Hello, everyone. We finished up our interview with Nicodemus. That was full of interesting topics. But now it would be real tempting to just move on to Chapter 4 and get to the woman at the well and some more fascinating topics. But you know, there's this big chunk in between. John 3, 22 through 36. And out of it are some really nice quotes. There's some great things, like a man, verse 27, a man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven. Boy, that's full of thought. And how about verse 30? He must increase, but I must decrease. And then there's the great gospel. Theme here verse 36 he that believes on the sun has everlasting life And he that believes not the sun shall not see life, but the wrath of god abides on him powerful and important But this isn't just a sound board to push a few verses And make nice quotes and make some nice comments There's actually something very important going on here It's a transition We're looking at a shift from John the Baptist ministry to the ministry of Jesus Christ. And this shift represents a transition, a transition from the Old Testament to the New Testament, the Old Covenant to the New Covenant, from law to grace. So I think there's some really good food for thought here, so we're gonna tackle it this morning, or this afternoon, or you may look at it in the evening, whatever it is, We're going to tackle this. The ministry of John and Jesus dovetail. They go together like this. They are inseparable at this point. But while John was still gathering people and pointing them to Jesus, we're getting the impression from many things, but especially John the Baptist himself, is that Jesus is the preeminent one. If that's too big a word, I can simplify it. He's first place. He's of top priority. John's ministry is going to melt into the ministry of Jesus. John will eventually go to prison, but Jesus will go to the cross. So let's just take verses 22 through 24. John chapter three verse 22. After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea, and there he tarried with them and baptized. And John also was baptizing in Enon, near to Salem, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized. For John was not yet cast into prison. And we know that eventually John will go to prison and be beheaded. But nevertheless, they're giving us a hint. Things are yet going to happen in John's ministry. But we're going to see there's a handing on of a baton, so to speak. There's a transition about to take place. So what I just read here, it tells us that Jesus left Jerusalem and went into the countryside of Judea, which surrounds Jerusalem nearby. Now, we had looked at John chapter two. 13 and all the way through to chapter 3 verse 21 and basic events were that in Jerusalem Jesus had purged the temple cast out the money changers He did miracles or signs to establish his power and authority before the people and then he also had the great interview with Nicodemus who was a prominent leader among the Pharisees now when we get to John 3 22 he's Changing direction here. He's going to spread his ministry elsewhere Disciples are being baptized and we could look at other churches that would point out Jesus never himself baptized he had the disciples do the baptizing but nonetheless They were coming to Jesus and they were being baptized now to the north of all this in Samaria It says, you know Okay near Salem where there's much water. I Takes much water to be baptized, by the way, but we'll skip that point for now. But here, John was also preaching and baptizing disciples. Now, John the Baptist ministry, as I've said, is a transition from the old covenant to a new covenant, and that covenant is about to be revealed. People don't understand it yet, but Jesus is starting with basics and working his way to something, and then when he dies on the cross and rises from the dead, he's gonna solidify what this new covenant is all about. Now, from the standpoint of John, we see John as, introducing Old Testament Saints to Jesus Christ their Messiah their mediator of the new covenant. I'm just going to take a moment here to put in a commercial for some outside reading, outside John anyways, it's biblical reading. But if you want to grasp the significance of what it is to go from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant, from law to grace, this transition. It would be good to study Romans chapters 7 and 8 2nd Corinthians chapter 3 Galatians chapter 3 and Hebrews chapters 8 through 10. This would help to get a bigger significance of what this transition is all about. It's a very big deal. And that's why the apostles spent so much time preaching and correlating this. Jesus, when he rose from the dead, spent many days teaching them how the Old Testament is really the New Testament, concealed. And the New Testament is the Old Testament, revealed. So the transition from John to Jesus might be compared to launching a rocket. Now, in my day, it was a really big deal if they launched a rocket into space. Everybody wanted to cover it on TV, and we all watched, and we heard narration. and we watched this rocket would go up and the payload is at the top. Now the first payload I remember was a chimpanzee and then they started putting a person in it then eventually three people in it and then they they went to the challenger things and they'd have I think seven people in them. But what's important is at the top of the rocket And when the rocket takes off, it gets lifted with tremendous momentum, just lots of fuel. They've got to get up to 25,000 miles per hour to break Earth's gravity hold on them. And so these large rockets with large amounts of fuel would get used up in moments. And when they spend their fuel, then the staging rockets would drop off. Leaving the upper part to go on into space So that's kind of how I see John the Baptist in his ministry is he gathered people who had repented other sins Their hearts were turned to expectation of the coming of the Messiah And as John was gathering up this momentum among the people of Israel. It was all for the purpose of Promoting Jesus Christ and not himself When John's purpose was fulfilled, he would go to prison and, I told you, he would later be executed. People needed to move forward with Jesus Christ. Who would later go to the cross to die for the sins of his people? I think that's a good indication of what we ought to do today. We need to stay focused on Christ and his cross. Many other teachings of the Bible are very important, and there's important issues, but if we get sidetracked and become specialists in different other doctrinal things, we really miss the important part, and that is the life-changing truth that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried according to the Scriptures, He rose from the dead, and now justifies all those who believe, and He ever lives. to make intercession for his saints and one day he's coming back for us. But we need to stay centralized on that truth. And it would do a good bit of help to unite Christians if they would all stay focused on this as the most important preeminent truth. Okay, to further illustrate what we're talking about here about transition, we look to verses 25 and 26. Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. And they came unto John and said of him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou bearest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. OK, this discussion between John's disciples, and it's probably a Jewish person who was attended by, with a whole bunch of other Jewish people, but one was the spokesman. And I bring that up because if you look in some Bibles, it says they disputed with the Jews, or some Jews. And then other translations say a Jew, a certain Jew. And what usually is happening in a situation like this is there was probably a whole group of Jews and one of them was a spokesperson. He was the prominent one and the others were backing him up and witnessing to what was being said. But whatever, if you see a discrepancy like that in the Bible, don't throw your Bible away and think it's a problem, but probably that's what's happening. A prominent Jew, it wants to debate with the disciples of John, and other Jews are with him. So nevertheless, the discussion was about purifying, and we're probably talking about ceremonial forms and rituals. There was lots and lots of purification rites amongst the Jewish people. And so this debate took place. Now, it caused the disciples of John to come to John, and they wanted to express their concern that Jesus was getting more attention, more people were coming to him, and amongst Jesus' people, there's more people being baptized than what they're getting to do. And this is making them worried, distraught. And we have this problem all the time in religion when we get too focused on numbers. Now, you know, David numbered his men and got in trouble for that. On the other hand, One of the first early books of the Bible is called the book of numbers Numbers are important, but numbers is not always the way to gauge whether things are going well or not We have to worry about that. I Minister up here in northern, Wisconsin and there's a few larger churches by some people's standards. They're all small Our church is real small and it isn't that I don't care about growing and reaching more people but I can't I can't decide whether God's using us or not by just simply the amount of people. Because if you get real hung up on this, then every Sunday, oh no, we're down. Oh, there's less than before. And we can get so distracted. We're not just simply letting God have the results. They're His anyways. I think some statements that John's going to make will help us. With things like this, but nevertheless this gave John the Baptist opportunity to say some very important things And then just make some comments with not a whole bunch of side references Have his chance that his ministry is diminishing. Let's give it some good focus while we can, and I think we'll benefit from it. I start with verse 27 of John chapter three. John answered and said, a man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven. Ye yourselves bear me witness that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that has the bride is the bridegroom. But the friend of the bridegroom, which stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. This my joy, therefore, is fulfilled. He must decrease. Excuse me. I said that wrong. He must increase. Jesus must increase. But I, John the Baptist, must decrease. He that comes from above is above all. He that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth. He that comes from heaven is above all. And what he has seen and heard, and that he testifies that no man, and no man receives his testimony. He that has received his testimony has set to his seal that God is true. For he whom God hath sent speaks the words of God, for God gives not the Spirit by measure unto him. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. He that believes on the Son has everlasting life, and he that believes not on the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. Now, it's probably not that important to us. Some commentators don't think John said all of that. They think maybe, rather, John the disciple made commentary. But we're going to go with the idea that this is John the Baptist all the way. There's no real break in this discussion. In verse 27 he has just told us that all true ministry is the result of God's direction In verse 28 of John 3 John never claimed to be the Christ He never tried to get that preeminent position. John was sent to go before him and prepare people for him. He's an announcer, okay? Verse 29, John described himself as the friend of the bridegroom. This is like being the best man at one of our weddings. The best man helps the groom, but the groom gets the bride and the attention moves on from there to the bride. bridegroom and his bride, not the best man. Okay, that great verse in verse 30. He must increase, but I must decrease. John knew that his job was to give the attention to Christ and not himself. Christ and his ministry must move forward. The friend of the bridegroom must step back from the attention. Verse 31, Jesus is heavenly, spiritual, and holy. And we could say much more than that. But enough said so that we can warn that Jesus is the preeminent one, the first place, the top priority. And that is because he comes directly from God and speaks for him. Okay, verse 32, earthly humans cannot naturally understand and receive the testimony of Christ. And that's a big discussion throughout scripture. We'll see it in John chapter one. And we just got done seeing it when Jesus was talking in Nicodemus. You might wanna go back and look at John 3, 11 through 13. And John 3, 32 sounds a lot like the same discussion. But in John 3, 33, those who have the grace to receive his message are confirming what God has said from the beginning concerning his son. And again, this is a very powerful message. 