A sermon by The Rev. Gene Tucker, given at Trinity Church, Mt. Vernon, IL; Sunday, December 14, 2008
Isaiah 65: 17 – 25; For the Psalm: Canticle 15; I Thessalonians 5: 12 – 28; John 3: 23 – 30
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
This verse was one of my mother’s favorites. She would quote it often, if I remember correctly.
This verse became sort of a creed for my mother, who was a saintly, godly woman.
She lived out the essence of this verse in the following ways:
- She wanted everything she did to point toward Jesus Christ.
- She wanted God to be glorified
- In the process, she wanted herself to fade into the background.
As we look at today’s text, we can see all of these three threads at work, as we encounter John the Baptist in his final appearance on John’s gospel account, testifying to Jesus Christ. From this point on in John’s account, John the Baptist will fade out of the picture (though it’s interesting to note in our passage today that John looks forward into the future, recounting that John the Baptist had not yet been put into prison[1]).
So, let’s begin by having a closer look at this passage. Then, we will be able to look at its implications for us, as we seek to decrease, in order that Christ may increase.
We begin with an overall look at the passage: The first thing that leaps out at us is that it seems to be composed of several loosely connected threads….For example, We note that both Jesus and John the Baptist are now baptizing, but they seem to be doing so in different places entirely.[2]
Second, it seems as though the context of today’s conversation between John the Baptist’s disciples and the unnamed Jew centers around the meaning of baptism, for John (the Gospel writer) tells us that this unnamed person has asked John the Baptist’s disciples about purifying. “Why are you baptizing (you and Jesus), and what does your baptism mean and do?,” might be a way to paraphrase the context of the question that is posed to John the Baptist’s disciples.
Third, it seems that the momentum has now shifted from John the Baptist to Jesus….We have to admit that here, we must rely on other witnesses to come to this conclusion. For that evidence, we turn to Mark 1: 5, where we read, “And there went out to him (John the Baptist) all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem.” Now, notice the similarity of the language that the gospel writer uses in John 3: 26, quoting the unnamed Jew, who says, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you bore witness, here he is, baptizing, and all are going to him.” Perhaps, if we are correct in our assessment, there was a shift of momentum from John the Baptist to Jesus. This conclusion, that Jesus was increasing in popularity and in recognition (at the expense of John) would make sense, given John the Baptist’s comment (read in verse 30), “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
Now, looking at another aspect of the text, we notice that John the Baptist tells a very brief parable, about the “friend of the bridegroom”.[3] For an understanding of John the Baptist’s self-referencing remark, read here, we need an understanding of first century wedding customs in the Holy Land….Apparently, the “friend of the bridegroom” might refer to what we would call the “Best Man” today. In the culture of Palestine 2,000 years ago, the “friend of the bridegroom” would have been responsible for taking care of the arrangements for the wedding and for the attendant celebration (which might last for a whole week!).
So, in that sense, John the Baptist fulfills the same function, paving the way for Jesus Christ, and making the arrangements for the celebration that attends to His coming. Just as the “friend of the bridegroom” rejoices that the wedding takes place, and that his arrangements for the celebration of it are underway, so John the Baptist rejoices in the arrival of the Christ, and for the celebration of Christ’s presence, the one who “dwelt among us, full of grace and truth”.[4] Therefore, once the “friend of the bridegroom’s” work is done, he fades into the background as the spotlight falls on the groom and on the bride.
Now, we turn to the matter of “hearing the voice of the bridegroom”.[5] For an understanding of this part of John the Baptist’s little parable, let’s do a word association: Follow along with me:
Voice – speaking – word
OK, did you get that? The bridegroom’s voice speaks a word.
Now, go with me again, and search your minds for the meaning and importance of the word “word” in John’s gospel account….Recall that we read it in John 1: 1, which says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (Later on, on John 1: 17, Jesus Christ is equated – indirectly - with this “Word”.)
So, put into its context in John’s gospel account, we see that John the Baptist is most likely referring to Jesus Christ as the Word, the one whose arrival he has seen, and whose voice he has heard, the Christ[6] of God.
