at least our voice and sound should reach close to our entrance door. Sometimes our brothers and sisters standing over there, they should hear what we are saying. Or if you want to do even better, we can at least our brothers and sisters walking on the street, they should hear God is good all the time. Let's give a try.
God is good all the time. One more time. God is good all the time. Thank you too.
Wonderful. It's great to be here. First and foremost, I would like to thank God almighty for giving this opportunity to share the word of God. And also I'm so thankful to Northbrook Bible Chapel family for giving this opportunity to share the word of God this morning.
Those who don't know about me, my name is Lord Jake Moore. I'm part of this Northbrook Bible Chapel family. So can you give a guess based on the slide what you're seeing, what God wants to speak to us this morning? Any guess?
Sorry? Good. Good. Any other?
Try. Okay. I would like to give one more clue. Let's go.
If you could sum up one verse to describe your life or my life, then what would it be? Great. God loves me. Great.
All right. So February 18, 2024, it sounds like 10 years before, but it's couple of weeks before. Brother, you may have spoke on Luke chapter 7, a chapter in Jesus' life. In this, in his message, one of the key points he mentioned was John chapter 3 was 30.
He must increase, but I must decrease. Brother said, this is a must for all saints or believers. That is very true. If we follow this principle in our life, then our life will be full of joy, love and peace in Christ.
This particular verse, John chapter 3 was 30, touched my heart so deeply. And I pray God that he will lead me to share some of the thoughts on John chapter 3, verse 30 this morning. He must increase and I must decrease, meaning that John the Baptist purpose in this world was to exalt Christ, not himself. He must increase, but I must decrease.
We will be looking a few verses from John chapter 1 and John chapter 3. Before we dive into the passage, let us pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for bringing us together today. We ask for your help in understanding the message.
We are about to hear. John 3, 30 says, he must increase, but I must decrease. Help us to understand the profound meaning behind this statement and help us to apply it in our daily walk with you. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
The time between the last writings of the world is meant and the appearances of Christ as, appearance of Christ is known as the inter-testamental period or we call it an inter-testamental time. For almost 400 years, there had been silence between the world and the new testimonies. And then the John the Baptist came to prepare the way of the Lord. When you look at the history during the inter-testamental period, Alexander the Great, he defeated Darius of Persia, thereby bringing the Greek rule into this world.
As a result of that one, the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek language, which is known as Septuagint. The 400 years of silence of the inter-testamental period were broken by the greatest story ever told, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We can see the prophecy of John the Baptist in the Old Testament. Isaac had spoken these words about the John the Baptist, who like himself would also be a prophet preaching repentance, encouraging people to leave for God alone.
Isaac chapter 40 was three, says, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a high way for our God. So, Isaiah the great prophet already prophesied about the John the Baptist that we are going to see today. So, before that, have you come across the term good on a social media platforms? Great.
What's that? Greatest of all time. Now you are going to help me. Okay.
Can you identify this personality? Who do you consider the good in soccer? Great. Some of you say it's messy, some of you it's Ronaldo, you know, no matter who do best, but you all have our personal choices.
Still some confusion, right? Who is the first one? Kobe? Second one?
Oh, great. Third one. Perfect. Anybody?
I'm sure you are familiar with N.H. Elbow, Stanley Cup, all those with wearing red skate. That's right. Michael Johnson, right.
And Hussein Bolt, right? Great. So, you are having very good, no work? Yeah?
Very good. Very good. Perfect. This is probably pretty difficult one for you because it's for cricket.
Cricket. I'm very fan of cricket. So, Don Bradman, he was an Australian legend and the second one is such in central care. Okay.
So, from India. Okay. So, according to Jesus Christ, who is greatest man ever lived? Who is the good?
John the Baptist. Thank you. Thank you. Who is John the Baptist?
John the Baptist. He was in first century, who was an Italian preacher. We do not know about his full name, but he was recognized by his activity. According to the gospel of Luke, John the Baptist and Jesus, they were cousins.
