He Must Increase -- I Must Decrease
John 3:30
He must increase, but I must decrease. [AV ]
He must become greater; I must become less. [NIV]
He must grow greater and greater and I less and less. [JBP]
Him it behoveth to increase, and me to become less. [Young Lit]
He is to go on growing while I go on decreasing. These are the last words that we have from John. He went on to imprisonment, suspense, martyrdom, while Jesus grew in popular favour till he had his Calvary. "These last words of St. John are the fulness of religious sacrifice and fitly close his work" (Westcott). [Robertson¡¦s Word Pictures].
Mustƒª dei dei die; t is (was, etc.) necessary (as binding):¡X must, needful, ought, should.
A necessity of command or duty established by the command and decree of God.
Increase: auxanw auxano owx-an¡¦-o; to grow, enlarge (literal or figurative: ¡X increase.
To cause to grow; to become greater.
Decrease: elattow elattoo el-at-to¡¦-o; to lessen (in rank or influence):¡X decrease, make lower. To make less or inferior in dignity; to decrease in authority.
I. HE MUST INCREASE
1. HIS INCREASE IS ASSURED BY THE WORD OF GOD
Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David¡¦s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and for ever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this. [NIV]
Daniel 7:27 His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.¡¦
Psalm 119:89 Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.
2. THE WAY OF INCREASE
Philippians 2:9 - 11 That is why God has now lifted him to the heights, and has given him the name beyond all names, 10 so that at the name of Jesus "every knee shall bow¡¦" whether in Heaven or earth or under the earth. 11 And that is why "every tongue shall confess" that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God [JBP]
John 12:32 when I am lifted up on the cross, {Greek lifted up from the earth.} I will draw everyone to myself." [NLT]
3. OUR RECOGNITION OF HIS INCREASE
Colossians 1:18 & 19 And he is the head of the body, the church: the starting point of all things, the first to come again from the dead; so that in all things he might have the chief place. 19 For God in full measure was pleased to be in him; [BBE]
Eph 1:22 God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,
II. I MUST DECREASE
1. OUR DECREASE IS REQUIRED BY THE WORD OF GOD
Matthew 16:24 ¡V 26 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone wants to follow in my footsteps he must give up all right to himself, take up his cross and follow me. 25 For the man who wants to save his life will lose it; but the man who loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what good is it for a man to gain the whole world at the price of his real life? What could a man offer to buy back that life once he has lost it?
yelw thelo thel¡¦-o; to determine; choose or prefer; to desire, intend, mean, will.
2. THE WAY OF DECREASE
Romans 12:3 As your spiritual teacher I, by the grace God gave me, give this advice to each one of you. Don¡¦t cherish exaggerated ideas of yourself or your importance, but try to have a sane estimate of your capabilities by the light of the faith that God has given to you all. [JBP]
Philippians 2:5 -8 Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. 7 Or He laid aside his mighty power and glory, and he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. [NLT]
3. OUR RESPONSE TO THE REQUIREMENTS
Galatians 2:20 I died on the cross with Christ. And my present life is not that of the old "I", but the living Christ within me. The bodily life I now live, I live believing in the Son of God who loved me and sacrificed himself for me. [JBP]
4. THE REWARD OF OUR DECREASE
Matthew 6:33 do not be full of care, saying, What are we to have for food or drink? or, With what may we be clothed? 32 Because the Gentiles go in search of all these things: for your Father in heaven has knowledge that you have need of all these things: 33 But let your first care be for his kingdom and his righteousness; and all these other things will be given to you in addition. [BBE]
Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, [NIV]
Seek: zhtew zeteo dzay-teh¡¦-o; to seek (literally or figuratively); specially:¡X be (go) about, desire, endeavour, will, seek after.
To seek in order to find ¡V to seek (in order to find out) by thinking, meditating, reasoning. To enquire into ¡V to seek after, seek for, aim at, strive after ¡V to crave!
