to be with you here once again. We find in God's Word a great many warnings against the proud and promises to the humble. Both of those subjects dealt with at great length in the Scriptures. But I want us to look at a passage tonight that gives us a clear insight as to what true humility is all about. To read from the Gospel of John, chapter 3, we'll begin with the portion that immediately follows the conversation that Jesus had with Nicodemus. 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. Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou bearest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. 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, that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom which standeth and heareth him rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. This my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase and I must decrease. The first thing that we would observe in this passage of Scripture is that in order to possess and maintain a true spirit of humility, there must be the right understanding. There needs to be the right view of God's sovereignty. Recognizing what the scriptures say about the sovereignty of God, many other issues cannot possibly be put in place. There will be a misunderstanding about salvation itself. There will be a misunderstanding about how to deal with the trials and difficulties that we encounter in life, and a failure to recognize God's sovereignty. will sometimes leave us in a position where we are grumbling and murmuring about our station in life rather than to bow submissively before him. So, John stipulates something here that is crucial and says that what you have received has been given you. God has given you, verse 27, John answered and said, a man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven. Here then is an acknowledgment of God's sovereignty. Whatever I see myself as having, whatever gift, whatever area of usefulness, John the Baptist is saying, is because it has been given me. This isn't something that I just generated on my own. I was sent as the messenger, as the forerunner of Christ. In fact, his ministry was foretold and explicitly prophesied in Old Testament scripture, so now he has come as the fulfillment of that. And as John then has this right view and obviously is content to be where God placed him, That's a tremendous lesson for all of us to learn. And I suppose we never quit really struggling with it because the old flesh gets in the way and thoughts come to mind which are not in harmony with what we understand here to be the truth as revealed in Scripture. Elder Rogers and I were talking at supper about how we read after a man like John Gill and stand amazed at his accomplishments and think how in a day when he didn't have all the devices that we depend on today could he have written so many volumes? How could he have done the research necessary to write what he wrote? How could he possibly have done what he did? Periodically, you think about that and say, I might as well pitch in the towel. I mean, I'm not making a mark in the sand. Why am I even trying? I ought to get out of the way and quit. Well, not all of you here tonight are preachers, but as children of God, you are to be ministering. All of God's children have a ministry. It tells us in the book of Ephesians that The pastor teacher is there to equip God's people that they might be able to minister. And you may sometimes have some of the wanderings of mind, as the pastor and I discussed at supper, and you say, well, I'm so little, I'm so insignificant, I know so little, I've done so little, I can do so little, I don't know why I try. And if Satan can get you thinking enough along those lines, you won't do much. You'll decide that whatever effort I make is not worthwhile, and why even try? And particularly, if you try at some point and you get a little criticism, then that wasn't much fun at all. I don't think I'm going to try to help anybody, or admonish anybody, or encourage anybody, or instruct anybody, or witness to anybody, because it just didn't go well. You become intimidated and don't do what you ought and could be doing. But recognizing while there's no excuse for laziness and failure on our part to develop what God has given us, yet to recognize by divine sovereignty he has placed us where we are. The fact that we were born in the United States of America was not because we were consulted ahead of time and asked where we would like to be placed when we entered this earth. The fact that we are here in this place tonight is through God's divine providence that we've assembled here and come in His name and are here to worship Him. Our personal view needs to coincide with that of John the Baptist to recognize that what we have, we have been given, and we are to use it to the best advantage. We go to the book of 1 Corinthians, chapter 4, verse 6, and these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes, that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written. How necessary that is, if we're going to have a true spirit of humility, that we not think of men above that which is written, not to put men upon a pedestal. whether it be some other man or yourself. It must not be that men are regarded in a position beyond what is correct, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. For who maketh thee to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now, if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou didst not receive it? So, if what you have is a gift from God, what right do you have to glory and boast as though, look at me, look where I am, look what I've done, look how I'm a step ahead of somebody else. See, that's another of the ways in which Satan entices us. He'll come at you from one direction, and if that doesn't work, he comes at you from the other. So, if he can't get you to thinking that you're so little and insignificant, you might as well quit, do nothing worthwhile. Try to put in your mind the thought that