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He Must Become Greater
John 3:30
30 He must become greater; I must become less.
I. Baptist John
The word of God came to Baptist John son of Zechariah in the wilderness (Luke 3:2). He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Luke 3:3).
Gloriously, so many people came to Baptist John. See Mark 1:5.
The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him.
II. Temptation for Vain Glory
The devil tempted them for vain glory [3] (‘you will be like God’) in Genesis 3:5.
“…when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God…”
The devil tempted Jesus for vain glory in Matthew 4:5-6 by asking to throw himself down from the temple top and in Matthew 4:8-9 by promising the kingdoms of the world and their splendour.
III. God’s Will
See v30a (NIV).
“He must become greater
Many translations said, “He must increase”.
“Jesus must increase” is nothing less than God’s will that he does so [4]. We should put God’s will first before rivalry or jealousy.
For your reference, some verses on vain glory are 2 Corinthians 10:17-18, Philippians 2:3, Galatians 5:26, Proverbs 25:6, Galatians 6:14, and 1 Corinthians 1:28-29 [2].
References
[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition, 2011), Revised and updated edition. (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 2011).
[2] "Vain Glory." Retrieved 27/11/2022, from https://www.openbible.info/topics/vain_glory.
[3] John Chrysostom, “Homilies of St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, on the Gospel of St. John,” in Saint Chrysostom: Homilies on the Gospel of St. John and Epistle to the Hebrews, ed. Philip Schaff, trans. G. T. Stupart, vol. 14, A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, First Series (New York: Christian Literature Company, 1889), 102.
[4] Beauford H. Bryant and Mark S. Krause, John, The College Press NIV Commentary (Joplin, MO: College Press Pub. Co., 1998), Jn 3:30.
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John 3:29 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. I. The bride belongs to the bridegroom (29a) See v29a. The bride belongs to the bridegroom. […]
A person can receive only what is given them from heaven
John 3:22-28 22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptised. 23 Now John also was baptising at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptised. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.) 25 An argument […]
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John 3:21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. The title of today’s message is “Works done in God”. ‘done in the sight of God’ in v21b could be expressed as ‘done […]
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John 3:21a But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, I. Lives by the truth If we borrow the matching expression in the Old Testament for ‘lives by the truth’, it would be ‘to demonstrate one’s faithfulness”, “to act faithfully”, or “to act uprightly” [3]. II. Comes into the light To remember that […]
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John 3:19–20 (NIV 2011): 19 This is the verdict: light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. “This is the verdict” (19a) has often been […]
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John 3:16–18 (NIV 2011) 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him […]
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John 3:12–15 (NIV 2011) 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, […]
Rebirth by God’s Sovereignty
John 3:9–11 (NIV 2011) 9 ‘How can this be?’ Nicodemus asked. 10 ‘You are Israel’s teacher,’ said Jesus, ‘and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I. The Rebirth and […]
You must be born of water and the Spirit
John 3:4-8 (NIV 2011) 4 ‘How can someone be born when they are old?’ Nicodemus asked. ‘Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!’ 5 Jesus answered, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives […]
