Sunday’s Sermons

Text: John 3:25-30                                                            5/10/09 a.m.

Thesis: A humble trust in God’s sovereignty leads to joy.

 Intro: Are you happy? In the middle of difficulty are you able to rejoice and find your strength in the Lord?

As you walk on the hard and narrow way to you whistle and sing?

Even if your ministry and popularity seem to be slipping away do you have what John the Baptist had?

Do you have joy-filled joy?

I think all of us would say we’d like to live a life of joy but how?

The lie the world tells us is if you have more stuff you will have more joy so work hard and get more for yourself.

Materialism rules the world.

The lie the church often tells us is if your church is growing and your ministry is advancing then you will have joy so do whatever it takes to become and remain the most popular.

Pragmatism rules the church.

Did you know that God’s word has the answers to why we often work really hard but have no joy?

Did you know that God’s grace does more than forgive us? God’s grace, trains us to say no to what robs us of joy and embrace the majesty of Jesus Christ (Titus 2:11-14).

It is not doing things, getting things, being right, or being popular that lead to a life of joy.

The increase of Christ leads to joy. The sure hope of Christ is reason to rejoice. The strong foundation of God’s sovereignty secures our joy in all things in Christ.

Don’t you want it? Isn’t God good that he freely gives it?

 

Read John 3:25-30

 

I) John’s disciples give us a lesson in missing joy

a)      We lose our joy when rules and regulations become our focus.

i)        In verse 25 we see that a discussion, argument, or dispute has come up between two groups.

ii)       One group, John’s disciples, practiced the one-time baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

iii)     The other group, made up of Jews, practiced various baptisms or washings to ensure cleanliness before God.

iv)     The discussion would have certainly centered on which was best. 

v)      Think about to the wedding at Cana in the beginning of chapter 2 when Jesus turned the water into wine.

vi)     What about those 6 stone water jars used for the Jewish rites of purification? (John 2:1&2)

vii)   After receiving John’s baptism does one still need to follow all the daily purification rituals?

viii)  What is important for us to note is these two groups have lost their focus; John’s response makes that clear as we will see in a moment.

ix)     But for now I want you to see that both groups, John’s disciples undoubtedly, have disconnected God’s prescription from the person of God.

x)      They are not concerned about God and the glory that is due to God’s name. They are more concerned with whose practices are right and best.

xi)     Jesus has given us the prescription; love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Lk 10.37).

xii)   Any time you and I make the tiny often unnoticed shift from loving the Lord our God to loving to obey the Lord our God we will lose our joy.

xiii)  Which is more important to you? Winning the argument and being right or resting in the grace you have been given through Jesus Christ and being right with God?

b)      The next thing I want you to see in verse 26 is the fruitless discussion led to an attitude of protection and defensiveness

i)        Something is said, we don’t know what, possibly John’s disciples learn that Jesus’ disciples are baptizing and drawing a bigger crowd.

ii)       The issue is no longer which purification is better. The issue now is which leader is better.

iii)     Read verse 26

iv)     Notice the way they show respect to John.  They call him “Rabbi”. They honor John as their teacher; the one who knows God’s word, lives God’s word, and is able to teach God’s word.

v)      Do you see that they don’t even use Jesus’ name? They just throw out a generic title like ‘that guy.’

vi)     Rabbi, do you remember that guy who was with you across the Jordan. Who’s important to them? John.

vii)   John was not there with Jesus.  That guy was there with John. And John bore witness to him.  John paid him a compliment. John honored Jesus.

viii)  Do you remember that guy you were so nice to? Look at this. You’re not going to believe this.

ix)     He is baptizing and all are going to him.

x)      John this isn’t right. You’re the big show; all the country of Judea and all of Jerusalem were going to you (Mk 1:5). Now they are all going to him.

xi)     John’s disciples are trying to pump him up for a fight. The way a trainer tries to get into the head of a boxer before the big fight is the way these guys are trying to stir John the Baptist up.

xii)   Jesus shouldn’t be here; this is your turf. Jesus shouldn’t be baptizing that is your job.

xiii)  There is pride. There is jealousy. There is exaggeration. All aren’t going to Jesus.

xiv) Verse 23 tells us the people were coming to John and being baptized.  Sure, the numbers have decreased but to say none are coming to John and all were going to Jesus was an exaggeration.

xv)   When the joy is gone or when joy becomes tied to personalities and numbers you can rest assured you are headed toward pride, jealousy, and exaggeration.

xvi) How many of us have ever been in a “discussion” and bent out of shape over something that in God’s grand scheme of things isn’t primary?

xvii)            How many of us have been angry about another’s reputation or been hurt because of a turf war?

xviii)          If you’ve done that then I have good news. God is about to bring a joy-filled course correction to your life.

