 Hey man, so John chapter 3. So this is a huge chapter in the Bible. Makes you wonder how anyone could believe a false gospel with John chapter 3 in the Bible. Just a great conversation here at the beginning. Like I said in the announcements, I'm not going to get into depth on the Nicodemus conversation. I am going to go through the verses, but I did preach an entire sermon on Nicodemus just a couple months ago, so I'll refer you to that. But we're going to go through it. I'm going to explain what's happening there. But I really want to focus on something that's going on with John the Baptist. We're going to get up to about John chapter 3 and verse number 30 this evening. And I want to really expound on what John the Baptist says this evening. Let's go ahead and start in verse number 1. I just don't want you to think this is a verse by verse study. I don't want you to think that I'm just blasting past this Nicodemus part, but I don't want the sermon to be two hours long either. I'm sure you don't either. All right. So look at verse number 1 of John chapter 3. We start out with this conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. Nicodemus, of course, is a Pharisee pointing out that not all the Pharisees were these reprobates that just couldn't believe in Jesus and just rejected Jesus. Nicodemus is a good example of that. Look at verse number 1. It says, there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, and the same came to Jesus by night. So he wasn't really a brave man. He's believing Jesus and he's curious at least, but he's still kind of sneaking in because he knows where the majority of the Pharisees are at with Jesus, right? The same came to Jesus by night and said on him Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher, come from God, for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. So Jesus has just started his ministry, remember in John chapter 1 and John chapter 2. We saw the water to wine. We looked at that. So he's not been in the but people are hearing about this. He's making a name for himself through these miracles. Jesus answered, verse 3, and said on him verily, verily, I say unto thee, accept a man, be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. So I talked about this in Hebrews chapter 6 on Sunday night as well, but this is where Jesus, you know, this is the first time Jesus compares salvation to being born again. You know, he's using this analogy of this rebirth, okay? And Nicodemus doesn't understand what Jesus is talking about, so Jesus explains it to him. And there's a lot of false doctrine taught about these next few verses, but I'll explain that, but let's just go to verse number 4. It says, Nicodemus saith unto him, how can a man be born when he's old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born? So Nicodemus takes what Jesus says, and he's just thinking about a physical birth. He's just thinking like, oh, am I supposed to be born? I'm an old man. I'm supposed to be born again. That's impossible, right? Jesus now explains that he's talking about a spiritual rebirth. In verse number 5, Jesus answered, verily, verily, I say unto thee, accept a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Now this verse right here is just chopped out of the Bible and used for false doctrine up and down everywhere today. This verse has nothing to do with baptism. Zero. And all you have to do to figure that out is just read another verse. So Jesus is saying you need to be born of water and of the spirit. So what is he talking about there? Water and the spirit. They said water. It must mean baptism. He said the word water, but look at verse number 6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Now if you just take verse 5 and verse 6 and match the spirit with spirit, match the flesh with water. So when Jesus said, you know, it must be born of water and the spirit, he's saying you must be born physically and spiritually. So being born again, being saved, you are reborn spiritually. There's only two births that Jesus is talking about here. He's talking about the physical birth that Nicodemus was confused about at the beginning, and then he's talking about this spiritual rebirth. So if you're saved, I'm assuming everyone here is saved, when you got saved, you got spiritually reborn. You got spiritually renewed. You didn't get physically reborn. You didn't get saved and all sudden you're younger and better looking and all these things. Now nothing changed physically when you got saved. You got spiritually reborn. It was a spiritual thing that happened. That's what Jesus is explaining to Nicodemus. And then he says, Jesus says, see, it's a spiritual thing, it's a physical birth, and you have to be spiritually reborn. That's why he says in verse number seven, marvel not that I said you must be born again. All right? And by the way, the born again analogy that Jesus is using here, it proves by the, I think maybe the best way, other than verse 36 in John chapter three, that salvation is in a moment. Salvation is not some process that you're going through in your life. So the person that you meet out soul winning, you know, when you ask him, hey, do you know, you know, you ask a person, do you know if you died today if you'd go to heaven? Or do you know if you'd go to heaven when you die and this person says to you, well, I'm doing everything I can and I'm really, I'm really working at it and I'm really, you know, trying to be the best I can be and we'll see how that turns out. It's not a process. It's not a process that you're going to go through through your life and then God's going to decide at the end. As we can see in John chapter three, the only difference between someone being saved, someone being going to heaven and someone going to hell is believing or not believing. That's it. There's nothing else mentioned here in John chapter three. I mean, if you have a red-letter Bible, these are the words of Jesus here. So we're talking about two births. He explains to Nicodemus the water birth was, you know, your mother's water breaks and you're born, right? And, you