MPC
17th December 2017.December 17 - John 3:22-30 - "The Other Kid of Christmas #3"
MPC
17th December 2017.
Dan Wilton
Who's heard of the humble brag?
It's a self deprecating remark - normally posted on social media. That's really intended to show how amazing your life is.
We all have that friend on Facebook or Twitter who are experts at the humble brag! I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.
Here are couple of example I found on line.
Will Twitter be available for me in Paris, Milan or the Maldives? I hope so because it won't in Hong Kong or Singapore.
Because we all know how frustrating it is not to access Twitter on your round the world trip!
Or:
Do anyone else's abs lock up doing the crow pose? [Which is a ridiculously hard yoga pose.] Just spent the last minute in pain waiting for them to unlock.
We're all guilty of it!
But it doesn't just have to be on social media. I reckon as Aussies we're experts at the humble brag. We're experts of responding to a compliment with a thinly veiled attempt at humility.
For example someone might come over for dinner and say - thank you for a lovely meal. But you just can't let that stand in the air.
So I say, "Oh, no, no. It's just something I threw together. And look to be honest I think the 16 hour slow cooked lemon grass infused unicorn meat was slightly overdone."
We can't help but throw in the humble brag. Because we care too much about what other people think of us - probably more than we'd like to admit.
Always wanting people to think well of us. Always wanting people to notice us.
It's how we're wired isn't it? How we're conditioned? To think we're more important than other people. If we're not successful. Or not maximising our personal potential, then we're nothing.
But this morning we meet someone who has no ambition to brag about himself.
In fact he does the exact opposite. He spends his entire life talking about someone else. Pointing to someone far more significant than himself.
Over the last couple of weeks we've been working our way through our Christmas series looking at the other kid of Christmas.
John the Baptist. He's the other child that was promised to be born in the Christmas story. The little known extra - doesn't even make it into the nativity scene.
The kid who's always overlooked. Always up for the best supporting actor. Never the main actor.
As he grows up he becomes a prophet.
And at best he's described as alternative.
He's out in the desert praying a lot. Wearing camel hair clothes, and a bespoke hand- made leather belt. Eating 100% organic locusts and honey - kind of like a hipster - but with purpose.
We saw his purpose last week - to call people back to God. Call people to repent. To return to God.
He was there to proclaim the coming of the king. He was to announce the messiah. The King who was coming.
And despite his quirks - he's a popular guy! He's got a massive following.
He's trending on Twitter; he's got millions of views on YouTube. He's the biggest thing to hit Israel for hundreds of years.
And the people are coming out to hear him. He's telling them they need to change their attitude. To turn back to God. And be baptised in the river as a mark of their new start.
He's well placed to become sensationally popular, sensationally famous.
And that's where we pick it up here in the passage we just read. From verse 23:
He's out in the countryside in Judea. Doing what he does - dunking people in the river - baptising! But Jesus is out there as well.
John's baptising people on one side of the Jordan river. And Jesus is baptising people on the other. And gradually, more and more people are going to Jesus. Instead of to John.
John's losing popularity. He's being outshone by this new kid on the block.
And some of John's followers are starting to get worried. Have a look at what they say in verse 26:
They came to John and said to him, 'Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan - the one you testified about - look, he's baptising and everyone's going to him!'
The new guy's stealing the show.
Worse still. It's like John's been giving Jesus a leg up. He endorsed Jesus. John had the secret herbs and spices of baptism and he's given them away to Jesus - who has now started his own baptism. And now everyone's starting to follow him. In fact some of John's own groupies have started following Jesus!
And John's followers are asking: What's going on? Where's the non-compete clause in this endorsement? Jesus is taking all the attention away from you, John.
We need to get our PR team onto it. Maybe it's time to change up the wardrobe; or the diet - 100% organic's not going to cut it anymore, it's time to go full Paleo!
John's popularity is taking a dive. And his followers are freaking out. Afraid their own agenda is being upstaged by someone else. That they're losing recognition. Status.