you're definitely a step ahead of a lot of people. And then you become a professional critic. And you're constantly looking around at other people and comparing yourself with them and thinking it's a shame that they're not as far along as I am, they're not nearly as deep spiritually, and they're not as zealous and committed and as active. And you become judgmental and bars your fellowship with others and hinders your communion with the Lord. So, there needs to be a recognition that what we have, we have been given and not boast like we produced it ourselves. In the book of James, chapter 1, verse 17, it says, Every good and perfect gift cometh down from the Father of lights. These things that God has given us are by His mercy and grace, and we should desire to use whatever gift God has given us to His glory, in whatever place we find ourselves, instead of grumbling because we're not somewhere else, wishing we had a better job, a better community to live in, a better situation in whatever form it may be, say, I've got to serve God where I am right now. If God has something else in store for me, if there's another place down the way, Then when that time arrives, I'll try to be effective in serving God there and then. But right now, I've got to serve God where I am. Because none of us know what a day may bring forth. We may be a lot nearer the end than we think. And if we spend all of our time thinking about what we're going to do way out there somewhere, we may never get there to start with. So we're to use whatever time, whatever resources, whatever opportunities we have, we are to use them now. Now, as I say, there's no excuse here for laziness. You see what's happened, John the Baptist had been a focal point in what was happening in the religious community in this day. He's the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord. He's preaching a message of repentance and great crowds are coming out to hear him and he's baptizing great numbers of people. And then some of the Jews noticed that there are more people now following Jesus. And no doubt there were some motives there as they bring up the issue. Thinking if there can be some jealous spirit arise between these two camps, be to our purpose because obviously they didn't think favorably of either one of them. But entering into this discussion, what do you think about this? Now the crowds are no longer following John, they're following Jesus. Now there's still some coming to John, but the way they interpreted it was everybody has gone after Jesus. People have a tendency to exaggerate when they're wanting to relate something of this kind and with this kind of motivation. Everybody's going after him. Well, not everybody had, but the crowds were indeed going there. So, if there could be some jealousy arise between the disciples of Jesus and the disciples of John the Baptist, how that would detract from what was going on and would be dishonoring to God. But you know, Satan still tries those tactics today. He would like for God's people to spend their time and energy fighting one another. And it seems there are a lot of people who find their pleasure in doing just that. that they feel the greatest enemies they have are those who disagree with them on a point or two, and that they should spend their time trying to discredit that effort. There are jealousies that arise, and John the Baptist is not going to allow that. He's not going to give in to that. He's not going to begin to feel sorry for himself. Say, well, I guess my days are numbered. It was great while it lasted. But now the crowds are going after Jesus. Poor old me. I'm not the man I once was. I don't have the position I once had. So, I might as well give up. He continues on course. He continued to preach. He continued to baptize. Oh, what a lesson for us. How many times you may use as an excuse, well, I've been rejected. I talked to somebody and they didn't like what I had to say. I tried to share my testimony and talk about what the Lord had done for me and they looked at me like I was some kind of a radical and didn't care to hear anything else I had to say. So you decide this is a good time for me to just back away and have what some would call a quiet faith where I just keep it to myself and don't tell anybody about it. Or there are other issues that come along that cause somebody to ready to fold their tent and quit. I've talked to people who said, well, I think I've done my share. I was active while I was younger, but I've gotten old now, and I just can't do what I once did. I had a man tell me one day as I was trying to discuss some vital issues with him and quoted some scriptures. He said, well, you know, I'm retired. I don't read the Bible anymore. I'm retired. Now, you know, where do you find that you've finally reached a place in life that you've read so much in the past? You're caught up. You don't need to read anymore. As long as we live, we're going to need the food of God's Word. We're going to need to continue to grow. Just because we're all getting older and the time comes that you may not be able to do physically what you once did. But I'm always inspired by some older people that can't get out like they once did, but they write notes of encouragement to other people. or they get on the phone and encourage others in the Lord and continue to be a shining example and bearing fruit, as the psalmist says, clear up into old age. Let us then, if we truly have a spirit of humility, recognize that we are never to be intimidated because of rejection, never to allow jealousy as we look at someone else's apparent success calls us to pitch in the towel and quit. But to follow the example of John the Baptist, that even though there was now a transition and the crowds were following Jesus, really, that's what it was all about. That's why John the Baptist had come in the first place, was to point men to Jesus. And so, why should that discourage him? But those who were indeed his enemies would like to have brought about that kind