Read John 3:22-30. Circle the words that stand out to you. What is the Lord saying to you?
22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.) 25 An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”
27 To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.”
Digging Deeper
Comparison. Envy. Jealousy. Who hasn’t felt that! When a new person comes into our Church or is introduced into our inner group, how do we feel and think especially if that person is dynamic and friendly? Do we see that person as a rival to our popularity or position in that group? What’s our response when we see our friends bonding closer to that new person than ourselves?
Before Jesus came on the scene, John the Baptist was the most popular person in all of Israel. He was the subject on everyone lips. They couldn’t stop talking about him and his message. He had such a huge following that the Jewish leaders couldn’t ignore him. He was making disciples by the thousands.
The disciples of John saw a shift of popularity. It doesn’t seem right to them. They reasoned that John baptized Jesus and now Jesus is becoming more popular than John! Jesus had 12 of his followers baptizing but John had himself. It seems that Jesus “stole” John’s message by proclaiming what he was already preaching. It’s unfair to John! They wanted John to say something to that Jesus!
I am amazed that John didn’t feel that he needed to be in the limelight with Jesus. I would have thought that Jesus would have made John the Baptist one of his apostles. He deserved at least that much! He’s the best man! John didn’t cling to his popularity or position. His joy was full when he saw people going to Jesus, even his own disciples. His attitude was that He must increase and I must decrease. He wasn’t in competition with Jesus. He was complementing and directing people to Jesus, the Messiah.
How about you and me? Do we feel that we need to be in the limelight or be the limelight of our group? Is it about ourselves or is it about Jesus? Have you ever directed someone to Jesus and being joyful to see that friend move onto someone who helps him/her grow closer to the Lord? Don’t just make and keep friends. Make friends and direct them to Jesus. Don’t be jealous but be joyful that by directing others to Jesus, you are helping them grow in the Lord. It’s not my group. It’s Jesus’ group!