John chapter 3 in your Bibles please and I want to read in your hearing to begin with verses 1 through 21 of this third chapter of the gospel according to John and I want to lift before you from John 3 this morning God willing three specific verses as we think about the chapter together. But as we do so, we'll begin by thinking about two of those as they're found in John 3, verses 1 through 21, and then God willing, we'll move beyond to look at that final verse that we want to focus our thoughts on John 3 around. But if you would, as we read the word of God, I'll read aloud. I'm reading from the King James Version, the English version of 1611, as I sometimes say, as I kid to you with you sometimes. Some of you haven't heard the language of Zion in a while, so your ear can rejoice in the notes of it. But if you'll follow along in your own copies of God's word, please, silently and carefully as I read, beginning at John chapter three. There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God. For no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I say unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth. So is every one who is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen, and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and you believe them not, how shall you believe if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up into heaven, up to heaven, excuse me, but he that came down from heaven, even the son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light has come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. We trust our God will add his blessing today, his stamp and seal to his word as we read it, as we think about it. May we just pause before him again in prayer together. Father, we bow before you in the name of thy worthy son and we thank you for the words that we read that are his very words that by inspiration you gave to John to record for us. Father, we ask you in the name of your son that you would now bless those words to us, sanctify them to our hearts, Father. We ask you that you would grant us to hear the voice of the Lord Jesus through them. May your spirit make it so to the honor of him in whose name we pray, amen. But as we look at these words of John 3 this morning, by way of a title, I'd give you this. Matters of necessity. Matters of necessity. We know the phrase, I'm sure, a matter of necessity. We hear it used from time to time. Someone may be facing surgery that they dread, and yet they tell the individual to whom they're speaking about it. This is a matter of necessity. Some things in the wider realm of global issues, national issues, international issues, are matters of necessity, things that have to be done. But in the case of John chapter 3, There are three items that appear that we could call matters of necessity that the Lord Jesus speaks of and in one case, the last, John the Baptist will speak of. I want us to consider them together because in a real way, in a definite way, these matters of necessity are far greater. They outweigh any other matter of necessity that any person could bring to your attention because they're really matters of eternal necessity. Or if you want to think of it, eternal matters of necessity. They're things that loom large not only for life, but also for what's beyond life. The first thing that we want to look at relative to these matters of necessity is that which we find in verse seven, as our Lord speaks. And you'll notice the word must, that highlights the necessity of what we're seeing. In verse seven of John three, our Lord says to Nicodemus, marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again. Now that's a necessity that speaks, I would point out to you, the necessity of deity or the necessity of God's work. I want to say more about it, but if you will notice what our Savior says in this conversation. As we've read it, Nicodemus comes by night to the Lord Jesus. We believe he's coming by night because of the elevated status he has among the Jews. He's a teacher. In fact, when our Lord Jesus speaks of him in our King James, from which I read, is a master of Israel, in the Greek text, the definite article is actually there. Art thou the teacher of Israel? This man was prominent among the Jews because of the progress that he had made in their religion, in the teaching of it, in instructing others in it. And the Lord Jesus refers to that. Nicodemus comes by night to him, probably because of the elevated status he has. He's not going to come in broad daylight, maybe out of concern, maybe out of fear. I believe that's actually the case. He goes by night to the Lord Jesus, but he hands our Lord what I would like to call a bouquet. He says, we know you're a teacher come from God. No man can do the things you do except God sent him. And I think he expected, you know, the Lord Jesus to respond with a bouquet as well for Nicodemus, but our Lord doesn't do that. He says, except a man be born again, he can't see the kingdom of God. He points out a reality that Nicodemus seems totally foreign to, even though he's a very religious man, who's very engaged, apparently, in the study of the Old Testament, and therefore, the