The servant's joy

MPS: The joy of the child of God is intimately tied with the fulfillment of one's calling to glorify Jesus.

Illustration: How many of us made resolutions in the beginning of the year? Perhaps you made a resolution that you would read more the Bible this year or pray more. Perhaps you decide to give a step further in your spiritual growth, you made a resolution that you would fasting.

Maybe you made a resolution that you would exercise more, start a diet, read more, watch less TV, spend less time on social media.

How are you doing in keeping up with them? How many of us already failed in keeping up with them?

What are resolutions? What is the purpose of it?

Resolutions are goals that we set before us, with the intention to fulfill/accomplish them. We make resolutions because it helps us to focus and grow. Resolutions gives us some guidance, a direction to go.

Pray

Intro: In our text today, we are going to see that John the Baptist had one goal in life, to glorify Christ by fulfilling its calling.

Today we are going to take a closer look at John’s life and ministry. In fact, Jesus commended John for his extraordinary life.

Trans: Look at what Jesus said about John the Baptist in Luke 7:28: “among those born of women no one none is greater than John.”

This is a remarkable statement from Jesus. Which leads us to ask the question: Who was John the Baptist?

The Gospels gives us a little background about John:

1) Both of his parents were God fearers (Luke 1:5-7)

2) He was miracle of God. His mother Elizabeth was barren, she could not conceive (Luke 1:7)

3) Before his birth God gave a promise to his mother that he would use him mightily (Luke 1:15-17

4) He lived a humble live (Mark 1:6)

5) John had a clear understanding of his calling (John 1:23)

6) He was called to preach the Gospel in preparation for the coming of Jesus (John 1:29)

7) He made disciples, and some of them later became apostles

8) He faced fierce opposition (John 1:26)

9) He baptized Jesus (Mark 1:9)

10) He was put in prison because of the proclamation of the Gospel (Mark 6:17)

11) He was decapitated while in prison (Mark 6:27)

12) He while in prison had a moment of doubt and asked for a confirmation if Jesus indeed was the long-awaited Messiah (Luke 7:18-23)

John was a man like us, had his flaws and moments of discouragement and doubt. We can see from all these references that birth of John the Baptist was born by the divine providence with a specific purpose, in a specific time of history.

The text that we are examining today tells us that at some time, Jesus’ ministry overlapped with John’s ministry.

The text says that both were baptizing with his disciples. Later in chapter 4:2 explains that it wasn’t Jesus who was baptizing, but his disciples.

They were not too far from each other. The text gives us the impression that from where they were ministering, they could see each other.

Before Jesus appearance, John was a celebrity. From Jerusalem, Judea, Galilee even Pharisees came to hear him preaching. He attracted crowds and multitude of people.

He made disciples. He was called Rabbi by them. A title exclusively used by students to show honor and respect for their master. Just a few men in the Jewish society was called Rabbi.

Since Jesus’ baptism, John is no longer the only one preaching the Gospel and baptizing.

John started his ministry in the wilderness preaching, teaching and baptizing. But now there is someone else in town. There is another preacher, another pastor, another musician.

And suddenly everyone is going to Jesus. And this situation troubled John’s disciples.

After some time, they came to John and said: “Rabbi, he was with you across the Jordan, the one whom you talked about, look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”

They were intrigued with the situation. They felt that their master’s ministry was replaced by Jesus’ ministry. Perhaps in their minds they saw Jesus competing with their teacher.

Their reaction clearly demonstrates that they did not grasp who Jesus truly was.

Illustration: Is like when you go to fishing somewhere with a friend. You are having a good day, catching some fish having fun. Suddenly the guy from across the pier comes to you and start asking questions: what are the techniques that you are using. What kind of bait, what is the good time of the day to fish and so on.

The next day you come back to fish and for your surprise the guy from the previous day is fishing on your favorite spot. Not only that, but all the big fish is choosing his hook instead of yours. And then your friend who was with you the previous day, come to you and says: is not that the guy whom you talk to yesterday? Look his bucket is full.

Can you imagine the frustration and disappointment of the fisherman?

Here, in this situation I picture John the Baptist as the fisherman, and his disciples as the friend.

The big difference between the illustration that I shared you with and the situation in our text, is that was not John who was frustrated or felt threatened by the rising popularity of Jesus, but his disciples. John’s disciples were uncomfortable with the success of Jesus’ ministry.

John the Baptist was a man of a firm conviction, he knew for what he was called.

Look how John answer his disciples verses 28-30, READ

These verses make very clear that John was in peace. Not only that but he had joy.

In verse 27 John is saying to his disciples that everything a person has or is able to do, is a gift from God and one should be content with that.

John is trying to show his disciples that the ministry of Jesus, as well as his ministry was given by God. The ministry of Jesus is greater than his ministry, but both received from God.

