How tragic that such good men could lose the focus about ministry … but how often do we do the same thing today? c. We all want to succeed, even in ministry! b. (1.Ğven good and godly people can wrestle with success. How would John's disciples see this new development? They felt threatened by Jesus' success. John's ministry of baptism had peaked and was just starting to wane in light of Jesus' ministry.Ī. Jesus' disciples were beginning to see a large number of people coming for baptism, in fact, a switch-over was just beginning … people were coming to Jesus INSTEAD of John now. Results of ministry were at its greatest point in John's ministry! b.Ět the same time Jesus' ministry was just starting to take off too. John the Baptist was enjoying his highest level of success in ministry, notice the kind of responses he was getting in this verse: ( 3:23) "Now John also was baptizing … and people were CONSTANTLY COMING to be baptized." (emphasis mine)Ī.
This is a "must" if we want something greater than a weak faith or an immature relationship with God. SENT: The Word of God calls us to spiritual maturity, having Christ increase in us and through us while having "self" decrease as we walk with God. Bernard Meltzer - Edythe Draper, Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1992). The moment that you think you have acquired it is just the moment you have lost it. Even the pursuit of humility can be difficult … ILLUS: Humility is a most strange thing. We are to be "child like" in our faith, but not "childish" in our walk with God. The goal of spiritual maturity is to die to self, to promote Christ … a process that fights against our pride and sinful nature! To fail to do this means having a childish relationship with God that is never satisfying. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988) p. Do we as Christians recognize the significant position in which we stand because of Christ? - James S. Move along, mister." This is a woman who knew her position and wasn't about to be intimidated. I'm very hungry." The woman replied, "Sorry, I'm supposed to give one piece to each person." He repeated, "But I'm starved," and again she said, "Only one to a customer." Herter was normally a modest man, but he decided this was the time to use the weight of his office and said, "Madam, do you know who I am? I am the governor of this state." She answered, "Do you know who I am? I'm the lady in charge of chicken. The governor said to the serving lady, "Excuse me, do you mind if I get another piece of chicken.
As he moved down the serving line, he held out his plate and received one piece of chicken. He'd had no breakfast or lunch, and he was famished. ILLUS: Christian Herter was running hard for reelection as governor of Massachusetts, and one day he arrived late at a barbecue. However, in the spiritual realm maturity means we DECREASE in size! It is so easy to get trapped in promoting self rather than God, our needs often drive us to do whatever we need to do to lift "ME" up first. When we mature in the physical realm we INCREASE in size.
As is so often the case, the principles of the physical realm and the spiritual realm are often in conflict with each other, or work in opposite directions. INTRO: Maturity is a must both physically and spiritually. "HE MUST INCREASE - I MUST DECREASE!" - by Rev.
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