John the Baptist's Last Lesson
The Gospel of John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 5 viewsThe disciples of John the Baptist and Jesus were headed for a head-to-head conflict, but both teachers taught their disciples a valuable lesson. They were not in a popularity contest. They both wished for the same thing: salvation for all.
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Introduction
I am as competitive as they come. I do not like to lose. I can talk with the best of them when competing. I’m not against taking short cuts to get the win, especially in card games. When it comes to my favorite teams, no matter the sport, they have my back. They are always going to win and be better than your team, despite what the records or facts may say. What we see within ministry and life is a constant dose of comparison and contrast. We find ourselves in debates over who’s church or pastor is better than the rest. We find ourselves in competition with other churches rather than at war with the enemy. This is not a new problem. Within our text, John the Baptist’s last lesson to his disciples was brought about by such a situation. Two sets of disciples (disciples of John and Jesus) coming at one another with conflicting aims in support of their teacher. How does John the Baptist respond? What can we take from how he responded?
Focus Passage | John 3:22-30
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 Now John also was baptizing in Aenon, near Salim, because there was an abundance of water there; and people were coming and being baptized—24 for John had not yet been thrown into prison. 25 Then a matter of dispute developed 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 the people are coming to Him.” 27 John replied, “A person can receive not even one thing unless it has been given to 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 groom; but the friend of the groom, who stands and listens to him, rejoices greatly because of the groom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
Outline
Conflict on the Rise (vv. 22-25)
The background of our text is rather simple to explain. It take place before the beheading of John by Herod, for John had not yet been thrown into prison (v. 24). At this point, he was continuing his ministry. He and his disciples were in the same area as Jesus due to an abundance of water and open space (vv. 22-23).
A conflict that was not between the leaders - ‘…Jesus and his disciples came into the land…Now John also was baptizing in Aenon...’
A conflict that was between disciples - ‘…and His disciples…a matter of dispute developed on the part of John’s disciples...’
Most of time we do not see conflict between pastors as much as we do between church members. What I mean by that is this…I meet on most Monday mornings with several of the pastors from our association. We meet, discuss concerns and praises, and we pray. We pray for each other with our different struggles. We praise God with one another with our different victories, whether personal or church. We do not argue about who’s church is bigger, better, or which of us is on top of the food chain. It just does not matter. We are there to support one another not compete with each other.
Often, this cannot be said about members within our churches. We may have been hurt or dislike members of this church or that church. We may like the pastor of this church or that church. We may feel that our pastor is superior their pastor. Our church is better than their church. It becomes a challenge to be better than the others around us. We lose view of what’s important. We begin majoring on the minors and minoring on the majors. This should not be. Within this, we begin seeing conflict within the Bride of Christ. We no longer are war with the enemy but at conflict with one another. This is the case within our text.
As Warren Wiersbe writes:
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Three: A Matter of Life and Death (John 3)
Without realizing it, John’s disciples were putting him into a situation of competing against the Lord Jesus! “All men come to Him!” (John 3:26) sounds like a wail of despair. It is interesting to note that four of the greatest men in the Bible faced this problem of comparison and competition: Moses (Num. 11:26–30), John the Baptist (John 3:26–30), Jesus (Luke 9:46–50), and Paul (Phil. 1:15–18). A leader often suffers more from his zealous disciples than from his critics!
A conflict that began over doctrine and tradition that became personal - ‘…with Jew about purification...’
When the disciples of John began this conflict it began over doctrine and tradition, about purification, but then it ended up placing John the Baptist against Jesus.
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 the people are coming to Him.”
This is what the enemy wants. He wants us to be fighting with one another rather than him. With that in mind, how does John the Baptist respond to this conflict.
John the Baptist’s Last Lesson (vv. 27-30)
27 John replied, “A person can receive not even one thing unless it has been given to 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 groom; but the friend of the groom, who stands and listens to him, rejoices greatly because of the groom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
John the Baptist complemented not competed with Jesus the Christ (v. 28)
Since before his birth, John the Baptist was leaping and praising the Lord Jesus.
44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.
John the Baptist had proclaimed from the beginning that he was the voice of the one crying in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord.
23 He said, “I am the voice of one calling Out in the wilderness, ‘Make the way of the Lord straight,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”
John the Baptist from beginning declared he was sent to testify about the Light and point others toward the Light, Jesus Christ.
6 A man came, one sent from God, and his name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.
John the Baptist testified that the Bridegroom had arrived and he was simply the best-man (vv. 28-29)
This beautiful picture that John brings before us of the Bridegroom and the bride is a common and very known thought for the Jewish people. God was the Bridegroom, the husband of Israel.
5 “For your husband is your Maker, Whose name is the Lord of armies; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, Who is called the God of all the earth.
2 “Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, ‘This is what the Lord says: “I remember regarding you the devotion of your youth, Your love when you were a bride, Your following after Me in the wilderness, Through a land not sown.
8 “Then I passed by you and saw you, and behold, you were at the time for love; so I spread My garment over you and covered your nakedness. I also swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you so that you became Mine,” declares the Lord God.
John the Baptist knew he was simply the best-man. He was not the groom. He was not in competition. He was not about upstaging Jesus. He would not even try that. He knew that all good things come from God alone.
27 John replied, “A person can receive not even one thing unless it has been given to him from heaven.
As Wiersbe once again writes in his commentary on John
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Three: A Matter of Life and Death (John 3)
A Presbyterian pastor in Melbourne, Australia introduced J. Hudson Taylor by using many superlatives, especially the word great. Taylor stepped to the pulpit and quietly said, “Dear friends, I am the little servant of an illustrious Master.” If John the Baptist in heaven heard that statement, he must have shouted “Hallelujah!”
As quoted from the Holman New Testament Commentary on John
John C. Confirmation of John’s Witness (3:22–36)
In the words of Calvin, “Those who win the Church over to themselves rather than to Christ faithlessly violate the marriage which they ought to honour
John the Baptist gave a final lesson on humility - ‘…He must increase, but I must decrease...’
“Must” is used within chapter three on three different occasions bringing about spiritual truths that one MUST take note of
There is the “must” of the sinner | The “must” of being born again
7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
There is the “must” of the Savior | The “must” of sacrifice
14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
There is the “must” of the servant | The “must” of humility
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
Conclusion
May we be reminded that we are not to be about building our own kingdoms or comparing and competing with others. We are to be about the business of our Lord, kingdom work. We are to be building up His kingdom. We are not to be drawing man to ourselves but to the Lord. Our words be not and forever the words of William Carey:
John C. Confirmation of John’s Witness (3:22–36)
It is said of the pioneer missionary, William Carey, that when he was close to death he turned to a friend and said, “When I am gone, don’t talk about William Carey; talk about William Carey’s Savior. I desire that Christ alone might be magnified.”