1 John 5 tells us that if we believe that Jesus is the Son of God, we're confirming what the Father has said. And if we deny that Jesus is the Christ, then we deny the Father and make a liar out of Him, because God, in His Word, revealed Jesus, and it's called the record that God gave of His Son. You can check that out in 1 John 5, 9-12. Okay, in John 3, 33, those who have the grace to receive His message are confirming what God has said from the beginning concerning His Son. But now that we have the testimony of the Old Testament, and that's like the Father telling us, look at Him, He is the Son of God. But Christ Himself, and He said this in more than one place, Christ's words are God's words. Jesus is united with the Spirit of God and that unity has no limitation. Some of your Bibles will read differently there in verse 34. They'll talk about the Father giving the spirit to his son without measure, without limitation. And some refer to Jesus having the spirit without limitation. Nevertheless, we know this, Jesus just didn't have some portion of the spirit. We get used of God's spirit and and for a while we're filled with the spirit and we get to do a few things But Jesus has complete oneness with the father and with the son So when he speaks it is the word of God and and he makes that very important as a gospel Prerequisite if you're gonna believe on the son, you gotta believe everything the father said about him You gotta believe what he said about himself too and many times people haven't It seems like they haven't fully read what Jesus said about himself. Because some of the arguments I hear about Jesus and who he is, they don't match up with some of his more difficult statements that many people must be overlooking. Well, verse 35, the father also is united with his son in a bond of love. Therefore he has entrusted his son with all authority to do his will. Let me refresh our memories here. Verse 35, the father loves the son and has given all things into his hand. And that's gonna be said at the very end before Jesus departs to be with the father after he's risen from the dead. All power, all authority is given to me in heaven and earth. Oh ye therefore. Well, verse 36, he that believes on the Son has everlasting life, and he that believes not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. It does not say it will abide on him, it does abide on him. So to believe on the Son of God is to immediately have everlasting life. That begins now, not someday after you die. But consequently, or conversely, to not believe on the Son of God is to remain in the state of condemnation and spiritual death. Very similar statement said to us earlier in John 3 Verses 16 through 18 for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life For God sent not his son for 17 here for God said not his son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved and He that believes on him is not condemned, but he that believes not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. So this is the tough news we have to give to people that they don't want to hear. Many people like to hear that God loves them, but they need to understand that at the same time He is loving them, they're in a position of condemnation. It's because they're sinners. We all are. But we don't have to do anything else except nothing, and just for the fact that we're sinners, we're condemned. The good news of the gospel starts with this, that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. To think that you can immediately transition from death to life, that's wonderful. That's wonderful reminds me of another place. Jesus spoke in John 5 verse 24 Barely barely I say unto you he that hears my word and believes on him that sent me has everlasting life. He has everlasting life There's closure to this and he shall not come into condemnation that has passed from death life Okay What do we learn from John the Baptist's testimony? What kind of questions should we ask ourselves? I got four, just gonna ask them. You'll have to answer them. Number one, am I united with the father and his son? Am I truly a believer and have eternal life? That's not an iffy kind of answers here. Yes or no. And you can know, and you can have that transition right away if you turn to Christ. And truly believe who he is, and what he's done for you, and receive him. Okay, so, the next question. And our aim is particularly at believers, people who profess faith in Christ. Do I live my life in harmony with the words of Christ? They've been given a lot of priority here. Is my life in harmony with the words of Christ? Number three, do I seek to give glory and honor to Christ to point others to Him? In a sense, all of us have a way that we could say, he, Jesus, must increase. I must decrease. I must lose my life in him. I must give the attention to him. I must be willing to pass on the attention that others might know the Lord and love him. And I'm just a staging rocket here. It's helping to boost the message of the gospel to get people to know the Lord. And it's not all about me. And the last question is, do I go to a church that has these same priorities of revealing Christ, of calling people to surrender to him, to become followers of Jesus, to reach out and get the salt out of the salt shaker and start blessing others around us with the truth of the gospel? And then, does my church have a priority with the words of Christ? Do we do what he says? Or do we just call him the Lord with words only? Matthew 7 has something to say about that. Do we seek to give glory and honor to Christ? Is it about him or is it about my church and our wonderful programs and our beautiful building and our really great music team or our pastor or this or that, blah, blah, blah. Are we trying to draw people to Christ or to our church? Does my church have these priorities? That's food for thought. That is a discussion that you can have now with the Heavenly Father. As you ask yourself these questions, as you look how John graciously is stepping back, fulfilling his purpose and stepping back and giving the attention to Christ, may that be true for us as well. Heavenly Father, please use these thoughts Please speak into our hearts. Please transform us by your truth. Make us more like Jesus. And may we always be recommending him to others. May we always be representing him to others. May we be an example, reflecting him to others. And help us, Father, to assemble one with another for greater purposes than any individual that Jesus Christ truly may be preeminent in the church. And may you get the glory, Father. In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you very much.