Sermon Tone Analysis
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He Must Increase
Introduction
Divine Transition
After Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus he and his disciples started to minister in the Judean country side.
It says here that Jesus was, but later on in 4:2 we are told that Jesus isn’t the one baptizing but his disciples are.
So there’s just some further clarification.
At the same time John is baptizing some on the other side of the river.
And notice that when John is baptizing it says that there is plenty of water…why does it say that?
Well the word Baptize means to submerge or immerse someone or something in water.
This word is the same word used when a ship sinks.
Meaning that baptism that is done by both Jesus’ Disciples and John was baptism that dunked people under water.
And they needed plenty of water for that purpose.
It had to be deep enough for someone to go under the water.
So this wasn’t a sprinkling or pouring of some water over someone’s head, it was dunking them into the water.
And John the Gospel author wants us to know something else.
John the Baptizer had not been thrown into prison yet.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke all have Jesus’ Ministry starting after John is thrown in prison.
But John the gospel author has a little more special insight b/c he was there.
Jesus’ ministry actually overlapped with John’s Ministry.
John the Author is using John the Baptist again to set the stage for Jesus.
This is the Last time in this gospel that John is going to be an active part of Jesus’ ministry.
John will be mentioned a few times later in the Gospel but this is his last active role in the gospel.
And he never looses focus of his calling.
Remember what he said in John 1:23 “23 He said, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord—just as Isaiah the prophet said.””
John the gospel’s author is using John the Baptist to show the transition to Jesus’ ministry.
John the Baptist was the last of the OT Prophets preparing the way for Jesus’ ministry and this is the final transition point in John’s Gospel.
John the Baptist was a witness to the reality that God’s Savior had arrived.
That God’s savior was here to die for the sin of the world.
That God’s savior was the fulfilment of what was promised in the OT.
With Jesus the Old had gone and the New had come.
So Far in John’s Gospel we have seen this type of transition in succession.
In 2:1-11, Jesus turns the jars of purification into the New Wine of the New Covenant.
In 2:12-25, Jesus cleanses the temple and proves himself to be the greater temple.
In 3:1-21, Jesus fulfills the prophecy of the fulfillment of the water and the spirit regeneration promised in Ezekiel as well as the one lifted up for salvation as in the serpent in the desert.
And Jesus here is showing us that the ritual purification in the OT that is sought after by the Jewish people only washes the outside, but doesn’t cleanse the filth of our soul.
There is a new cleansing that needs to happen and that cleansing is being washed by the blood of the lamb.
Not all were appreciative or ready for this transition including some of John’s followers.
Joyful Submission
Jealousy and envy feel the hearts and minds of John’s Disciples.
“Everyone is going to him.”
This is an exaggeration probably due to some resentment toward Jesus.
They are upset that Jesus is getting new followers.
They are upset that people are leaving John to follow Jesus.
They are upset that their position of prestige and power has dwindled.
They covet the ministry of Jesus.
They want to be on par with Jesus and his disciples
The great transition has started and they don’t want to be a part of it, rather they want to complain about it.
Now let’s not forget that they gave up everything to follow John.
They are devoted to John.
They have ministered with John and they think that the work that John has done should be rewarded.
They also think that the work they have done should be rewarded.
Here’s the thing, often the disciples of teachers are more zealous than the teachers themselves.
They don’t want to see their teacher disparaged.
They don’t want to see the one they committed their life to in second place.
And I think that part of the reason why is because they feel like that reflects poorly on them.
That the students chose the wrong teacher.
Not only that but they are envious of Jesus and the renown that he is receiving.
Envy is not a healthy place for our hearts to go.
Envy is the opposite of love.
Envy desires to see others fail.
Envy breeds contempt.
Envy festers hatred.
Envy poisons the heart.
Envy leads us to covetousness.
Covetousness is discontentment with were God has called you.
Covetousness is saying that what God has given and where he has brought us isn’t good enough.
That we deserve better than what God has given us.
Envy and covetousness elevate us to God’s status.
Envy and covetousness are arrogant, self-serving, and put us at enmity with God.
They distort the picture of God as the good father who gives good gifts to his children.
Why do we succumb to envy and covetousness if they are so bad for our hearts and souls?
Well, because many if not most of us have a very limited view of our life.
This is do to the fact that in our culture and in our hearts our default position is to see ourselves as the hero and center in our story.
We see ourselves as the center of the universe.
Think about it for a second.
How often do we get mad, frustrated, or upset b/c someone has ruined my day?
We don’t think about the fact that the clerk behind the checkout is struggling to pay her electric bill, and the fear that she can’t keep her home warm for her children is making her seem unfriendly today.
Or maybe that car that just cut you off and is speeding down the highway has a mother about to give birth in the back seat.
It’s easy for us to assign malicious or evil intent to a stranger, but we would hate for someone to do that to us.
Why?
Because we expect that everyone know why my life is horrible, why I am stressed, or what problems I am facing.
And if we look at it within the church world we are just as guilty.
I know that I can be at times.
Why is that church growing and ours isn’t?
Why does that ministry seem to flourish when others are flopping around like a fish out of water?
Why can’t I lead, serve, preach, or teach like that guy?
And when we start looking at those questions we start losing focus on who we are called to be and what we are called to do.
John’s disciples lost focus on what John’s ministry was.
Rather than staying in their lane and knowing their place they wanted to usurp Jesus’ ministry and make a name for themselves.
They failed to realize that any part they had to play in God’s kingdom was a blessing.
But they wanted to build of kingdom of their own.
They wanted to be celebrated.
They wanted to be exalted.
And we’re no different.
Especially here in our culture and context celebrities are idols.
But here’s what happens often when celebrities are celebrated they become full of themselves.
My heart breaks for the celebrity culture that has infiltrated the church.
Many of the “celebrity pastors” have fallen prey to sin.
Whether it be the sin of arrogance and pride.
The sin of greed.
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