Now, let’s return to the original theme with which we began, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
John the Baptist’s career is a study in highs and lows. Consider what we’ve already said about him…. “All Judea and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him” for baptism, we read in Mark 1: 5. Apparently, he was pretty well known, pretty popular (even if some only came to see a spectacle and to be entertained – certainly, that seems possible to assume). In modern terms, we might say that John the Baptist was “at the top of his game.” John the Baptist had had his “15 minutes of fame”.
But now, the Fourth Gospel seems to indicate that there’s a shift going on in John the Baptist’s reputation and work….for now we read (John 3: 26) that “all are going to him (Jesus)”.
You see, John the Baptist was engaged in ministry. Ministry is a word whose Latin root is the same word from which we get “minus”.
Ministry is an activity in which we get to empty ourselves for the glory of God and for the benefit of others. As part of the process of connecting God to people, and people to God, we are only a very small part of the connecting process.
In fact, the smaller and less visible a part of the process that we are, the better! We want people to see God, not us!
You see, my mother’s creed ought to be our own: “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
Before we close, let’s put all of this in quite practical terms: As we live out the life of faith in this place, this family of God we call Trinity Church, let’s consider these aspects of ministry, by which we decrease, in order to allow God to increase:
- Turf: Unfortunately, the Church’s life is often marked with “turf wars”. You know, it’s the attitude that says, “Well, this is a ministry that I’ve done for ____ years.” It’s the perspective that says, “This is my ministry!” Hmmmmm…..John the Baptist’s remark, ‘He must increase, but I must decrease,’ would lead us to say just the opposite. We’d have to say that John the Baptist’s response to the idea of something being “our ministry” is that it isn’t “our ministry” at all, but God’s. We need to be reminded of that concept: Any ministry that we undertake is simply on loan to us. It isn’t our private property, not at all.
- Highs: At times in our Christian life, we will be “at the top of our game”, enjoying our “15 minutes of fame”. We may bask in the adulation that comes from doing a job well done. (I admit, this is a serious temptation for many clergy, who, like the Pharisees of old, often like to be “greeted in the marketplaces”, and who like the “places of honor at banquets”.[7]) Many times, the belief that any given ministry is “our ministry” can lead to an expectation that we will gain recognition and honor for that taking up that ministry, as if the focus should be on us, not on God. The two are often allied, one leading to the other.
- Lows: Just as certainly as we will experience some high points in our Christian life, just as certainly we will also experience some low points. Sometimes, the focus will shift onto another person who takes up a ministry that is one we used to carry out. Sometimes, a similar ministry will spring up within the congregation, and such a development can be the cause for jealousy. We may feel unwanted, unappreciated, as a result. So, low points will come along, sooner or later, won’t they?
What might we take away from the passage before us today, and from John the Baptist’s attitude toward the growing ministry that is Jesus Christ’s? His attitude is a model for us, for John the Baptist recognized that the ministry of baptism given to him was just that, a ministry. John was called to lessen himself (remember the Latin root of the word “ministry”: minus), in order that the focus might be on God. When the focus is on God, then people and God are joined together. That is the entire reason for any ministry: that God may be glorified, and that people may come to know Him in the process.
We are going to let St. Paul have the last word. For St. Paul knew all about turf wars, about highs, and about lows in the process of carrying out the ministry that God entrusted to him. Writing in Philippians 4: 11b – 12, he says, “For I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content. I know how to be abased (lows), and I know how to abound (highs); in any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want.” For St. Paul, the reason for this wonderful flexibility was to win people to God. Here we have the reason, found in I Corinthians 9: 22b – 23a, where he writes, “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the gospel.”
So may we follow the good examples of John the Baptist, and of St. Paul, the Apostle, allowing God to increase, even as we decrease.
AMEN.
[1] Verse 24
[2] Some scholars think that John the Baptist is now working near Samaria, though the exact location of “Aenon, near Salim”, is unknown, while Jesus seems to be baptizing in the Jordan River, somewhere near the Dead Sea area. Again, that is also not known from the text exactly.
[3] Verse 29
[4] John 1: 14
[5] Verse 29
[6] The title Christ means “anointed” (its equivalent, drawn from the Hebrew) is Messiah.
[7] Matthew 23: 6 - 7
