John chapter 3 and verses 22 to 30 Our title for this morning sermon is John's joy from leaping to fulfillment John chapter 3 starting in verses verse 22 and reading through verse 30 Here are the word of the Lord After these things, Jesus and his disciples came into the land of Judea, and there he was spending time with them and baptizing. John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salem, because there was much water there, and people were coming and were being baptized, for John had not yet been thrown into prison. Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John's disciples with a Jew about purification. And they came to John and said to him, Rabbi, he who is with you beyond the Jordan to whom you have testified, behold, he is baptizing and all are coming to him. John answered and said, a man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven. You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, I am not the Christ, but I have been sent ahead of him. He who has the bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom who stands and hears him rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. So this joy of mine has been made full. He must increase, but I must decrease." Thus ends the reading of God's holy word. Let us go to him and ask him for his blessing upon the preaching of the word this morning. Our Father in heaven, we implore You now that You would send forth Your Son in the power of Your Holy Spirit to speak to us, to meet all of our needs in the preaching of Your Word. Preach to my own mind and heart, Father. Preach to each and every one of us here. We need Your Word. We need it this morning. Now meet with us and help us, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. So our passage this morning brings to a close what we heard in the prologue. John 1, 6 to 9 says, there was a man sent from God whose name was John. This man came for a witness to bear witness of the light that all through him might believe. He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light, which gives light to every man coming into the world. John came, he fulfilled, that's the end of the verse, John came, he fulfilled his mission and testified to the Christ who he says, again emphatically, he was not. We called his last sermon in John 1 when we were there his Swan Song. We'll call this his valedictory address, or his farewell. John's ministry has carried on from the last time he was on the scene, and it even overlaps with Jesus' ministry, which the other gospel counts don't really give us a window into. But before moving further with John, Jesus and his disciples come into a rural part of Judea. Verse 22, after these things, Jesus and his disciples came into the land of Judea, and there he remained with them and baptized. They came into the land and remained. That's a familiar word to us, but it's not the same Greek word as is common in John. This word means to spend time or to rub away or consume. We could think of it as intentionally not in a hurry. If you've ever been pulled over for speeding, women, this doesn't apply to you, but men, if you've ever been pulled over for speeding, you'll notice that the officer sometimes will be intentionally not in a hurry. He is using it as an opportunity to teach you to slow down and not be in a hurry yourself. In a similar way, Jesus does that here, but with the purpose of discipling, of pouring into his disciples by both word and deed. Listen to one commentator. He says, Jesus took 12 men and poured his life into theirs, discipling them in thought and deed in order that they might become the foundation of the church following his death, burial, and resurrection, end quote. This is his future church that he is building, and taking time at such a crucial point was what they needed and what Jesus provided. Some have suggested perhaps Nicodemus was there. Certainly there was a discussion about the new birth, as the pending debate most definitely would have involved. Nonetheless, Jesus takes time. And we need to do that in all arenas of our lives. We need to make time to take time, if you will. Is your schedule so packed tight that you have no time for discipling your children, your wife, younger Christians, older women toward younger women, or wherever? We had some members of the church where we were members in Fargo who were from Africa. And in that specific culture, when they gathered to meet, I can't recall if this was just a normal gathering or if this was for Sabbath gathering. When they gathered to meet, the meeting began when the oldest arrived and ended when they left. You might wait an hour until they got there and then stay for another three. You didn't really have control. That would drive me crazy. And in a sense, I think that's not good that that would drive me crazy. We think we're crazy busy. Kevin DeYoung has a book that I haven't read yet called Crazy Busy, where he addresses this very aspect of our crazy busy culture and answers it in a biblical way. We need to take time. We need to take time to slow down and be willing to give indefinite time to those who are in need. Verse 23. Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salem because there was much water there and they came and were baptized. John's ministry is still very popular. We are told in another place that all were going out to him. Here we are told that people were continually coming and continually baptized by him. John is going to continue to work while there is opportunity. He knows his mission. He knows its end is near, yet he presses on. Repent, for the kingdom is at hand. The kingdom is here. Your Savior is here. And what to make of these baptisms, Jesus and John's baptism? I believe their baptism is the same in one sense. Jesus is affirming John's baptism. He's not going to do away with the Baptist or his ministry. He doesn't need to. The only difference is that the reality is here. The substance is here. Jesus is here. The call to repentance and faith says, even from Jesus and his disciples, it stays even from Jesus and his disciples. He doesn't need to change