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John 3:30 - Jesus Must Increase and I Must Decrease.John 3:30 (NIV) He must become greater; I must become less.INTRODUCTION John's willingness to decrease in importance shows unusual humility. Pastors and other Christian leaders can be tempted to focus more on the success of their ministries than on Jesus. Beware of those who put more emphasis on their own achievements than on God's Kingdom. [Life Application SB 2019] COMMENTARY PEARL More Of God Every one of us has the opportunity to draw near to God. You don't need money, intellect, or a clean past. He doesn't need you to go to seminary or to offer up the largest offering, nor is He wooed by popularity or worldly influence. Instead, the Scriptures emphasize time and again that He has a heart for the lowly and the outcast - the poor, the orphan, and the widower. So what stands in the way of you and the throne of God? Often, it's pride. To know God deeply, your pride must fall. And the only thing that has a chance of taking down your pride is His love. When you learn that nothing you do can make Him love you any more or any less - that His love is constant, everlasting, and unending - your heart is inspired to draw near to God in prayer, and you truly begin to know Him. When you experience Him in full, your pride won't stand a chance. He has the power to transform you! Keep drawing near to His majesty, closer to His throne. Keep putting your pride to death by His Spirit and look up in wonder. Watch how He changes the fabric of your soul. Dear God, I ask that You would show me Your love so that my pride may fall. [Grace and Glory by Louie Giglio] COMMENTARY Should the joy and exaltation and hope imparted by the Lord Jesus Christ be given to many of us, it would administer to self-esteem and pride. When Jesus is abiding in the heart by faith, the lessons which Christ has given us will be practiced. We will have such exalted views of Jesus Christ that self will be abased. Our affections will center in Jesus, our thoughts will be strongly drawn heavenward. Christ will increase, I will decrease. The mind must be trained to dwell upon heavenly things. Humility will come as the result of discerning the loveliness of Jesus Christ. Dwelling upon Christ's excellencies of character, we shall see the offensive character of sin and will by faith grasp the righteousness of Jesus Christ. We will cultivate the virtues that dwell in Jesus, that we may reflect to others a representation of His character. When we look at the cross of Calvary, we will not exalt self, but keep constantly in view our unworthiness and how much our salvation cost heaven; we will discern Christ's matchless love. Many allow their minds to dwell upon their unworthiness as though this was a virtue. It is a hindrance to their coming to Jesus in full assurance of faith. They should feel their unworthiness, and because of this - because of their sinfulness - should feel the necessity of coming to the Saviour, who is their worthiness and who will be their righteousness if they repent and humble themselves. Their unworthiness is a self-evident fact. Jesus Christ's worthiness is a sure thing. Then let every doubting soul take hope and courage, because he has One who is worthy to be his Saviour. His only hope of salvation is to lay hold by faith of a worthiness which he has not but which will be supplied by Jesus Christ our righteousness. TDG 261 How great a protection John's attitude is from the Christian's greatest temptation: pride. Even the little man is tempted to be proud that he's so humble. And the Christian who knows success is in danger indeed! John wasn't concerned about the smaller crowds that came to hear him when Jesus was preaching in the same district. His great joy was that Jesus become greater, and he himself less. The person who is ready to accept a John-like role in life will, like John, find himself often "full of joy" (v. 29). [The 365-Day Devotional Commentary] Oh! For a self-emptied spirit - a heart at leisure from itself - a mind delivered from all anxiety about one's own things! May we be more thoroughly delivered from self, in all its detestable windings and workings! Then could the Master use us, own us, and bless us. C. H. Mackintosh ILLUSTRATIONS When you look at a church steeple let it remind you of the thought in this passage that He, Jesus, must increase in my life as I, self, must decrease just as a church steeple becomes smaller and smaller the closer is gets to heaven. Clayton Harmon; prison ministry Get Small God did not call me to be a rock star. He called me to express my salvation through music. And there is a vast difference. He made it very clear to me from the start that if I intended to follow him, I should never expect more than having to drive eight hours to play for ten people who don't know who I am and don't care. They might not buy the CD, and I might have to sleep in my car that night before getting up and doing it all over again the next day. Early on, I knew that this was not going to be about me. So I'm trying hard to remember that. I fail miserably at it most of the time. Sometimes, when I start to think I'm really cool, God allows me to trip and fall flat on my face so that I'm at eye level with those whose feet need washing. It's humbling. And it's healthy. I honestly look back at those times and say, "Thank you, God, for reminding me that it's not about me.... I keep forgetting?' I like to think of John 3:30 as my very own "gospel of smallness." Tara Leigh Cobble - singer, songwriter, author, and speaker - is a fan of football, cliff jumping, and Jesus. Her CDs include Beneath This Skin, Home Sweet Road, Things You Can't Stop with Your Hands, and Here's to Hindsight. [The One Year Bible Live Verse Devotional] LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY John 3:30 - Jesus Must Increase and I Must Decrease. https://www.abible.com/devotions/2023/20230111-0837.html http://www.abible.com/devotions/2020/20200307-1301.html https://www.abible.com/devotions/2019/20190810-1420.html https://www.abible.com/devotions/2010/20100505-2201.html https://www.abible.com/devotions/2004/20040513-1038.html LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT https://abible.com/links/ |