Christian Living

I Can Do Nothing

by Thomas Kirkpatrick
09/20/21
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“He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30)

We are looking at John the Baptist’s statement to his disciples, concerned that more people follow Jesus than John. Before we look at the meaning for us today, let us remind ourselves who John the Baptist was. John was called before his birth to be the forerunner of the coming Messiah of the Hebrew nation. John was a relative of the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, and only months older than Jesus when his ministry began.

Before his ministry, John went into the wilderness, and not much was said about that time. I believe this was a time spent with God in the power of the Holy Spirit. (Luke 1:15) John the Baptist came out of the wilderness and began his ministry, fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah. “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight.” (Luke 3:4)

Many of the Hebrew people received John well, as John baptized many in the river Jordan. John was the herald of the coming Messiah, and the people needed to prepare their hearts to receive Him. It was not long when Jesus came down from Nazareth to be baptized by John. It was a humbling moment for John and an amazing event for those who witnessed. When Jesus came out of the water, people heard a voice from heaven and saw a miraculous vision. “Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.” (Luke 3:21-22)

A short time passed after Jesus’ ministry began, and soon He was drawing more massive crowds than John the Baptist, and His disciples were baptizing more than John. John’s disciples were concerned and confronted John and reported what they had learned about Jesus’ ministry. “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.” (John 3:26)

John the Baptist explained to his disciples that he was joyful Jesus was gathering the attention of many people, and His ministry was growing. With a display of the unifying Spirit of God, John explained that he was the friend of the bridegroom. A friend of the bridegroom would be joyful when the bridegroom receives his bride. This was stated in a way his disciples would understand. “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. So this joy of mine has been made full.” (John 3:29)

John’s response is understandable to his disciples, and it is understandable to us as Jesus’ disciples. The Church is referred to as the bride of Christ, and the Church is the Bride of Christ. “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.” (Ephesians 5:25-27).

The followers of Jesus are members of His body, the Church. Each member, with time, talent, and treasure His Spirit has given, is to work to advance the Kingdom of God. Jesus is the head of the body, and the members obey His righteous commands to accomplish the ministry. Jesus started almost two thousand years ago. “He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.” (Colossians 1:18) Each member of His body has a purpose, plan, and work to complete in the power of His Spirit. A work that has been prepared long before the members were His flock. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)

If Jesus is our Lord and we are dedicated to His service, then we must be of humble spirit and let go and allow Him to lead. Jesus will provide all we need to accomplish our work with Him, but He cannot live through us if we do not give Him the lead. To let go and let God requires faith. I said it requires a working faith trusting His word we profess to believe. We do not need to understand the end from the beginning; as He does, we need to follow Him in faith. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

All of this makes the answer of John the Baptist profound to our way of thinking. His statement is a key factor in living the Christian life here in this world. The god of this world will distract and tempt us by any means of a hole in our belief in the Lord God Almighty. If we do not stay on the narrow path of righteous life with Jesus, Satan will blind us from the right way to go. (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12) It is not about us; it is all about Him, and what we need to do is place Him before us in everything we do, both in life and Kingdom business. “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30)  Jesus is not your co-pilot. He does not sit behind you, telling you where to go. Jesus is not following us to push us. He is leading us and saying, come. Just as He did when Peter wanted to walk on water. (Matthew 14:29)

The Christian has to “go” where Jesus leads us to accomplish the works already set before us. It cannot be accomplished sitting in the pew dreaming about the high call of Jesus to lead us to a mission field. Most of us are already in the mission field right where we are but are not following Him but prejudging the possibilities. The Christian must be willing to go, ready to testify by word and deed, go in faith and not sight, and keep Jesus sanctified in their heart. “Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.” (1 Peter 3:15)

With work that I have seen in India, Africa, and Central America, the belief is that God’s light of truth is beginning to flourish in these countries. While here in the land that God shed His grace upon seems to be losing that light. There is a warning to the Church in the book of Revelation which reads, “Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place--unless you repent.” (Revelation 2:5) It’s just my opinion that the Church in America has failed to “go” to the mission field here and has failed to stand upon the truth of God’s Word both in their lives and the nation’s politics. Could it be that we will be carried away in exile as the Israelites? Will America repent from the overt wickedness of our nation both in darkness and in our popular law? What happened to the Christian principles our nation was founded upon? God was set aside, so we have become blinded and do not see the foolishness of our worldly wisdom. None know wrong because they do not know what is right. It is time for us to become less that the Lord can be more.

I pray that a loving Heavenly Father is only disciplining us. I pray that, like times before, we will see our desperation and repent from our wicked ways to seek Him and His righteousness and be restored to His grace. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)

As people, we need to understand our place. Simply put, we are creatures of His creation and nothing more than the crown of His creation. All were spoken into existence except humanity, which was formed from the dust. His Spirit breathed in life, and we have His unstoppable love. If we would return to the Creator by the redeeming grace of His Son Jesus, then we could do greater things than humanity could alone. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.” (John 14:12).”

Humanity must humble itself, set aside its selfishness, lust for physical pleasures, and exchange it for spiritual peace and joy. If humanity would become less and restore God to the more that He is, we could live in His victory. If we do not, then we can do nothing. “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

Thomas N Kirkpatrick

First Baptist Church of Durant, June 24, 2020