HE MUST INCREASE… I MUST DECREASE!
Good morning! Today’s first cup of coffee discussion involves an age old problem that we sometimes have in our life, even as a believer, sometimes even as a pastor. And that is jealously!
WORD TO CHEW ON:
“After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized. Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized. For John had not yet been thrown into prison. Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification. 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 are coming to Him!” John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’ He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.”I
. John 3:22-30 NKJV
BACKGROUND:
“Jesus and His followers are in the countryside, baptizing people who come to Him – dipping them in water as a sign of turning back to God, a symbol of sins being washed away (3:22). John is also baptizing, but his disciples are having a bad day. With people now going to Jesus, they are worried that Jesus – ‘that man’ – is taking away John’s job (3:26). “
THE CHALLENGE:
“We might expect John the Baptist to be upset, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. John points out that he has always said he wasn’t the Messiah (which is perfectly true, see 1:20). John’s job was to prepare people for what was coming – in the words of 1:23 – to ‘make straight the way for the Lord’. “
THE OUTCOME:
“John then explains what he means, by getting us to picture a wedding. The bride / God’s people, belong to the bridegroom. And that’s not John. John is just the best man – the friend who helps the bridegroom / Jesus. Far from being disappointed that Jesus is getting all the attention, John is full of joy. The bridegroom is in His rightful place. Just as it would be strange for the best man to grab the bride for the first dance at the wedding, or stand next to the bride in all the photos, so John knows this is not about him. As Jesus becomes greater, John steps back (3:30). “
The emphasis of John not to be caught up in jealously is profound! Others were definitely concerned and jealous.
QUESTION: What enables John to be different and not get caught up in the jealously others were disturbed about?
PAUSE: The answer is a simple one—John understood that Jesus MUST INCREASE in his life and he must decrease in regard to his own desires, his own achievements, and his own reputation. John realized an important spiritual truth: that to die to Jesus is indeed the way to grow in Jesus and become ALL HE desires for us to be!
So, what about you and me? Is there an area where we have allowed jealously to arise or come up?
MORE IMPORTANTLY: Are you and I choosing each day to allow Jesus to increase more in our lives. Are we willing to decrease our desires, in order to discover our true self which HE has in mind for us?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank YOU for grace and forgiveness! Where we have at times been jealous, forgive us Lord. Jesus I readily admit, I need the help of the Holy Spirit today for me to relinquish my desires to You! Come Holy Spirit, regardless of my life events or circumstances. May I choose today for Jesus to increase in my life and for me to decrease. Please make it so! In Jesus name!
*Inspired by devotional: Growing Deeper, Meeting the Messiah”
