He is Greater 

He must become greater!  John 3:22-36

Is it the baptist in me that asks why John the Baptist needed 'plenty of water' to baptise? v23 
I mean if he was sprinkling ... a little would surely be enough! 
Or maybe we're talking an extremely high take up?
 
Well anyway, my understanding of baptism, by full immersion, following personal faith in Christ, is not built only on this passage ... but it makes you think.

My main interest in this passage is in the fact that both Jesus and John are baptising n.b. v22 and v23. 
John the Baptist ... standing on the edge of the Old Covenant and looking forward and Jesus, establisher of the New Covenant in His Name. 

Two different baptisms ... John's a preparation .... Jesus' an initiation.
(In fact Jesus didn't actually baptise anyone. It was the disciples who baptised at his command. See John 4:2)

This isn't going to work for long.  John's work of preparation must give way to Jesus' ministry. 

It is a reminder that all our ministry for God is on loan. 

• We do not own our ministry. 

• We do not direct our ministry. 

• It needs to be under the Lordship of Christ at all times. 

• If the Lord requires us to give it up, we are no lesser people for it's demise.

It often takes a bucket load of grace to give up a ministry, because despite our better understanding, too often we find significance in the things we do, rather than who we are. 

John has got it right ...
'He must become greater; I must become less' v30

Legend!! 

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Well! 

Now he had to go through Samaria. John 4:4

For me this story is a real object lesson in evangelism. 
The encounter wasn't planned in advance (except in the heart of Father God ... Is that why it says 'he (Jesus) had to go through Samaria? or is the writer just relating a geographical necessity?).

Jesus meets a stranger ...

• makes himself vulnerable ...     'Will you give me a drink?' v7

• sows a seed of truth ...              living water v10

• get's a response ...                     'give me this water' v15

At this point, no doubt, we would start to explain the ABC of salvation ... but not Jesus. 
He is not looking for an intellectual response but a life change. 
The living water Jesus is offering must be allowed to flow through every area of the woman's life including her deepest hurts and needs. 

And so he addresses her past and present relationships.

As usual a conversation of this sort is littered with pointless and peripheral theological questions. 
    Who's well is it? 
    Where should we worship?

 

In the end it wasn't the theological conversations that won the day. 
It was the spiritual discernment given to Jesus that enabled Him to reach into the woman's heart. 
'He told me everything I ever did.' (v39)

Perhaps one of the lessons here is that when we 'share the gospel' with someone, we are not just 'sharing a message' we are interacting with a person. 

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Healing ... Do you want it? 

When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?" John 5:6

Was there a kind of ‘Lourdes’ thing going on at the pool of Bethsaida?

Verses 3a-4 are not in the best manuscripts and yet the man clearly held out the hope that an angel would stir the waters.(v7)

I am more interested in Jesus’ question to someone bed-ridden for 38 years ... 

 

‘Do you want to get well?’

Wholeness has its price!
Jesus was saying that there is a cost to be paid if you want to walk in wholeness.

Privilege and Responsibility go together.

    As we move from Sickness to Wholeness ...
            We travel from Dependence to Independence ....
                    From Receiving to Giving.

In our walk with God our dependence should be firmly placed on God alone.

For the first time in 38 years this man had to walk home, by himself, carrying his own mattress!

• But he could skip!

• He could dance!

• He could build Kingdom by Walking on the Wild Side! 

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Strength and Courage! 

'Moses my servant is dead.  Now then you ....'  Joshua 1

I've preached on this so many times over the years ... I love it!

God has been preparing Joshua during these long years in the wilderness and now it is time for him stand up to the mark. 

God has His Joshua s in every generation ... men and women prepared by God in advance for greatness in the Kingdom of God. 

Even so, as Joshua takes his place as a leader, he has to summon up courage and strength. 
Three times God calls on Joshua to raise them up.  (v6,7,9)

Such attributes do not arise out of nothing.  They arise out of a strong relationship with the Lord God Almighty, developed and matured in the secret place.
The chapter ends with the half tribe of Manasseh calling on Joshua to do that very thing ... strength and courage.

Could you be the very Joshua God is looking for today? 

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Your Turn 

The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."  John 11:44
 
Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days.
 
This was the ultimate prophetic miracle.  If Jesus can raise this man to life, he can raise anyone to life. 
Of course, Lazarus will die again, but through the cross and resurrection death itself will be dealt a mortal blow.
 
Lazarus comes to life, but he comes out bound by the grave clothes. 
 
Jesus gives to His church the authority to remove from others, that which holds them back from true freedom in Christ. 

That is our responsibility and privilege.

 

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