know, and then that spiritual birth. That's what Jesus is talking about. All right? Look at verse number eight. And then Jesus says in verse number eight, he's like, the reason you don't understand, this is kind of a cool way of saying it, it says, the wind bloweth where it listed and thou hearest the sound thereof, but can't not tell where it cometh and where it goeth. So soweth everyone that is born of the spirit. What he's saying to Nicodemus is it's a miracle. It's like when you're spiritually reborn, Nicodemus is like, I don't understand how is that possible? Jesus is just saying it's a miracle. It's of God. Look at verse number nine. Nicodemus answered him and said, how can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, art thou a master of Israel and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I mean, just think about what Jesus is saying and I'm not going to re-preach this service, but Jesus is basically saying, how do you not know this? Since you're a master of Israel, what do the Israelites have? What advantage hath the Jew, did the Bible say? They had the oracles of God, they had the Bible. How are people, so they had the Old Testament. So how are people in the Old Testament saved? Bible-leaving, the same way. Jesus is saying, do you not know the Bible? Do you not know the Bible? You're supposed to know these things. Look at verse number 11. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, we speak that we do know and testify that we have seen and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things and you believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things, which is exactly what he's doing right now, is telling him of heavenly things. And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man, which is in heaven. Now, he's telling him that he literally came from heaven. He's telling him he's God. And look at verse 14. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. So what is Jesus talking about here? He's talking about Numbers chapter 21, where the people rebelled against Moses and the Lord sent fiery serpents against them. And how did God save them? So the Lord sent fiery, we're not going to go there and study it, but the Lord sent the serpents against them. And these serpents were biting the people, and the Bible says that many people died in Numbers chapter 21. They complained about, you remember, they complained about food and water. Why did you take us out of Egypt? Did you take us out of Egypt so we could starve out here in the desert? And so the Lord was angry with them, and he sent these fiery serpents as judgment upon them, and many people died. So then he commanded Moses though to make the brazen serpent put it on the staff and raise it up. And anybody that would look upon, anybody that was bitten by a serpent and look upon, you know, the brass serpent on the staff would not die. And that's a clear picture of Christ. A clear picture of Christ, a clear picture of somebody that is, you know, afflicted with this deadly disease of sin. And just, and just, and now Jesus goes into belief. And just by believing on the sun, they will not die. Instead, they will have everlasting life. Look at verse 15. Now he just rolls right into it. So, I mean, Jesus is all over the Old Testament. Jesus is pictured all over the Old Testament. The point of the Old Testament is not just so we can, you know, not know how to mess up a nation. The, the main point of the Old Testament is to point us to Christ. That's why Jesus is saying to Nicodemus, how in the world do you not know that I'm here? Because the Old Testament has been speaking of me. The prophets have been speaking of me. Look at verse 15. That whosoever, talking about now that, that life that was given as they lifted up, you know, even as, now as Moses lifted up, meaning that's a picture of Jesus. Okay? As, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life. He's saying the serpent and looking at the serpent was a picture of believing in Jesus, not perishing, not going to hell, not getting the second death and instead having eternal life going to heaven. Look at, so, I mean, every single time it says believeth in him or believeth on him, I have it underlined in John chapter 3. That's the first one. And then verse number 16, the most famous verse probably in the whole Bible, forgots the love the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever what believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Again, what does it say you have to do to have everlasting life? It doesn't say anything except believe. Verse 17, forgots sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved. See, the world was already condemned. It wouldn't have made any sense to have Jesus come and, you know, condemn the world because the world's already condemned. The world needed salvation. Verse 18, again, he that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not, see, I told you so, look at this, but he that believeth not is condemned when they die. No, he that believeth not is condemned already. He that believeth not has, as verse 36 says, a person that doesn't believe on Jesus, that hasn't trusted on Jesus, already has the wrath of God abiding on them. It's already there. It needs to be removed. They need to be saved from that. How? By believing on Jesus. Believing on meaning. Ephesians chapter 1, trusting. And trusting is trusting. Trusting is 100% or nothing. It's not, oh, I believe Jesus died for me but I also believe I need to go to church. Oh, I believe Jesus died for me but I also believe I need to get baptized. No, that's not trust. You're believing in yourself. The Bible says it's either grace or works. If it's works, it's no grace. The Bible is very clear on this. Look at verse number 19. Well, I'm sorry, I didn't finish 18 because he that believeth not is condemned already. Why? I mean, look at verse 18. He literally says he sandwiches it. It's a salvation sandwich. He that believeth on him is not condemned, there's salvation, but he that believeth not is condemned already. Why? Because he had