DETRIMENTAL COMPETITION-V—John 3:22-36
Attention:
Doctor's Advice:
A 92 year old man went to the doctor to get a physical.
A few days later, the doctor saw the man walking down the street with a gorgeous young lady on his arm.
At his follow up visit, the doctor talked to the man & said, "You're really doing great, aren't you?"
The man replied, "Just doing what you said Doc: ‘Get a hot mamma & be cheerful.’”
The Doctor said, “I didn't say that. I said ‘You’ve got a heart murmur, Be careful!’”
There was a competition between the doctor's advice & the patient's follow-thru, which was detrimental to the patient’s health!
Christians & the Church indeed have ‘the market’ on truth. We are in competition with false doctrine. But the Church invites grave difficulties upon herself when they become competitors among themselves...i.e., When their competition becomes detrimental to God’s desire.
While empowered & triumphant in Christ, individual Christians within the church, & even the local Church, can become a breeding ground for a Competitive spirit, driven by turning privilege in Christ into entitlement & deserving. Such a Competitive spirit is unhealthy & Detrimental to the Christian faith.
A biblically doctrinal(truth) understanding is vital to your growth as a Christian! We must stand firm for the truth, & we must also be certain to avoid standing firm for that which is contrived of man!
*Verses :25 & 26 form the hinge/focus around which this passage flows.
John the Baptist pointed out the weakness/detriments/absurdities/incompatibilities of competitive ministry.
A competitive spirit can be detrimental to Christian ministry.
cf.—Php. 1:15-18—“Some indeed preach Christ even from envy & strife, & some also from good will: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; & in this I rejoice, yes, & will rejoice.”
“The last thing...Jonah wanted...was for [the city of ]Nineveh to repent at his preaching; but” his... “message[from God]...produced repentance in spite of his ill intentions.”—MNTC
Local churches can operate & function as if they are in competition with other churches in the area. Any true church’s ‘competitive edge’ is supplied by Christ Jesus Himself! Together, we must be defenders of the faith(1Pet. 3:14-16; Jude :3-5).
We are always best served, & the Good News is best served, & the Kingdom of God is best served, by those who preach Christ from good will, rather than from envy & strife.
Jesus said, in Mark 3:24, 25—“If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.”
*Example:—VBS can be an outreach OR a competition between churches.
When is a competitive spirit detrimental to Christian ministry?
9 detriments of a competitive spirit to Christian ministry.
(And these all center around ‘me,’ ‘my,’ & ‘mine’!)
We have already seen that,
A competitive spirit is detrimental to Christian ministry when...
1. Your LAND/AREA is Best(:22-23)
2. Your IMMERSION/Baptism is Best(:23-24)
3. Your PURITY is Best(:25-26)
4. Your PLAN is Best(:27-28)
Our concern at FBCC is that you leave the ‘land’ of YOUR’ for the ‘land of the LORD!’
5—A competitive spirit is detrimental to Christian ministry when...
Your FULFILLMENT is Best(:29-30)
Explanation:(:29-30)
:29—“He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands & hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.”
Here John presents himself as the “friend of the bridegroom,” whereas Jesus is “the bridegroom.”
“The friend of the bridegroom” “both stands & hears” the “bridegroom”(cf.—‘c.’ below). The “friend” is in the “bridegroom’s” presence during the entire wedding ceremony.
It is the friend’s” great “joy” when he discerns the “bridegroom’s voice. John has indeed heard the “bridegroom’s”(Jesus’).
Historically:
a. The friend of the bridegroom served in a similar capacity as does a ‘Master of Ceremonies.’—D.A. Carson/MNTC
“The friend of the bridegroom” “found his greatest joy in watching the ceremony proceed without a problem.”(D.A. Carson), without detriment to the bridegroom’s character & purpose.
b. The friend of the bridegroom would actually wait outside the bedroom door or tent of the newly wedded couple(chamber) on the wedding night. To put it delicately, there would be communication with the “friend” immediately following sexual consummation of the marriage. Following such, the festivities would continue.—NAC
c. Thus the “friend” & the “bridegroom” interacted with each other, as loving close friends do.
