John 3:22-36 (Happy to Play
2nd Fiddle)
A
Great Conductor was once asked What is the hardest spot to fill in the
Orchestra?
A)Without hesitation he
respond 2nd Violin See No one wants
to be 2nd Fiddle
Especially if
you have been first fiddle.
B) How many great NFL QBs
want to step down and be the back up and Mentor
for the young upstart with all the potential.
1) it is our human nature to
want to be the top dog to be in the spot light.
C) Well here we see in the
last part of
1) Johns actions were not
understood at first by all of his
followers
After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the
25 Then there arose a dispute between some of John's disciples
and the Jews 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 are coming to Him!"
Here
we see in the disciples of John an attitude that is very common in the Church
today.
A)We
are told, that the disciples of John the Baptist were offended, because the
ministry of Jesus began to attract more attention than that of their master.
B) Jesus was baptizing and
more people were coming out to him rather than John
1)
The followers of John didnt like that !
C) There is always that
tendency in the body of Christ to want to
compare!
1)
Compare Ministries /
D)The true Christian must
watch and pray against the spirit here manifested by John's disciples.
1)It
is very insidious, very contagious, and very injurious to the cause of Christ!
E)Nothing
so defiles Christianity and gives the enemies of truth such occasion to
blaspheme, as jealousy and party-spirit among Christians.{ Known by our Love?
Courson:
Be careful not to cut down a tree that is bearing fruit
A)Paul declared in his
letter to the Philippians some preach Christ from Selfish motives
But I dont
care I am just rejoicing that Christ is being preached.
B)
If souls are being saved AWESOME PTL in that leave all the other stuff to
the Lord Judge rightly Wood / Hay /
Stubble / Gold / Silver/ Gem
C) So Johns disciples had
the wrong Perspective:
John
is about to reveal to them the RIGHT PERSPECTIVE:
A)He begins by declaring that
all position comes only from God and that acceptance with man is a special gift
of God;
B)So
we shouldnt be worried or upset that someone seems to be experiencing more
acceptance than we are.
27 John
answered and said,"A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to
him from heaven.
C)He
goes on to remind his followers of his repeated declaration, that one greater
than himself was coming
28 You
yourselves bear me witness, that I said,'I am not the Christ,' but,'I have been
sent before Him.'
D)
Instead John refers to himself as the friend of the bridegroom.
1)
The best man, who is rejoicing that the bride groom is here
29 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
The
best man is often involved in all the pre wedding activities{ Those days the Bride groom
was as important and a focus as the bride.
Today
all about the bride Brides Mag -
A) The best man played a major role: He is
in Charge of getting things set up He is in Charge of making sure that everything
is ready
B)But
once the Bride groom shows up He takes a back seat He wants to get out of
the way so that the focus is on the bridegroom and his bride,
C)Jesus is the
Bridegroom John is the Best man So he declares v.30 I need to decrease
He needs to increase.
1)
I need to shrink He needs to grow! -
Compare Johns attitude with that of Absalom:
A)John has been in the
limelight He has been the attraction- But He knows his place He knows His purpose
He is there to prepare the way for the Lord
B) He is the voice of one
crying in the wilderness Make ready Make your
paths straight Messiah is coming
C) But the minute that the
messiah comes on the scene He immediately takes a back seat
1)
His ministry immediately begins to decrease
Absalom
never had the limelight He never was the focus but he wanted it badly he
craved the limelight he wanted to be the centered of attention.
A)So he puts
himself in that place of being in the public eye
he sits in the gates he is greeting people as they come into the city FACE TIME
B) David is busy attending
the affairs of the kingdom and Absalom is seeking to win the hearts of the
people.
C) Instead of trying to see
what he can do to maybe help his Dad- he is slowly trying to increase
trying to be the man
D) His philosophy is the
Polar opposite of Johns John wants to decrease so that Jesus increases
more and more
1)
Absalom wants to increase so that David might decrease.
It was said of the Hitler
that he loved the attention of others so much he wanted to be the baby at every
christening, the bridegroom at every wedding, and the corpse at every funeral!
E)
That was Absalom The more his craving for the spotlight grew the more cunning
he became in his over throw.
1)
John was the Polar opposite of that mentality.
Well
in order to further help his disciples gain the right perspective: John
proceeds to do what he does best. He points them to Jesus!
A)He
proclaims that Jesus is the Ultimate person in the universe who speaks the
Highest truth.
31 He who
comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the
earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 And what He has seen and
heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. 33 He who has
received His testimony has certified that God is true. 34 For He whom God has
sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. 35
The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand.
B)
John uses one striking expression after another, to convey a correct idea of
the majesty of Christ.
1) He comes from above and
is above all.
He
is not from earth as a normal man.
In fact, the earth came from Him.
He is above all kings and leaders.
He is above the majesty and beauty of earth.
He is above John the Baptist.
He is above all creation.
As the writer of Hebrews says (1:1-3)
In the
past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in
various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he
appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is
the radiance of Gods glory and the exact representation of his being,
sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification
for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
It was
this claim that the Jews disputed, because they knew it was His claim that He
was God (John 6:3842).
C) John is saying look my
knowledge is limited. EARTHLY
1)
Why I believe it is so important that we pay close attention to the perspective
of Jesus in the gospels From another WORLD HEAVEN
D)
He sees things so differently we pay attention to his reactions might help
us to have his perspective when we are in a similar situation.
#2
Because He came from Heaven His
Knowledge of the things of God is first hand
A)He
speaks with a greater authority because of His Knowledge and relationship with
the father.
B)He shares what He has seen and heard from the Father!
C) Who would you rather
listen to ONE who has BEEN THERE? Or one who has only read a book about the
place.
#3 He
comes in the authority and the backing of the Father. V.34-35
A)The father loves the Son
When the son speaks he does so in the authority of the Father -
B) There is a
Close bound.
C) The father has given all
things into the hands of his Son
1)All authority over the sea
/ air / animals / Demons
C) John is saying Jesus is
the real deal From God Speaks for God comes in the authority and backing
of God
1) He is like NO OTHER.
That
reality basically leaves men with one of two Choices to consider:
36 He who
believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son
shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."
Every Knee will bow and tongue
confess Jesus Christ is Lord