Their mothers Elsaboth and Mary, they were relatives. The angel Gabriel announced both of their births and the significant roles in God's plan. Jesus is telling John the Baptist is the God. That's the greatest of all time.
We are going to hear shortly why he said that. Matthew chapter 11 verse 11 says, Jesus himself said these words about John the Baptist. I surely, I say to you, among those born of women that has not been one greater than John the Baptist, but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. We are going to see what was the source of John the Baptist greatness.
It's very important. Was it because the number of baptism he performed or was it because of his ability to speak or convincing people or was it because of his role as a prophet? No. John the Baptist lived a very simple life.
In his life, he lived in a wilderness. He dressed very simply. He ate, locust and wild honey, very simple lifestyle. Not only that, he did not seek personal glory or recognition, but rather directed people to repentance and faith in God.
He always told people that Jesus was the real savior, not him. John the Baptist said he wasn't even good enough to anti Jesus' central strap. He fearlessly proclaimed the truth even in the face of opposition and persecution. John the Baptist demonstrated humility.
Such characters made John the Baptist great in the eyes of the Lord. Jesus can able to see our greatness in our life. Sometimes the world cannot able to see that, but when you are humble, then Jesus can able to see the greatness in our life too. Just make it clear for us, Jesus Christ is the ultimate true God.
Why? Because he sacrificed his life on the cross for the redemption of humanity. His resurrection signifies victory over sin and death. His message of salvation offers hope and redemption to all who believes in him.
This morning, we will be looking at only two postings. Very clear. How can we be great in the eyes of the Lord? Second question, why must he increase and I must decrease?
Those are the two postings we are going to look. First, I would like to see how can we be great in the eyes of the Lord. In our life, we always aim for something higher, even in our job or in our business or in studies. We always want to go higher and higher, do some achievements.
We always want people attention to whether I'm doing good or whatever I'm doing every time we want to progress, we want to see progress in our life. Most of the time we lay on our own strength. The moment we think, sometimes this something is not possible in our life. That's the only time we look into the God.
The question is, are we putting Christ first in our life? In Galatians chapter 220, the Apostle Paul writes, I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer leave, but Christ leaves in me. Proverbs 3, verse 5 and 6, advises us, trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding in all your ways, sum it to him and he will make your past trade. I'm going to read John 1st verses 19 to 26, sorry, 19 to 27.
Now this is the testimony of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, who are you? He confessed and did not deny, but confessed, I am not the Christ and they asked him, what then? Are you Elijah? He said, I'm not.
Are you the prophet? And he answered, no. Then they said to him, who are you? Then we may give an answer to those who sent us.
What do you say about yourself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Make straight the way of the Lord, the prophet, as the prophet Isaiah said. Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees and they asked him saying, why then do you baptize if you not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?
John answered them saying, I baptize with water, but that stands one among you who you do not know. It is he who come after me is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to lose. Here we see three main postings in this passage, three questions, who, what and why, who, what and why, who are you? The Pharisees and priests sent by the Jewish authorities asked John the babies, who are you?
They want to understand his identity and role in the context of his baptizing activity. Verse 20, we see he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, I am not the Christ. They could not be able to understand because they are not getting the answer, what they are supposed to get. Then they are continuing asking, what do you say about yourself?
Verse 21, and they asked him, what then are you Elijah? He said, I am not, are you the prophet and he answered no. Instead he quotes Isaiah saying he is the voice of one crying in the wilderness, makes straight the way of the Lord. Then it leads to another question, then why you baptize if you are not the Christ, then why you are baptizing if you are not the Elijah or not the prophet?
John said his baptism was to prepare the way to Jesus the Messiah. I indeed baptize you with water, but one mightier than I is coming, who is sandal stuff, I am not worthy to lose. Behold, the lamp of God who takes away the sins of the world. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Now let's move on to John chapter 3 from verses 22 to 36. I would like to divide into two parts. First I would like to read from chapter 3 verse 22 to 30 and then we will move on. After these things, Jesus and his disciples came into the land of Judea and there he remained with them and baptized.
