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INTRODUCTION
I was in a High School play titled “Cheaper by the Dozen” I was the Father, and
honored to have one of the main parts. I was noticing that 4 time in my script I marked when I
needed to leave the stage with the word “LEAVE.” Apparently I was having trouble
knowing when to exit.
Our text is about John the Baptist exiting the stage of the drama of the life of Christ. In
the divine drama around the life of Christ, important people come and go from the scenes. John
the Baptist had a specific roll of being the forerunner of Christ, the friend of the
Bridegroom. He entered in John chapter 1, now in our text he exists. And his last line speaks
of his role in contrast to Jesus Christ: “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
Let us work our way to understand his view of himself and his ministry.
1. Jealousy in Ministry? vs. 22-26
- For a time, both Jesus and John had parallel ministries. Both were baptizing followers.
- v. 22 Jesus was in rural areas of the Judean region, the
providence with Jerusalem at its center. He was proclaiming the good news of kingdom.
- v. 23 John the Baptist was north of that in the Samaria
area, near a place with a lot of water. He was proclaiming the news to repent and
prepare to meet the Messiah.
- v. 24 This was all before John was cast into prison by King
Herod, eventually John was beheaded. John had a short ministry, but highly visible,
and effective. The other 3 gospels begin with Jesus Galilean ministry, by which time
John was already off the stage. Only Apostle John begins records Jesus in Judea, prior
to the Galilee ministry. Apostle John puts this in the text, for the other gospels
were already distributed, his was the last, and he want to make sure readers
understood there was no contradiction, he gives a prequel to their gospels.
- v. 25 A controversy arose between John’s disciples and
a Jews about purification. (Nothing new since a Baptist is involved).
- v. 26 To the point that John’s disciples came to John
and said: “That Jesus fellow you have been talking about is baptizing his own
disciples, and “all” are going to Him. He is getting into your territory,
you were here first, and He is taking over. What do you think about that?” Jesus
was getting more crowds, and John’s was diminishing. Jesus was getting more
popular at the expense of John. The competition is winning.
- Here we get into ministry jealousy. Another church gets bigger than us. What do we do?
Jealousy, or pray for their success? I have been on both sides - In IL our little
church competed with 3 bigger churches up and down the highway. In MN we were the
little country church, and our daughter church of the 60’s was the town church
and they were growing and we were barely hanging on. NOW, I am on the other side, we
are the big church. I learned we all have our places. We are not in competition, no
need for jealousy. I have tremendous respect for the ministry of small churches. None
of us can be all things to all people, plenty of room in the Kingdom of God. As long
as lost souls - we are all needed. Our future in God’s hands.
- So, how is John the Baptist to respond to his disciples jealousy?
2. Jubilation in Ministry! vs. 27-30
- v. 27 John was not bothered a bit by his declining
popularity. “I only can be what God calls me to be. I only can do what God calls
me to do. The only power, influence, ministry I have is what God gives me.” May
you and I say that too. Ministry is a gracious gift, not something we are entitled to.
All ministry comes from God, so there is no competition.
- Each of us is to be content and faithful with the gifts and ministry that God gives us.
This was the opposite reaction from the Pharisees 12:19
- Your gifts are unique to you, your position is Divinely ordained. Honor God with your
gifts. Heard Joe Stowell Thursday with Ann Graham Lotz, he quoted Francis Schaeffer:
“There are no little places, no little people.” Every ministry is
significant, every person is needed, and every gift is essential for body of Christ -
1 Cor. 12:7 “of the Spirit for common good.”
- v. 28 John said before “I am not the Christ, I was
sent before Him.” He knew his ministry was limited in scope and duration.
He told them before: “For the 1000 time, I am not the Christ.”
Christ’s growing ministry was proof that he did his ministry well. Far from
upsetting him, it brought great joy and relief. He could do heaven’s bidding,
but He knew that only Jesus who was from heaven itself could reveal heaven’s
glory. 1:15
- v. 29. His illustration was he was a friend of the
bridegroom, or the best man. The bride goes to the groom not the best man. In Judean
weddings the best man started the wedding by bringing the bride to the groom. Foolish
for the best man to upstage the groom, be the star of the wedding. John introduced
people to Jesus. Even in his mother’s womb he leaped for joy at the news of
Jesus (Luke 1:44). Plus, he turned over some of His followers to Jesus as recorded
already in John 1.
- John was finishing the task God had given him. He knew his ministry was winding down
and Jesus’ was winding up.
- John was the final messenger of the old age, Jesus is the bridegroom of the new age.
The old age is passing away, the new age is growing and flourishing.
- v. 30 Then the final summary statement, this is John’s
heart desire. The Message: “This is the assigned moment for him to move into
the center, while I slip off to the sidelines.” Contemporary English Version:
“Jesus must become more important, while I become less important.”
- In the drama of the Bible, now the script called for John the Baptist to exit stage
left, and he gladly did, so Jesus could move into center stage.
- John’s full joy comes when Christ receives His proper position and praise.
“must” speaks of divine necessity. It was God’s
will for John to yield to Jesus. Who gets the glory in our ministry?
- MacArthur: “The measure of success for any ministry is not how many people
follow the ministry, but how many people follow Christ...” (127)
- That was a problem in Corinth, they were choosing sides (1:12-13; 3:4-6). Paul’s
answer was 1 Cor. 3:7, 9, 10-11
- Billy Graham: “Most of all, if anything has been accomplished through my life,
it has been solely God’s doing, not mine, and He - not I - must get the
credit.”
- We step out of the limelight so that the work of God can be carried on.
- True evangelism - is not begging and pleading at the altar, it is preaching the gospel
message, then stepping back and letting God work, and God gets the credit.
- We have a tendency to forget the power of God. We think techniques, right procedures
draw people. No - it is God, He uses frail people, services that are not polished,
stuttering words to bring people to Himself.
- At the North Central Conservative Baptist Meetings, our general director, Don Shaw
stated that we Conservative Baptists are just a small part of the Kingdom of God, we
have a little corner (not in the corner).
- John the Baptist knew his place, and made himself perfectly clear about God’s
plan for his life and ministry. He was a true man of God. His commitment was to step
aside so that the full measure of God’s glory and power can be revealed in
Jesus. How about us?
- It’s not about us. It is about Jesus.
CONCLUSION
Do people know what this church is about? People talk about our youth program, our Awana, our
building, but do they talk about Jesus being here?
A survey of growing churches found that many attendees when asked why they attend that
specific church say: “Because God is here.” Can you say that about First Baptist
Church of Colfax. Do you experience the power of the Holy Spirit here? Do you believe Christ
is at work here?
Is Jesus increasing in our ministry. Are people seeing more of Jesus in us and through us?
The invitation today is to look into your life and ask how can people see more of Jesus in my
life? How can Jesus increase in my life this week?
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