I'm glad to be back with you all again, and always gotta constantly give thanks to Pastor Dusenbury and to CRPC as a whole for how good, how God has used you to be to serve us and our family, and we're so grateful to be here, and thank you for the privilege to share God's word with you. It's so, just overjoyed to do so. So tonight, we're going to be in the Gospel of John, and I must confess, while I love the Word of God, all of the Word of God in its entirety, the Johannine writings are my favorite. And so this is a treat for me, and I hope it will be for all of you. The Gospel of John is one of the most beloved books in the New Testament. if not the entire Bible, the gospel was written after the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem in AD 70. And John, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, was writing evangelistically to a Jewish audience and to Jewish Christians to encourage them that Jesus Christ is not only the true temple but he is the fulfillment of the entirety of the Old Testament. This book is evangelistic, it's encouraging, and it has a high view of Jesus Christ. Now the passage we're gonna be exploring tonight, if you could please turn to it, is John chapter three, verses 22 to 30. And Jesus has been baptized by John the Baptist, just to give you a little background where we are in the text. And he's been to the, so, Jesus has been baptized by John the Baptist, and this is between... the wilderness, this is between the wilderness and the baptism, because John was arrested. So this book, John is gonna give us an account of what happened between the baptism of Christ and the arrest of John, and that's where we are. The other gospels don't contain this piece of narrative, but the Gospel of John does. So we're going to learn from John the Baptist tonight in this redemptive historical event. Two things, first we're gonna learn a lesson in humility, and of course that's the title of the sermon tonight, and then we'll learn about a lesson in exaltation, but that'll be next time, Lord willing. So, we're going to talk about how a true child of God is to respond to Jesus Christ. So with that said, please let's stand while we read the word, so we can read the word of God, and pray. Let's pray first. Father, we thank you for bringing us together here as your people. We thank you for your word. We know your word is perfect. It revives the soul. We know that your word is a testimony, and it's sure, and it makes wise, makes us who are simple wise. And Father, we know that your word is the precepts, is your precepts, and may help our hearts to rejoice. And Father, we pray tonight that you would help us to consider your word more desired than gold and much more than fine gold. And Father, we pray that the word of God will be sweeter to us than the honeycomb. And Father, we pray that you'll open our hearts and minds to receive your word and to see and love Jesus Christ more and more. Amen. All right. So here is the text for tonight. After this, Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside and he remained there with them and was baptizing. John was also baptizing at Anon near Salim because water was plentiful there and people were coming and being baptized for John had not yet been put in prison. Now discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification. And they came to John and said to him, Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan to whom you bore witness, look, he is baptizing and all are going to him. John answered, a person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness that I said, I am not the Christ, but I've been sent before him. The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom who stands and hears him rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore, this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease. Brothers and sisters, this is the word of God. Amen, you may be seated. So we're gonna go over three points tonight, and you have it in your bulletins. The first point is that true humility is submitting to the sovereignty of God. The second point is true humility is recognizing and revering Jesus Christ. And the third point is true humility is losing ourselves in God by the power of the Spirit. Now, in the 1700s, in the United States, here in New England, there was a great revival that broke out. And that revival was the great awakening. And at the center of it was a man that we probably are all familiar with, a man named Jonathan Edwards. And God used one of his sermons to light the fire of one of the greatest revivals in history. That sermon, if you remember, was called Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. Here's a short excerpt of that sermon. Jonathan Edwards preached this during the evening. It wasn't any lights in the church, so he had a candle and he read his sermons. So this is what he said. This is a short excerpt from the sermon. The God that holds you over the pit of hell Much as one holds a spider or some loathsome insect over the fire abhors you and is dreadfully provoked, there is no other reason to be given why you have not gone to hell, since you have sat here in the house of God provoking his pure eyes by your sinful, wicked manner of attending his solemn worship. He will crush you under his feet without mercy. He will crush out your blood and make it fly, and it shall be sprinkled on his garments. So as to stain all his raiment, he will not only hate you, but he will have you in the utmost contempt. No place shall be thought fit for you but under his feet, to be trodden down as the mire of the streets. And that is an excerpt of Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. It's a shame we don't hear more sermons like this. In Edward's day, it was Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. In our day, the preachers are preaching sermons more like God in the hands of entitled sinners. But during the Great Awakening, hearing preaching like this, people were falling out, they were fainting, they were crying out for salvation, and when they cried out for God, and people's lives were changed during the Great Awakening. People were eager to hear the word of God, the taverns were emptied, and they were losing business. It was a high time for the period of the