it. When I went hunting for the first time a couple of years ago, we got out to our spot before sunrise. While we were sitting there waiting, everything is pitch black when you get there and shut the lights off. You can probably make out the fact that that's a row of trees, that's a field. And there's even a bit more clarity, a bit more clarity as your eyes begin to adjust. But it's not until the sun begins to dawn that you begin to see more and more of the structure and lay of the land. But you still can't quite see everything as you will with the midday sun. Now I can see that's a row of trees. Now I can see that there's the train tracks. There's the several sloughs we'll be trying to push deer out of. I think this is the idea that we have here. The sun of the new covenant is dawning. But it's not quite midday. It's just coming over the horizon. The kingdom has broken in, but it's still not very recognizable. And Jesus is not in a hurry. He's in control. He's making disciples. He's doing intimate discipleship with his followers. But he's not putting himself out there yet for people to try to raise him up as this conquering deliverer. Their deliverance will come through suffering, and that hour is not yet. And neither is His promised baptism of the Holy Spirit, as we'll learn in John chapter 7. So He baptizes with a baptism of repentance and turning to God, for the kingdom is at hand. Was He healing and performing miracles at this time? I'm not sure. Probably. But the amazing thing again, is that Jesus, it is Jesus is here. The kingdom is here in Jesus. It's coming in his person, in his signs, in his wonders. The signs and wonders show us that God's kingdom has arrived and the fall of Satan's kingdom has begun. Repent, for the kingdom is right before your eyes. In verse 25, the dispute. The dispute is probably something like, What are the differences between John and Jesus' baptism? What are the differences between those ceremonial cleansing rites? What are the difference about these compared to being born of water in the Spirit that we've just heard of? How does this all relate to the discourse that we've heard of with Nicodemus? Now, we're not told, so it's not important. But what is important is what John's disciples are concerned with. Verse 26. And they came to John and said to him, Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, he is baptizing, and all are coming to him. First, Rabbi, they give John this honorary title, which is OK. They were disciples of John. But listen to their estimation of Jesus. John gets the honorary title, while Jesus is this one. It's a slight on Jesus. This one, to whom you have testified, is getting more disciples. The idea is that Jesus has got his fame from John. He is only famous because you gave him that testimony. And now look, all are going to him. And it's a gross exaggeration considering how many were still coming to John, continually going out to him and continually being baptized. And their complaint is all are going to him. And the implication is that eventually you'll have no disciples. What are you going to do about it? is implied, says one commentator. What will this mean for us? Where will we go? What about you? Are you just going to stand down? Come on, take some pride in yourself, John. Verse 27, John answered and said, a man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. Calvin begins his famous institutes on this note. How our wisdom can be deemed true and solid wisdom. He asked that question. How can our wisdom be deemed true and solid wisdom? It consists in two things, says Calvin, the knowledge of God and the knowledge of ourselves. You cannot rightly think about yourself if you don't immediately turn your thoughts upon God. God, the infinite, eternal and sovereign Lord, the sovereign dispenser of all life, of all good, of all gifts. And man, as he looks back down to man, man is weak, needy, dependent, sinful, sinful to the core. Yet still, man is the recipient of all good things from God. He receives his life from God. He receives all health and strength from God. Everything is from God. And the gifts that he has, he's received them from none other than God. When man considers God and His glory and His greatness again, and His kindness and blessings, when he looks back down to himself, he truly sees once again how needy and dependent he is, especially when further consideration is given to the fallen state of mankind, how miserable and fallen he is, viewing reality like this was or is to be wise. But alas, Calvin looks and says, fallen man is so prone to keep his gaze horizontally, isn't he? He looks and compares himself to others. He can always find a way to deem himself righteous or upright before other fallen men and say to himself, my condition is okay. No, it's only as he lifts his eyes back to God in the splendor of His holiness that he is able to view himself as he should. And the Baptist gets both of these right here. First, God is God alone. He is the one that has given these gifts. 1 Corinthians 4, 7 says, For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now, if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? God gives it, and He gives it sovereignly. He gives it of His own pleasure. What I have, I have from God's sovereign hand. And further, John understands himself. John is a fallen sinful man like we are. John is a man who has been privileged with the task of being God's final prophet. He's been tasked with the privilege of being the one, the forerunner, the voice in the wilderness, making ready the way of the Lord. He's the forerunner of the Messiah, the forerunner of the Lord Jesus Christ. And he's coming to bear witness about the light that all might believe in him. He testifies about the light, but he's not the light. He is an insignificant voice in the wilderness preparing the way for his blessed Lord. And he's still a sinner. John is both wise and free in this. He is wise and free. To see God's sovereign hand in any ministry, to see it as his sovereign and free gift to you, whatever you have, whatever abilities you