Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/Sermons/zz20050710.htm

JOHN: TRUSTING IN JESUS AS MESSIAH AND GOD
Part XI: Trimming Our Works To Avoid Diverting Others From Christ
(John 3:22-36)

Introduction: (To show the need . . . )

When we hear how OTHER Christian churches and groups are coming up with all sorts of "innovative" activities to attract people and money in order to minister, are we missing God's blessing by NOT becoming as "innovative" as THEY are? Consider the following:

(1) I was recently given a copy of two articles in the June 27, 2005 Waterbury Republican-American on the new Faith Church that was built in New Milford, Connecticut. Its sanctuary seats 1,205 people, and the building has a "large entryway . . . called the mall . . . The new church will offer . . . movies, ice cream and coffee, and video games . . . " Its minister, Father Santora, bases his sermons on TV shows like "Donald Trump's The Apprentice'" or "Extreme Makeover'" or "Faith Factor', a takeoff on Fear Factor.'" In one sermon, "Come Thirsty,' he and the congregation munched on potato chips throughout. It took about 1,000 small bags of the snack to accommodate those in attendance." (Ibid.)

Besides the services that often mingle secular pop songs with Christian music, "parishioners can participate in sessions on gardening, skydiving, sewing, ceramics and more." Santora explained that, in his church, "Not everything here is centered on Bible study . . . There are not separate rules for serving God and living in the world . . ." (Ibid.)

Well, that church sure attracts the people: 1,500 of them regularly attend Faith Church's Sunday morning worship services!

(2) Then, Dave Hunt's newsletter, The Berean Call reports in its March 2005 issue, p. 4 that "the 2004 National Pastors' Convention . . . Sponsored by Youth Specialties (America's most influential evangelical organization for youth pastors and leaders) and Zondervan (publisher of The Purpose-Driven Life, the NIV-Message Parallel Bible, and Evangelical distributor for Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ DVD) began its daily program with contemplative prayer . . . and Yoga & Stretching' exercises."



ARE WE at Nepaug Church MISSING GOD'S BLESSING for not trying similar INNOVATIVE and SECULAR activities that cater to the wishes of people around us? Are we failing to disciple well by not LURING people with THESE THINGS?



(We turn to the sermon "Need" section . . . )

Need: "When I see OTHER Christian groups try innovative' things to ATTRACT lots of people and money so they can impact others, are WE missing out by NOT trying what THEY do? Why?!"
  1. John the Baptizer's disciples voiced concern over what THEY felt was HARMFUL COMPETITION from JESUS, for HE attracted the CROWDS that had ONCE gone after JOHN, John 3:22-26:
    1. For a brief period in history, the ministry of Jesus and that of John the Baptizer overlapped, John 3:22-24.
    2. This ministry overlap led others to see Jesus' ministry grew at the expense of John's work, a concern to John's followers, John 3:25-26:
      1. John's disciples got into an argument with other Jews on whether they should be baptized by John or be baptized by other religious leaders, John 3:25 with Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 282-283.
      2. The Jews who did not follow John then revealed Jesus had more disciples than John, so they asserted: "Why be baptized by John when everyone else is being baptized by Jesus?" (Ibid., p. 283)
      3. John's followers had no answer to this, so, worried about the threat Jesus' ministry presented to John, they asked John about it, 3:26.
  2. John's response reveals his efforts were NOT MEANT to DIVERT hearers FROM JESUS; RATHER, they were to be TRIMMED BACK so that hearers might FOLLOW JESUS, John 3:27-30:
    1. In response to his disciple's concern, John explained his ministry was to be TRIMMED BACK so JESUS' ministry might GROW , 3:27-29:
      1. John stated that no one in TRUE ministry has any GODLY impact or following without these things being from God, Jn. 3:27. What was happening in the ministries of Jesus and John was thus a move on GOD'S part to SHIFT people FROM John TO JESUS!
      2. John also reminded his disciples he had always taught he was not the Messiah, but His forerunner, Jn. 3:28; since Messiah, Jesus had come as Israel's spiritual "bridegroom", Israel was to flock to her "bridegroom" in Jesus to the joy of John, the "best man", Jn. 3:29!
    2. John eloquently summed up his view on the whole subject, saying: "He must increase, but I must decrease." (Jn. 3:30 KJV, ESV)
  3. John who WROTE this Gospel further declared WHY John the Baptizer's ministry was thus to be TRIMMED: only by JESUS and HIS WORD did men attain spiritual fulfillment, so it was in the best interests of ALL the HEARERS involved than JESUS' ministry INCREASE while JOHN'S DECREASED, John 3:31-36:
    1. [John 3:31-36 differs in style and presentation from the words in John 3:27-30 as the latter section reflects the words of John the Apostle who wrote this Gospel, Ibid.; L. Morris, John (NICNT), 1979, p. 243.]
    2. As such, John the Apostle expanded on John the Baptizer's summary that Jesus was to increase while John decreased, explaining this ministry SHIFT was NECESSARY to BENEFIT their HEARERS:
      1. John the Apostle explained that John the Baptizer was but a mere man with limited knowledge and authority where Jesus was from heaven as God's Son with God's authority, John 3:31, 36. It was thus in the best interests of all men that they heed Jesus over John.
      2. Also, their hearers would be severely judged or greatly blessed depending on how they responded to Jesus, not to John; the hearers' attention thus had to end with Jesus so they could benefit:
        1. Most people were not accepting Jesus' words regardless of His insight and authority, John 3:32. This made them dangerously make God Who had sent Jesus out to be a liar! (3:33 implied)
        2. Yet, those who accepted Jesus' words testified that God Who sent Him was true, a testimony God would reward, John 3:33!
        3. Thus, for their own benefit, people had to heed Jesus over John!
      3. Further, Jesus had the words of God and ministry of the Holy Spirit in unlimited degree in contrast to John, John 3:34. The hearers had to heed Jesus over John to gain God's fullest blessing!
      4. In fact, God had given all authority to Jesus, not to John, so their hearers were accountable to look to Jesus, not to John; John had to decrease and Jesus increase in their ministry impacts, John 3:35.
      5. Finally, the eternal destiny of the hearers of Jesus and John hung on whether they trusted in Jesus alone, not in John, so John had to decrease and Jesus increase in the focus of all their hearers that the saving Gospel might be clarified for their eternal good! (3:36)
Application: As true fulfillment comes ONLY in looking to JESUS and HIS WORD, (1) may we SHIFT our ATTENTION FROM mere mortal MINISTERS and their WORKS to heed JESUS and HIS WORD, and (2) trust in HIM for salvation and (2) exalt HIM and minister HIS WORD to others as OPPOSED to exalting ANYTHING ELSE to the CONTRARY!

