Back in John chapter 3, what
we just read is the record, is the record of the last testimony
of John the Baptist. Last time he, at least publicly,
testified of the Lord Jesus Christ before he was imprisoned by Herod
and beheaded. And his last testimony of his
Redeemer is the same as his first testimony when he came on the
scene. Nothing has changed. He directs
attention to these Jews that came to him with this controversy. In their minds, it wasn't to
John. But he directs their attention as he did at the first, away
from himself, to Christ. Notice again, verse 28, you yourselves
bear me witness that I say it. I've told you before, I am not
the Christ. I told you that when you first
asked me this question, and I'll tell you again, I'm not He, I'm
not the Messiah. I am not the Christ, but that
I am sent before Him. Look, if you will, in chapter
1. This is what John refers to, chapter 1 of John's Gospel. verse nineteen. And this is the
record of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from
Jerusalem to ask him, who art thou? And he confessed and denied
not but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, what
then? Art thou Elias? And he saith,
I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he
answered, no. Then say they unto him, who art
thou? That we may give an answer to
them that sent us What sayest thou of thyself? Now John the
Baptist could have said, I'm that one that some of the prophets
of the Old Testament foretold about. Isaiah, Malachi, the last
book, spoke of me, the forerunner of Jesus Christ. But John wouldn't
say that. Notice how he describes himself
in verse 23. He said, I am the voice. I'm
just the voice. A voice is heard, it's not seen.
And John said, I'm content with that. I'm the voice of one crying
in the wilderness. Make straight the way of the
Lord as said the prophet Isaiah. John holds the same view of himself. I'm just the voice. And he holds
the same view of Jesus Christ. Over and over again in chapter
1, he says of Christ, He's preferred before me. He's first. He's from everlasting. He ranks
higher than I is what the expression means. And he also had the same
message. The same message that he preached
when he first began his ministry is the same message he was preaching
when he ended his ministry, saying this, look to Christ, don't look
to me. Are you still in chapter 1? Look
what we read in verse 29 of John chapter 1. The next day John
seeth Jesus coming unto him, And he said, behold, behold. Now he'd already told them, there's
one coming after me. He's the Christ. He's the anointed
one. He's the sent one of God. He's
coming on the scene. He'll be here. He said, look
for him. Be looking for him. And when
Christ came on the scene, and he was identified as the Christ
of God at his baptism, John said, behold, There's the one I've
been telling you about. There's the Messiah. There's
the one I've directed your attention to. Look to Him. Would you know
God? Behold, the Lamb of God. Would
you have forgiveness of sins? Behold, the Lamb of God. Would
you be reconciled to God? Would you experience sweet peace
with God? Then look to the Lamb of God.
Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. The Lamb. Singular. Singular. There's only one. And John's
message always, from beginning to end, was always about Him. That sounds like another. whose
determination was to know nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. One that afterwards would say
concerning afflictions and imprisonments, none of these things move me,
Paul said. None of these things move me.
None of these things deter me. None of these things distract
me. I'll stay the course that I might finish my course to testify
the gospel of the grace of God. And although these Jews motive
was probably, probably to create division and jealousy when they
came to John with this question, it didn't work, did it? They
came to him and said, all men go to Christ. You were here first. This is not fair. Now you're
losing your crown, and they're all going to him. And John says,
I'm glad to hear it. It's not a problem. I'm glad
to hear that that's so. It's just as it should be. This is what John says in verse
30. He must increase. He must increase. He knew that Christ would. That
was the purpose of God. He must increase, but it was
also the joy and determination of God. or rather of John. I
know it's the purpose of God, but it was also John's joy and
determination that he must increase. That is Christ. My prayer has
been ever since God led me to this text of scripture, I pray
that he would speak to my heart and your hearts. in such a way
as to move us to a renewed commitment to our Redeemer, and his glorious
gospel, and his worship, and to one another, to this same
goal. This same determination expressed
in the words, or rather, by the words of John the Baptist. He
must increase, and I must decrease. That's my text. The title of
my message is A Blessed Calculation. I like John's arithmetic, don't
you? I like how he adds things up
and sums things up. He says, he must increase. That's it. That's the bottom
line, and I must decrease. to be renewed in our hearts with
this blessed determination expressed in verse 30, how does God in
his word lead us to do that and by his spirit? Does he hold out
promises of reward? If you'll do this, I'll reward
you. Well, let me ask you, because
that's a popular teaching. A lot of men tell us there will
be degrees of reward in heaven. Some Christians will have bigger
rewards than other Christians. Some will have a mansion, others
will have to live in the slum. I don't know what it might be,
but the question I would ask with a promise or reward, what
would that be? What would it be, Joe? For a
child of God who has Christ, who by God, Christ, is made unto
us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption,
whom Paul said is all, and we are complete in Him, what else
is there? What other reward could there
possibly be? If I have Christ, I have all.
