June 23, 2020 -- John 3:30 -- Jesus must increase

He must increase, but I must decrease.

John 3:30 English Standard Version

These are words spoken by the prophet John the Baptist about Jesus and Jesus’ ministry. John’s desire was that Jesus would be ever more evident in his words, more evident in his preaching, more evident in his baptizing of people and that Jesus would shine out more clearly in every part of his life. Interestingly, Jesus said of his cousin: “I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he” (Luke 7:28). Why is this so?

John the Baptist’s place in history helps us understand Jesus’ words. John did not live to see Jesus’ crucifixion, death, resurrection and ascension into heaven. John the Baptist was the last Old Testament prophet in the sense that his ministry anticipated the work of Jesus. That means we who are Christians today have a greater understanding of Jesus’ ministry and work. We have a fuller picture of the work Jesus set out to accomplish. We are empowered by the presence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus will explain the work of the Holy Spirit very clearly in John 14—He is the Helper Who helps us know Jesus, obey Jesus, and follow Jesus in loving, grateful devotion.

With John the Baptist, our plea and prayer is this: Jesus increase in our lives. The evidence of Your work must be apparent in ever greater measure. The way we treat others must show Your life Jesus. The way in which we live out our marriage vows must show an increasing love for You, Jesus. The way in which those among us who are single live for Your glory, Jesus must show an increasing love for You and willingness to be different than all others in the world around us. The way in which we raise our families, work, play, participate in entertainment, spend our money, donate our time—in fact, every area and facet of our lives must show increasing devotion to You, Jesus, and greater willingness to deny ourselves and our worldly pleasures.

When love for Jesus increases in us, then all other areas of our life give evidence of His beauty, His glory, His worthiness, His excellence and His love. It is the Spirit of God Who lives in us Who fuels this growing and glowing brightness of dedication to Jesus. In fact, John 15:5 & 16 teach us that those who are grafted into Jesus, the True Vine, cannot help but bear fruit—our lives are fed by the life of Christ so that we will reflect His glory. He will be increasingly evident in every area of our lives—so the longing-prayer of John the Baptist is answered in the lives of believers.

Jesus as Your cousin, John the Baptist, prayed so long ago we too, are praying: You must increase and we must decrease. Help us by Your Word and Spirit to remain firmly connected to You, our lives fueled by Your Living Presence in us. Triune God, be honoured and glorified in our words and living, in our joys and in our sufferings as You sustain us guarding us for the day of glory when we will see You face to face. Amen.

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