After these things they had a conversation with Jesus, had a conversation with Nicodemus. After these things this is coming. Now John also was baptizing in Aeon near Salim because that was much water and they came and were baptized. I would like to show you the map so that you can understand a little bit better.
So if you see in that map on the south you can see the Dead Sea on the top it's Sea of Galilee. This is basically the ministry area. John the Baptist and Jesus Christ died before. So the length you can see on the, let me try to, you can see this is a blue line that's coming in.
This is a Jordan River. The distance between from the Dead Sea to the Sea of Galilee is approximately 65 miles. That's approximately 105 kilometers. Okay.
So John was born somewhere in the hill country of Judea. Somewhere here. They say it's this is a place, John the Baptist's birthplace. So initially he started his ministry, early ministry, John the Baptist is Bethany over here and most of the time he's spending the wilderness of Judea.
Later on John the Baptist moves to the area Aeon or Salim. This is the area because there was plenty of water near to that area. So they started ministry doing ministry over there and later on moved further up. So this will give an idea.
So the Dead Sea is also called as a salt sea or it's a salt lake that's bordering Jordan to the east and Israel to the west. Okay. So this is a little bit idea. It will provide you where the John the Baptist ministry was happened before.
Now let's move. John chapter three was 24. We see for John had not been thrown into prison. Okay.
So here it's a little bit different when you're reading this passage. All of a sudden, opposed to John is telling John had not been thrown into prison before we move forward. Let us pause for a moment. John the Baptist ministry before his imprisonment helps us to understand the order of events leading up to Jesus starting his public ministry.
Opposed to John mentioned this for clarity because as a reader, we need to get a clarity because there was an overlap between the John's the ministry, John the Baptist ministry and Jesus ministry. Jesus starts or Jesus began his ministry in Galilee after the John the Baptist was arrested. Judean ministry of Jesus was not recorded in the Synoptic gospel. That is Matthew, Martin Luke.
And but it's only recorded in John. Verse 25 says, then there arose a dispute between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purification and they came to John and said to him Rabbi Rabbi Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan to whom you have testified behold, he's baptizing and all are coming to him. So here we see John the Baptist disciples dispute with some Jews over the purification process. John the Baptist disciples reported to him.
So I believe some of the senior staff work with John the disciple. They reported to John the disciple about the baptizing, Jesus baptizing people. So Jesus Baptist, what drawing many people to him that was causing some concerns and confusion among John the Baptist disciples because many people were flocking to Jesus. It is very common to see in our workplace, right?
Say for example, if you're working for a government organization or working for a private company. So if you're working for some time, probably you're working for five years and all of a sudden some new person enters in and that person makes a lot of progress than you and he's getting a lot of promotion. He or she getting a lot of promotion and going so ahead of you. How do you feel?
You think that how come it is possible? I'm serving this organization for several years. I know more than that person. I can do anything.
I know every thing what's going on in the department. How can that person progress? It's very hard to accept it, right? Here we see John the Baptist disciples were jealous.
They did not even say Jesus name and they said he that fellow. That's how. Let's take a moment and think our own heart. If someone is coming and telling you he's taking your place.
Honestly speaking, we try our level best to stop that happen. Say for example, if you're running a company and at the same time, maybe your friend or your cousin or your relative, starting same company like yours and he's making so much profit. How do you feel that? Maybe we'll stop talking to him or maybe we try to make better products than him.
We want to compete and it's always it's a fight. If you're a student and your close friend is scoring very high marks than you, how do you feel? If you're a parent and if your children is not performing well as compared to other children, how do we feel? When John the Baptist disciples said many people flocking to Jesus, but he gave them a very meaningful answer, many meaningful response.
John answered and said, a man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. Most of the times we forget the blessings, what we are receiving from Christ. We always compare with other people, forgetting about own blessings, our own blessings. And verse 28, you yourself bear me witness that I said, I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.
