Excerpt from book in progress

I am working on a book called, "The Joy of Insigificance."

Here is one of the drafts of one of the chapters.


Chapter 2—He Must Increase, I Must Decrease

Reading: John 3:23-4:3
Text 3:30

George Washington is one of the most amazing men in history—not just American History, but all history. He was the leader of the first revolution that succeeded in setting up the first fully functioning republican democracy. Washington formed an army from a bunch of plowboys, workers, and ruffians. He kept them together, and in spite of unbelievable odds, succeeded in defeating the sole superpower of his day. Later, he became the leader of the Constitutional Convention and then served two terms as the first President of the United States; he virtually invented our government from the basic framework of the Constitution. We could go on and on about his courage, his steadfastness, his calm in the face of disaster, but the greatest thing he ever did was not a military nor a political victory. The greatest thing he ever did was to give up power, and to give it up twice. As the head of the victorious Continental Army, he could have been president for life, dictator, even the first American king, yet he gave it all up, twice. As a general, when the Treaty of Paris was signed granting our independence, Washington, without fanfare and without even an honor guard of soldiers, stood before the Congress of the U.S. resigned his commission, returned to them his sword, and went home to Virginia. Upon hearing of this act, King George III of England exclaimed, “If that is true, he is the greatest man in the world!” People usually don’t give up anything, especially power and authority, willingly. Washington did, twice. The second time came when President Washington refused to run for a third term, but instead retired again to Mount Vernon. Again, he gave up all that power. Had Washington not set that example for both civilian and military leaders, our nation might have become a “banana republic,” with generalissimos, presidents-for-life, and coups and counter-coups. Instead, each leader following in his path has had to learn to give up power to someone else peacefully and completely.

For the most part, we humans don’t give up anything voluntarily, and this is doubly so in the areas of power, prestige, authority, or celebrity. It takes an amazing amount of character to so do. There was one man, however, who gave up something more than mere fame; there was one man in the Bible who came to briefly shine, like a comet crossing the skies, or like a meteorite flashing to the horizon on a darn night, and then to give up his place and position forever. That man was John, the son of Zacarias and Elizabeth, the cousin of Jesus, usually referred to as John the Baptist.

John 3:26-30 "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."

Who is speaking in this verse? It is John the Baptist. Who Was John the Baptist? He was the last and greatest prophet of the Old Covenant, the herald of the Messiah, about whom Isaiah and Malachi wrote:

Isa 40:3 "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God."

Mal 4:5-6 "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. 6 And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.""

Jesus confirmed John’s identify:

Mat 11:9-14 "… 9 "But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. 10 "For this is he of whom it is written: 'Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.' 11 "Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; …13 "For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14 "And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come.

John was the Forerunner of the Son of God, the one who prepared the way for Jesus’ ministry. In John 3:30, of Whom does John speak? Who is the One whose way is being prepared by John? Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God and God the Son, the Second Person of the Trinity our Savior and Lord.

What does John say of Him? “He must increase, and I must decrease.”

He Must Increase. By this we see the Person Who must increase. He is The Son of God, God the Son, the God-Man, The Good Shepherd, etc., the Lord and Savior of all. By this statement we see the certainty of this simple sentence. He MUST increase, of this there can be no doubt. But here we must ask the question: “Why MUST He increase?”

First, He MUST increase because of the Plan and Purpose of God. This plan and purpose were contemplated and written before the world was made. God determined to create a world and a race, to allow the Fall of man, and to redeem fallen man.

Titus 1:2 "in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,"

2 Tim 1:9 "who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,"

Eph 1:4-5 "just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,"

1 Pet 1:18-21 "knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you 21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God."

Acts 15:18 ""Known to God from eternity are all His works."

Unlike human beings, God’s plans cannot be thwarted; His purposes will always stand.

Job 42:1-6 "Then Job answered the LORD and said: 2 "I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You….”

Isa 46:8-11 ""… I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, 'My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,' 11 Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it."