church. However, there were some who seemed to have had an experience from the Word of God, but their lives didn't match up to what their profession was. They spoke of God on the cross, but only what it did for them. and not necessarily how much they loved God, but how much God loved them. Also, with the emotional outbursts, all sorts of other experiences, all sorts of other experiences came about, and pastors and people were starting to question the authenticity of the revival. Like, was this real? What is saving faith? Is this a real movement of God? So it was in this climate, Jonathan Edwards wrote his book, The Religious Affections, to answer what it meant to be a Christian biblically. And one of the fruits that he focused on in his book was humility. And this is what he said. It is true that many hypocrites make great pretenses to humility as well as other graces. And very often there is nothing whatsoever which they make a higher profession of. There are many that are much in exclaiming against their wicked hearts and their great shortcomings and unprofitableness, and speaking as though they looked on themselves as the meanest of the saints. Who yet, if a minister should seriously tell them the same things in private, they would think themselves highly injured. And there would be a danger of a rooted prejudice in them against such a minister. So he's saying that people outwardly would say, oh, I'm a worse sinner. But if you pulled him aside and says, hey, you know, you really not. Acting like a Christian, the person would be angry at what was said to them. So Jonathan Edwards understood what the Word of God says. God opposed the proud but gives grace to the humble. So tonight we want to talk about that humility is not accepting false doctrine. Humility is not ignorance of theology or doctrine. The Word of God is clear, love is patient, love is kind. but love also rejoices in the truth. Humility is not having a low view of yourself, for there are many who have low views of themselves, but it is not humility in his pride, because they are at the center of their own thinking. Humility is not quietness, for a proud heart hides best under a quiet tongue. So what is it? What is humility? How is it obtained? True humility is a biblical, reverential, heavenly view of Jesus Christ. Let me say that again. True humility is a biblical, reverential view, a heavenly view of Jesus Christ. Any other view or source of humility is a false humility. You can't have humility without Christ. John the Baptist teaches his disciples how to have a reverential, captivated, biblical view of Christ from which humility is born. And that takes us to our text for tonight. And our first point, true humility is submitting to the sovereignty of God. In John chapter three, verse 25 to 27, it says, now discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification. And they came to John and said to him, Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan to whom you bore witness, look, he is baptizing and all are going to him. John answered, a person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. So Jesus and John the Baptist were baptizing at the same time. And we read that in the earlier verse in John 3 verses 22 to 24, Jesus was baptizing in a Judean countryside and he remained with his disciples there baptizing. But John was also baptizing at Anon near Selim because water was plentiful there. Now, also, if you look in John chapter four, it states that Jesus himself was not baptizing, but it was his disciples that were baptizing. But Jesus was there among his disciples, teaching them about the kingdom of God and teaching them about himself. And that was our Lord's temple, wasn't it? Always unfolding the glories of himself to his disciples. John, was also baptizing and he was in the outskirts of Herod Antipas' area. And Herod Antipas is the person who would later put John to death and behead him. So both baptisms were a baptism of repentance for the Jews. These were not Christian baptisms. It was a washing to prepare for the restoration of the kingdom, for the restoration of Israel. This washing was tied to the Old Testament rite of purification. It was to say you were unclean and in need of repentance to prepare for the restoration of Israel and the coming of Israel's king. John chapter two verse six says, now there were six stone water jars, this is at the wedding of Cana, therefore the Jewish rites of purification, each holding 20 or 30 gallons, speaking about water. In Hebrews 9, it reads, now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, but deal only with food and drink and various washings, Regulations for the bodies imposed until the time for reformation. And that's what prompted the discussion with John's disciples about purification. The Jew was inquiring what kind of washings were these? Is this just another one of those ceremonial rites? So what is this all about? Another discussion, though, arose as a result of Jesus' ministry in Judea. John the Baptist's disciples pointed out to John that more people were going to Jesus than to him. And they were jealous for John the Baptist. And John's answer was, a person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. And as one of the last Old Testament prophets, John the Baptist understood that God is in control of all things, down to the smallest details. The Pentateuch probably came quickly to John's mind. He remembered how Moses responded to his disciple and how that response stopped them from becoming prideful. And this was recorded in Numbers chapter 11. A young man ran and told Moses, Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp. And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth said, my Lord Moses, stop them. But Moses said to them, are you jealous for my sake? would that all the Lord's people were prophets, that the Lord would put his spirit on them. So John the Baptist understood Jesus was not just another prophet, he understood that Jesus was the prophet that Moses was speaking of. And John also knew that to rebel against God's sovereignty is an act of pride. Rather, one must submit to God's sovereignty, which is a necessary ingredient for humility towards God. For the one who does submit to God's sovereignty will be blessed, but the one who