WHO ARE YOU GOING TO BELIEVE?
John 3:22-36
S: Trusting Jesus
Th: My Life as God’s Light
Pr: JESUS IS WORTH TRUSTING.
?: Why?
KW: Testimonies
TS: In John 3:22-36, we will consider three testimonies that demonstrate that Jesus is worth trusting.
Inductive
The ____ testimony is that…
I. JESUS IS CONTROVERSIAL (22-26)
II. JESUS IS THE CHRIST (27-30)
III. JESUS IS IN COMMAND (31-35)
RMBC 5/27/01 AM
INTRODUCTION:
ILL Notebook: Testimony (contempt of court)
A small-town prosecuting attorney called his first witness to the stand in a trial---a grandmotherly, elderly woman. He approached her and asked, "Mrs. Jones, do you know me?"
She responded, "Why, yes, I do know you Mr. Williams. I’ve known you since you were a young boy. And frankly, you’ve been a big disap-pointment to me. You lie, you cheat on your wife, you manipulate people and talk about them behind their backs. You think you’re a rising big shot when you haven’t the brains to realize you never will amount to anything more than a two-bit paper pusher. Yes, I know you."
The lawyer was stunned. Not knowing what else to do he pointed across the room and asked, "Mrs. Williams, do you know the defense attorney?"
She again replied, "Why, yes I do. I’ve known Mr. Bradley since he was a youngster, too. I used to baby sit him for his parents. And he, too, has been a real disappointment to me. He’s lazy, bigoted, and he has a drinking problem. The man can’t build a normal relationship with anyone and his law practice is one of the shoddiest in the entire state. Yes, I know him."
At this point, the judge rapped the courtroom to silence and called both counselors to the bench. In a very quiet voice, he said with menace, "If either of you asks her if she knows me, you’ll be jailed for contempt!"
You know, as this story proves…
1. It is worth hearing testimony.
It is worth hearing testimony, even if it is hard to hear!
Have you ever thought about what it might be like if someone was giving testimony about you?
2. What do you suppose others are saying about you?
That is an interesting consideration, isn’t it?
Listened carefully to the testimony given about this one assistant pastor…
ILL Notebook: Humility (new assistant)
It was his last Sunday as he who was moving to another church. After the service, one parishioner expressed her regrets over his departure.
“Don’t worry,” he reassured her, “they’ll find a new assistant who will do a great job.”
To which she replied, “Well, I don’t know. That’s what they told us the last time.”
Well, we come back today to our study of the gospel of John.
3. The gospel is the testimony of Jesus.
There are four gospels and we have been studying the last one—John.
And like the first gospel, Matthew, it is written by an original disciple.
Matthew and John were both in the band known as the twelve disciples.
So, what we have in our text today is the testimony that John has written about Jesus.
4. Today, we are considering three testimonies about Jesus to which we must listen.
OUR STUDY:
I. The first testimony is that JESUS IS CONTROVERSIAL (22-26).
(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 constantly coming to be 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-well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”
As we begin this text we find that…
1. Jesus began to develop His disciples.
It was during this early ministry we find an unhurried period of time.
Jesus spent quality time with the twelve.
They are getting to know each other.
They were learning that their present work and their preparation for future work was strengthened by quality time spent at the feet of the Master.
It was not in a classroom that they learned.
There was not a highly structured program.
To be the Lord’s disciple simply meant this—you were with Him.
You spent time with Him.
Now, the context of our study shows us that we have two groups doing the same thing.
John the Baptist and his followers were spreading the message of repentance and baptizing those that believed in the turnaround that had to happen in their lives.
Jesus and His followers were proclaiming the same message and were also baptizing for the same reason.
The disciples of John the Baptist are center stage in this portion of the text, for they find themselves in an argument.
2. An argument over baptism brings Jesus’ activity to the forefront.
We really don’t have any specific idea what the argument was really about, but we do know this.
There were ceremonial washings that were done on a daily basis, and some considered them superior, especially a group called the Essenes with whom John the Baptist probably had been associated before.