*Perhaps something should be stated here due to our times & culture...That just because you have a best friend or many ‘best friends’ or ‘best buds’...Because you are close to one another & of the same mind, & enjoy one another’s company, does not mean that you are gay, or weird, or have emotional or mental issues...It means that you are simply & uncomplicatedly, best friends.
The application for John’s disciples is recognizing that “bringing the faithful remnant of Israel to Christ was the culmination of John’s ministry as His forerunner.”—MNTC
*Thus, having Jesus’ Messianic ministry begin at the expense of the demise of John’s ‘harbinger’ ministry, brought “fullness” to John’s personal “joy.”
In the Christian’s lifetime they will become part of many ministries. Thereby many ministries will most likely be brought to a complete end during one’s lifetime...The completion thereof being wrought by God Himself.
Should anything other than “joy” surround the God ordained loss of said ministry, it is due to the Christian’s inattention & unwillingness to anticipate & enter God’s next open door(1Cor. 10:13).
1Cor. 10:13—“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
Such lack of “joy” in service describes ungodly attention toward maintaining a ministerial ‘sacred cow.’ Maintaining such a dead ministry becomes more about appeasing the one(s) in authority over the defunct ministry than it does about actually & vibrantly minister-ing.
*Likewise, the devil requires that everything be about him...& not about God!
“Has”—ecw or scew—Verb—1) To have, i.e. To hold; 2) To have i.e. Own, possess; 3) To hold one's self or find one's self so & so, to be in such or such a condition; 4) To hold one's self to a thing, to lay hold of a thing, to adhere or cling to. Strong—To hold(used in very various applications, literally or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possessions; ability, continuity, relation, or condition).
“Bride”—numfh—Noun fem.—1) A betrothed woman, a bride; 2) A recently married woman, young wife; 3) A young woman; 4) A daughter-in-law. Strong—from a primary but obsolete verb nuptw(to veil as a bride; compare Latin “nupto,” to marry); a young married woman(as veiled), including a betrothed girl; by implication--A son's wife. Used 8X.
“Bridegroom”3X—numfiov—Noun Masc.—1) A bridegroom. Strong—A bride-groom(literally or figuratively). Used 16X.
“But”—de—Conjunction—1) But, moreover, &, etc.. Strong—a primary particle(adversative or continuative); But, &, etc..
“Friend”—filov—Adj.—1) Friend, to be friendly to one, wish him well—1a) A friend, 1b) An associate, 1c) He who associates familiarly with one, a companion, 1d) One of the bridegroom's friends who on his behalf asked the hand of the bride & rendered him various services in closing the marriage & celebrating the nuptials. Strong—properly--Dear, i.e. A friend; actively--Fond, i.e. Friendly(still as a noun--an associate, neighbor, etc.).
“Stands”—isthmi—Verb—1) To cause or make to stand, to place, put, set—1a) To bid to stand by, [set up]—1a1) in the presence of others, in the midst, before judges, before members of the Sanhedrin; 1b) To make firm, fix establish, 1c) To set or place in a balance; 2) To stand—2a) To stand by or near—2a1a) of the foundation of a building,. Strong—a prolonged form of a primary staw(of the same meaning, used for it in certain tenses); To stand(transitively or intransitively), used in various applications(literally or figuratively).
“Hears”[See :32]—akouw—Verb—1) To be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf; 2) To hear, 2b) To attend to, consider what is or has been said, 2c) To understand, perceive the sense of what is said; 3) To hear something—3a) To perceive by the ear what is announced in one's presence, 3b) To get by hearing learn, 3c) A thing comes to one's ears, to find out, learn, 3d) To give ear to a teaching or a teacher, 3e) To comprehend, to understand. Strong—a primary verb; To hear(in various senses).
