A Hard Lesson
by Dr. J.C. House
11/14/2023
John 3:30 - “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
John had been a very popular person in his early ministry, had earned a wonderful reputation, and was constantly in the limelight… But now Jesus had come on the scene and John introduced him thusly:
John 1:29 - “...Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
When the disciples questioned John concerning Jesus he replied without text, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
What a challenge to we Christians who think far too highly of ourselves. We must decrease; that is not a natural desire, yet it is the desire of the Spirit-filled Christian. We must die to ourselves and live for Christ.
1. WHAT DOES THE LESSON TEACH US?
There are two kinds of Christians. There are the carnal and the spiritual.
1 Corinthians 3:1-3 - “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” (The Carnal)
Colossians 1:10 - “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;” (The Spiritual)
The question is this, how do I decrease so that Christ can increase? I think we understand that Christ can only increase as self decreases. Only one can sit on the throne of our life, Christ, or self. So how do we decrease?
As William Carey was dying, he said to a friend, “When I am gone, do not talk about William Carey. Talk about William Carey’s Saviour. I desire alone that Christ might be magnified.” How do we decrease?
2. THE DECREASE TAKES PLACE NOT AS WE STRUGGLE AND STRIVE BY OUR SELF-WILL BUT AS:
We die to ourselves. Galatians 2:20 - “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
We must depend on the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:16 - “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” This walk is a moment-by-moment experience of dependence on the Lord.
We must delight in the Lord. We can no longer be self-centered; we must now be God-centered and wonderful things happen in our life as Christ increases. Psalm 37:4 - “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
11/14/2023
John 3:30 - “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
John had been a very popular person in his early ministry, had earned a wonderful reputation, and was constantly in the limelight… But now Jesus had come on the scene and John introduced him thusly:
John 1:29 - “...Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
When the disciples questioned John concerning Jesus he replied without text, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
What a challenge to we Christians who think far too highly of ourselves. We must decrease; that is not a natural desire, yet it is the desire of the Spirit-filled Christian. We must die to ourselves and live for Christ.
1. WHAT DOES THE LESSON TEACH US?
There are two kinds of Christians. There are the carnal and the spiritual.
1 Corinthians 3:1-3 - “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” (The Carnal)
Colossians 1:10 - “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;” (The Spiritual)
The question is this, how do I decrease so that Christ can increase? I think we understand that Christ can only increase as self decreases. Only one can sit on the throne of our life, Christ, or self. So how do we decrease?
As William Carey was dying, he said to a friend, “When I am gone, do not talk about William Carey. Talk about William Carey’s Saviour. I desire alone that Christ might be magnified.” How do we decrease?
2. THE DECREASE TAKES PLACE NOT AS WE STRUGGLE AND STRIVE BY OUR SELF-WILL BUT AS:
We die to ourselves. Galatians 2:20 - “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
We must depend on the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:16 - “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” This walk is a moment-by-moment experience of dependence on the Lord.
We must delight in the Lord. We can no longer be self-centered; we must now be God-centered and wonderful things happen in our life as Christ increases. Psalm 37:4 - “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
Posted in Living for God, Relationship with Christ
Tagged with John 3, increase, decrease, humility, Spiritual, carnal, dependence, seek
Tagged with John 3, increase, decrease, humility, Spiritual, carnal, dependence, seek
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