John 3:22-30 – Right perspective, attitude and conduct

Here we see the ministry of John being eclipsed by the Lord’s. Both of them had great amount of followers. They were nearby each other at the Judean countryside, in an area where there were plenty of water, and both ministries were conducting baptism. John 4:2, however, tells us that Jesus Himself was not baptizing. It was His disciples that were doing the baptism. Here we are told of a dispute between the two camps. It was not between John and Jesus, but between their followers.

The disciples of John felt sorry for him because his popularity rating was going down ever since he had pointed Jesus out. This fact made what happened all the more unjustifiable. From this incident we learn that disputes between ministries are not uncommon today too. Instead of cultivating an understanding that different ministries are called to complement each other, many see it as a need to compete with each other. If we are successful, the tendency is to swell up in pride. If others are successful, we become jealous and become critical of them. Instead of rejoicing at the success of our brethren, we become angry and often turn to accuse them unnecessarily. In the text we see the disciples of John coming to him saying, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.” This implied that the ministry of Jesus was gaining popularity. Obviously the disciples of John exaggerated the whole matter because they felt for John. But we must see how wisely John dealt with the whole situation. Being a very perceptive person, he gave them the first principle on how to evaluate a ministry.

Every ministry can only be as effective as God has endorsed it. What a person has is given by God. If this is how we evaluate ministry, we don’t get upended. If we are successful, it’s because God has given us the success. We don’t get there by our own ingenuity. It is God-given. As we learn to put in our fair share of effort, God will continue to give us the grace. We need to bloom where we are planted. However successful we are, we need to know that at some point, our ministry will be eclipsed by others. We will then be called to take a lesser role. When that moment comes, we need to accept the plan of God graciously.  

John’s response also tells us that as a person directs the focus of others to Christ, he knows who he is. John had a proper attitude toward himself. He had a proper self-image and self-acceptance. So in verse 28, he asserted that, “You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.’” He didn’t pretend to be who he was not. He knew he is not the Christ. He came to direct others to Him. There was not the slightest tinge of jealousy. He knew who he was in Christ. He didn’t feel outdone. He knew his place and position so he freely expressed that. This came about because he had the right attitude, the kind that we must also adopt. He saw Christ as having the pre-eminence. He knew his role was to enhance the role of Christ. He was only the best man to Christ, the bridegroom. He was there to make sure the bridegroom gets into the wedding chamber. As the best man, his role was to be on the lookout for the arrival of the bridegroom. When he hears the voice of the bridegroom from outside the bridal chamber, he responds with joy for he knows then that his task is done. He conducted his life by magnifying Christ. For he knew that the Lord must become greater and he must become lesser. What about us? Do we adopt this mentality?   

Beloved, we are where we are because God has placed us here. Like John, we need to know that God has assigned us to where we are now at. We must give our best to the task needed to do in this season. As we do, we will make Christ known. This must be our key aim. Then we must learn to recede and let Christ take the honor in every area of our life. He must increase and we must decrease!