Does it sound familiar? The fear of being undervalued!
I just need to look in the mirror. Reflect on my own longings. And I don't think I'm alone.
In a recent book by Australian social researcher, Hugh Mackay, he looks at 10 fundamental desires that drive us.
And he's found there's one desire that we all share. The one thing that makes us get out of bed in the morning. That's common in all of us.
And it's our desire to be recognised. Our desire to be acknowledged. Appreciated. To be valued. Remembered.
Do you feel that? I know I do!
I want to be acknowledged for what I do. Praised for my success. Valued by people around me.
And I feel frustrated when I'm not appreciated. Or when I feel ignored.
I don't know what it is for you. Whether it's at a party. In a board meeting. Or even at home. But do you feel the same. A deep desire to be acknowledged!
John's followers are feeling the exact same thing. They want to be recognised. They want to be the centre of attention.
And so they go to John expecting him to feel the same. To do something about this Jesus guy. Turn the spotlight back on John.
But John says something completely unexpected.
Look at what he says. Chapter 3 verse 28.
He says "It's exactly like I said, I'm not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him." Someone greater is here! It's not about me!
John knows his place! He knows his role is not to be the most famous guy around. He knows it's not about his recognition.
He knows his purpose - the most fulfilling thing he can do - is to recognise another. To recognise Jesus.
It's something John has been doing the whole time, we read it the all the way through the book of John. He keeps saying don't look at me. Look at the one I'm pointing to. Look at Jesus.
You can see it back in chapter 1. John's getting a grilling from a bunch of priests from the head office in Jerusalem.
And at every point, John's telling them who he's not.
They're full of their Old Testament prophecies about the Christ coming, about a great prophet coming, about Elijah coming back. And so they ask him who he is. And the answer John gives is, "Don't look at me! I'm a nobody."
Pick it up in verse 19.
Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ." They asked him, then who are you? Are you Elijah?
He said, "I am not."
Are you the prophet? No.
He says, Don't look at me... look where I'm pointing.
These guys are tearing their hair out. And finally in exasperation they say, give us a straight answer. Give us something to take back to those who sent us. "What do you say about yourself?"
Which is exactly the point. John doesn't want to say anything about himself. He's there to announce somebody else. He's not the main event, he's the support act.
John wants people to see Jesus. And now it's his time to step aside.
And he'll step aside joyfully - because he knows his place.
John says it's like a wedding.
He's not the groom, he's only the best man.
Come back to chapter 3 again and see how John puts it.
From verse 29. He says "The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom - the best man - he waits and listens for him, and he's full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice."
I've been a groomsman 5 times. And it's been a privilege each time. Standing beside friends as they saw their brides walking down the aisle. And it's always been a joy!
But I was never under any allusion that the day was about me. I didn't expect to walk out of the church and have people lining up to congratulate me on my amazing posture.
It wasn't about me! People weren't there for me! As a groomsman you know your role. To get the groom there on time. Looking somewhat respectable.
And it's the same for John. He's there for Jesus. And he knows the joy of serving the King!
See John didn't find joy in his popularity; he didn't find it in his status. His joy - his absolute and complete joy - was in Jesus.
He saw nothing greater than him!
Which is so different to us, isn't it? I know I search for joy in so many other things.
Search for joy in my own achievements. In my own success. Find joy in the things I own or the relationships I have.
But they'll eventually disappoint. They'll come and go - and so will our joy.
But John says the fullness of life and complete joy can only be found in Jesus.
And so John says "That joy is mine, and it's now complete." Verse 30: "He must become greater - I must become less."
It doesn't come naturally, does it? I mean, when you look at a group photo, who's the first person you look for? You look for you.
Ever been looking at a photo like that, you find yourself in there and you've got that sort of half opened half closed eye look that makes you look like a criminal, and someone else in the photo says: That's a nice photo. Let me get a copy. And you want to say, aaagh, you can't do that, I look terrible.