Remember what Jesus said to Pilate before his crucifixion:

John 19:10-11

“ So Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above.”

Not only power and authority are given from heaven, but everything. Your spouse, your kids, work, health, wealth, family, life and the local church.

To help his disciples to understand his teaching John uses the illustration of a wedding, the groom, and the bride.

In Verse 28 John puts himself in the position of the best man, Jesus as the groom and God’s people as the bride.

The best man is there be with the groom in this special day of his life. To be part of this unique moment, to take pictures and laugh with his friend.

But the wedding is not about the best man. He is an important guest. He enjoys a closer relationship with the groom. During the wedding the best man will have a moment to give a short speech in honor or his friend.

However, the wedding is all about the groom and bride. The best man was called to be part of this unforgettable moment. The joy of the best man is to be there and shared this moment with the groom.

In other words, John the Baptist is saying that as the best man, his joy is to be part of this moment between Christ and his people. He is joyful because now all the months and years of preparation is finally taking place, the appearance of the Messiah and the fulfillment of God’s promises.

Verse 30 summarizes the approach of John to life and ministry. He says: he must increase but I must decrease.

What matters for John is that Christ might put in a position of relevance and honor, while he step away from the platform. For John one thing matters above all things, to glorify Christ by fulfilling his call.

John is not concerned about how many disciples he has, and how many disciples Jesus’ have. He does not feel threatened by Jesus ministering next to him. John is not discouraged because everyone is going to Jesus instead of coming to him. He is not worried that now the lights are off him and on Jesus. Why not?

Because John understood that the servant’s joy is intimately connected in fulfilling its calling to glorify Jesus.

What can we learn with from this passage?

1) Don’t waist your time with worthless affairs

2) Apply yourself to fulfill your purpose

1) Don’t waste your time with worthless affairs

a. The disciples of John for some reason got in an argument with a Jew about purification or about the religious washings.

i. Washing of hands before eating

ii. Bathing for purification after childbirth

iii. Some groups advocate for daily bathing as a sign of purification

b. There are no details about the content of the argument. What we know is that in some how this argument troubled John’s disciples.

c. They got engaged in a matter of fierce debate among the authorities of that time. There was much disagreement over the subject of purification.

d. Just like or even more there is disagreement about baptism by immersion or sprinkling, should we baptize infants or not.

e. I’m not saying that is wrong to talk about minor things of faith. Or that is worthless to talk about the difference in baptism.

f. What I’m trying to say to waste the precious time that you have in concentrating all your efforts in these arguments.

Application: The argument between John’s disciples a certain Jew only served to deepen the disappointment and discouragement that were already in their hearts. For they have been witnessing Jesus and his disciples baptizing for some time.

This argument just brought even more weight upon their hearts.

We are living in times of discouragement. Times that are difficult sometimes to grasp the goodness of God in all of this.

But instead of coming together as a church, to serve and help each other in these moments. Many of us are engaging ourselves with things that only deepen the discouragement that is already in our hearts.

Instead of growing closer to God and the church we are growing away from church and colder in our faith. And worst, without even noticing it.

Do you know when you are in that path? When your sense of criticism and skepticism grown in the same proportion that you engagement with the local church decreases.

John’s disciples received good teaching but did not bring it home. How many of us are unable to see what the Lord is doing simply because we became critics instead of servants. And in doing that we are growing more comfortable in pointing what is wrong and questioning instead of serving and being filled with joy.

Reflection

2) Apply yourself to fulfill your purpose

Instead I challenge you to follow John’s example. He applied himself to fulfill his purpose. learned that the secret for joy was intimately tied in serving.

Perhaps you may say, I don’t know my purpose in life.

The church of Christ exists to make Jesus known to the unbelieving world. The purpose of the church is to glorify Christ on earth by proclaiming the Gospel and make disciples who will make disciples.

Guess what, you are the church. This is your purpose. Unless you are intimately connected with the local church serving with this overall purpose you are missing the point. Not only that but depriving yourself of the joy that the Lord has assigned to you in the local church.

Why do we have so many joyless believers?

Because they are not serving, they stop being church.

They have so many things going on that they don’t have time to serve, to be church and have joy.

Do you want joy in your life? Serve and engage with the local church.

Remember what I said about resolutions in the beginning.

Resolve to love the Lord with all your heart and serve the local church. Helping the local body of Christ fulfill its mission. In doing this you will have joy and will fulfill you purpose.

Conclusion: We are not John the Baptists, we are dads and moms, accountants, and teachers, we are regular people.

But through the new birth we are God’s people. The book of revelation tells that that the church is the bride, and Christ is the groom.

Between now and the consummation of the wedding, when Christ returns. The church, his bride, has a mission, a task to be fulfilled.

You have a purpose in life, and a great deal of that is to be church and serve.

Christ moves on earth through his church (you and I) and he is doing a wonderful work among