teacher of Israel. And yet, he's totally oblivious to what our Lord speaks to him of. Now, as the Lord says what he does in verse seven, I just call your attention, as I'm reading from, again, the King James, notice the, Hear it through the ear gate for me. Marvel not that I say unto thee, ye must be born again. Now, something is there in the King James that most of our modern translations won't be able to reflect because of the fact that we use you in a twofold way. I may speak to you, Scott, or I may speak to you, brothers and sisters. And we don't distinguish that. But the King James, because of the early English, distinguished you between thou and thee. I would speak to thee, Scott, but to you, brothers and sisters. And Nicodemus is told here, marvel not that I say to thee, you singular, Ye must be born again. And so the Lord Jesus is speaking to the whole company of the Pharisees and the religious men who were students of the Old Testament to which our Lord is speaking here. He's telling them all they stand in need of the new birth. It's a matter of necessity. But it also speaks of the necessity of deity. For no human birth happens in the flesh, happens physically, on the part of the person who is being born. We need to think through that a little bit because a lot of people haven't. The Lord Jesus says you must be born again and he's speaking of a divine reality that requires the necessity of deity. a work that God must perform in the heart and the life of an individual. Now, this is seen in several ways in these words of John 3. The Savior speaks in verse 8 after giving this call to Nicodemus, marvel not, don't be amazed that I say to you, you must be born again. He says, the wind blows where it listeth, and that you hear the sound thereof, but you cannot tell where it's coming from, where it's going. The idea is the mystery of the wind, the power of the wind, but also the reality that you can't govern the wind. And he says, so is everyone that's born of the spirit. Some of you will remember the word wind, and the word breath, and the word spirit are all in Greek the same word, pneuma. P-N-E-U-M-A-F, you transliterate it in English. The Hebrew word ruach is the same. It means wind and breath and spirit. And the Lord Jesus, as it were, gives a play on words. The wind blows where it listeth. And so does the spirit. And the spirit brings this new birth because it is a birth of the spirit. And Nicodemus has already He heard that from the Lord. That which is born of flesh is flesh, but that which is born of the Spirit, Spirit. He's been told that when he asked, how can a man be born the second time? Can he go back into his mother's womb and be born again? And of course, the Lord Jesus isn't speaking on the realm of the physical. He's speaking on the realm of the spiritual. and man needs that. If you will drop down with me to those closing words we read, beginning at verse 19 is the Lord Jesus speaks about the father's gift to the son in these words and how God gave and loved his son to the world in that love for the world that he had. John, I believe continues to record the words of the Lord Jesus. Some believe these are the words of John, the gospel writer here, but in verse 19, As John speaks of the fact that the one who believes is not condemned, well let's just read verse 18 again as well. He that believeth on him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. Now notice what our Savior says about humanity. And this is the condemnation that light is coming to the world, and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest. that they are wrought in God. Now notice what our Savior says here. He speaks about the reality of the light coming into the world, but the condemnation because people by nature do not want to receive light. They love darkness rather than light. And that's the nature of humanity. That's why when the Lord Jesus entered the world as the light, Men did not receive him. John 1 makes it clear in his prologue, John speaks of that reality. He came unto his own, his own received him not. He says before that in verse 10, he was in the world and the world was made by him, but the world knew him not. Didn't recognize its maker. The reality of that, and John here speaks of the nature of humanity that has such a love for evil. The reality of our union with Adam. What Adam has done, impacting us all so that every one of us, as the old New England primer said, in Adam's fall we fell all. Everyone is impacted by the reality of sin so that there's a love for darkness rather than light. In fact, he that doeth evil hates the light. That speaks of something that was true of every one of us. If we're saved today, before that time when God saved us by his grace, we had a hatred for the light. Now for me, you know, I was a religious young man. I was a hellion and a scuzzball sinner, but I thought myself to be very religious. I read the Bible some and I prayed, but the reality about myself was I hated the light. I didn't want to come to the light. Why? Because the light would reprove me. Some of you may be familiar with J. Vernon McGee, the speaker on Through the Bible Radio. I remember Dr. McGee on