He Must Increase
“John answered them, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless God bestows it. You’ve heard me tell you that I am not the Messiah, but certainly I am the messenger sent ahead of him. He is the Bridegroom, and the bride belongs to him. I am the friend of the Bridegroom who stands nearby and listens with great joy to the Bridegroom’s voice. Because of his words, my joy is complete and overflows! It is necessary for him to increase and for me to decrease.”– John 3:27-30 TPT
It’s hard to put into words the power of these versus. John was a really big deal. He had many followers and had impacted countless people. Known as the Baptizer, his ministry was massive, and he rubbed shoulders with some of the most influential people of that day. John’s impact was undeniable.
As great as John was, baptizing didn’t attract crowds the way healings did. His message of repentance, while powerful, didn’t carry the same weight as Jesus’ message that the kingdom of God had arrived. John declared that the kingdom was coming; Jesus declared that it was already here.
John’s disciples were understandably worried. They had given up everything to follow him. Yet, what they thought would last quickly began to fade as Jesus' ministry grew. People were leaving in masses. They thought they had hitched their wagon to the wrong person or that something needed to change with their message so they could compete. Maybe a more strategic approach, or even a miracle or two, could reignite public interest and draw the crowds back.
For John, this was never the plan. He knew that His calling was seasonal. He knew that he had served his purpose. He knew he wasn’t Jesus, and he was ok with that.
“He must increase, and I must decrease.”
For there to be more of Him, there must be less of me. It’s the simplest of statements and yet the hardest to carry out.
A song we used to sing in church says it best. “More of you and less of me. That’s how you want it Lord.” In a day where everyone is looking for themselves, it’s the elevation of self that is the most damaging to our lives.
In the last verse of this song, a word changes, but that one word explains the discipleship journey so well.
“More of you and less of me. That’s how I want it Lord.”
This is the simplest of statements, but its meaning is vast. It cuts against the very nature we all have. There is one star, one Savior, one Lord, and one King. His name is Jesus. If we really want more of Him, it will come at the cost of more of us.
I have seen this in my own life over these past few years. Two sides of myself have been competing, but only one can win: the side of self that wants desperately to increase, and the side of his Spirit that wants more space and His fruit to fill my life.
Sometimes I am John. Sometimes I am John’s disciples. Sometimes I want more of Him, and other times I really like me. “More of you and less of me. That’s how I sometimes want it Lord.”
My prayer today is that He would increase and that I would decrease. What’s yours?
It’s hard to put into words the power of these versus. John was a really big deal. He had many followers and had impacted countless people. Known as the Baptizer, his ministry was massive, and he rubbed shoulders with some of the most influential people of that day. John’s impact was undeniable.
As great as John was, baptizing didn’t attract crowds the way healings did. His message of repentance, while powerful, didn’t carry the same weight as Jesus’ message that the kingdom of God had arrived. John declared that the kingdom was coming; Jesus declared that it was already here.
John’s disciples were understandably worried. They had given up everything to follow him. Yet, what they thought would last quickly began to fade as Jesus' ministry grew. People were leaving in masses. They thought they had hitched their wagon to the wrong person or that something needed to change with their message so they could compete. Maybe a more strategic approach, or even a miracle or two, could reignite public interest and draw the crowds back.
For John, this was never the plan. He knew that His calling was seasonal. He knew that he had served his purpose. He knew he wasn’t Jesus, and he was ok with that.
“He must increase, and I must decrease.”
For there to be more of Him, there must be less of me. It’s the simplest of statements and yet the hardest to carry out.
A song we used to sing in church says it best. “More of you and less of me. That’s how you want it Lord.” In a day where everyone is looking for themselves, it’s the elevation of self that is the most damaging to our lives.
In the last verse of this song, a word changes, but that one word explains the discipleship journey so well.
“More of you and less of me. That’s how I want it Lord.”
This is the simplest of statements, but its meaning is vast. It cuts against the very nature we all have. There is one star, one Savior, one Lord, and one King. His name is Jesus. If we really want more of Him, it will come at the cost of more of us.
I have seen this in my own life over these past few years. Two sides of myself have been competing, but only one can win: the side of self that wants desperately to increase, and the side of his Spirit that wants more space and His fruit to fill my life.
Sometimes I am John. Sometimes I am John’s disciples. Sometimes I want more of Him, and other times I really like me. “More of you and less of me. That’s how I sometimes want it Lord.”
My prayer today is that He would increase and that I would decrease. What’s yours?
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