II) Joy comes from a right understanding of God’s sovereignty.

John the Baptist didn’t want to argue, he wasn’t concerned about protecting his reputation, and he didn’t go on the defensive.

The Holy Spirit inspired, John the Baptist spoke, and John the disciple recorded a fundamental truth for the Christian life:

a)      A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.

i)        From heaven is a careful way of saying “from God.” Out of respect for God and his glorious name people were hesitant to even use God’s name.

ii)       A person cannot receive even on thing unless it is given him from God.

iii)     Why did John respond this way? It sounds like he’s coming out of no where and not answering the question.

iv)     But we don’t immediately recognize the power and timeliness of John’s answer because John is a bit more God-centered than we are.

v)      In true humility John tells his disciples that the people are flocking away from him and to Jesus because this is God’s will.

vi)     John rightly understands that God is powerfully active in the details of everyday life. 

vii)   Why are the people receiving baptism from Jesus and not from John? Because that’s God’s will.

viii)  Why is Jesus more popular than John? Because that’s God’s will.

ix)     That’s the immediate application to John’s situation but in the spirit of a true Rabbi John lays down a principle.

x)      He’s not interested in just answering that question for that moment. John phrases his answer so that the truth of it will impact every minute of those disciples’ lives.

xi)     Look again at verse 27.  Look at how broad it is. No one can receive, a person cannot receive.

xii)   Put yourself there. Put your name there. Paul Duncan cannot receive anything unless it is given him from heaven.  You cannot receive even one thing unless it is given to you from heaven.

xiii)  God is in control of everything. God is sovereign over everything.

xiv) To receive something is to take it as your own.

xv)    We are going through the “mine” phase with Abby. She grabs things from her sisters and she hordes toys all with that devious little grin and the angry word “mine!”

xvi) Our response is to calmly tell her, “No, those things belong to God and he has given them to you to use for his glory.”

xvii)            God gave you those things. Those things belong to God. You cannot receive even one thing unless it is given to you from heaven.

xviii)          There is no such thing as “mine” only “God’s”.

xix) But that’s true for more than baptism and children’s toys.  The abilities you have been given, your job, your home, your time, and your money.

xx)   You received those from God; you are his workmanship (Ephesians 2:10)

xxi) What about our precious reputations? What about the desire to be popular and liked?

xxii)            There is nothing, not even one thing, that is yours that God didn’t give you. And we want to horde it and yell “mine!” at each other.

xxiii)          How much joy came when you boldly proclaimed ultimate ownership? Did it bring joy to your wife and kids? Did it bring joy to you?

xxiv)          The road to joy does not begin by simply agreeing in an abstract way that God is somehow in control.

xxv)           The road to joy begins with the assurance of and commitment to the fact that God is completely in control of everything.

xxvi)          Jesus taught us this. “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows (Mt 10:29-31).

xxvii)        Think of birds that are of very little value. Not one of them dies apart from the Father’s will.

xxviii)       Every time I track that dove and pull that trigger it’s an opportunity to thank God or trust his sovereignty.

xxix)          Every gift and every struggle, every victory and every defeat, every joy and every pain has God’s sovereignty written all over it.

xxx)           Now there is a danger here. The danger is think if that’s the case let’s quit our jobs and trust God to give us a pay check no matter what.

xxxi)          Some preachers do this when they don’t study the Word God has given and just trust God to give them a word on Sunday morning.

xxxii)        Some people believe God is in control but they still are filled with anxiety and bitterness.

xxxiii)       Let me build on my previous statement that joy comes from a right understanding of God’s sovereignty with this statement

III) True humility leads to service and joy

a)      John knew God had given him the ministry of a witness

i)        Read verse 28

ii)       In verse 28 John reminds his disciples that he made it clear to them time and time again that John was not the important person here. (read 28)

iii)     John has been so emphatic on this point that his disciples have told others that John himself said he is not the Christ.

iv)     “You yourselves” is clear. John is jogging their memory and shaking out the cobwebs of pride.

v)      You should have seen this coming. I am not the One to baptize with the Spirit and fire. My job is to come and make things ready.

vi)     I have been sent before him. John’s the opener. Jesus is the head-liner.

b)      John knew God had given him the ministry of a best man

i)        (Read verse 29)

ii)       Who gets the bride? Only the groom; only the bridegroom.  It is repulsive to think of the best man taking the bride for him self.