one occasion talking about when he was a boy growing up on a farm in Texas, he would sometimes go out to the barn. He'd have his lantern in his hand, and as he went out to the barn, he said he'd open the barn door at night, lantern in his hand. He said the rats would run, but the birds would start chirping. You and I are like the rats in our own nature, in our flesh. We want to run from the light. I remember years ago hearing the song Phil Kagey sang. It started out this way. Give me stone darkness, said the blind man. That's what we're like by nature. We don't have any desire for the light. That's why we need a new birth. But in order for that to happen, there's got to be the necessity of deity, the necessity of God doing what he alone can do in the hearts of sinners, not what man is able to do. I remember years ago reading about a minister who was talking with a lady in his church about the doctrine of original sin, which really ties in with what we're talking about. And he was explaining to her how we've sinned in Adam and we're all under condemnation. And the lady said, oh, if we're that bad off, God help us. She got the point. We're that bad off and the only one who can help us is the living God. But not only is it true of our nature and the will that we have that loves sin, but also our ignorance. If you'll notice, the words of the Lord Jesus, I think often misunderstood in verse 13. As the Lord Jesus speaks about what he's telling Nicodemus there. in regard to him being the master of Israel. He speaks of what he knows, verse 11. He's speaking of earthly things, verse 12. And then he says this in verse 13, and no man has ascended up to heaven. But he that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man which is in heaven. Now, for some of you who aren't reading the King James or the New King James, that last phrase is not going to appear in your Bibles, I think, if you're reading more recent translations. The difference is, most of the manuscripts but some don't, and for those who believe that those manuscripts are the best, they've omitted. Now, I personally believe the majority manuscripts are the best. That's another question, another topic, another issue, but here's my point. It seems far easier to believe that men omitted that phrase, the Son of Man which is in heaven, then some included it. You see, for the human mind, when the Lord Jesus was on earth, how could he be in heaven? And because of that contradiction, I believe, it dropped out of the text on the part of some men. Most kept it. Now, the reason I believe it's important is because it shows who Jesus is. He is the one who, while on earth, was also in heaven. What? Yeah. By a virgin womb, in his humanity, he became a man. But in his deity, he continued to be omnipresent. Now, I can't put that together. My mind won't wrap itself around it any more than it can wrap itself around how he's three and yet he's one. One God, three persons, and yet no contradiction. I can't fully wrap, but I believe it. Now, what I want to point out, though, is the first part of the verse No man hath descended up into heaven, but he that came down from heaven. I've heard this applied to the fact that some men say, well, Elijah didn't really go to heaven, because Jesus said no man hath ascended to heaven. He didn't really go to heaven, because no man has ascended to heaven. That's not what it's talking about. Please keep your place in John 3, but go back with me to Proverbs chapter 30 in your Bibles. I want you to see these words that speak about the Savior. And this is why I believe that last phrase of verse 13 so important, the son of man who is in heaven, because the one who has the knowledge of God is God himself. And this is something Solomon spoke about, actually it's Eger, some believe it's a code name for Solomon, but in Proverbs chapter 30, We read these words, let's just pick up at verse one. And verse four is where I wanna get to and lift before you in looking at John 3.13. But notice Proverbs 30 verse 1, the words of Agra, the son of Jacob. Even the prophecy, the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal. Surely I am more brutish, beast-like than any man, and have not the understanding of a man. I have neither learned wisdom nor have the knowledge of the holy. Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fist? Who hath bound the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell? Notice that phrase. These words, who hath ascended up into heaven or descended, are a reference to what verse three is talking about. This man confesses, I've neither learned wisdom nor have the knowledge of the holy. Who has ascended up into heaven? Who has gone up and learned who God is? And the reality is no one who descended, the one who came down from heaven to do what? To make God known. That's one of the emphases of the gospel of John. Jesus says at the end of his prayer in John 17, as he speaks to the father about his disciples, I have made known to them thy name. The only one who can reveal the Father. This is what John 1.18 that ends the prologue of the Gospel says. No man has seen God in any time. He that is in the bosom of the Father, the only