Descending Into Greatness

If I were to ask you this morning who is the greatest person to ever live, who would you say and why? 

 

Do you know how Jesus would answer this question?  He wouldn’t say Abraham or Jacob or Joseph or Moses or David or Isaiah or Daniel or Peter or Paul.  He would say John the Baptist.  See Luke 7:28.

 

28 For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

 

Ironically, John went down to be great.  Normally, we think of up as great, but again, John went down, and Jesus called him the greatest man to ever live.

 

In today’s text, John 3:22-36, we are going to see the last of John the Baptist as far as the gospel of John goes.  He is going to go down or descend and at the same time go up.

 

Today’s text is a transition from John the Baptist to Jesus the Christ, and it is also a transition from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant.  My message this morning is entitled, “Descending Into Greatness.”

 

 

24. Jesus and John were Similar, John 3:22-24.

22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized. 24 For John had not yet been thrown into prison.

 

Verse 22 begins with Jesus and His disciples, and John enters the picture in verse 23.  In these three verses, we see three similarities between Jesus and John. 

 

First of all, both had disciples.  3:22 mentions Jesus and His disciples coming into the land of Judea, and 3:25 reminds us that John had his own disciples as well.

 

Second, Jesus and John also both went about preaching.  Turn to Matthew’s gospel to see this explicitly.  See Matthew 3:1-2 and 4:17.

 

1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

 

17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

 

Matthew 3:1-2 says that John preached a message of repentance, and Matthew 4:17 says that Jesus preached a message of repentance.

 

Thirdly, Jesus and John both baptized.  Jesus and His disciples were baptizing in 3:22, and John was baptizing in Aenon where there was a lot of water.

 

By the way, some have argued that immersion could not have been the prescribed mode of baptism in the New Testament because there would not have been enough water to baptize all those people in a desert and extremely hot environment.  John 3:23 seems to say otherwise.

 

Again, Jesus and John were similar!

 

 

31. However, John was Subordinate, John 3:25-31.

25 Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification. 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!”  27 John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’ 29 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. Therefore, this joy of mine is fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.  31 He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.

 

In verse 25, we are introduced to a discussion that probably arose due in part to the jealousy of John’s disciples.  We don’t know all of the details about this discussion or argument.  We simply know it was about purification, and this is probably about whose baptism was better, John’s or Jesus’?

 

Therefore, they came to John with their complaint.  Essentially they said that Jesus was gaining in popularity, and more people were going to Him to be baptized than John. 

 

Needless to say, John’s disciples didn’t like that.  However, John answered them with a great observation.  He said in verse 27 that no minister prospers without the blessing of God.  You can rest assure that all is well because the hand of God is on Jesus.

 

In 3:28, we see three reasons why John was subordinate to Jesus.  First of all, John was the forerunner.  He says plainly and clearly in this verse that he was not the Christ.  He was the one sent before Him.  He was the forerunner.

 

Secondly, John was the friend.  He uses a wedding analogy to explain the relationship between himself and Jesus.  Jesus is the bridegroom.  John is the friend or the best man.  All the best man wants to do is make the groom look good.  Doing that gave John a heart full of joy.

 

Thirdly, John was from earth.  In 3:31, John said that Jesus was from above, but he is of the earth and speaks earthly things.  On the other hand, Jesus is from heaven and is above all.

 

Again, John is subordinate because he is the forerunner, a friend, and from earth.

 

 

• Jesus is Superior, John 3:31-36.

31 He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. 33 He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true. 34 For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. 35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. 36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

 

Yes, Jesus and John were similar.  However, John was subordinate, and Jesus is superior. 

 

Even though there is some debate about whether verses 31-36 were the words of John the Baptist or John the Apostle, the content is still the same. Jesus is superior. 

 

Why? First, He is superior because He is from heaven in verse 31.  Second, He is greater because He is divine.  Being the second person of the Trinity, He has the experience of God and testifies to such in verse 32.  Third, He is greater because He speaks on behalf of God and has the fullest measure of the Holy Spirit in verse 34.  Finally, He is greater because God loves Him and has given Him all things in verse 35.

 

 

Application/Conclusion

So Jesus and John are similar, but John is subordinate, and Jesus is superior.  So what?

 

First, if you claim to be a follower of Christ but haven’t been baptized, I would encourage you to do it.  John baptized.  Jesus was baptized and baptized, and it is their baptisms that point to Christian baptism by immersion that pictures the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

 

Second, there is a call here for Christians to model humility.  Because we are naturally self-centered people, it is easy for us to get jealous and resentful and bitter when those around us are succeeding but we aren’t.  This happens at work and in the neighborhood with houses and cars.  It can even happen with hunting and who killed the biggest buck and golfing and who shot the lowest score.

 

However, John the Baptist sets for us an incredible example of humility.  When his disciples came to him and expressed their frustration with Jesus’ growing popularity, what did John say?  He ultimately responded with the utmost humility and said in 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”  John was grateful and thankful and overjoyed with the success of Jesus’ ministry. 

 

We also as followers of Christ are to model humility, and humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.  See Philippians 2:3-4.

 

3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

 

Finally, there is a call here for the non-Christian to believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior.  Because Jesus is superior, He is also Savior and offers eternal life to all who believe in Him. 

 

If you believe in Him as a follower or disciple of Christ, you currently and will have eternal life in heaven and forgiveness of sins.  However, if you do not believe and do not obey and do not receive Him, the wrath of God abides on you now and will abide on you in a literal, Christless hell separated from God.