of a result. Now, not only did he have the right view of God, seeing that God is sovereign, he had the right view of himself. He continued to say, I am not that light. Back in the first chapter of the Gospel of John, verses 20 and 27, he had said that emphatically. I am not the light. Jesus Christ is the light. He is the light that lighteth every man. The light has come into the world. He is the light of the world. But I am not that light. And so, he had the right view of himself. I haven't come to try to build a following, try to build a name for myself. I'm the friend of the bridegroom, he says, and I get my joy from hearing his voice. I'm not out here trying to take a more prominent role. You need, as John did, to think soberly about yourself, and once again, In our human nature, we are prone to be an extremist. We're not inclined to be where we ought to be in our thinking and in our attitude. We're either over in the ditch on one side thinking I'm rather important and I'm just not getting the appreciation and recognition that I'm entitled to and you become aggravated over that. Or, on the other hand, you say, I'm a big nothing, and I can do nothing, so I will do nothing. And you don't do anything. And so, either of those views are incorrect, and they don't honor God. Let's look at the book of Romans, chapter 12, verse 3. For I say through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think. but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." Now, there's not enough words we could use here to describe the worthlessness of man in his fallen state. We can say he is a wretched, guilty, bankrupt, no-good sinner, and all of that is true as far as his state in nature is concerned. If a person dwells on that continually and says, I'm nothing but a no-good, bankrupt, rebellious, wretched, filthy, undone, no-count, no-good sinner, then they say, you know, I don't know if I can even crawl out of bed in the morning. I just don't think I'm going to be able to make it through the day. When Isaiah got that vision of the Lord high and lifted up, and had the proper response, and said, Woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips. There then came an angel, and took the tongs, and with a hot coal put it on his lips, and purged him. So though we are depraved sinners by nature, when we've been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and made a new creature in Christ Jesus, now by His enabling grace, there is something worthwhile that we can do. So, we're not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think, thinking, I am somebody, I know more than anybody else, everybody else ought to follow my pattern, if they don't do it the way I think it ought to be done, it can't be right, mustn't have that attitude, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to every man a measure of faith. Think correctly, understand, yes, by nature, I'm a fallen, ruined sinner. I deserve nothing, I can make no demands on God, I can't come before Him and say, I think now that I'm entitled to this, that, or the other because I've been doing a credible job. We're always unworthy of the least of His mercies, and any blessing we have has to be ours by divine grace. So, we want to recognize that He has dealt to every man the measure of faith, not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think, but to think soberly, think correctly, understand what we were by nature, but what we are by grace, and as we are in Christ, we have something that we didn't have before, and that as we abide in Christ, we can bear fruit. He says, without me ye can do nothing. I'm confident that everybody here tonight believes that, but I'm also confident that every one of us forget it periodically. We get the idea that if we plan and scheme and work hard enough, we're going to get something worthwhile done, and then we wonder why we're spinning our wheels and going nowhere. It's already made it clear. We're not going to bear any fruit except as we abide in the vine. Without me, you can do nothing. But Paul then takes the other side of that and says, I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. And when we so often become aware of our weakness and our need, how we need to recall that wonderful truth. The challenge before us may be great. The obstacles are many. They say, how am I going to press on? You know, we're living in a day where so many are enamored with the things of this world, and even if they have some casual interest in religion, there's no real depth of desire to hear the fundamental truth of God's Word. Somebody was asking me at supper time how long I'd been in the ministry. It's about 61 years, and I can see some tremendous differences in those 61 years. The culture is changing, has changed, and is changing rapidly around us. Such a difference in attitudes. So many issues and controversies that face us today that were not there in years gone by. Now, the fact of man's fallen state and depravity has been a reality since the Garden of Eden. I'm not suggesting to you that there was some golden age in years past where there weren't challenges. But I am saying that the changes are significant. And it's easy to become discouraged. I saw on the news one night about the largest church in Cincinnati that has 10,000 members and they were having a Super Bowl weekend, on the weekend that the Super Bowl was being played. And they were having tailgate parties in the parking lot. And they had the preacher dressed up like a football player. And they had another one dressed up like the referee. And they were blowing whistles and running through the lobby selling popcorn and other items. And they said, and you just won't believe, when we have the halftime festivities, it's going to be spectacular. We just believe in having lots of fun. Well, crowds follow that. Thousands of people go there. We don't have thousands of people lining up at our church. We don't have a halftime. We don't have those festivities. And we're offering the simple proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And as you try to preach it and wish that there were more that would respond, we have to remind ourselves it's required in the steward that he be found faithful. Be found faithful. It's not a matter of judging success by men's standards. That was going to be our judgment. Many of us would have quit a long time ago. We have to say we have to be faithful in serving God in whatever area of service in the position He has placed us in life. John the Baptist had the right view of God, he had the right view of himself, and we have to have the right view of our purpose. What is our purpose? What are we about? What are we trying to accomplish? We're not trying to make a name for ourselves. We're not trying to establish a following. We're not trying to impress anybody and hope that somebody is going to think highly of us. But what is it from a positive standpoint? A witness is what John saw himself to be. And every one of us, whether we're preaching the gospel from the pulpit or individually, you're witnessing, you fathers are teaching children in your own home, you mothers are seeking to guide your children, you're talking to your neighbors or friends, whoever they might be, we're all to be good witnesses. Back in the first chapter of the Gospel of John, verse 8, John repeats and emphasizes this fact, he was not that light, but was sent to do what? Bear witness of that light. Verse 15, John bear witness of him and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, he that cometh after me is preferred before me, for he was before me. Jesus was before him, and I'm here simply to bear witness of him. Verse 20, and he confessed, and denied not, but confessed, I am not the Christ. And in verse 29, ìThe next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.î What was his purpose? Not to make a name for himself, not to exalt himself, but to point men to Jesus. He was bearing witness of the light. Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. And that message that John delivered is one that weíre still delivering today. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. We're not pointing men to religious rites and ceremonies or to some legalistic concept, pointing them to Jesus. Behold the Lamb of God. There is no other Savior. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. In many circles today, more and more people are moving toward the idea that there are various ways by which an individual may finally arrive in heaven. I read after one denomination just a few days ago that in former years would have been committed to biblical principles, but today is saying we don't want to host a limited view as to say that Jesus is the only way. There are other religions by which one may gain access to heaven. The words of Jesus still stands. He didn't say, I am a way, I am the way. There is no other way. And then, not only did John have the right knowledge, the right understanding, he had the right attitude, you see. He was not jealous. He was not bitter. He was thankful that there were now multitudes following Jesus and hearing His message. That Spirit was seen also by Moses. We go back to the book of Numbers, and how important for us to develop and maintain this kind of an attitude, the kind of attitude that John the Baptist had, the kind of attitude that we see here on the part of Moses. In Numbers chapter 11, reading in the 26th verse, but there remained two of the men in the camp. The name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad. And the Spirit rested upon them, and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle, and they prophesied in the camp. And there arose a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Midad do prophesy in the camp. And Joshua, the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of the young men, answered and said, My Lord, Moses, forbid them. Immediately Joshua is coming to Moses' defense. It's like these men are trying to undermine him. They're trying to circumvent him. I'm jealous for the sake of the one that I'm ministering to. I'm assisting Moses. And Moses, you need to shut these fellows down. And Moses said unto him, Envious thou for my sake? Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them? What an attitude. Instead of giving in to a spirit of jealousy and criticism, that would be a great thing if all of the Lord's servants, all of the Lord's people were prophets, and the Spirit of God was upon them. Paul had to deal with some of those issues in the church at Corinth, where there was jealousy among preachers. One said, I'm a Paul, I'm of Apollos, I'm of Cephas, and so on. He said, what are we but just ministers, just servants in God's hands? Why should there be any jealousy in trying to get people into their respective camps and allegiances? Our whole purpose is to preach Christ and Him crucified. And you see that Paul was not just speaking to the church as to what their attitude would be. Paul displayed that attitude himself in Philippians chapter 1. Philippians chapter 1 verse 12. But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel." Now, here's a man that's had a dramatic, unique experience when God visited him on the road to Damascus. And he's given him a great work to do. He ultimately travels more than anybody else in these New Testament times, writes the greater portion of the New Testament, and the desire to preach the gospel is like a fire burning in his bones. But at this time, he's a prisoner. He could easily have reasoned, maybe I'm mistaken about my call. If God really had a work for me to do, he wouldn't have allowed me to be set up as a prisoner. He could have felt very sorry for himself. He could have been greatly distressed when he heard of what was going on with some now who are preaching with the idea of adding affliction to him and adding to his bonds. But he said, I want to tell you about what happened and how these things have turned out to the furtherance of the gospel