not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. So, you have to believe on him or you're condemned already. Why? Because you didn't believe on Jesus. I mean, how can you misunderstand this? Verse number 19. Turn to Revelation chapter 21. I'll read verse 19. So, I've preached the whole sermon on this too, but I'll just recap it real quick. Verse 19. And this is the condemnation that light has come into the world. So, Jesus is comparing himself to light here. That light has come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light. Why do men love darkness? Because their deeds are evil. Men love darkness because they don't like light being shined on their wicked stuff. I mean, this is literally true and spiritually true. I've preached the whole sermon on this too. This is why sins are done in the dark. This is why bars are dark and casinos are dark and all these things. Nothing good. I mean, if your dad ever told you nothing good ever happens after 10 o'clock, it's dark because men love to do bad things in the dark because they don't want the light shine. I mean, the literal light being shined on what they're doing. Look at verse number 20. You're going to Revelation chapter 21. Revelation chapter 21. Let me turn there myself. Revelation 21. And the Bible says this. It says, For everyone that doeth evil hate at the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproofed. Now look at Revelation chapter 21. So Jesus is comparing himself here in John chapter 3 to the light. And I preached the whole sermon on this as well in John chapter 1. But it's a spiritual light and a physical light is the point I just want to reiterate here. Jesus is a spiritual light talking about that salvation, you know, that spiritual rebirth. But he's also a physical light. You say, What in the world are you talking about? Well, first of all in the creation, you know, the sun wasn't created until the fourth day. Where was the light coming from? From Jesus. That's where. Because Jesus is the light. You say, How in the world is there going to be light at the end of the world in the new heaven and the new earth? How is there going to be light? Well, the Bible tells us this kind of cool. Look at verse number 21 or verse 23 of Revelation chapter 21 talking about the new Jerusalem. The Bible says in verse 23 it says, In the city, this is talking about the new Jerusalem, the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it. Remember that the sun was the greater light and the moon was the lesser light to light the night in the creation. And it says, The glory of God did lighten it and the lamb is the light thereof. The lamb is Jesus. In the new heaven, the new earth, the new Jerusalem, Jesus is the glory of Jesus is literally going to light the city. I mean, it's just, it's right there. So Jesus is the light. Somebody else when I brought that sermon up. Brother Luke mentioned like the rainbow. I mean, there's so many applications of Jesus being the light in the Bible. It's really cool. He talked about, you know, how God made the bow and the rainbow. How do you see a rainbow? It's what the light shines through the water droplets and that's how you see, you know, a rainbow. You know, and what does that mean? That means life that God is not going to destroy the earth by a flood and he uses what? Light to show us that life. So it's just all these cool analogies about light. But look at verse 21 again of John chapter 3. I know I'm going through this really quick. We're getting to the part I'm going to kind of slow down on here in a minute. But look at verse 21. Again, finishing up this comment Jesus is making about light here. Now he kind of talks about spiritual light, but look at this. He says, But he that doeth truth cometh to the light. So he says there is some people that come to the light. So there's a lot of people who want to hide from the light because they're evil deeds and they're doing bad things. It says, But he that doeth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest. What does that mean? Made manifest. It says that his deeds may be made known. Now it doesn't say in verse 21 that this guy's deeds are great. That this guy's deeds are all good. It just says that this person's deeds in verse 21 he wants to bring them into the light so they'll be made known if they are wrought in God. Do you know what you need to do before you can be saved? You need to acknowledge that you're a sinner. That's what verse number 21 is talking about. You cannot be saved and trust on Jesus. Think about it. It makes no sense. I mean you will you will rarely meet someone that thinks that they are without sin, but you will meet them. I mean I think in the past six or seven years I've probably met, I can count on one hand the people that I've met that I've literally like started out the gospel presentation like you know do you think that you're perfect and they're like yes I've never made a mistake. You know like I do not sin right? That's rare because our conscience tells us we know that we're sinners. It's just some people want to be in the dark with their sin and some people want to acknowledge their sin and then they're going to end up being you know someone that can be saved. You cannot be saved if you don't think that you are a sinner. You say why? Because what are you being saved from? Because there's nothing to be saved from. There's two ways to heaven. Be perfect and never sin, trust on Jesus. And nobody's perfect and has never sinned so there's really only one way to heaven which is to trust on Jesus. But you have to acknowledge your sin. You don't have to repent of your sin and stop sinning and make some commitment to stop doing this and this and this. You should do those things but you have to acknowledge that you're a sinner or there's no reason to be saved. There's nothing to be saved from. So that's just more of Jesus you know talking about the light and how he is the light. Now look at verse number 22 and this is really what we're going to focus on this evening. It says in verse number 22 so that's the conversation with Nicodemus. Now we move on. It says after