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Humility in service
This is part I of II of the last testimony of John the Baptizer as recorded by John the beloved.
In it we will see the love, humility and position of John the Baptizer.
We have been in John chapter 3 for sometime now and we are not done yet, it looks like, Lord willing 3 more to go.
Here is what we have seen thus far.
New birth, the necessity (Jn3:1-7)
This was 2 weeks all by itself
Unbelief, don’t get caught in it (Jn3:7-13)
Whosoever believes (Jn3:14-21)
Spent three weeks on this one
Tonight Jesus the bridegroom and John as the friend of the bridegroom (Jn3:22-30)
This is part I of II in the last of the testimony of John the Baptizer prior to his arrest and imprisonment
John knew who he was and what his purpose was.
He was very satisfied with it.
Let me use a story as an illustration to set us up for our passage tonight.
There is a story of an American minister called Dr. Spence; once he was popular and his church was full; but as the years passed his people drifted away.
To the church across the road came a new young minister who was attracting the crowds.
One evening Dr. Spence’s church there was a very small gathering.
The Doctor looked at the little flock.
‘Where have all the people gone?’ he asked.
There was an embarrassed silence; then one of his office-bearers said: ‘I think they have gone to the church across the street to hear the new minister.’
Dr. Spence was silent for a moment; then he smiled.
‘Well, then,” he said “I think we ought to follow them.”
And he descended from his pulpit and led his people across the road.
What jealousies, what heartburnings, what resentfulness we might escape, if we would only remember that someone else’s success is given to him by God, and were prepared to accept God’s verdict and God’s choice.”
- this story was given by William Barclay, where he got it I do not know.
Our passage before us tonight without a doubt will paint the picture of the humility of John the Baptist.
I think John the beloved gives due justice to the importance of the forerunner, John the Baptist in the gospel.
John never had aspirations of being anything but what God called him to be from before his birth.
So, here is how I hope we can approach this tonight.
The text (Jn3:22-30)
The dispute (Jn3:25-26)
The response (Jn3:27-30)
The Text
Simply Christians study the text in the context to gain knowledge, understanding and wisdom.
In our text tonight, a great view of humility too.
What do you see as a bible detective in this passage, what questions arise?
Where were Jesus and the disciples and what were they doing (v.22)?
John the Baptizer was baptizing in the area too, prior to his arrest (vv.23-24)
What discussion broke out and between whom (v.25)?
This version says “a jew” some say the Jews, but think about context of John chapter 3, who do you think the Jew could be and why about purification?
What did John’s disciple think was a problem (v.26)?
John makes a very important point in (v.27) what is it?
John illustrates his point in (v.29) using what?
Bride, bridegroom and friend of the bridegroom
These would have meant a lot to Jews, to Israel, I think we will be talking on this more later tonight.
Bonus question: Drawing a conclusion who is the friend of the bridegroom in the illustration?
One more question, who is the “he” that John is speaking of in (v.30) and how do you know?
It is Jesus and you know that for the topic is all about Jesus (the bridegroom) going back to (v.26)
The dispute
John knew his place, accepted his place even when his disciples did not understand.
For a dispute arose.
Now, I need to pause just for a couple of minutes.
John and the synoptic gospels vary here.
In the synoptic they place this event after the arrest of John the Baptizer, where John overlaps the ministry so that the contrast showing the supremacy of Jesus.
John was not the only leader that faced these kind of issues, disputes, it is often that a leader suffers more from his zealous disciples than from his critics.
Maybe note down Moses (Num11:26-30) Jesus (Lk9:46-50) and Paul (Php1:15-18) this is not on your outline, but you may just note them down.
The dispute did not arise or cause any jealousy with John, but his disciples since people were leaving John the baptizer and following Jesus now.
John did not feel hurt, slighted, neglected or unjustifiably forgotten as Barclay says.
John knew his calling, his place and that is clearly displayed in his response to the dispute and his statement in (v.30)
John had a mind above the dispute and there are three things we can gain from the example of John the Baptizer.
So, to get that we need to look at the response.
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The response
John the baptist response about Jesus the bridegroom is meaningful to a group of Jews, let’s look together at some things to grab from this section.
Sure that is a paraphrase version for we have read the translation already so this just add’s to it some.
But some simple truth’s we can get from the passage.
John always claimed to be the forerunner not the messiah
John never expected to be more than what God called him to be, the forerunner.
He was not in the leading place but a proclaiming place to point to the leader (consider Jn1:29, 36)
Think about this today if we would be content in the place and the position that God has placed us in to be a proclaimer of Him!
John knew he had a subordinate task, and was satisfied with that, as should we.
Barclay says this:
“It would save a lot of resentment and heartbreak if we realized that there are certain things which are not for us, and if we accepted with all our hearts and did with all our might the work that God has given us to do.
To do a secondary task for God makes it a great task!”
John illuminates that no man can be, or have, more than what God gives.
Paul would agree with this; you can look up 1Cor3:1-9, 4:1-7 for more on that.
Our gifts our opportunities come from God alone and He alone gets the glory.
James would say it like this: Jm1:17 “17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”
John was satisfied that if the new teacher was attracting more followers than that is what God intended for God was given them.
This links back to the story I read earlier about Dr. Spence.
John points to Jesus being the bridegroom and he was the friend of the bridegroom.
I need to stop and paint the Jewish, culture, picture here for us to understand the significance of John’s words given.
First, Israel was considered the bride of God and the God as the bridegroom of Isreal.
The union between Israel and God could be likened only to wedding.
Israel was guilty of infidelity to the bridegroom (exampled Exo34:15; Deu31:16 and others)
The friend of the bridegroom the “Shoshben” acted as the liaison between the bride and the bridegroom.
He would arrange the wedding, he would take out the invitations to the people.
He presided over the wedding feast.
He would bring the bridegroom and the bride together, and then would also the guard of the bridal chamber until such point he heard the bridegrooms voice, then he was overjoyed and would go away rejoicing.
That would mean his task was complete.
When the task was done he willingly and gladly would fade out of the centre of the picture (this is a paraphrase from (Clinton Arnold).
John knew his task was to bring Israel (the bride) to Jesus (the bridegroom) as the friend of the bridegroom.
It was not with envy that he said
May we be a people who learn to be content, and rejoice in bringing people together, to know the bridegroom and not bring attention or attraction to ourselves but to the one who can save the body and soul!
In this chapter so far we have seen some musts and we will be well to remember
and then the must of the Savior
and the must of the servant
May we remember the musts!
(Prayer) (exit)
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