And on the other hand, some threaten God's people with punishment.
They bring out the whip of the law and crack. I know where I
came from. I don't know that it's so in
Alabama. But in West Virginia, it was
very common to hear preachers say, well, if you don't give
10% of your income, if you don't give 10% to the church, to God,
to them, God will take it out of your hide. Now, that's a good
motive, isn't it? Do they say that here, too, in
Alabama? Well, that's a good motive. That's
a good reason to give. If I don't give it, I'm scared
God's going to pounce on me. Something bad's going to happen.
No, no, no, no. No. I hope and believe that by
reminding us, as John did, We know that Christ deserves this. He earns it. And as Paul wrote,
the love of Christ constraineth us. That's what motivates us. The love of Christ. As they sang
in Revelation 5, He's worthy. He's worthy to receive all praise
and all honor and all glory. He's earned that. He's earned
that. He's worthy to receive all that
because He has redeemed us to God by His own blood. I beseech
you, therefore, Paul wrote in another place, brethren, I beseech
you, brethren, children of God, by the mercies of God to do these
things. The old hymn writer said this,
more about Jesus would I know. More of his grace to others show. Indeed, indeed. More of his saving
for the sea and more of his love. More of his love who died for
me. Looking again now at verse 30,
he must increase, John said, but I must decrease. This was John's joy. When they
came to him trying to divide, cause division between John and
Christ, John said to them, it's not about me. John said, I've told you before,
it's not about me. Boy, we live in a generation
today where it's all about me, isn't it? What do I have? What do I want? What do I deserve? It's about
me. Oh, how refreshing to hear John
say, it's not about me. It's not about me, but it's about
him. Our Lord Himself said concerning
John the Baptist, after he was arrested, He said, what did you
go out to see? A prophet? He said, I'll tell
you more, more than that. John was more than a prophet.
He said, of all men born of women, there's not arisen a greater
than John the Baptist. But John, personally, he deflects
all attention from himself, doesn't he? Doesn't he? If someone would
come and compliment John, he would say, enough about me. Enough
about me. Let's don't talk about that.