“Rejoices Greatly”—cara cairei——cairw—Verb—1) To rejoice, be glad; 2) To rejoice exceedingly; 3) To be well, thrive; 4) in salutations--Hail!; 5) at the beginning of letters--To give one greeting, salute. Strong—a primary verb; To be “cheer”ful, i.e. Calmly happy or well-off; impersonally, especially as salutation(on meeting or parting)--Be well.—&—cara[See below—“Joy”]—Noun Fem.—1) Joy, gladness—1a) The joy received from you, 1b) The cause or occasion of joy—1b1) Of persons who are one's joy. Strong—Cheerfulness, i.e. Calm delight.
“Because & Therefore/And so”—dia—Prep.—1) Through—1a) of place—1a1) With, 1a2) In, 1b) of time—1b1) Throughout, 1b2) During, 1c) of means—1c1) By, 1c2) By the means of; 2) Through—2a) The ground or reason by which something is or is not done—2a1) By reason of, 2a2) On account of, 2a3) Because of for this reason, 2a4) Therefore, 2a5) On this account. Strong—a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; Through(in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional).
“Voice”—fwnh—Noun Fem.—1) A sound, a tone—1a) Of inanimate things, as musical instruments; 2) A voice—2a) Of the sound of uttered words; 3) Speech—3a) Of a language, tongue. Strong—probably akin to fainw[To lighten(shine), i.e. Show(transitive or intransitive, literal or figurative)] through the idea of disclosure; A tone(articulate, bestial or artificial); by implication--An address(for any purpose), saying or language.
“Joy”[See above—“Rejoices”]—cara—Noun Fem.—1) Joy, gladness—1a) The joy received from you, 1b) The cause or occasion of joy—1b1) Of persons who are one's joy. Strong—Cheerfulness, i.e. Calm delight.
“Mine”—emov—Pronoun—1) My, mine, etc. Strong—from the oblique cases of egw(emoi[to me], emou[of me], eme[me]); My.
“Fulfilled”—plhrow—Verb—1) To make full, to fill up, i.e. To fill to the full; 2) To render full, i.e. To complete. Strong—To make replete, i.e. literally--To cram(a net), level up(a hollow), or figuratively--To furnish(or imbue, diffuse, influence), satisfy, execute(an office), finish(a period or task), verify(or coincide with a prediction), etc..
:30—“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
John’s joy as the friend of the bridegroom(:29) causes him to admit the simple truth that such ministry is not about himself but is rather about Jesus(the bridegroom). John recognizes & accepts that Messiah’s ministry is what John’s ministry was meant to anticipate & reveal.
Thereby John joyfully relates to his own disciples unequivocally that Messiah(Jesus) “must increase.” John also relates that as a natural consequence of Messiah’s “increase,” John’s own ministry as harbinger naturally must “decrease.”
Our/My response to the application of such winding down of my particular ministry is naturally: “What will I do since this is fading away & is to be no more for me?” But it must also be supernaturally asked: “What can I do within God’s design now that the former obligation is gone?” How will I continue to honor God...to minister to, for, & in His name?
“He”—ekeinov—Pronoun—1) He, she it, etc. Strong—That one(or [neuter] thing); often intensified by the article prefixed.
From—ekei—of uncertain affinity; There; by extension--Thither.
“Must”1X—dei—Verb—1) It is necessary, there is need of, it behooves, is right & proper—1a) Necessity lying in the nature of the case, 1b) Necessity brought on by circumstances or by the conduct of others toward us., 1c) Necessity in reference to what is required to attain some end, 1d) A necessity of law & command, of duty, equity, 1e) Necessity established by the counsel & decree of God, especially by that purpose of his which relates to the salvation of men by the intervention of Christ & which is disclosed in the Old Testament prophecies—1e1) Concerning what Christ was destined finally to undergo, his sufferings, death, resurrection, ascension. Dei seems to be more suggestive of moral obligation, denoting especially that constrain which arises from divine appointment. Dei, the third person of dew, is commonly used impersonally in classical Greek. This usage is less common, but frequent, in the N.T. Dei indicates a necessity in the nature of things rather than a personal obligation; it describes that which must be done. Strong—used impersonally; It is(was, etc.) necessary(as binding).
