John 3:22 Then Jesus and his disciples left Jerusalem and went into the Judean countryside. Jesus spent some time with them there, baptizing people. 23 At this time John the Baptist was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim, because there was plenty of water there; and people kept coming to him for baptism. 24 (This was before John was thrown into prison.) 25 A debate broke out between John’s disciples and a certain Jew over ceremonial cleansing. 26 So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people. And everybody is going to him instead of coming to us.”
27 John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven. 28 You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.’ 29 It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the bridegroom’s friend is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. 30 He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.
31 “He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. 32 He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! 33 Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true. 34 For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands.36 And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”
There was a bit of a rift between John's disciples (learners) and the disciples of Jesus. John and Jesus were both baptizing new converts and a "certain Jew" who was trying to stoke the fire between both men, but John cleared it up real quick. In essence John said "I'm With Him" meaning Jesus. John further stated in the following verse what his part was in leading converts to a saving faith. Verse 28 You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.’ It is very important to know where you stand when presenting the gospel and where you stand in the results. Sometimes ministers get more involved in the "ministry" results and leave Jesus out of the whole thing. MAJOR MISTAKE. All we do is "about" Jesus!
I led a man to faith a few years back and when I heard him tell someone else about it he said that "I saved him" to which I quickly corrected him by saying "I just told you who to ask for your salvation. Jesus is the one who saved you. I have no saving power." When it comes down to it "I am also going to have to say "I'm with Him" when I stand before God because "Jesus saves" is the only way to look at it. The final word from John the Baptist brings it all into focus where he says in Verse 30 He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. One of Satan's favorite tricks is to fee the pride in each of us to believe we have anything to do with the salvation that comes from on high. Keep the perspective of making it "All about Jesus" and everything else will fall into place. Jesus is from on heaven and we are from the earth. The following words of John makes it totally understandable in verse 31 “He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else.
Today's Message,
David Warren
Comments