John 3:22-36

Review

John 3:22–36 (NASB95)

22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was spending time with them and baptizing.

23 John also was baptizing in Aenon (A-non) near Salim (Sa-leem), because there was much water there; and people were coming and were being baptized—

24 for John had not yet been thrown into prison.

25 Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew 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 him from heaven.

28 “You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of 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. So this joy of mine has been made full.

30 “He must increase, but I must decrease.

31 “He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.

32 “What He has seen and heard, of that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony.

33 “He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true.

34 “For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.

35 “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.

36 “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

Here we have the chance to hear from John the Baptist one more time

We spent a lot of time in Chapter 1 with John talking about Jesus.

Now we get to rejoin John as he gives his last testimony

Two different baptisms John and Jesus

John 3:22-24

John 3:22–24 (NASB95)

22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was spending time with them and baptizing.

23 John also was baptizing in Aenon (A-non) near Salim (Sa-leem), because there was much water there; and people were coming and were being baptized—

24 for John had not yet been thrown into prison.

Jesus and his disciples went to Judea away from the area that Jesus had had conflict in.

It says that Jesus was spending time with them (His Disciples). This would show that Jesus did indeed dwell among them (John 1:14)

They were in Aenon (A-nom) where wither were springs of water

We have the chance to see here that there are two ministries that are going on at the same time. Jesus Ministry and John’s

V. 23 makes it clear that John’s ministry did just stop, the Bible make it clear that people were still coming to John to be baptize. So John’s ministry was still going on.

Because John was not put in prison

Competition in Ministry

John 3:25–26 NASB95

25 Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew 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.”

This is really something, the disciples of John started a discussion with Jews about Jesus baptizing more people.

We get to see the since of competition that John’s disciples show.

This could be for the love of John, his ministry.

But what did John do about this?

John’s rejection to Competition

John 3:27-29

John 3:27–29 NASB95

27 John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven. 28 “You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of 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. So this joy of mine has been made full.

John shares that there is nothing that we are given that we have personally earned ourselves.

Everything is given to us by God.

Ministry is given to us by God.

John also reminds them that He is not the Messiah. That he is not the savoir of the world.

John’s wedding story

The best man is not the groom.

The church is the bride, Jesus is the groom.

John shares here that he is happy that his work is coming to an end.

because his mission was to make way for the Lord. John’s job is done.

John knows his place and counts it as Joy

John’s Profound statement

John 3:30 NASB95

30 “He must increase, but I must decrease.

John shares that Jesus must increase and he must decrease.

In the Greek it its saying the same thing.

John is saying that Jesus must be greater and more important and I must be lesser and less important.

Are we doing this?

Is Jesus number one in your ministry?

In your Bible reading, prayer, in your dealing with others.

Based on what we see in the Christian world today, have pastors place Jesus as supreme in their ministries?

If anyone stands at this pulpit…or any pulpit….. if you see the pastor Over Christ….then that’s he problem

Verse 31

John 3:31 NAS

“He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. aHe who comes from heaven is above all.

John makes it clear (again) that Jesus is God. and He is above all

Then he makes it clear that he is only a man

John once again shows his manhood and Jesus’ Godhead

repeat, repeat, repeat

John 3:32–33 NAS

“What He has seen and heard, of that He testifies; and ano one receives His testimony. “He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true.

John repeats what Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:11.

Its funny that the same thing to being mentioned

John 3:11 NASB95

11 “Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony.

But John says that those who received His testimony has a seal, that God is true

that all of he Old Testament Prophecies about Jesus. That all scripture leads to Christ Jesus.

God is true!!!! He kept, keeps His promises

Truth and a great relationship

John 3:34–35 NASB95

34 “For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure. 35 “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.

This is simply saying that Jesus is not only God. But the fullness of Him is there. He see again the work of the Trinity.

We see it in Genesis 1:26

We see it in John 1

We see it in the baptism of Jesus

And we see it here.

This is a relationship that is eternal. Father, Son, Holy Spirit are one.

This relationship is beyond our own understand.

and to think that Father Son and Spirit decided to think of us with importance

John 3:36 NASB95

36 “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

Those who believe (trust, depends on) in the Son has eternal (time without beginning or end).

But he who does not obey will not see (have sight, notice) life but........

the wrath (anger, displeasure) of God will abide (remain, stay) on/with him

John 4:1–3 NAS

Therefore when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were), He left Judea and went away again into Galilee.