begotten Son, He hath declared Him. You see, the one who exegetes, that's the idea of the word declare, exegeo in Greek, he's the one who tells us who the Father is. He's the one who's the word of the Father. He's the Father's vocabulary. He's the Father's alphabet. And thank God, he's come down from heaven in order to deal with our ignorance of God so that we can know the Father, so that we can know what eternal life is. And remember what our Savior said in John 17, three. As He spoke to the Father, He said, this is life eternal. What? That they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. To have eternal life is not just existing forever, it's having the knowledge of God, which is life. Jesus alone can do it. Jesus alone can give it. He's the word of the Father. He's the one who has come down from heaven, who has ascended up. That is, he has the knowledge of the holy. Brothers and sisters, we hear a lot about spirituality in our day. Go to the spirituality shelf, Barnes and Noble, and you'll see all kinds of books. Ms. Whitwinfrey's talking about spirituality. She left it a long time ago because she denied the gospel. Brother Ward, I understand, baptized her up in Milwaukee at Metropolitan Baptist Church as a teenager. What's that? Yeah, I kept her on a little longer. I don't think that would have done it, Brother Scott. But I'm afraid the root of the matter wasn't in her because some years later, I think when she was maybe 27, she said she heard a sermon. And the minister said, God's not jealous. He said, God's a jealous God. She told him, no, God's not jealous. What'd she decide? She decided to determine who God was for herself. But none of us can do that. You know, when you do that, you know what you've made? An idol. When you make God be what you want to be, you don't have the true God, you have an idol. Well, I'll say this, Ms. Winfrey talks a lot about spirituality, and a lot of people do. There are a lot of books on spirituality, but true spirituality is defined and determined by God's Word and by the Lord Jesus Christ and what He has said. You see, I like John Riesiger's little blurb. I don't remember how he applied it when he did, but he said this, and he was quoting somebody else actually. We're like a blind man in a dark room who's looking for a black cat that's not there. And when he finds it, he writes a book about it. And that's what our book's on spirituality about. It's a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat that's not there, and then he writes a book about it when he finds it. We can't have any clue about the spiritual thing unless we're given that knowledge by God. God has to do the work. That's why 1 Corinthians 2.14 says the natural man, that is the man that has not been saved, the unconverted man, receives not the things of the Spirit of God for they're spiritually discerned. Neither can he know them for they're foolishness to him. Now I may have inverted spiritually discerned and foolish, but that's the thought, 1 Corinthians 2.14. That's why there has to be a new birth that brings the light into our soul, the light of the Lord Jesus Christ, the light of the truth of the gospel, the light, the truth of the word, it only happens by a new birth. God has to give it. He must be the author of it. He alone can bring it to pass in the soul. That's why Paul writes to the Corinthians in Ephesians 2 and he says, and you hath he quickened, that is you has he made alive, who were dead and trespassed in sin. The only way Lazarus got out of that grave is because Jesus visited the gravesite at Bethany and said, Lazarus, come forth. He that was dead came forth bound hand and foot. How do you get out of a grave if you're bound hand and foot? You have the Lord of life stop by and tell you, get up, Lazarus. Lazarus, wake up. And he got up. You and I were dead. Guess what happened? Thank God he passed by our cemetery plot spiritually. David, get up! An eye that was dead came forth. That's what grace does. That's the reality of the new birth. It's spoken of in other ways in scripture, a new creation. Who creates? God does. And what did he do? He spoke that word that brought us to life so that we became a new creation in Jesus Christ. That's what Peter speaks about as well when he says in 1 Peter 1, being born again, not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible, of the Word of God which liveth and abideth forever. God does that work. And the Lord Jesus is here pointing out to this religious man Nicodemus in John 3. The necessity of deity. And I don't have a lot to say about Nicodemus because we're not given a lot. But I can only imagine this with the background of so much of the Jews' religion in the day of our Lord. What we read in the Gospels. There was a whole lot of works mentality. There was a whole lot of the idea I'm working my way to God. And here the Lord Jesus undercuts that fully by saying, you can't work your way, Nicodemus. It's a new birth. You've got to be born again. It must be the work of the Spirit of God. Now if you will, drop down with me in John 3 to yet another one of these matters of necessity, which our Lord makes reference to. It's in verses 14 and 15. John chapter three, going back to John three. Yes, sister. John three, 14 and 15. And we read another matter of necessity. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. Here we see another matter of necessity, and that is the matter of death. The matter of death. Some of you may remember Keith Green. Blessed beloved brother, went to be the Lord early, humanly speaking. Brother Green had a song called Altar Call. And it's got some haunting lyrics to it. And he plays the piano even hauntingly the way he, when he sings it. But it starts out saying this, most people don't find out till it's too late that someone has to pay the price. Then he adds this, you can pay it yourself or let someone else, but who'd be that nice to pay a debt that isn't his. Well, I know someone like that and he's your best friend. He really is. He really loves you. You see, there was a penalty that we owe. And it's a penalty that is everlasting in character. You and I, who are condemned sinners, who hate the light, stand under a penalty. And if we pay the price, you can pay it yourself. But what does that mean? Hell forever. The wrath of God forever. The lake of fire forever. The just payment of my sin. if I pay it." But then he asked, or have someone else but who'd be that nice. And in John 13 and 14, the Lord Jesus speaks about the one who's that way, the Son of Man, the one who came down from heaven, who was in heaven when he came down, that Son of Man who is God in his glorious person, by a virgin womb became a man. And he says, this was the purpose. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. Now, that phrase lifted up in John's gospel is used clearly. And we see it used again by our Lord in John chapter 8. He says, when you have lifted up the Son of Man. But in John 12, it's defined for us. If you would, look with me please there quickly. John's Gospel again, chapter 12. And notice the words of the Lord Jesus as He speaks concerning His coming death. And there's more here than we could unpack, but He talks about a grain of wheat dying this morning, that is. A grain of wheat falling to the ground and dying. He uses that as an illustration of His death. He's gonna be a grain of wheat that when it dies brings forth much fruit. He's gonna bring sinners from every kindred, tribe, tongue, and people to God. Then he speaks about the Father's glorification in his death. And if you will pick up with me please at verse 31 as our Savior again is speaking about his coming death that John is soon to record in his gospel. John 12 31 now is the judgment of this world now shall the prince of this world be cast out and I if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me now notice verse 33 this he said signifying what death he should die What was the significance of that phrase lifted up? Sometimes we'll hear people saying, lift Jesus higher, lift Jesus higher. He said, if I be lifted up from the earth, I'll draw him into me. That's not the idea of the words. The Savior's talking about something he would experience, but he must initiate. For he said in John 10, no man takes my life from me. I lay it down of myself, and if I lay it down, I'm able to take it up again. This commandment I received of my father, this was what was going on at the cross. The Lord Jesus, as Mr. Bliss wrote in that hymn, lifted up was he to die. It is finished was his cry. Now in heaven, exalted high. Hallelujah, what a Savior. The Lord Jesus is speaking here about that lifting up that would take place at the cross, the Son of Man being lifted up. Who is this Son of Man? Why, He's, if you will, the true and better Adam. He's the last Adam, the second man. Our first father fell, but this one has come by a virgin womb so that He might, as the Son of Man, be lifted up. Now, our Savior goes on to say in verse 16 those words that Brother Dean referred to as I spoke about love there last hour, 1 Corinthians 13. And you mentioned John 3.16 to me, brother. Why? For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. I remember a dear preacher friend, I loved him greatly. He said the gospel's not in John 3.16. He said the giving is not only Him becoming flesh, the giving is Him giving Himself on the cross. The Gospel is there. And I know it's there because 14 and 15 precede it. And it's talking about Him being lifted up. Why did the Father give the Son? He gave the Son so that He might be lifted up. Why? So that a multitude of sinners from all the nations might be saved and not go to that place of penalty, that place of punishment, but rather they would be delivered by the grace of God. They'd be brought to stand before Him for all eternity, saying, worthy is the Lamb that was slain. Worthy is the Lamb. That, brothers and sisters, is what our Savior speaks of here. The necessity of death. His place became our place. And our place becomes His place. The reality of substitution But I love the illustration the Savior gives from Numbers 21 in the words of verse 14. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. Some of you remember that episode in Israel's history from Numbers 21. They're going through the wilderness and Numbers is full of the complaining and murmuring of the children of Israel. You know, they sound like us. That was free, no extra charge. At one point, chapter 21, they're complaining, and while they're complaining, God sends fiery serpents among them, and they begin to bite the people, and the people begin to die. They go to Moses and say, Moses, we've sinned against the Lord. Pray for us. And God, as he prays, God tells him, Moses, you lift up a brass serpent, which would really be like that snake, but a brass figure of it. Now brass in the Bible is often a picture of judgment. It was lifted up on a pole. That brass snake, in effect, was a picture of what had bit them being judged. But it was lifted up in the midst of the camp. Those people who were bitten were told to look to it and they'd be healed. Now that's what the Savior applies to himself. Even as Moses lifted up the serpent of the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up. Lifted up on the cross, but lifted up so that all who believe on him should not perish, but have eternal life. Now, when you think about it, it's such a clear, crystal clear, crisp picture. Here's somebody who's been bitten. He's in his tent and he's feeling the fire of that snake bite. He knows that death is sure to overtake him soon. But somebody comes to his tent and says, Moses has lifted up a serpent in the wilderness, a brass serpent on a pole. And he said, everybody who looks to that serpent and looks at that brass serpent on that pole, they'll be healed. That man is in the corner of his tent and he said, I'm going to look and he lifts his head out of the tent and he looks and all of a sudden the fever begins to depart and he's healed. There's another man in the tent who's been bitten. Another tent. He gets the word. Moses has lifted up the serpent. God commanded him, told him to do it. That man says, oh, that Moses. He's been leading us around on a wild goose chase in this wilderness for years. It was their fault, not his, by the way. Their unbelief. And he says, ah, I'm not going to believe anything else he says. What happens? He perishes. He dies through unbelief. What a picture of true faith that takes hold of Christ for that unbelief in which one will continue and perish. but the necessity of death. Why did he die? Why did he come? He came to die. The shadow of a cross, as someone has said, loomed over the manger. He came to die because we needed someone who could pay the penalty. He alone could do it. He alone is that fit man who can do what you and I cannot do. Our works, our efforts are futile, useless when it comes to our salvation. We can't do it. Believe on the Lamb. Believe on the Son of God. Brothers and sisters, that's the second matter of necessity. I've got one more and it's quick. I know you don't believe that, but it is. It's all right. We're here to the duration. We got lunch waiting for us, right? John chapter three, let's read now beyond verse 21, brothers and sisters, and read down through to the words there of verse 30. We could read more, but we'll stop at that point. John three again, verses 22 and following. After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea, and there he tarried with them and baptized." John 4 will give us the note that it was actually, verse 2 of John 4, it was actually Jesus' disciples who baptized, not Jesus himself. That note, he's there, there's baptism taking place with his disciples, and then verse 23 says, and John also was baptizing in Enon, which means springs in Hebrew, near to Salem, because there was much water there, and they came and were baptized, for John was not yet cast into prison. A quick note here, John records in his gospel what Matthew, Mark, and Luke don't record, that is the earlier Judean ministry of Christ. Matthew, Mark, and Luke begin with John's arrest. As far as the public ministry of Christ, they begin with John's arrest and then Jesus preaching in Galilee. But John records for us. the ministry of John the Baptist, and Jesus' ministry while John was not yet cast in prison, what we call the Judean ministry. I hope that didn't confuse you, but it'll help you, I hope, when you understand that as you read the Gospels. All right, now, verse 25. 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, but 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, but I must decrease. I want us to think about that last must, particularly in the light of what we've read, as a must of desire. That is, the purpose of life that should now be ours, the passion, the pursuit of being like Him. Him increasing, us decreasing. That should now be what life's all about for us. Let's think about it in terms of what John the Evangelist records about John the Baptist here. John's disciples and some of the Jews are arguing about purifying, that is cleansing. And of course, washing was part of the ritual cleansing of the Jews. Well, with that in view, they turn to the fact that Jesus is making more disciples. And I think when they tell John, they expect to get his goat with that, you know. They're sure John will probably be upset. Instead, John says, a man can receive nothing except to be given him from above. That's what we said last hour about what God has