Increasing and Decreasing (Killing My Old Man - Again)

"After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized. 24 For John had not yet been thrown into prison. 25 Then there arose a dispute between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purification. 26 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. 31 He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. he who comes from heaven is above all. 32 And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. 33 He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true. 34 For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. 35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all tings into His hand. 36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."
John 3:22-36

This is a long passage, but most of it is John the Baptist replying to his disciples who come to him and tell him that Jesus is "over yonder" baptizing too. Now, this isn't such a news flash to John as his disciples thought that it would. He isn't alarmed at all. Yet he explains to them, that Jesus' testimony is true. He is the Messiah, the Christ. So John tells his disciples, that Jesus must increase in pre-eminence, and that he, John, must decrease in importance. Beloved, that is the way we must live. Jesus must become more and more in our lives, and we must become less and less. Do we become a dish rag, or a door mat? No. We begin to put less of our desires first, and more of Jesus' desires first. We must die to ourselves. The problem is, we don't want to die. We want to hang on to what is ours. We want to be the mr. or ms. me gimme mine of our universe, which centers around us. But for us to walk the Christian walk in such a way that others will be won, and others will know we are Christians other than in name only, somebody has to die. And that somebody is us. ME! YOU! I have to die to myself. You have to die to yourself. You see, I think where we get off on the wrong foot, is we intellectually understand that Jesus' kingdom is not like this world in which we live. But when we actually try to live it out, well..... Let me put it like this: We don't mind being called a slave or a servant, until someone actually starts treating us like one. Ohhhh then they better watch out. I could get my Christian dander in an uproar! And while that is taking place, Satan sneaks in and hits right between the rose colored glasses, and knocks us out. Takes us down. Removes us from the game. It is all about dying. Becoming less of us, and more of Him. It is like two gunslingers standing on the opposite ends of the main street made of dirt in this western town. They are eyeballing each other. And as soon as they start walking toward each other, you know that with the ringing of those spurs, someone is going to die today. Beloved, let that someone be you. Let that someone be me. We will never walk the Christian walk like Jesus wants us to, if we never die. Forgiveness? Somebody has to die. Mercy? Somebody has to die. Beloved, let this sink into our hearts: He must increase, and I must decrease. Shalom.

Rod Ewing is the Pastor of Calvary Chapel Ocala.