Superficiality

When pride lives in our hearts, we’re far more concerned with others’ perceptions of us than the reality of our hearts.

Pride is universal—something we all deal with, ancient as Adam and relevant as the morning news. Yet we don’t always see it, for it grows like weeds around our lives.

We know the disease, but we don’t recognize the symptoms. And that’s why we need the insight of our Great Physician to reveal its symptoms and release us from its grip.

Here are seven symptoms of pride I’ve been seeing in God’s Word as the Spirit works in my own life.

Pride is at the root of fear and anxiety when we refuse to humbly rest in God’s sovereign care. Fear simultaneously reveals our lack of trust and our poisonous self-reliance. We fear because we don’t have faith in the Lord, are enormously preoccupied with ourselves, and lack self-control.

4. Entitlement - John Look at my Baptism

When Peter stepped out on the stormy sea to come to Jesus, he was walking in humble faith. But when his gaze shifted to his circumstances and to self-preservation, he trusted in himself, became afraid, and began to sink. Jesus saved him while admonishing him: “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” ().

2. Entitlement - John Look at my Baptism

Self-sacrifice stems from a humble heart. Entitlement is rooted in a prideful heart.

The core of the gospel is that we are not entitled to anything except just punishment for our sins (; ).

We think we deserve God’s mercy. We think we deserve people’s praise. We think we deserve love, success, comfort, accolades. We certainly don’t think we deserve suffering, heartbreak, or discipline.

But when we experience these things, we grow bitter, frustrated, and disturbed because we believe we’re entitled to more. We forget that apart from Jesus we are rebels who deserve only condemnation.

The disciples regularly wrestled with entitlement. On one occasion, they were arguing about who was the greatest. Jesus’s response was a rebuke: “Let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves” ().

Luke 22:26 KJV 1900

26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

Our proud hearts say that we’re good, that we should get what we want, and if we don’t, that we’re justified in our ingratitude. If we’re somehow uncomfortable or inconvenienced, we can complain. It’s our right. Humility, meanwhile, recognizes that God is good and gives us what we need, so we have no reason to be ungrateful. We lack nothing (; ).

The Israelites grumbled in the wilderness, though God fed, clothed, and led them through it (; ). Their stubborn hearts rejected God’s daily mercies out of self-idolization. But God’s Word rebukes our whining: “Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent” ().

4. People-Pleasing - look what my crowd wants

Pride is self-worship and self-preservation at all costs—and people-pleasing is the direct result.

Some think people-pleasing is a positive trait because they’re so clearly concerned with serving others.

But that’s nothing more than a sneaky sheepskin we put over a wolfish habit. People-pleasing is all about self-satisfaction—fearing man more than God—and seeking the fleeting happiness that comes from man’s approval.

The apostle Paul knew human approval was a pointless and prideful pursuit. Thus he could say, “Am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ” ().

Pride deceives us into thinking we can “do life” on our own—we’re capable, independent, unstoppable, self-reliant. We think that we don’t need God every hour, that we don’t need his help, grace, mercy, courage, and hope. So, surely, we don’t need to pray.

But a humble heart submits itself to God in prayer because it knows it can do nothing without him.

When God called Jonah to go to Nineveh, Jonah’s response was not to go to God in prayer. Instead, he fled, his heart furiously and arrogantly silent (). Only when God humbled him in the fish’s belly did Jonah finally cry out in prayer (2:1).

When you’re proud, you elevate your status, forgetting the mercy God has shown you. You think you’re better than everyone else, so you easily find fault with others. Pride produces a hypocritical spirit.

The Pharisees’ hypocritical pride blinded them both to their sin and to God’s mercy—which made them cold-hearted and cruel toward others. Jesus had harsh words for them:

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. ()

7. Rebellion

Rebellion against God manifests itself in resistance to God’s Word and God-ordained spiritual leaders. It’s the reflex of a prideful heart. It also shows itself in a lack of submission—wives to husbands, children to parents, employees to bosses, citizens to government. Rebellion says, I know better than you, God, when I don’t.

Even though Adam and Eve had all they needed for life and joy, they pridefully rebelled against God’s good decree, thinking they knew better than him. And this ancient rebellion brought untold pain, suffering, and death—for them and us.

Humbled for Us

The God-man emptied himself of all he deserved to save us from all we deserve. He who was entitled to the highest honor forfeited it for our eternal good.

Because of his humility, we can be forgiven of our pride.

That’s both the sting and the joy of the gospel.

It deals with our pride by destroying it, reminding us that life is not about us, and that we deserve only the wrath of God. Jesus also deals with our pride by taking the just punishment for it on himself, that we might be renewed in the image of our Creator () and made humble like our Savior.