It seems that has the conversation deepens, it gravitates to a comparison between the baptisms of John and Jesus.
And a dispute probably arose about the inferiority of John’s baptisms to Jesus.
After all, Jesus was gaining popularity.
More people were coming to Him.
Less people were now coming to John.
Why should John even bother?
Well…
3. John the Baptist’s disciples were jealous of Jesus’ initial popularity.
As you can imagine, the disciples of John the Baptist were not going to have any of that kind of talk.
They come to John and say, “Hey, they are all going to him. We have got to stop this!”
These disciples believe that John has been generous in bearing witness to Jesus.
But they have now found it intolerable that Jesus should act independently, and gather more disciples than His illustrious predecessor.
Jesus had become too controversial.
So, as we can see, they came to resent Jesus and they began to see Jesus as their competition.
ILL Notebook: Jealousy (shopkeepers)
Two shopkeepers were bitter rivals. Their stores were directly across the street from each other, and they would spend each day keeping track of each oth-er’s business. If one got a customer, he would smile in triumph at his rival.
One night an angel appeared to one of the shopkeepers in a dream and said, "I will give you anything you ask, but whatever you receive, your competi-tor will receive twice as much. Would you be rich? You can be very rich, but he will be twice as wealthy. Do you wish to live a long and healthy life? You can, but his life will be longer and healthier. What is your desire?"
The man frowned, thought for a moment, and then said, "Here is my re-quest: Strike me blind in one eye!"
Jealousy is a dangerous matter, isn’t it?
You know, this kind of jealousy affects us as well in the church.
When we focus on numbers over spiritual growth or worldly success over God’s leading, we’re in trouble.
We are in spiritual bondage.
This is where we must discipline ourselves, just as the disciples of John the Baptist, and see that though Jesus is controversial, we are to remember that we are ultimately all on the same team.
But if we become jealous of each other, we are missing the point that should be cleared up with the second testimony…
II. The second testimony is that JESUS IS THE CHRIST (27-30).
(27) To this John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. (28) You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ 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.
For John the Baptist, the success of Jesus is the culmination of his ministry.
For…
1. John the Baptist had testified clearly that he was not the Messiah.
Jesus was.
But John the Baptist was a unique man.
He came between the testaments.
He was an Old Testament style of prophet, welcomed by the common people, but distrusted by the spiritually elite.
But he was a prophet that was ushering in the fulfillment of the promise that had been described by all the prophets.
And John saw this.
God was blessing.
What was to criticize?
He had done his ministry.
His God-given ministry was to introduce the Messiah, not be the Messiah.
John came with the authority to introduce Christ, but not take the glory away from Him.
But all along, John the Baptist sees the hand of the Father in everything.
So for him, Jesus’ success was the most natural thing in the world.
For John…
2. He was the “best man” at the wedding, not the bridegroom.
He was what was known as the “shoshben.”
We would call him the best man today.
The shoshben had a prominent place in a Jewish wedding.
He was the liaison between the bride and the bridegroom.
He was instrumental in the arranging of the wedding and the inviting people to the wedding.
He brought the bride and the bridegroom together and guarded the bridal chamber making sure no others came in.
And once his jobs were done, he willingly and graciously fades from the picture.
He had a prominent place, but he was not center stage.
So John the Baptist sees himself as in this role.
So the news his disciples brought to him was not bad news.
It was good news!
Jesus was succeeding!
Great!
He is supposed to.
He is the Messiah.
And as a result…
3. He was to take a subservient position to Jesus.
Jesus must be preeminent.
John must fade.
Must.
It is never the part of the servant to displace the Master.
And from John we hear no tinge of jealousy, insecurity, or bitterness.
John understood that his ministry, his moment in the spotlight, and his declining popularity, were all a part of God’s sovereign plan and purpose.
This is why Jesus would say of him (Matthew 11:11)…
“Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist…”
We are not to lose sight of our own servant status.
When we start to think of our own position and pleasure, we are going to have our priorities all mixed up.
Instead, we need to have the same priorities of the Baptist who wholeheartedly accepted God’s will, God’s plan, God’s progress, and God’s purposes.