so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace and in all other places. For one thing, Paul, believing he was called to preach the gospel, didn't quit preaching just because he was chained to a Roman soldier. Soldier comes on duty, he preaches the gospel to him. Shift changes, soldier number two comes in, he preaches the gospel to him. Shift change, preaches the gospel to soldier number three. After a while, he said, the message has gone throughout the palace. There were 16,000 soldiers in the Praetorian Guard. And at this time, they're all talking about this prisoner who's talking about Jesus. See, God had a purpose in Paul being where he was. And Paul utilized that opportunity. And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear, so he rejoices in that. Some, indeed, preach Christ even of envy and strife, and some of goodwill. Some have the right motive, and some don't. The one preached Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds, but the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel. What then, notwithstanding every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached, and thy therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice." So, instead of feeling sorry for himself, he's ministering as he's a prisoner, and he rejoices in what's going on around him. In other words, the gospel of Jesus Christ could not be suppressed. You see, one of the servants might be in prison, but God will even use that in a positive advantage. Aren't you glad to know that God can overrule the obstacles, the opposition, all of the things that we would perceive to be so negative, and bring something good and worthwhile out of it to the glory of His name? That gives you a whole new outlook, a whole different perception. So, He has the right attitude. John has the same kind of an attitude that Moses had and that Paul had. And we should have that kind of an attitude. Romans chapter 12 verse 15 says to rejoice with those that rejoice. See, what happens if your attitude isn't right, you see somebody over here rejoicing, you say, I don't know why they're rejoicing. Why are things going so well for them? I think I've worked harder than they have. Why does God seem to be blessing This person did not bless me. He didn't say to be envious and jealous of those that are rejoicing and being prospered, to rejoice rather with them. Oh, you see how our old human nature is always prone to act improperly and think incorrectly, and God's Word just comes at us from every direction, not giving us any place. where we can rest in our fleshly considerations and try to justify a wrong attitude. Our attitude must be right. His attitude was expressed in that 30th verse when he said, he must increase, I must decrease. He must increase. That was according to God's plan. This was an absolute necessity. This was according to what God had ordered and decreed, that Jesus Christ would increase. Yes, he humbled himself to the death of the cross, but by that sacrificial death at Calvary, he was going to accomplish the greatest victory of all times. He must increase. His ministry must expand. You see, when the king comes on the scene, then the herald steps aside. John the Baptist was the herald saying, he's coming, he's coming, he's coming, now he's here. So, I'm not out in front anymore, I step aside. I'm not telling you to look at me, I want you to look at him. Behold the Lamb which taketh away the sin of the world. Your goal should be that that's expressed here by John the Baptist. He must increase. Your estimation of Christ ought to be continually increasing. The more you read about him, the more you hear preached about him, the more you sing the old wonderful hymns of the faith about him, your estimation of Christ should be forever increasing. Consequently, your affection for him should be increasing. The more you see of his greatness, his glory, but of his love and his mercy and his kindness toward you, The more your heart ought to be stirred with love and affection for Him. And in turn, your service ought to increase. Because you're not going to look at it as being an imposition. I'd really like to do something else with my life. I'd like to spend my time some other way. No. If I have the opportunity to be a servant Truly applying myself and utilizing my time and resources to the glory of God and the praise of Jesus Christ, that's what I want to do. And as you serve, your witness should be ever increasing as you witness about Him. He must increase, but I must decrease. That estimation of yourself that sometimes gets out of check. A time that you begin to feel, people just don't treat me right. They just, there's certain people that neglect me. Certain people that don't speak to me like they ought to. I've known of people who get in that kind of a frame of mind and finally admit that they had gotten so into flesh, they would just kind of stand off to the side and like, I'll just wait and see. whether so-and-so speaks to me or not. And if they didn't, they kind of took pleasure in it. I knew they wouldn't. That's just the way they are. Didn't expect they would. They're haughty and arrogant. They wouldn't speak to me. Not thinking about what kind of a corrupt attitude they've got while they're standing off sneering about the whole thing. The scripture says, he that hath friends must show himself friendly. There is no place for somebody to sit aside feeling sorry for themselves. Nobody paid me enough attention. If you want to have a friend, be friendly. You initiate it. You speak. You reach out. You try to minister to somebody. You try to help them. You must decrease in the area of your selfish interest. How much that gets in our way in life. We have our own little goals, our own personal interests. Here's what I want to do. Here's what I want to accomplish. Here's where I want to go. And all of it's me, me, me, me, me, me. This is what I want to do. I must decrease. I must get self out of the way. The Apostle Paul said, I die daily. And that's painful. The old flesh