Let me tell you about the Lamb of God. I know this old flesh,
even though we might say with our lips when someone pays us
a compliment, oh, enough now. Enough about me, but we're thinking
inside, keep it up. Just keep it up. Don't forget
this or that. But old John said, enough about
me. Old John, what about you? He
says, I must decrease. But I must decrease. And we see
this truth. We see this truth what John declared
in verse 30 before he was even born. Turn, if you will, to Luke
chapter 1. Let's look in Luke chapter 1
for a moment or two. John's father, Zacharias, was
a priest. His office was to burn incense
in the temple. His mother, Elizabeth, they were
Well-stricken in years, we're told in verse 7 of Luke chapter
1. And they had no child, Elizabeth
and Zacharias, because that Elizabeth was barren, and they both were
now well-stricken in years. Verse 13, but the angel said
unto him, Fear not, Zacharias, for thy prayer is heard, and
thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call
his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness
and many shall rejoice at his birth for he shall be great in
the sight of the Lord and shall drink neither wine nor strong
drink and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost even from
his mother's womb. But look what it says about the
Lord Jesus Christ, about his birth in chapter 1 of Luke, verse
34. This angel goes to Mary, Luke
1 and 34, and says, you're going to have a son. And Mary responds
to him, how can this be seeing I don't know a man? I'm not married. I don't have a husband. Verse
35, And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost
shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest shall overshadow
thee, therefore also that holy thing. Even in the announcements
of their birth, you hear the words of John, He must increase,
and I must decrease. Therefore also that holy thing
which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. the Son of God. He'll be God
in flesh. He'll be the mighty God, the
everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Look, if you will,
are you still in Luke chapter 1? Look what it says in verse
16 concerning John. And many of the children of Israel
shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him,
that is before Christ, in the spirit and power of Elias, to
turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient
to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared
for the Lord. All but compare that to the words
and where the angels came to the shepherds, remember what
they said concerning the Lord Jesus Christ? Oh, He is a Savior. There was one born to you this
night in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. Only of Him was that said. And
afterwards, these same words to Joseph, Call His name Jesus. Oh, my soul. Why? Why? Jesus, not John shall do
this or anyone else. He shall save His people from
their sins. Oh, when God in His mercy is
pleased to awaken a man to a sense of his sin, Not until that time
does he realize, does he feel the enormity of his sin. before
he was unaware of it. But oh, when God comes to him
and quickens him, gives him life, then he becomes aware of the
enormity of his sin. And he cries in light of his
sin, the sinfulness of his sin. He asks himself the question,
how can I be just with God? What can take away my sin? Oh, Jesus, he shall save his
people from their sins. And even when they're born, even
when they're born, you see this great distinction. He's a Savior. John's only the forerunner of
the Savior. But Christ, He's the real Savior. A prince and a Savior. The great
God and Savior. He's a real Savior. For real
sinners. Aren't you thankful? He's a successful
Savior. Always. Remember what the angel
said. Joseph, he shall. He shall. Not he's going to try to, he's
going to. Not that he'll put forth an intent,
he shall save his people. That's why he's coming into the
world. Not to hope for salvation, but bless God to accomplish salvation. He'll save his people, all of
his people, from all of their sins. What a Savior. He's able to save to the uttermost
all that come unto God by him. No wonder John said, he must
increase and I must decrease. And 30 years later, 30 years
later when John is preaching and baptizing, the people Luke
tells us in chapter 3, pondered in their heart and wondered and
mused to themselves, is this the Christ? Could this be the
Christ? Is John the Baptist the Christ
that all the prophets have told us about? Look, if you will,
in Matthew's Gospel chapter 3. Matthew chapter 3, if you will. Verse 1 of Matthew 3. In those
days came John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea and
saying, repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. But this
is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah saying, the voice
of one crying in the wilderness. This is from Isaiah 40. Prepare
ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. but compare
that to the Lord Jesus Christ, verse 13 in the same chapter,
Matthew 3. Then cometh Jesus from Galilee
to Jordan unto John to be baptized of him. But John forbade him,
saying, I need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto
him, Suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfill
all righteousness. And then he suffered him. And
Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the
water and lo, look at this. Something that had never happened
before. A lot of people had been baptized.
A lot of people had come to John and were baptized in the river
Jordan confessing their sins. Oh, but something happened this
day that never had happened before and never would happen after
this. Lo, the heavens were opened unto Him. And he saw the Spirit
of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. That is
the Lord Jesus Christ. And lo, a voice from heaven sang,
This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. This is the Son of God. And John's message after this
was, Behold the Lamb of God. It's Him. It's not me. In chapter 1, we see Him pointing
Christ out to the multitudes. And then on down in the chapter,
He's standing with just two disciples. But His message is the same.
Whether to a crowd or whether to one or two, He would say,
Behold the Lamb of God. One of those disciples were Andrew.