for me is for me. Got to remember that in life. Because a lot of times we get our nose out of joint because we get worried about what other people have and what we don't have. And we need to realize that whatever I have, John, James 117, every good gift and every perfect gift cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom there's no variableness nor shadow of turning. Everything I got, he gave it to me. And if he chooses to take it away, I need to be able to say like Job, the Lord gave, the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord. That's John's attitude. All I've got came from heaven. But then he goes on to say, you know yourselves that I clearly witnessed, verse 28, that I am not the Messiah, I'm not the Christ, but I'm sent before him. And then he makes this beautiful statement, I love it, verse 29, he that has the bride is the bridegroom. But notice, 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. John's basically saying, I was just the best man. I wasn't here to get the bride. I was here to introduce the groom to the bride. And the bride and the groom are meeting. Hallelujah! He's glad for it. Can you imagine being at a wedding, and the best man's there with the groom, and the bride comes down with her father, who giveth this woman to be married to this man? Her mother and I. And then the best man shoves the groom out of the way and says, she's mine. Man, that would ruin a wedding, wouldn't it? Can you imagine the fight that would break out? Hopefully. Here, John realizes his role. And as he realizes that, He concludes with these words. He must increase. I must decrease. That's a matter of necessity, brothers and sisters. I need to have this purpose in my life. I need to have this passion, this pursuit. I need to have this desire. It's a matter of desire. And I believe when we've come to experience the reality of the new birth, and the saving work of Christ, God, Holy Spirit, burst it in us so that we long to be like Jesus. We fail utterly and miserably sometimes, but there's that in us that says, Lord Jesus, please increase. Lord Jesus, please increase. Lord, I want to decrease, Lord. I remember when I was a young believer, there was a song. It doesn't sound that good, I guess, in one sense, but I like the idea. It says, no one wants to play rhythm guitar behind Jesus. Everybody wants to be the lead singer in the band. By nature, that's our tendency, isn't it? The grace teaches us otherwise. Grace schools us. He must increase. Amen. Yeah. And brothers and sisters, when that happens, life takes on new meaning and new luster. When we learn the reality of I'm here as God's image bearer. And though that image was broken, it's now been restored by a new creation. And as a result of that new birth, I'm able to be someone who reflects God's glory in the world. And that's why I'm here. And in order for that to happen more and more, He must increase, I must decrease. God grant that. These are three matters of necessity. For all of us, I believe there's a lesson. For any who are here who have not trusted Christ today, it may be that you realize your need is a sinner. I'd say run to Christ right now. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Go to Him if today you've trusted Him. If you know by His grace the reality of a new birth and of that death He died for sinners, then may you and I together pursue Christ's likeness. We sang together those words of Brother Watts and Brother Mark. Webb, I knew it was another W, but it wouldn't come. Mark Webb gave us, by way of the tune, and then I think the chorus. Did you notice the idea? No more, my God, I boast no more of all the duties I have done. I quit the hopes I held before to trust the merit of thy son. Now for the love, I bear his name. What once was gain, I count but loss. my former pride, I call my shame, and nail my glory to His cross. Those words are taken from Paul, Philippians chapter 3. Mr. Graham Kendrick, who's written much great worship music, wrote it this way, All I once held dear, built my life upon, all this world reveres and wars to own. All I once thought gained I have counted lost. Spending worthless now compared to this. Knowing You, Jesus. Knowing You. There is no greater thing. You're my life. You're my all. May we have that heart. May we have the pursuit that Paul had there in Philippians 3. Pressing on that I may know Him. That I may know Him. And may John's motto, what a beloved brother. A.T. Robertson wrote about him as John the Loyal. May our heart be, Lord, I must decrease, you must increase. May God grant it for his son's sake. Thank you. Okay. We're going to have prayer and then we'll be dismissed. You can go upstairs. You go ahead. Okay. Father, we bow before you in the name of our Savior. and we're thankful for His words, words of life, Father, words of truth. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for being the ultimate truth teller, the ultimate true and faithful witness. I pray that You would etch these words in our hearts, Lord, and may You indeed increase, and may we decrease. And may You thus be glorified, Lord Jesus, magnified in us, for Thou art worthy, Thou alone, in thy name, amen.