rejects and rebels against God's sovereignty will indeed bring punishment and judgment upon himself. John the Baptist also likely had in mind the following scripture from Daniel when King Nebuchadnezzar looked at his kingdom and was lifted up in pride and God immediately brought Nebuchadnezzar to his knees and made him like one of the animals of the field. And when God restored Nebuchadnezzar, this is what he said, all the inhabitants of the earth are counted as nothing and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand. or say to him, what have you done? Have you ever heard this statement? It's okay to be angry with God. He understands, he can take it. Look, you can be angry at sin, and rightfully so, and you can feel hurt or disappointment from the things that's happening to you or around you, but it is never, ever okay to be angry at God. You have nothing to be angry at him for, he's good. He's just, he's perfect. Brothers and sisters, humility is submitting to God's control over all things, even the things that seems not to be in our favor. Isaiah 45, nine says, woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots. Does the clay say to him who forms it, what are you making? Or your work has no handles. The sovereignty of God is scary and frustrating for those who do not know God through the person of Jesus Christ. And that fear produces pride. But that takes us to our next point. True humility is recognizing and revering Jesus Christ. John 3. verses 28 to 29 he says you yourselves bear me witness that I said I am NOT the Christ but I've been sent before him the one who has the bride is the bridegroom the friend of the bridegroom who stands and hears him rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice therefore this joy of mine is now complete and John the Baptist continued, he tells his disciples, I am not the Christ. I want to learn and master a lot of things in seminary, but this is the main thing I want to master. I am not the Christ. What a magnanimous statement. John recognized Jesus as the Christ. That is the title for the Messiah, the coming one, the one who will restore Israel and all things to its proper place. John was sent by God to be a forerunner, a witness to the Messiah. John chapter one verses six through eight reads, there was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to bear witness about the light that all might believe through him. He was not that light, but came to bear witness about the light. John the Baptist was called by God to point to Jesus Christ his whole life. was dedicated to exalting Jesus Christ in the hearts and minds of the people of Israel. He was to prepare them for his coming. John recognized and revered Jesus as the Messiah at his baptism, and that baptism was the coronation of Israel's king. And not only did John remind the disciple of Jesus' coordination at his baptism, he gives them an analogy to illustrate to them his role to Jesus Christ. It was the analogy of him being the friend of the bridegroom. And we would understand that role as being the best man at a wedding. In Galilean or Judean marriages, the friend of the bridegroom was to make sure everything went smoothly and that the bridegroom and the bride were to come together at the wedding and enjoy one another. And he was there to enjoy the ceremony and to celebrate the marriage. Jesus Christ is the bridegroom. The bride is the Israel of God, and that includes the new covenant church, because we're being engrafted into Israel. And John is the best man, the friend of the bridegroom. Isaiah 62 verse 4 reads, you shall no more be termed forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed desolate. but you shall be called, my delight is in her, and your land married, for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. John tells his disciples that he is representing the bridegroom, revering the bridegroom as he serves him, but he is not the bridegroom. He is not the Christ. And at the baptism of Jesus, John declared that the Messiah was going to baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire, which is salvation and judgment. John was presenting the bridegroom to the bride in all his glory. You know, I know of a married couple who got married. They had three kids among them. But during their engagement, during the week of the wedding, the bride-to-be and the best man had an intimate encounter. He was at the wedding, stood alongside the husband as they said their vows. And to this day, the husband still doesn't know, and the best man still goes around them as his friend. And it's suspected that they still continue to have encounters. And what pride, right? That was prideful and arrogant of that best man and wicked of him to defile the bride before a wedding. Friends, brothers and sisters, church, we can be like this wicked best man who defiles the bride when our pleasure supersedes the glory of Christ. When we desire the praise of men over Jesus Christ, when we love someone or something else more than we love Jesus Christ, when we misrepresent Christ, And every time we sin, we are attempting to defile the bride before the wedding day. To place our interest above Jesus Christ is to declare ourselves as the Christ or to point to a false Christ and to make an attempt to defile the bride. And to defile the bride before the wedding, well, she's no longer a bride, is she? She's a harlot. waiting to be judged along with her lover. The bride of Christ is to receive God's Christ and him only. People, we are not the Christ. We need to be pointing our children, pointing our coworkers, pointing our wives, and pointing all those around us, nephews, nieces, cousins. We need to be pointing them to Jesus Christ, not us. The bride of Christ is to receive Christ, God's Christ, and Him only. And we need to point those people, we need to point those people that we love to God's Christ, the Christ of the Bible, not the Christ of our own sentiments. Listen to what Paul says in 1 Corinthians. He says, for I feel a divine jealousy for you since I betrothed you to one husband to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. But I'm afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaim, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. Paul is saying you're being defiled. If