iii)     Read the story of Samson in Judges 15 for proof on this one. Samson’s father-in-law gave Samson’s wife to his best man and the Philistines killed them for it.

iv)     It is an offensive thing to think about the best man stealing the bride.

v)      But it is a joyful thing when the friend of the bridegroom stands and hears him.

vi)     The best man was there to make sure everything went as planned.  When the ceremony was complete and the marriage had been consummated the friend of the bridegroom would rejoice greatly at the bridegroom’s voice.

vii)   The gift of virginity is to be celebrated. Purity is to be prized. The Apostle Paul understood himself to be in the same role as John the Baptist.

viii)  In 2 Corinthians 11:2 writing to the Corinthian Christians he said, “I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.”

ix)     John’s ministry was to prepare the people; to purify them in order to present them to Christ.

x)      The Gospel ministry is one that brings purity to the sinful. The blood of Christ cleanses us from all iniquity so that we are presented to Christ in absolute purity.

c)      Fulfilling his humble ministry gave John joy that is complete.

i)        Rejoices greatly in verse 29 is literally “joys with joy.”

ii)       John had complete joy. He has lived the life God called him to live. His ministry was on the decline. His popularity was going down. The crowds had left him.

iii)     But this was God’s will.  God had sent him to get things ready and now that Jesus was there John’s work was complete.

iv)     John’s not rejoicing because he gets to retire. In fact, he’ll spend the rest of his life in prison and then get his head chopped off for all his hard work and faithfulness.

v)      John’s joy came from seeing the rise of Jesus Christ.

vi)     John did some “joying” with joy because God had given him this life, he received it, lived it well, and the proof is found in the popularity of Christ.

vii)   John’s overflowing joy came from his commitment to Christ.

viii)  So to say that John had joy because he was faithful doesn’t go far enough. John had joy because he was faithfully Christ-centered.

ix)     I have long told myself that success is tied not to numbers but to faithfulness but that’s not exactly right.

x)      Success is tied to being faithfully Christ-centered. We often don’t have joy in all of our work and sacrifice because in our attempts to be faithful we’ve grown forgetful.

xi)     We’ve forgotten the centrality of Christ and God’s sovereign plan to unite all things in him.

d)      John’s humble trust led him to joyfully accept the truth that it was time for John to exit the scene. (read verse 30)

i)        Must is a divine necessity.  This is what God has given. And John joyfully received it.

ii)       Jesus must rise and I must get out of the way.

iii)     The influence and popularity of Jesus must expand while the influence and popularity of John must contract.

iv)     This is the way it must be. It is God’s plan to make Christ the center of everything so if you or I try to make anything else center then we will find ourselves fighting against the sovereign God.

v)      If we try to increase anything for any cause other than Christ we will lose our joy.

IV) Let’s all take a step back and look at our lives.

a)      Look at your family and your spouse. Look at the lack of family or the lack of spouse.

b)      Look at your life. Look at your home, your job, and your financial situation.

c)      Look at your worship. Look at your neighbors. Look at the good works God has given you to complete.

d)      Do you have joy in them? Do you have joy even when you aren’t popular and the guy who came after you is?

e)      We don’t have joy because we don’t rest in God’s sovereign control over every detail and we don’t have joy because we’ve taken Christ out of the center.

f)        So what do we do? Do we try harder? Do we sign a new commitment card?

g)      No, we rest in the joy of grace.  God has done everything to secure your joy. He gave his only Son for you.

h)      Christ has done everything to secure your joy. He lived for you, died for you, and now is praying for you.

i)        The Spirit has done everything to secure your joy. He empowers you. He prays for you. He has sealed you with the unbreakable seal of his holy presence in you.

j)        What this means is that God is calling us today to stop complaining. Stop working so hard to be right.

k)      Stop worrying about your reputation or the reputations of others. And be a person of faith.

l)        God has you where he wants you. God’s plan is to exalt Christ through you. He must increase but you must decrease.

m)    Today we hear the call as God’s people to repent and believe the gospel. Not for salvation but for joy.

n)      We have turned aside to lesser things. We are unwilling to forgive.  We are unwilling to put others first.

o)      Therefore, Christ is not exalted and joy always seems to be one day, one paycheck, or one person away.

p)      But joy is in our midst.  Joy is found in the person of Jesus Christ.  Call out to him.  He loves you.

q)      Call out to him. As you rest in the Father’s sovereignty you will find joy that is complete.