these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea and there he tarried with them and baptized. So Jesus isn't getting baptized at this point. Jesus is baptizing at this point. So we're dealing with here some people are confused in the next few verses about so now you have John baptizing and you have Jesus baptizing at the same time. So we're literally talking about the baptism of John and the baptism of Jesus which I've also preached the whole sermon. I'm not going to get into that in a super huge detail. But it's causing some confusion all right and John was also baptizing in Anon near Salem because there was much water there and they came and were baptized. Again showing that you know that's another example of how baptism is immersion and not you know there needed to be much water. You know just like the Ethiopian eunuch went down into the water with Philip in the book of Acts. Look at verse number 24. It says and they came and were baptized for John was not yet cast into prison. Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying about baptism about what they were doing. Okay and they came unto John and said unto him Rabbi he that was with thee beyond Jordan to whom thou bearest witness behold the same baptizeth and all men come to him. So John has kind of gotten some followers they're disciples of John here you know when they should be just listening to John's message they're literally kind of just becoming I'm not saying these people are sick offense or anything like that but they're just kind of becoming like you know John's disciples and they should be whoever John is going to point them at you know disciples but they're they're saying like John you baptize this guy and now he's baptizing people like what in the world and they kind of are missing the whole point of John and John is going to correct them here. Okay look at verse number 27. It says John answered and said a man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven. He says ye yourselves bear me witness that I said I am not the Christ but I but that I am sent before him so he kind of rebukes his disciples here and he says look the only reason that I'm baptizing is because I was I was sent to do this from God and he said I've told you before that I am not the Christ I am here to prepare the way for Christ. Look at verse number 29. He says he that it hath the bride is the bridegroom but the but the friend of the bridegroom which standeth and hear him rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He's saying the bridegroom is Jesus. He's he's putting their focus on Jesus here. He's saying the bridegroom is Jesus. He's saying I'm just a friend of the bridegroom. He's like I'm like the best man is what he's saying and he's like why would the best man not be happy that the bridegroom showed up? He's like you guys are kind of missing the entire point and then he says this profound statement and we're going to stop right here at this verse. He says he must increase but I must decrease. That is a massively profound statement and that's what we're going to look at this evening. All right this idea that John said that Jesus he's talking about Jesus he rebukes his disciples or you know I don't know he doesn't sharply rebuke them but he corrects his disciples saying it's all about Jesus. I was only here to prepare the path for him. I was only baptizing people to prepare the way that was the that was the baptism of John. Baptism of John was to prepare people's hearts for when the Messiah came so when they saw the Messiah they would believe on the Messiah and then people should be you know the baptism of Jesus is baptized in the name of Jesus you know showing that we that we identify with the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and that we're raised raised what John Romans chapter 6 says raised to walk in newness of life. It is us following the first command that God wants us to follow after we are saved to show God that yes thank you for saving me I'm going to walk in the way you want me to walk nothing to do with salvation just everything to do with obedience to the God to the Savior that granted us eternal life when all we deserved was hell. So John corrects them but then he says he must increase but I must decrease like that's odd so I'm going to kind of get into how that is that that statement right there in verse number 30 it lies at the core of our beliefs our beliefs as a Christian are embodied in verse number 30 but first of all let me just talk about for just a few minutes let me just talk about this idea of increasing others while decreasing ourselves what is he talking about there what is he talking about then I'll apply it to what it means for Christianity what it means for us and those around us first of all let's look at increasing others so he is saying that Jesus must increase so what does it mean to increase others so first of all increasing others you know this is Philippians chapter 2 you know Philippians chapter 2 where the bible says that we should esteem others you know better than ourselves we should be esteeming others this is Pastor Anderson Sermon from Friday night that we should be esteeming others we should be looking as Christians to increase others not to increase ourselves but here's the thing here's the first point I want to just make about increasing others many times to increase others it costs you nothing many times I mean think about it for a second I mean just to to esteem actually turn to judges chapter 8 let's look at a story about somebody that esteemed others and it didn't cost them anything but it does require something so let's look at judges chapter 8 look at verse number one judges chapter 8 look at the story of Gideon so Gideon has just destroyed the Midianites he's just you know performed this actually God destroyed the Midianites with Gideon and his 300 men if you remember God just kept cutting down his men cutting down his men cutting down his men until he only had 300 left and then they went with the pitchers and the trumpets and God performed this great miracle where Gideon just was