ILL Carey
As William Carey lay dying, he turned to a friend and said, “When I am gone, don’t talk about William Carey; talk about William Carey’s Savior. I desire that Christ alone might be magnified.”
May we have such focus as well…
III. The third testimony is that JESUS IS IN COMMAND (31-35).
(31) The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. (32) He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. (33) The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. (34) For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. (35) The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.
These are the words of the apostle John, like verses 16-21.
This is his testimony.
So the disciple John (not the Baptist) says…
1. Jesus finds His source in heaven.
He comes from above.
He is not from earth as a normal man.
In fact, the earth came from Him.
He is above all kings and leaders.
He is above the majesty and beauty of earth.
He is above John the Baptist.
He is above all creation.
As the writer of Hebrews says (1:1-3)…
In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
2. Jesus came to speak God’s words.
He speaks as God.
So He speaks the truth, for truth is rooted in His divine nature.
ILL Notebook: truth (jeans)
After going on a diet, a woman was really feeling good about herself—especially when she was able to fit into a pair of jeans she had outgrown long ago. "Look, look!" she shouted while running downstairs to show her husband. "I can wear my old jeans again!" Her husband looked at her for a long time, obviously struggling with knowing what to say. Finally, he said, "Honey, I love you, but those are my jeans."
No matter how hard, Jesus speaks the truth.
And we must either accept it or reject it.
If we accept it, then we recognize that…
3. Jesus rules over all.
There is a mutual love of the Father and Son.
It is a perfect unity in love.
And so, as Jesus was on this earth, He had the Father’s full authority.
The opportunity to control our destiny was fully in His hands and in no other.
He was and is Lord of all.
APPLICATION:
ILL Notebook: Disagree (I don’t like her)
There was a young man who excitedly tells his mother he’s fallen in love and is going to get married.
He says, "Just for fun, Ma, I’m going to bring over three women and you try and guess which one I’m going to marry."
The mother agrees.
The next day, he brings three beautiful women into the house and sits them down on the couch and they chat for a while. He then says, "Okay, Ma. Guess which one I’m going to marry."
She immediately replies, "The red-head in the middle."
"That’s amazing, Ma. You’re right. How did you know?"
"I don’t like her."
Have you ever noticed that there are some people that always know how to stir things up?
Well, in a very positive way…
1. Jesus came to stir us up.
Yes, He was controversial.
He was supposed to be.
And just as the disciples of John the Baptist were stirred up, so should we.
For Jesus does not want to leave us the same.
2. Jesus is the Lord!
And being Lord, He is to impact our lives.
How could you be Lord and not make an impact?
John the Baptist saw that Jesus was the fulfillment of all that God had promised.
So one needs to follow Jesus, or be outside of what God was doing.
But John the Baptist and John the disciple want us to know the same thing.
It is this…
3. JESUS IS WORTH TRUSTING (36).
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.
Please note this…
Jesus is the One on whom the destiny of every human being rests.
Every human being…including you…including me.
And John’s testimony is hard to receive here, but we must see it as it is.
If you reject Jesus, God’s wrath (His condemnation) remains on you.
Now…the concept of God’s wrath is hard to hear, but if we abandon the idea of God’s wrath because we find it uncomfortable, we are left with a God who is not ready to act against moral evil.
Logically and ethically…that doesn’t make sense.
So be warned, if a person continues in unbelief, he can look for nothing but the persisting wrath of God.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
God doesn’t want it that way.
Jesus came so it did not have to be that way.
Why reject the love of God?
Why reject the One that made the ultimate sacrifice for each one of us?
Does that make sense, when Jesus is so worth trusting?
BENEDICTION: [Counselors are ]
Trust Jesus…yes, He is controversial and He is supposed to be—for He is not only the dividing line of history, He is the dividing line for those who will believe.
Trust Jesus…for He is the fulfillment of history—He is the Promised One, the Anointed One, the Son of God, the With-Us God—the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
Trust Jesus…for He is Lord—King of kings and Lord of lords who loves you more than you can ever know; whatever you are facing today—He is worth trusting.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
