Jesus- Above All
John 3:31-36
What we get to listen to here… is VERY special & unique to the Gospel of John.
John 3:22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land (countryside) of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized. 24 For John had not yet been thrown into prison. 25 Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified – behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!” 27 John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’ 29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.
30 He MUST increase, but I MUST decrease.
That is…. We’re to serve in such a way that Jesus is ever increasing through us and we are ever decreasing.
We’re to serve in such a way… that people are left with less and less of us and more and more of JESUS!
John the Baptists- CHRISTOLOGY
John 3:31 He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.
1. Jesus comes from above / heaven & is above ALL
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory
Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, … 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
1. Jesus comes from above / heaven & is above ALL
In contrast to Jesus is John the Baptist
John 3:31 He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.
Matthew 11:2 When John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples 3 & said to Him, are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?
4 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: 5 The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
6 And blessed is he who is not OFFENDED because of Me.
When I got saved I made a DEAL with God.
But that’s NOT the deal God makes with us—
God is a God… Who DOES let bad things happen to good people.
Why?
Isaiah 55:8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways HIGHER than your ways & My thoughts than your thoughts.
God NEVER lets His people suffer needlessly
John 3:32 And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies;
2. What He has seen and heard, that He testifies
John 1:18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
John 3:32 And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony.
3. No one receives His testimony.
John 1:11 He came to His own, and His own did NOT receive Him.
John 3:33 He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true.
4. In contrast to those who do NOT receive Jesus there are those who do receive his testimony
John 1:12 BUT as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 3:34 For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God,
5. Jesus speaks the words of God
Jesus words are EQUAL to Gods words because… Jesus is God
John 3:34. For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure.
6. When it comes to the Son, God the Father did NOT give the Spirit by measure.
Colossians 2:9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily
TRINITY– the Father sent the Son who speaks the Word of God by the fulness of the Spirit!
John 3:35 The Father loves the Son, and has given ALL things into His hand.
7. Jesus is the BELOVED Son of the Father. Over ALL.
John 3:36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; & he who does not believe the Son shall not see life,
8. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life
36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the WRATH of God abides on him.
God is LOVE
God is LIGHT
Matthew 26:39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will