have, whatever gifts you have, whatever understanding you have, to see it as a sovereign gift is to be freed. To be freed from jealousy, to be freed from envy, to be freed from looking down your nose upon someone else, to be freed from seeing someone as less than you. to be freed from a condescending attitude. Brothers and sisters, do we see how blessed is this humility that the Baptist has here? Do you see how desirable it is that we have that? That is to not think more highly of ourselves than we ought. It's the same attitude that was found in Christ, the prime example. And as those united to Christ our Savior, brothers and sisters, we have this mind. Put it on. Let's be about it. I'm not posing an idea where everything is all of a sudden perfect and there's no more selfishness and no more pride. But we need to consider what would that look like for us as a body. What would our interaction in the community look like if we regularly put on this resolve that the Baptist has, even better, the mind that Christ has, that everything he had was a providential and sovereign gift for carrying out God's perfect will. Or like John, who thought less of himself, who was delighted to see himself fall into the background. What a blessed thing this is. Something to strive after. Something to pant after. We need the Lord's help here. Only He can give it. We know we don't do it as we ought. We think too little of God and too much of ourselves. We think that we acquire these gifts on our own and that someone else just doesn't have them because they don't devote the time to it like I do. They must not be as loving as I am because I spend more time in prayer and I'm more considerate of others. They must not know this theological point well enough because they don't care about studying theology. We talk about other brothers and sisters as if they're less Christians. This ought not to be. And when you do that, because you will, own it, confess it, ask the Lord for forgiveness and that the Spirit would bear that good fruit in you. Again, we talk about others with our spouses. We have to labor this point. We talk about others with our spouses or with someone at work or with another brother or sister, and you talk about them in a way that is condescending, that is wicked and evil and wrong. The most recent fall into sin with this Bible teacher. I'm thinking, Lord, why do I say those things and think those things about him? Forgive me of those, and give me not to think that way. Give me not to rush to that condescending attitude and think somehow that I'm stronger than him, that I'm beyond that type of fall. We look down our noses, and then, yes, we're so good at it, we qualify by saying things like, no, I don't mean to, or hear me say it in this way, or I'm not trying to be hurtful, or whatever. Call it what it is. and remind yourself that every good and perfect gift come down from the Father of lights in whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." So the contention started about washing, but as it surfaces, it's clear that there is a contention about a man. Their allegiance is more toward John the Baptist than it is Jesus. Their problem was not really about washing, but that they did not believe John's testimony. If they did, they would have no problem with this, but they don't want Jesus. They want to make it about a personality, about a man, about a specific set of ceremonial issues. And John gives them the answer they needed, but didn't want to hear. Broadly speaking, in evangelical and reform circles, we need to hear this. Oh, I just love this or that preacher. And we get stuck on names and personalities. We shouldn't. A man can receive nothing unless it is given from God. I'm thankful to God for giving these gifts to so-and-so, because I'm drawn to God my Savior in hearing Him. And John turns their own statement back on them. You already said it. What was my witness? I'm not worthy to untie his sandal. He is greater than me in every way, even though my ministry began ahead of his. He is the son of God, the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, the spirit dispenser. I testified to his surpassing greatness. There's nothing in my testimony that should move you to any other conclusion. The spirit of God made it known to me, I told you. Further, let me give you an illustration that should be familiar to you. Verse 29. He who has the bride is the bridegroom. But the friend of the bridegroom who stands and hear him rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore, this joy of mine is fulfilled. Listen to one commentator. He says, you see, wedding custom in John's day dictated it was the best man, the friend of the bridegroom who invited the guests to the wedding, made preparations for the wedding, and finally, upon completion of the wedding, escorted the bride and groom into the bridal chamber. Thus, it was the voice of the bridegroom signaling to him that everything was okay within the chamber that brought joy to the heart of the best man. What John is saying is, my job is to bring the two together, to arrange the wedding. But people still come to John and hang on to him. What does John say? He points away, behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He rejoices at the voice of Christ. He leaped in his mother's womb at the nearness of Christ. And now he rejoices at the voice of Christ at the end of his ministry, a life bookended by joy in Christ. He rejoices at Christ's voice because the voice of Christ is calling others to faith in himself, into communion with himself, into a saving intimacy with himself, a marriage. And John is rejoicing because they are going to Jesus' voice and not his anymore. His delight is in losing disciples. Jesus says, my bride is with me. My spotless, pure and undefiled bride is with me. And we ought to have the same delight in the voice of Christ. If you be a babe in Christ, you leap for joy at His voice. If you be mature in Christ, you still find your joy in Christ's voice, no matter where you are. It is only the voice of your Savior that can bring you true and full joy. It's