Don't Lose Focus

Men's Shelter Message 11-23-2013

John 3:22-30

In these verses 22-24 it talks about how Jesus went with His disciples and John with his and both continued to spread the good news but not together. John was still free and not in prison.

Then here in verses 25-26 John's disciples started taking their eyes of their purpose and started to focus on John and themselves. They started to dispute first with a Jew and then amongst themselves about purification/baptism and who should be the one doing it. They started getting jealous that more were going to Jesus to be baptized than with them.

I have experienced this to with a local church here when I was preparing to baptize some people last year. The pastor was saying I had no authority to do so because I was not a pastor. To that I said Jesus had His disciples baptizing and also John the Baptist baptized Jesus without the title of pastor or teacher they were disciples or students that baptized. I am a student/disciple and I believe I have been given authority because the word of God says so in Matthew 28:19 .

It is not us who baptize in all reality it is done in the name of God the father, Jesus the son, and the Holy Spirit. We need to humble ourselves and give God all the glory. We are His servants! We should never compare or compete with other Christians. When we look at others or compare ourselves to others our eyes are on others and not on Jesus and we stumble in sin.

John 3:27-28 John responds to their prideful comments by saying EVERYTHING everything we have has been given to us from heaven. Everything we get to do in this life for His kingdom is a blessing from above. We must never think of ourselves and try and take credit for something we have no power to do on our own. We must always give God the glory and point others to Jesus. He then says that from the beginning of his ministry that he was not the Messiah but that he was sent ahead of Him. John 1:20 and then in verse John 1:23

John 3:29-30 He who has the bride is Jesus and the bride is the church. John was saying he is just Christ’s friend or best man in helping with the preparation to the wedding when the church or bride reunites with Jesus. He does not want to take light off of Jesus and have it shine on him. The more sinners that unite with the church the more John rejoices and his joy is satisfying. In verse 30 we can easily memorize and remember this verse and use in everyday of our life. More about Jesus and less about us.

The word must is used in three significant ways in this chapter. There is the "must" of the sinner (John 3:7), the "must" of the Savior (John 3:14), and the "must" of the servant (John 3:30).