Acts 4:26 “…The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the LORD and against His Christ.' 27 "For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 "to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done."

Acts 2:23 ""Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;"

This plan of God will culminate with universal glorification of the Son, followed by universal allegiance to the Father.

Phil 2:9-11 "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, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

1 Cor 15:28 "Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all."

Therefore, since this is the plan of God, Jesus will increase, no matter what men may say or do.

Second, Jesus MUST increase because of His Person.

He is the beloved of the Father, the Only-Begotten, the only True Son. “Monogenes,” the Greek word translated “only begotten,” does not mean that Christ was created or that He is of a separate essence from the Father; it means that He is the only and Unique Son of God. We who are believers become sons of God by adoption, but He is the Natural Son, the Only True Son, and through Him, God accomplishes His purpose.

John 1:14 "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."

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 3:16 ""For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

John 3:18 ""He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

1 John 4:9 "In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him."

He is the One who always pleases the Father, Who never disobeys or challenges the Father.

In John chapter 5:17-32, a rich panorama of doctrine emphasizes the unity of the Godhead in action. In this passage, we see that the Father and Son always work together, for our redemption, and for God’s glory.

John 5:17 But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working."

John 5:19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

John 5:21 "For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.

John 5:22 "For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, 23 "that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

John 5:25 "Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. 26 "For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, 27 "and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.

John 5:28 "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29 "and come forth; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

John 5:30 "I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment isrighteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

John 5:31 "If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true.

John 5:32 "There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true.

Jesus, in His Person, is superior to John in every way; Jesus, in His ministry is superior to John in every way.

Jesus is God (Jn 1:1-3), John is man (Jn 1:6)

Jesus has all authority, John had none—Mt 7:29, Mat 28:18, Mk 1:27, Jn 5:27.

Jesus is all-powerful, John is not—Mt 9:6, Lu 8:25, Jn 10:18, 17:2, Heb 1:3.

Jesus is all-knowing, John is not—Jn 2:24, Mt 12:25, 22:18, Jn 6:6, 16:30.

Jesus is, in Himself, immutable and eternal, John is not—Heb 13:8, Mic 5:2.

Jesus is Messiah, John is not—John 1:19-26

Third, He MUST increase, because that is the will of God to Glorify the Father and the Son in the ministry of the Son—Jn 17:1, Phil 2:5-11.

Fourth, He MUST increase because the salvation of God’s people depends on Christ fulfilling His ministry on Earth.

Fifth, He MUST increase so that God’s people might enjoy blessed communion with the Father, Son, and Spirit throughout all eternity, world without end, amen.

Why MUST John (or I, or we) decrease? First, it is God’s plan and purpose for John to decrease. The entire story of John’s life, from his miraculous conception to his death by execution, is centered around a period of perhaps no more than six months, when he preached in the wilderness and called Israel to repentance and preparation for the Messiah.

Second, John MUST decrease, because of who he is; though he is the greatest of the prophets, and though he has the exalted privilege to be the prophesied forerunner, yet he is just a man, a mere man, a sinner, saved by Grace in his mother’s womb. He even has, at the last, a temporary crisis of faith, and after his passing, some of his disciples attempted to perpetuate a ministry that was limited from the start.

Third, John MUST decrease, because the glory of man is nothing, it is, as John Piper would say, “sand, sinking sand…”. God’s glory consists in the visible outworking of His attributes; we, literally have nothing to show off about.

Fourth, John MUST decrease, for his call to repentance and baptism for repentance, are not a way of salvation in and of themselves, but are fleeting and temporary, a herald of the Messiah’s coming to His offices.

Fifth, John MUST decrease, for his own Savior and Lord to complete the work so that John himself may be saved eternally.

Christ MUST increase, and I must decrease—if that Truth does not burn in our lives, we miss the greatest blessing of all, to be found In Him and In Him alone, to discover real significance in Him and surrender the wood, hay, and stubble of our own supposed significance to the fire of Truth which is its proper place of destruction.