And when he heard those words, he followed the Lord Jesus Christ. Behold the Lamb of God. There's life for a look at the
crucified one. Look at me, you'll never be saved. Look at self, and you'll never
be saved. Look at your works, and you'll
never be saved. Look at your repentance and your
faith, and you'll never be saved. But behold the Lamb of God! Behold
the Lamb of God! and you'll be saved to the uttermost. Behold him, John said, he must
increase, but I must decrease. Soon after this, John begins
to withdraw from the scene. He's being eclipsed by that one
who was the true light. Now that the forerunner John
has been overtaken. By that one he went before, his
race is run. John says, I've heard the bridegroom's
voice. My joy is fulfilled. The bride, the church, belongs
to Christ. He's the bridegroom. The church
was committed into his hands by God the Father. He came for
his church. He loved the church and gave
himself for it. Now, John, the best man, he willingly,
humbly steps aside. In Matthew 14, we're told that
Herod arrested John, put him in prison, and then had him beheaded. and his disciples came and took
up his body and buried him. They severed John's head from
his body, but they couldn't sever him from Christ, could they? The head of his church. They
couldn't do that. They could have very appropriately
placed these words as an epitaph on John's tomb. He must increase. and I must decrease. This was
John's last testimony. And in these words, in John 3,
he does that very thing, doesn't he? In his testimony, it's all
about Christ. Look again, if you will, at verse
31 in John 3. He that cometh from above is
above all. Above all. He's above all. No exceptions. Father, you've
given me power over all flesh. Matthew 28, he appears to his
disciples on Mount Olivet before he ascends back to heaven and
he says, all power, all power is given unto me in heaven and
in earth. God has highly exalted him and
given him a name above every name. This is why John said in
chapter 1, he that cometh after me is preferred before me. He ranks higher than I do. Oh, so much higher. So much higher
than most people hold him to be today. Yes, he's Jesus the
moralist, Jesus a good teacher, a good philosopher, even a martyr,
but the Son of God? Oh, but John said he's all that. He's this same Jesus, glorious,
mighty to save, perfect God and perfect man. God had highly exalted
him, Paul wrote in Philippians 2, and given him a name above
every name, above, higher than Caesar. higher than Alexander
the so-called great. God's given him a name above
every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee's going
to bow. Doesn't matter who it is done.
It'll happen. It'll happen. The most stout-hearted
rebel one day is going to bow before the throne of King Jesus
and confess, you're God. You're God. You're the Lord before
he cast them into everlasting darkness. God's given him a name
above every name. Look what John says in verse
35 in this, his last testimony. The Father loveth the Son, and
hath given, there's the word again, all things. He's above
all, and God's given all things into his hand. Well, didn't he
possess all things anyway? Well, yes, as God, but God's
given him all things as the God-man, as our mediator. All things. Without qualification. Without
qualification. All things in heaven, all things
in earth, all things in providence, all things in salvation, all
things are in his hands. You remember when Joseph was
exalted from the dungeon that he was in in Egypt to be Pharaoh's
right-hand man. You remember that? Let me just
read you a little bit of that from Genesis chapter 41. Genesis
chapter 41. These are Pharaoh's... This is in Pharaoh verse 41 of
Genesis 41. Pharaoh says to Joseph after
Joseph had rightly interpreted his dream that none else could
do. Thou shall be over my house and according unto thy words
shall all my people be ruled. Only in the throne will I be
greater than thou. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph,
see I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. Look if you
will on down at verse 55. A famine comes just like Joseph
had told the king. Verse 55, And when all the land
of Egypt was famished, starving, the people cried to Pharaoh for
bread. And Pharaoh said unto all the
Egyptians, Go unto Joseph, what he saith to you, do. and the
famine was over all the face of the earth, and Joseph opened
all the storehouses and sold them to the Egyptians. Our Lord
Jesus Christ said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man
comes to the Father but by me. The way for mercy, the way of
grace, the way for forgiveness, the way of peace with God, the
way to heaven, The way to glory, the way to eternal life is by
Jesus Christ. You cannot have those things.