I. Primary Work Continues

John 3:22–24 KJV 1900

22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized. 23 And John also was baptizing in Ænon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized. 24 For John was not yet cast into prison.

As men came to the light, they were baptized. It would appear from this verse that Jesus Himself did the baptizing, but we learn in that it was done by His disciples.

John 4:2 KJV 1900

2 (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)

john

3:23 The John referred to in this verse is John the Baptist. He was still preaching his message of repentance in the region of Judea and baptizing those Jews who were willing to repent in preparation for the coming of the Messiah.

John also was baptizing in Aenon … because there was much water there.

If he baptized by sprinkling or pouring, there would have been no necessity of having much water.

3:24 This verse is given in explanation of John’s continued ministry and of the continued response of devout Jews to it.

In the near future, John would be thrown into prison and beheaded for his faithful testimony. But in the meantime, he was still diligently carrying out his commission.[1]

In this text the work continues John in the wilderness Baptism of repentance! Jesus validated this work nothing wrong.....

Jesus was with his disciples and they( the disciples were also baptising!

Good stuff ......

When the ministry goes forward and working well .... this is when Satan will creep in and cause pride to hurt individuals and families

offended by others getting attention

leadership puffed up by success

2002

offend by being left out

respecter of persons by not serving everyone

Looking down on those in sin or Christians that my do it another way....

Things are going great watch out pride is lurking around the corner.

Illustration

II. Pride is Makes an Appearance

John 3:25–26 KJV 1900

25 Then there arose a question between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purifying. 26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.

It is clear from this verse that some of John’s disciples became engaged in a dispute with the Jews about purification. What does this mean?

Purification here probably refers to baptism. The argument was whether the baptism of John was better than that of Jesus. Which baptism had the greater power? Which was of greater value?

Perhaps some of John’s disciples unwisely contended that no baptism could be better than that of their master. Perhaps the Pharisees tried to make John’s disciples jealous of Jesus and His current popularity

This issue if not handled correctly by John the Baptist could have done great damage to the start of the church.

Luke 22:24–26 KJV 1900

24 And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. 25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. 26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

This issue would show up later as well .....

3:26 They came to John for a decision. They seemed to be saying to him, “If your baptism is the better, why is it that so many men are leaving you and going to Jesus?” (The expression “He who was with you beyond the Jordan” refers to Christ.) John bore witness to the Lord Jesus, and as a result of this witness, many of John’s own disciples left him and began to follow Jesus.[1]

3:26. John’s disciples may have been angry and jealous. (They were interested in John’s movement and were not committed to Jesus.) They complained that Jesus, of whom John had testified, had now captured the nation’s attention. They longed for the former days when everyone went to hear John ().[2]

Pride makes an appearance

Illustration

Why does she get all the attention from mom

Why should you have to go throught that?

You are so much better than them

it not fair after all you have dione

Illustration - there is always someone stirring the pot.....

marriages

families

churches

even businesses

[2] Blum, E. A. (1985). John. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 283). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

III. Priority is Established

John 3:27–30 KJV 1900

27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. 28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. 29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

John put a stop to this discussion right away!

He would not allow himself to up above Christ

He would not take away from the glory of the Lord

He had already state his position on Christ and had to reiterate that again ...

key - vs 27 - John’s greatness is revealed in his reply. He said, A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.

God is sovereign in bestowing His blessings on one’s ministry. If Jesus’ movement was expanding, then it must have been in the will of God.

This principle of God’s sovereignty is stressed in John (cf. 6:65; 19:11) as well as elsewhere in the New Testament (e.g., ).

3:28. John also reminded his disciples that they were forgetting part of his teaching.

For he had clearly taught that he was not the promised Messiah but was only sent ahead by God to do a work of preparation for the Messiah (1:8, 15, 20, 23).

John 1:8 KJV 1900

8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

John 1:15 KJV 1900

15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

he had to remind them again ....

3:29–30. In Jesus’ growing influence, John found his own joy fulfilled.

He illustrated this for his disciples by referring to a custom at Near Eastern weddings.

The friend of the bridegroom was only an assistant, not the main participant in the marriage.

The assistant acted on behalf of the bridegroom and made the preliminary arrangements for the ceremony.

His joy came when he heard the bridegroom coming for his bride.

John the Baptist’s work was to prepare for the arrival of Christ, the “Groom.”

John baptized only with water, not with the Spirit.

Therefore Jesus must become greater and John must become less.

This is the divine order. John willingly and with joy accepted Jesus’ growing popularity as God’s plan.[1]

He must decrease I must Increase

His sovereignty in circumstances

His sovereignty in health issues

His sovereignty isn dealing with people

What prideful issue is God speaking to you today?