John the Baptist clearly knows his calling. He had a proper understanding. He had a clarity on his mission. John chapter 3 verse 29, John the Baptist is like a best man at a wedding and that's the illustration of verse 29.
Verse 29 says, 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. In ancient Jewish culture, particularly during the time of Jesus, the role of best man, they call shoshabin. So it's very significant.
The term shoshabin or best man that comes from an Aramic word, which means companion or friend. For the first time when I met Brother David Hanson here, I mentioned that we lived before in Newfoundland. So then we shared some of our friends over there about the church and everything. At one point I mentioned that he knows to it.
Then immediately Brother said, yes, it was my best man. And then we continued our conversation for many things and we even get a little bit closer. All men sitting here who are married have some fond memories of your best man. Am I right?
Good. I believe in the best man role in all culture, probably the same, whether you're from Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, doesn't matter. Pretty much the role of the best man is the same. I still remember my best man.
It's a pretty important role to being a best man. So I would like to give some thoughts or some information about the wedding. So here the South Indian wedding and comparatively the western wedding, I'm talking about the Christian weddings, it's pretty much the same. There are some differences which I would like to, in the South Indian wedding, when the bride room want to marry a bride, we have the wedding chain with a cross-pentant on it.
So here I believe you exchange rings. Is that right? Good. Is that right?
So that also we do, but that we do in our engagement side of it. Engagement side we exchange rings here. You know, for the marriage we have a wedding chain. So one of the most important thing in the wedding, the bride room should have that wedding chain.
If the bride room is not having that, cannot be able to marry the bride. Okay? So my marriage was a bit stressful, you know, because I was quite busy traveling everywhere, because most of the times in South Indian wedding, parents do everything. You have to be present, on the day.
No need to worry about anything. So when I married my wife, you know, it's not too far, it's just 40 kilometers difference from my home to her home. And usually a lot of people, a couple of thousand people, even in a middle-class family, a lot of people come for wedding ceremony. So when I went to marry her, before reaching, because my father always says that you have to be there 10 to 15 minutes before, at least before the time.
So we all went just before approaching to her home and the church, both are close. I realized that I forgot to take the wedding chain. What to do? It was very, because it's approximately to take one point five hours to go back and come back three hours.
Nine o'clock is the wedding. And I told the driver, you just stop the car now, immediately stop it. Okay? And my best man, he was with me, I told, hey, look, this is what happened.
What you're going to do now? Can you go and get it quickly? He rushed. I don't know how fast he drove the car.
I don't know. And he brought that wedding chain for me. And, you know, I don't want to go the long story. But the best man, he helped me to get that on time, and so that we can able to go as a family together.
So here, John the Baptist says, I am not the bride room, but I just want to connect the bride to the bride room. His goal is to connect sinners to Jesus. So here we need to understand a little more clearly. According to the Jewish culture, friend of the bride room is more than the best man.
It's not like the ordinary best man is more than the best man. Friend of the bride room plans the ceremony, send out invitations to the people, oversee all the programs, make sure everything is happening perfectly all right. And more importantly, the role of the best man is to guard the bridal chamber. The bride will be waiting for the bride room to come in.
He opens the door only when he hears or when he recognizes the voice of the bride room. No one allows to come over there once they are in. The door will be closed and he will walk away happily. It means the best man he completed his mission.
This is a picture we are seeing in this illustration. My dear brothers and sisters, we need to understand this clearly. Our job is to bring people, people, soul or people for Christ, not for any individual like you and me. We need to glorify his name.
John chapter 3 verse 30, he must increase, but I must decrease. Is this your prayer today? Is this your desire today? Is this your goal today?
Moving forward in your Christian life? He must increase, but I must decrease. First John 2, 16 says, for all that is in the world, the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life is not from the father, but is from the world. We can see different kinds of pride in our life, materialism, arrogance, self-promotion, jealousy, status-seeking, gloating, it is all pride.