doesn't die easily. In fact, you can get to the place sometime and think, I believe I've made some success. I think I've got it whipped. And before you know it, that old Adam nature raises its ugly head and you find out it's as mean as it ever was. It's an ongoing battle. That's the reason you have to be clothed in the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. And then, not only must there be the right truth, the right understanding about the matter, if we're going to have this spirit of true humility, there needs to be the right attitude, but ultimately there comes the right effect. You see, the effect of John's spirit and attitude prevented divisiveness among God's people. And if we were laborers for peace, Jesus says, blessed are the peacemakers. But they shall be called the children of God. If we labor for peace, what a difference it makes. Paul tells us that in the Ephesian epistle. The world is full of conflict, and it's full of conflict because it's full of sinners. And sinners tend to have conflict one with another, but by grace, We are to labor for peace. Ephesians chapter 4 verse 1, ìI therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called, with all lowliness and meekness.î Those two qualities are not esteemed very highly in the world in which weíre living today. People think of meekness as being weakness. No place for this, but this is what the Apostle Paul is advising as he writes under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, lowliness, meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Having a spirit of true humility will prevent that spirit by which you constantly may be prone to disapprove of the labors of other people. Somebody looks at another preacher or another church or another Christian family and says, well, they don't do things like I do, so it just can't be right. I know what the pattern ought to be. Let's look just briefly at Mark chapter 9. Verse 33, And he came to Capernaum. And being in the house, he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace, for by the way they had disputed among themselves who should be the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve and said unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last, and the servant of all. And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them. And when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name receiveth me, and whosoever shall receive me receiveth not me, but him that sent me." Disputing among the disciples about who would be the greatest. And Jesus, of course, knew what their thoughts were. Somebody has the idea, I'm superior, I'm greater. My way is the only way. God can't bless in any other way. I'm looking for a place of prominence and prestige. It's like the atrophies of whom the Apostle John writes, who loved to have the preeminence. And you remember on one occasion, the disciples carried it so far that there were people who had not received their testimony. And they said, Jesus, would you not rain down fire from heaven and destroy us? Reminder of the prophet Jonah, who didn't want to go to Nineveh because he didn't like the Ninevites, and he was fearful that if he went there and preached, they might repent. And he said, knowing the Lord like I do, it would be just like the Lord to spare them. And that wasn't what he wanted. And so when they did repent, He set up a little booth out on the edge of town and said, I think I'll stay here in case the Lord would change his mind and burn them up. I want to watch the fire. I want to see it. What kind of an attitude was that? You'd think a man who found that the whole city had repented would be so delighted. He would be thrilled, but he wasn't. He didn't like these Gentiles. He didn't think they deserved to be spared. He wanted them to get what he felt they had coming to him. Have you ever had that attitude? There was somebody that you decided, if I was in charge, judgment would be falling on them right now. And I don't understand why the Lord has delayed in handling this matter. And I've talked to a few people who said, the Lord's waited long enough, I'm taking over. But the Lord has not asked for any volunteers to join the vengeance squad. He says, I will repay. Vengeance is mine. I will repay. And when you get the attitude because somebody's not walking with you and thinking like you think that they ought to be shut down. In fact, you know, that was another thing the disciples said, these over here casting out devils, they're not with us. Lord, we told them, shut the thing down. And I guess they thought they were going to get a compliment. Jesus rebuked them. See, the Lord can be working in a lot of ways in a lot of places that we might not recognize. And we have to rejoice and be thankful for what God is doing because what He does, He will do to His glory. And we want to recognize that work wherever it may be. The ultimate effect then of this right attitude, it brings joy to the servant. John the Baptist obviously had joy because he says, I delight to hear the voice of the bridegroom. He wasn't dejected. He wasn't struggling with jealousy. He was delighted. at what was transpiring. So there's no place for complaint, no place for jealousy, no place for bitterness, but the ultimate end is it brings glory to Jesus Christ. And that's what happened here. Because when there were these that were trying to bring about a divisive spirit, a jealous spirit, John totally resisted. He might have called some of his own followers and gained a little sympathy from them. Yeah, I can remember the Glory days just not so long ago when we were the center of it all and now the crowds are going after Jesus. That's what it's all about. That's what I want. I want to point men to Jesus. And if we keep that in mind, we can develop and maintain a true spirit of humility. He must increase. I must decrease. I want to be continually exalting His name and pointing men to Jesus. Behold the Lamb of God. which taketh away the sin of the world. May God bless you.