you accept any other Christ than what's presented through God's word. Don't defile the bride by presenting a false Christ, a Christ that is not biblical. If there is any other representation of Christ outside of the word or contrary to it, you have a false Christ. Even in the smallest detail, nothing about Christ can be left out. Salvation and justice, love and wrath, the first coming and the second coming must be presented to all people. Otherwise, you're defiling the bride, and the bridegroom will have his vengeance on those who attempt to defile his bride before the wedding day. Paul says these are workers of Satan, and their end will be according to their deed. Brothers and sisters, true humility is recognizing and revering God's Christ, not pointing to another Christ or coming up with a Christ of our own making. Final point for tonight, that takes us to our final point. True humility is losing ourselves in God by the power of the Spirit. John chapter three, verse 30, he says, he must increase, but I must decrease. This is not an option. It has to happen for John. If you want to submit to the sovereignty of God, if you want to recognize and reverence Christ and not defile his bride, then you must be transformed by the Spirit into the image of Christ. And John the Baptist gives his disciples and us the application of the day, he must decrease and Christ must increase. From the beginning of John's life, he knew this. When the priest came to him and questioned John and asked him, who are you? He said, I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness. To be a voice means you're here one minute and you're gone the next. He was nothing and no one compared to the one he was proclaiming. What humility. So why and how did John answer the priest the way he did? And why and how did he say that Christ must increase and he must decrease? It was by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is recorded in Luke that John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb. John was sent by God to be a witness to Jesus Christ, not to overshadow him. John the Baptist understood his role in redemptive history to Christ and not only did John's popularity and ministry influence had to decrease, his whole life had to decrease even unto death. And beloved, that is the gospel message, isn't it? God didn't send his son to make you a better singer. He didn't send his son on the cross to make you a better manager. He didn't send his son on the cross to make you the greatest preacher in the world. He sent his son to conform you to the image of himself and to reconcile us back to God. You must lose yourself in God through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. That is the gospel. And anything other than that is not the gospel. John MacArthur says this, and I quote, if you want to follow Christ right into heaven, here's the message. Deny yourself. Take up your cross and follow him. Do you hear that in the contemporary gospel? Do you ever hear anybody stand up in a crowd and say, if you want to become a Christian, slay yourself. Refuse to associate any longer with yourself. Reject all the things your self longs and wants and hopes for. Be willing to die for the sake of Christ if required and while living slavishly, submit in obedience to Jesus Christ. That doesn't sell and that's not smart marketing. It's a message that's hard to believe because self-denial is so hard to do. just so happens to be the truth. So many people today do their best to take the spotlight instead of moving out of it, or even the church itself is the attraction. And this is completely anti-biblical, anti-God, and anti-Christ. Like the stars at night that are bright but fade as the sun rises, we are to fade in the brightness of the glory of God's Son, Jesus Christ. To outshine Christ is arrogant and full of pride. Like John, we are to make sure that people see Christ and not us. And that goes for our churches, our families, jobs, friends, school, and wherever you go, if indeed you are a Christian. If you are the star in anyone's eyes, you are robbing Christ of his glory. And beloved, that is nothing but pride, and God is definitely opposed to that. So here are three points tonight, just to recap. Humility is to submit to the sovereignty of God. Humility is to recognize and revere Christ. And humility is to lose yourself through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist says to his disciples that he rejoices. So the other side of the coin of humility is joy. John did not stop just out of humility. He continues to give his disciples a lesson in exaltation over Jesus Christ. And we'll go over that next time. Let's pray. Father, thank you. Thank you for who you are. Thank you for Jesus Christ. Thank you for your word. And thank you for these dear people for your church. And Father, we pray that you would help us to submit to your sovereignty. Help us to trust and know that you're good. And all the things that happen in this world, good and bad, you have all things under your control. And remind us, Lord, that we can trust you. We can trust you. Father, help us. to revere and recognize Jesus as the only Christ. May we never ever step into his spotlight. May we exalt him. May we lift him up in the minds and hearts of people around us and in our own minds and hearts. And may we never ever take and rob him of his glory. We're not more compassionate than Christ. We're not smarter than Christ. Help us to be submitted to him. Help us to live a life of worship to Christ this week. And Father, finally, Father, we pray that you would transform us by the power of your spirit into the image of your son. Help us to yield to our glorious guest. Help us to be reminded that he indwells us. Help us not to grieve him. Help us to reverence him as God in us. And Father, as we go about our week or about our day, help us to be reminded that he is leading us, and he's transforming us, and he's bringing us home safely. May there be a comfort to each and every person here tonight. And Father, again, we thank you, we love you. Father, we thank you for the Holy Spirit, and we love the Holy Spirit, and we thank you for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And we pray this all in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus. Amen.