“Increase/Become Greater”—auxanw—Verb—1) To cause to grow, augment; 2) To increase, become greater; 3) To grow, increase—3a) Of plants, 3b) Of infants, 3c) Of a multitude of people, 3d) Of inward Christian growth. Strong—a prolonged form of a primary verb; To grow(“wax”), i.e. Enlarge(literal or figurative, active or passive).
“But”—de—Conjunction—1) But, moreover, &, etc.. Strong—a primary particle(adversative or continuative); But, &, etc..
“I/Me”—eme—Pronoun Accusative—1) I, me, myself, etc. Strong—a prolonged form of me; Me.
“Decrease/Become Less”—elattow—Verb—1) To make less or inferior: in dignity; 2) To be made less or inferior: in dignity; 3) To decrease in authority or popularity. Strong—To lessen(in rank or influence). Used 3X.
Argumentation:
*Jn. 10:9, 10—[Jesus said...]“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, & will go in & out & find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, & to kill, & to destroy. I have come that they may have life, & that they may have it more abundantly.”
Rom. 5:15-21—“But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God & the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace & of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)[from :13] Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Heb. 7:24, 25—“But He[Jesus], because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”
2Pet. 1:10-11—“Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call & election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ.”
*Matt. 6:19-21—“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth & rust destroy & where thieves break in & steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys & where thieves do not break in & steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
*Rom. 8:31-39—“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, & furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
*Eph. 3:13-21—“Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven & earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted & grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width & length & depth & height--to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever & ever. Amen.”
*Eph. 1:15-23—“Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus & your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom & revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, & what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead & seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality & power & might & dominion, & every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, & gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”
*As God “fills all in all,” the pinnacle of your fulfillment can only be found in & thru Christ Jesus, the divine Son of God.
1Cor. 7:20-24—“Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called.”
Illustration:
There was a time in my life when I thought I knew best. Unfortunately my ‘best’ did not include God! I reached the point where I had a wonderful career, a wonderful wife, a wonderful marriage, a wonderful child, a wonderful house in a wonderful place—BUT even with these I was unfulfilled! I was empty inside! I considered, “What is the purpose of life?” “Have I reached the pinnacle?” It was not a slam on any of those ‘wonderful’ things at all, but I knew there must be something more/The purpose of life is not personal happiness but personal holiness!...You cannot find personal happiness(fulfillment) without personal holiness!/FULFILLMENT
Some find fulfillment only when their name is ‘in lights,’ or made public in some way--in Baptist Press Tweets, highlighted by the Florida Baptist Association, or mentioned in the SBC Twitter blogs...or a little more close to home... in the Apalachicola Times(newspaper--Letters to the Editor), OR the FBCC church bulletin or newsletter, OR some other church publication like Facebook or our website/Such an attitude is NOT about ministry at all...It’s about personal increase—Quite the opposite of true Christian service!/FULFILLMENT
Application:
?In YOUR mind, Is YOUR FULFILLMENT Best?
?Is YOUR spirit Detrimental to OR Conducive to Christian Ministry?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Unhealthy competition between the doctor's advice & the patient's follow-thru--"I said ‘You’ve got a heart murmur, Be careful!’”
Action:
A competitive spirit is detrimental to Christian ministry when...
5. Your FULFILLMENT is Best(:29-30)
1. Your LAND/AREA is Best(:22-23)
2. Your IMMERSION/Baptism is Best(:23-24)
3. Your PURITY is Best(:25-26)
4. Your PLAN is Best(:27-28)
Pt. 5 only! presented 08/20/2017pm to:
FBC Cbelle
206 Storrs Ave. SE(Ave. A)
Carrabelle, FL 32322
