Domination

John 3:22-35

He Must Become Greater

I have been dominating Logan at video games for years! Well, a shift has begun. Occassionally, magically, at Super Smash Brothers, he is beating me.

It’s disrespectful, really.

And so I have to decide what to do now. Obviously we need to get rid of all video games lest the boy surpass me!

This isn’t really hard for most parents with kids. We want our kids to have more than us, to do better than us, to be greater and bigger than us.

But in almost any other aspect of life… and even some parents with their kids, we live in fear of being overtaken and overshadowed. Eclipsed. The story we want to tell is the one where we are the hero ascending into victory and glory. Moving from power to power, achieving goals, exceeding expectations.

Whose dream in high-school was to be a middle-manager?

When we dream of our future, of course we think bigger and greater and more and better! That’s natural. Honestly, I don’t think that’s wrong, I think that is normal.

But it can be dangerous. It can lead to this idea: Life is about me. I am on the throne. I am at the center. I must achieve all the potential, and there is always more potential to be realized!

But for the believer… that is dangerous. We have this confession: Jesus is Lord.

Last week we looked at Jesus as our Savior, the antidote for all shame. Stop trying to manage sin, to hide shame… belief in a savior who longs to lift you out of that.

But this is the other piece to our confession: Jesus is Lord and Savior. Jesus lifts us out of shame when we look up to him, believing in him for our salvation.

But in looking up to him, in believing him, we see who he is, we hear who he says he is… and it is a fundamental challenge to who is on the throne of our life. Who is at the center?

This is the other stumbling block of Christianity. Some will reject Jesus because they are ashamed and love the dark. Some will reject Jesus because they are unwilling to step off the throne of their lives and let Jesus be Lord.

John 3:22-35

22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. 23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized 24 (for John had not yet been put in prison).

This is a fascinating insight into Jesus’ ministry. He was out baptizing! Or his disciples were. He is doing what John the Baptist was doing!

25 Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification.

See… ‘cause this baptism thing is kind of new and crazy. It isn’t exactly the temple ritual purification, it isn’t a health thing, so there is theological debate going on…

26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.”

… and so the tension. Now Jesus has already stolen some of John’s disciples. Jesus is totally doing John’s baptism ministry and John was clearly first! And John is drawing crowds… but not quite as big as the crowds Jesus is getting.

And his disciples are affronted, offended! If there master loses status, they lose status. This is a competition situation in their eyes. John had better offer like a half off deal, or better marketing, maybe move upstream. Clearly the answer is that John’s ministry needs to continue to grow and expand, ever larger, ever greater, more famous, more PEOPLE!

27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.

How did this guy have such a powerful perspective? He was a prophet, certainly, so maybe God is coaching him. You guys are confused on the ownership of what is going on here. I am receiving things from heaven, I am not competing with Jesus. It is a gift from God that I have been able to have this preparation ministry.

28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.

Powerful analogy.

I remember standing as the best man beside my brother as he married Reba. Was I jealous of the attention on Jono? Of course not. It was his moment, it was his joy, it was his victory.

(I lost the rings for about 6 minutes… but that’s another story!)

John says, you guys are seeing this all wrong. Jesus is the bridegroom. I am just thrilled to be such a part of this day! And then he says this:

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

He must increase, but I must decrease. Beautiful simplicity. But how incredibly challenging to our culture, to our individual maximize your potential, self worship! How challenging to my desire to be the center, the hero, the object of attention and admiration.

He must increase. I must decrease.

31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. 33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. 34 For he whom God has sent utters 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 a powerful symbol of Trinity. The Father loving the Son. This eternal love relationship, and the Father is sending the Son, there is a begetting and proceeding, not just in the incarnation, but it seems from eternity. It is like motion in the unity of the Trinity. And in that motion there is a filling, an empowering of the Son by the Father… with the Spirit. But that filling and empowering is such, and we see this more in other text, that that Spirit is person even as the Father and Son are. It is confusing, but it is powerful, this idea that relationship lies at the very heart, the very being of God. Diversity in Unity, motion in eternity, love and sending and giving from forever to forever.

But it’s a closed loop, you don’t have a way in… until this:

36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Simple but profound. This is a yes or no. Now the word “believes” is heavy, and neither you or I proscribe or decide what exactly that means… but God is not confused. And elsewhere we get some tools and ways to measure our belief, our faith, and even gain insight into that of others… but it is all crystal clear to God.

And we don’t like to talk about the wrath of God, but the wrath of God is ever-present upon sin. Maybe it is like the light. The wrath of God is how those who are guilty and full of shame experience the righteous presence of God. Those who believe and are saved and sealed, cleansed and redeemed, resurrected and remade… they experience the righteous presence of God as blessed eternal holiness.

Jesus as Lord in Our Lives

Is Jesus Lord in your life? Maybe this is your sticking point. You like the idea of salvation… but turning over control in any way? Not being the center? It really does go against just about everything we are taught. This is radically counter-cultural, and if it doesn’t seem to go against every grain in our selves, we maybe don’t get it.

And yet, Jesus didn’t leave room for taking him as Savior and not as Lord. If the Father gave him all things… then it really is all about Jesus. And you are one of the things given. The Father gives him all things in order that all things may be rescued and redeemed. If you are opting out of that collection… you are opting out of all of it.

Jesus did not give us the ala carte option. Build your own burrito. I’ll take double salvation, but hold the Lord bit.

I’ll take a little Jesus… but I must increase. Or I’ll take a little Jesus in order that I may increase.

Now the funny thing is, that is kind of true. As we submit our lives to him we do grow and mature, he does promise us more, he lifts us to glory… but it is always in Christ. It is growing in him, it is his glory, and for his glory. There is no graduating from the school of Christ.

Because Christ isn’t just a good teacher. He isn’t just a sin scrubber either. He is Lord, not only of you, but of all things.

And so he must increase, and the self in you that hates that, and wants the glory and fame and honor… that self gets crucified. That self must decrease… in order that he may increase in you… in order that you may be, not the best man at the wedding… but together we may be the bride of Christ.

Jesus as Lord in Our Church

Years ago, leaders and elders of this church stepped aside to mentor young leaders in our church. And very quickly the leadership of the church was largely composed of young 20 somethings. Crazy! Scandalous!

Pastor Rod -> Lead Pastor to Assistant Pastor. That blows peoples minds! But Pastor Rod essentially said these words to me: he must decrease, I must increase. Not because of me… but because Pastor Rod sets Jesus as the Lord of his life… and he believed that that is where Jesus was leading him.

Now that makes it sounds like I am the center of this story… but I am not. I must decrease… and he must increase.

Let’s talk about how to poison our church. If it becomes about me or dependent on me in any way, dependent on any of us, this place will come falling down. It is about him. He is above all. All things are for him. The Father has given all things into his hand.