One preacher said, pride is a cancer to the human soul. Pride is a cancer to the human soul. Nothing is more distracted to humanity than pride. We can see a lot of examples from the Bible.
Pride is what kicked loosey for out of heaven. Pride took Adam and Eve out of God and of Eden. Pride can separate us from God. Pride destroys our relationships.
Pride destroys our friendships. Pride can destroy our marriages. Pride can destroy our families. Pride can destroy our ministries.
Pride can destroy our churches and many more. Today we all seek attention. We decide to remember our fame, legacy and achievements. We should not allow the pride to capture our heart.
We must stay humble and relay on God's guidance. You probably heard about the missionary, William Carey. He was considered as a father of modern missions. He spent almost his entire life in India.
His linguistic skills fantastic. He translated Bible into so many languages. William Carey played a very important role in education reforms. He established so many schools and colleges in India.
He contributed a lot in the social reforms. You probably heard the term sati. That's a widow burning in India. And in Fanti side, he worked very hard to abolish those things.
He was a great man of God. William Carey had a lot to boast in. On his deathbed, his close friend, Alexander Duff, he came to see him. And he priced William Carey so many things.
And finally William Carey said, would you like to pray for me? And Alexander Duff, he prayed for him. And when he was about to leave, William Carey called Alexander Duff and he said, when I am gone, don't talk about William Carey. Talk about William Carey's savior.
When I am gone, don't talk about William Carey. Talk about William Carey's savior. I want him to be honored above all. My next question, I would like to finish quickly why he must increase and I must decrease.
We need to know. I will quickly read from verse 31 to 36. He who comes from above his above all, he who is of the earth is gurgly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.
And what he has seen and heard that he testifies and no one receives his testimony. He who has received his testimony has certified that God is true. For he who for he who God has since speaks the word of God, for God does not give the spirit of by measure. The Father loves the son and has given all things into his hand.
He who believes in the son has everlasting life and he does not believe the son shall not see life but the wrath of God abides in him. Two simple reasons we can see in these verses why he must increase and I must decrease. He is above all. He is above all.
He who believes in the son has everlasting life. Two things. Colossians chapter 1 verse 15 to 26. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation for by him.
All things were created that are in heaven that are on the earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things and in him all things consist and he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead that in all things he may have pre-eminence for he pleased the Father that in him all the furnace should dwell and buy him to reconcile all things to himself by him, whether things on earth or things in heaven have made peace through the blood of his cross shall we all say together he is above all. He is above all.
Amen. Thank you. So we must be Greece. We must obey him.
We must listen to his words. We must humble ourselves. Jesus Christ is our pre-eminent and permanent savior. He who believes in the son has everlasting life.
May this morning, maybe you are coming here with a broken heart. People may see your happy face outside but you may say I'm crying inside. You may say my life is full of darkness. You may say my children, they are not listening to me.
You may say my financial situation is not that good. You may say my health condition is slowly deteriorating or you may say that I am addicted to a lot of bad habits. I could not able to come out of it. You may say I may face challenges every day in my work.
Whatever the situation, my dear brothers and sisters, what we need to do, we need to confess our sins and ask for God's forgiveness. First John 1, 9 says, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify from all unrighteousness, not one or two, from all unrighteousness. Matthew 11 says, come to me, all you have weary and burdened. I will give you rest.
First Peter 5, 7 says, call all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. John 3, 16, for God so loved the world. He gave us one and one son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but everlasting life. Eternal life, my dear brothers and sisters, everlasting life or eternal life is only found through faith in Jesus Christ.
Therefore, we must decrease and he must increase. Shall we pray? Father, we thank you for your words. May your presence become more evident in our words, in our actions and in our thoughts.
Father, make us humble and help us to follow you. Lord, we pray for those who have not experienced the joy of knowing you and the assurance of eternal life. May the scope sustains us and give us peace amidst of life challenges. In Jesus' name, we pray.
Amen.