Lesson: For their SPIRITUAL GOOD, ALL their hearers NEEDED look to JESUS and HIS WORD ABOVE following the MERE MORTAL, JOHN THE BAPTIZER! This reality sets the PATTERN for ALL OTHER GOOD MINISTRIES by ALL OTHER GOOD servants of God!

Conclusion: (To illustrate the sermon lesson . . . )

 In last Thursday's ABC Evening News television program, anchor man Charlie Gibson reported on a story using the theme, "What a Difference a Day Makes", a title that is a takeoff from a popular song of a generation ago.

Mr. Gibson referred to London, England: last Wednesday, July 6th, when British citizens heard the International Olympic Committe had selected London to be the host of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, television news crews took pictures of deliriously happy crowds in the city squares and streets who were waving the Union Jack and yelling for joy. Not only would the city enjoy quick access to seeing the world's greatest athletes perform, but the economy would boom, positively affecting the whole city. The next morning, London's papers were filled with the story, and commuters were even reading them while riding the subways or bus only to be sent into eternity when the terrorist bombs exploded.

Those bombs turned London's joy into confusion, sadness and concern for the safety of those who were still alive. It was as though the city had been sucked into a time warp, being pushed back into the World War II era where bomb explosions had been such a regular part of its peoples' lives. Indeed, "What a Difference a Day Makes"!

Charlie Gibson's report led me to rewrite this conclusion. I realized anew that any innovative activity a Church can concoct to attract people, be it yoga, stretching exercises, eating potato chips during a sermon, offering movies, ice cream, coffee, video games, and giving sessions on gardening, skydiving, sewing and ceramics just won't fulfill the heart needs of those who reel from a terrorist attack! Only God's Word and Holy Spirit can do that!

In fact, as John 3:22-36 examples for us, that's what a Church should be all about anyway -- the stakes are just too high and this life is just too fragile and too short for us to settle for anything else!

So, OUR FOCUS as a Church MUST CONTINUE to be centered on CHRIST and the EXPOSITION of His WORD as OPPOSED TO SECULAR trappings that COMPETE AGAINST CHRIST and His WORD for the ATTENTION of NEEDY hearers. To mimic John's lead, JESUS and His WORD must INCREASE, but WE and the WORLD and ITS trappings must DECREASE that our HEARERS may TRULY be discipled!