But they haven't even looked at you in the photo at all. They only reckon it's a nice photo cause it's a nice photo of them.
We put ourselves first all the time.
But John's very clear about it. Jesus comes first. And John a distant second. And he's always said the same. John's watching his disciples wander off, the crowd's thinning, there's no one coming to him anymore; and he says, great. That's exactly how it's meant to be.
And that's exactly what we need to be on about to! Pointing to Jesus. Knowing that he must become greater - we must become less.
Because when we know that it's not about us. But it's about Jesus.
It changes everything! It changes what we prioritise; changes what we invest in.
John wanted his disciples to see Jesus. And he wants us to recognise Jesus. Recognise him for who he truly is.
So as we finish, come with me now to look back at the way John introduces him, the way John announces him at their first public meeting.
Back to chapter 1 again. Because it's the big announcement. John the Baptist doesn't want us to look at himself. He wants us to look at Jesus. And what he wants us to see is there in chapter 1 verse 29.
Back in the Old Testament, God gave the nation of Israel a whole set of rituals. He spelled out exactly the way he wanted them to do their worship.
There was the temple. There were the priests. And day after day, there were the sacrifices.
It was all designed to teach the people of Israel about the seriousness of sin. God is holy. God says the wages of sin is death. And time after time, just like us, every single Israelite sinned. In the way they thought. In the things they said. In the things they did.
God said, when you sin, when you need to be cleansed from guilt, here's what you do. You get a lamb. Not the runt from the flock. No, you take the best. The most perfect. No black markings, no dirty patches, no defects.
If you've seen new lambs jumping round a paddock, you know, you can't think of anything more innocent. Get the lamb. Pick it up, carry it down to the temple. Get in the line and wait your turn. It squirms around in your arms and you give it to the priest.
He says put your hands on its head. And you do. And he probably says some words; about how this innocent lamb is about to take your guilt. And pay for it.
And he lays it down on the altar and it kicks around helplessly and he picks up the big knife with the blood stained blade - and he kills it.
And it's an awful picture, isn't it? But I'll tell you one thing. Every time you did it, every time you brought your lamb as the sacrifice, you'd go home with a very vivid picture in your mind. A reminder that God takes sin very seriously. And that you're fortunate you didn't get what you deserved. That there was a lamb there to take your place.
Can I take you back to the words of John the Baptist. John 1 verse 29. "The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him, and said - look at what he says - behold the lamb of God - who takes away the sin of the world."
He says here he is - the sacrificial lamb. Provided by God. And that's what he's going to do.
As you're reading John's gospel, as you watch the anger grow, as you watch the enemies closing in, as you watch Jesus crucified, you've been on notice since right here in John chapter 1 - that that's what it's all about. A perfect sacrifice. For the sin of the world. Your sin and my sin. Behold the lamb of God - who takes away the sin of the world.
Funny, isn't it? We want to make ourselves first. We want to be successful, we want to be rich, we want to be powerful. We read all the books, we take all the steps. Buy all the products. John the Baptist wanted to be a nobody. Compared to Jesus.
And Jesus was willing to be a sacrifice. To give up his life for sinners like you and me.
That's what Christmas is all about - celebrating the birth of Jesus. Celebrating the birth of the lamb of God. Who would take away the sin of the world.
It can be so easy to get caught up in the other stuff of Christmas. To get caught up in trying to impress others with the perfect gifts, hosting the perfect Christmas party; preparing the perfect Christmas dinner.
Become far more consumed with ourselves than with Jesus.
John the Baptist sticks it right under our noses, doesn't he?
What we need to be on about is Jesus. What we need to be doing is not saying look at me: but saying look at Jesus. Pointing people to the lamb of God. Who came to deal with sin once and for all. To deal with your guilt. By dying as a sacrifice on a cross.
That's our message. Not us. But the lamb of God. Who takes away sin.
This Christmas, and into the new year - can you put your own glory aside? Your own success? Your own ambition? And glorify the lamb of God instead? Can you become less? So he becomes more?