the only thing that can fulfill your joy, is communion with Christ, communion with the Triune God. 1 John 1, 3-4 says, To know God in Christ is the fullness of joy. no change of circumstance, no change of job, getting married, children, grandchildren, house, scenery, weather, location, none of these things will fulfill your joy if it's not ultimately found in the voice of your savior, Jesus Christ. If John's ministry would have been prolonged a bit longer, then he would have been more joyful, more fulfilled, right? No. Wherever you are, find your joy in the voice of Jesus. And we conclude with another must. He must, you must. We're used to these musts. They are to be noted. You must be born again. The Son of Man must be lifted up. You must believe. And now Jesus must increase in your estimation and you must decrease. Abort yourself in glory in your Savior. This is the sign of Christian maturity. What do the great age saints testify to of their understanding of their own sin? That they see more of their sin and have a greater estimation of God's grace in Christ the older they grow in him. Isn't that the testimony? They see more of God's fullness of salvation in Christ. J. Gretchen Machen on his deathbed says, thank God for the active obedience of Christ. Why would he say that? He's looking back and thinking, if it's my righteousness, then no way. With Christ's righteousness, the father says, Amen. Come, my beloved son or daughter. Verse 30, he must increase, but I must decrease. Here's John in summary. I have nothing that I did not receive from God. It is all gift. It is pure gratitude. It is from the fullness of Christ, John 1, that I have received my life, my calling, my prophetic office, my understanding and utterances. Everything is from the fullness of God in Christ. This favorable reception is all due to God. And I'm content with that and content to finish it and go away. I'm not coveting after what Christ has. Rather, I'm joyful because I'm fulfilling my God-given role. And I'm content to do that. I won't lust after something or someone's bride that does not belong to me. He's content. And he doesn't want to bear false witness. Further, I don't want you to think more of me than you ought to. I have told you over and over again that I am not the Christ. I'm just a voice. I am about to fade away. Your expectation and estimation of me is too high. You should be looking to Christ. Your delight should be in him, in his voice, not mine ultimately. He must increase, I must decrease. And we aren't naturally like this, are we? We want what others have. We're discontent with our circumstances. We want people to think more of us than what we are. Yet again, who are we? We are people who are constantly, constantly recipients of everything, everything temporal and physical. We are needy, very needy people, spiritually needy, physically needy, always, every moment. We have absolutely nothing to boast about but in the Lord himself. "'Don't make much of me,' says John. "'Jesus must increase, I must decrease.'" A good question here, as we consider John in his ministerial role, is how do we measure the greatness of a minister or preacher? Oh, they have great rhetoric, or great articulation, or their illustrations are so good. They preach so expository, verse by verse, unpacking everything one word at a time. They're so theologically accurate. all good things and commendable in their own way. But are they the ultimate measure? No, absolutely not. I determined to know nothing but Christ and him crucified. What is their estimation of Christ in their ministry? Do they make much of Christ in his gospel? You can do all the expository preaching you want and not magnify Christ. You can actually do that. Does the sweet voice of Christ come out in their preaching, telling you of His person and His work for you and your salvation? Does He say, I have become your sin and I have become your righteousness? My active and passive obedience was all for you, my dear bride, all at no cost, all in spite of you. When I go away from the sermon, what is my estimation of Christ, not the minister? Is he surpassingly great? Is he all in all? Is he the fairest of men? This is the measure. A man or minister is great only in so far as they point you to the surpassing greatness of God in Christ. Repeat, a man or minister is great only in so far as they point you to the surpassing greatness of God in Christ. And the greater your esteem of God in Christ, the greater the man, ultimately. Ironically, even though there is greater esteem moving in another direction. One point of application before we close. How do we be more like John the Baptist? Isn't that the question? Everybody agrees that he's the one we want to imitate in this pericope, in this narrative. And that's a good thing. Our answer is easy. Look to Christ. Listen to his voice. Primarily in the public gathering. but also much in your devotional time at home. We get this humility, this self-abignation by delighting in the voice of our Savior, by delighting to hear him tell us that he is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, by delighting to hear him tell us that he's the one who gives us his Spirit in abundance, by learning to know that he is our dwelling place, that he is God's new temple, that he is the one in whom all the joy and gladness of the new wine, of the new covenant, and the new creation have all arrived. That in him is life, life eternal. Plead with God the Spirit in you this week to think this way, to speak this way, to walk this way. May it be so for all of us who are in Christ today. Let's pray. Father in heaven, we want to make much of Christ. We want to see him in all his glory. In seeing Him, we want to be more conformed to His image. We pant after the glory that is ours by Him at His coming. We long to be conformed, fully conformed to His image. Grant us the sanctifying work of Your Spirit. Even this day, grant us to learn more and more, to walk by faith, to set our eyes on Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith. We pray all these things in Jesus' name. Amen.