You cannot receive those things except you come to me and through
me. Because it pleased the Father
that in Him should all fullness dwell. He's God's storehouse. He's God's storehouse, and He's
full of grace, and He's full of truth. Blessed be the God
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Paul wrote, who has blessed
us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Again, he wrote to the Philippians,
my God shall supply all of your need according to His riches
in Christ Jesus. God's storehouse of grace. How
much grace? I can't tell you that because
there's no limit to it. You can't qualify it. There's
no limit. I'll tell you this though, it's
all the grace that this sinner will ever need. It's grace sufficient
to cleanse me from all my sins. It's enough grace to keep my
wandering heart. It's enough grace to preserve
me as I walk through this world. And it's enough grace one day
to bring me into the very presence of Christ Himself without a spot
or a wrinkle or any trace of sin in me. Oh, that's grace. That's a storehouse of grace,
is it not? Look again at our text in John
3. He must increase and I must decrease. And pray with me, Lord, make
it so. Make it so. John didn't stop
exalting the Lord Jesus until he was providentially stopped
from doing so. God enabled me to do the same. Can't preach him too much. I
consider one of the best compliments I ever got, someone considered
it an insult to me. Told someone in Newcastle. pastor
Glenn Whitehead, a member of the church there where brother
Bruce pastors said, I'll not come back and hear that fella
preach because he just strums up just strums on one string. He just knows one tune and I
thought, man, that's good. I like that. I like that. That's a compliment. Oh, you
can't preach Christ too much. It's not possible to preach him and you can't love him too much. May God make Christ to increase
in my love for him and less for myself. Increase in my devotion
to him. Behold how he loved him, they
said. When he stood before the tomb
of Lazarus weeping, they said, oh, look at that. Behold how
he loved him. but see him on Mount Calvary,
see him there being made sin, enduring all of our wrath that
was due me, enduring being made a curse. Oh, amazing love. How can it be that thou, my God,
should die for me? He loved me. That's amazing. and he gave himself for me. God
grant an increase of true sincere worship of him and through him
and to him are all things to whom be glory forever. God help
us not just to pretend to worship. Oh he deserves better than that.
God prepare our hearts to worship. Allow us to with Thomas exclaim
my lord and my god. and an increase in thankfulness
to him. Can't be too thankful. Peter
wrote, you were a sheep going astray, but are now returned
to the shepherd and the bishop of your souls. See that great
shepherd. See our great shepherd. See Him
stepping forward. Stepping forward. See Him stepping
forward and putting Himself beneath the sword of divine justice. Just like He did that night when
they come to take Him in the garden. Knowing everything that
was to come to pass, He steps forward. He steps forward. Who
do you want? Jesus. I'm He. Take me! Take me! I'm not resisting! Take me! But Peter, and Andrew,
and James, and John, they go free. They go free. That's what he said to divine
justice. That's what he said to God's holy law. Many hands
were raised to wound him. None would interpose to save.
Oh, but the awful stroke that found him was the stroke that
justice gave. And he said to the sword of justice,
take me! Take me! Here I am! But Larry
Chris goes free. He goes free. Oh, what a Savior. Look at verse 36 and we'll close.
Verse 36 of John's last testimony, he says this, He that believeth
on the Son hath everlasting life. And he that believeth not the
Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. John speaks of only two kinds
of people there. Two groups. Those that believe
and those that believe not. With these two sure results,
eternal life, Do you have life or wrath? Which do you belong? Do you right now have life or
wrath? God grant you faith in the lord
Jesus Christ. One hymn writer expressed it
like this. Perhaps he will omit my plea. Perhaps he will hear
my prayer but if I I can but perish if I go, I am
resolved to try. For if I stay away, I know I
must forever die. But if I die with mercy sought,
when I, the king, have tried, this were to die, delightful
thought, as sinner, never died. God bless you. Thank you for
your attention.