granted this great victory over the Midianites and the very next verse then then he goes to he goes to the men of Ephraim you know remember Ephraim is is just a tribe at this point they haven't split into two nations yet so he goes to the men of Ephraim and there's these two there's these two princes that get away from that big battle and he's like hey you guys just go get those two two princes that got away and the men of Ephraim they see that Gideon you know was just granted this huge victory and they get mad look at verse number one of judges chapter 8 you would think that they would just be happy that their nation you know was granted a great victory by the Lord but look at verse number one of judges chapter 8 the Bible says this it says in the men of Ephraim said unto him why hast thou served us thus that thou called us not when thou wentst to fight with the Midianites and they did chide with him sharply they're really mad they're really mad about this like ready to you know go to war over it look at verse number two it says and he said unto them what have I done now in comparison of you is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abbe-Azer God had delivered into your hands the princes of Midian orb and zeb these are the two princes that they kind of they caught as they ran away from this battle and and what was I able to do in comparison of you says then their anger was abated towards him when he had said that you know what he did he just gave them all the credit here is these men that really did nothing these men of Ephraim they're all mad after the fights over they're all like why don't you call us for the fight and they're really upset over it I mean Gideon could have had another war on his hands here but instead what does he do he increases them at the expense of himself he just gives them all the credit I mean was it due to them was the credit and not really but he just gave it to him anyway it didn't cost him anything to do that but what it did take was humility so many times to increase other people and this is going to be super important as we push forward in this idea this evening but many times to increase other people will not cost you much but you will need to have humility to do so to increase others I mean look God promotes you can sit there and say well I could just give all the credit away and all that and God promotes and you can look at it that way but look it takes humility to do what Gideon did here it takes humility to do what John the Baptist did and look Christian growth and Christian maturity should lead to you wanting to increase others it should not lead to pride don't go and and get some things right don't go and and read the bible and figure things out get things right grow spiritually have God bless you and then get prideful in your life start looking down on people be like the you know the guy in Luke the Pharisee in Luke 18 God I thank thee that I'm not as other men are you that could happen you don't look keep your humility keep your blessings in your life beyond like look beyond humility to increase other people to just call somebody to talk to somebody visitors that come to church to be a friendly church this doesn't cost you anything this doesn't cost you anything maybe a little bit of time there was I got a I got a facebook feed somebody every time someone mentions the church I never go on facebook but I got a facebook notification that's what it's called and it was whole fast Baptist church was mentioned and here I click on it and it's one of the ladies of our church and I'm not going to name any names I don't want to embarrass the ladies here's one of the ladies of our church is saying my church is the best I wasn't feeling good and two ladies came over and visited me and it's like you know what those ladies were doing they were increasing that lady and what did it cost them a little bit of time and they're happy to spend it I know it so look to show someone you care to ask them about themselves all these different things most of the time it costs you a bit of time it costs you nothing a lot of the times there's no reason that we shouldn't do it it's when we get prideful that we won't want to increase other people it's when we want to increase ourselves and be like that Pharisee that says I'm glad I'm not like all these sinners around me but now let's look at the flip side of what John the Baptist said so he talked about increasing Jesus but then he said something interesting I must decrease on the flip side of that coin turn to John chapter 15 let's talk about decreasing yourself what if it does cost you something to increase somebody what if increasing somebody cost you something many times doesn't but what if it does look at John chapter 15 what if you you know give all the credit away and you sit there and you think to yourself you never take credit for anything you try to increase people and you're like yeah in your mind you're like but yeah God will see this and God will increase me but what if it doesn't increase you and instead of instead of it increasing you even God blessing you from it what if you increasing somebody else literally decreases yourself you say what kind of scenario are you talking about look at John chapter 15 look at verse number 13 John chapter 15 look at verse number 13 the Bible says this it says Jesus says this greater love hath no man than this that a man laid down his life for his friends look folks there's no recovering from that you increase somebody to the point where you save their life and give your life for theirs and show that kind of love you know you're physically done on this earth and you're in heaven now turn to mark chapter six and you know what you know it's interesting John the Baptist experienced this John the Baptist decreased to this point look at mark chapter six look at mark chapter six you say John the Baptist decreased when he said he must increase and I must decrease John the Baptist decreased to the point of death his death on this earth you say why why did he have to die look at mark chapter six and look at verse number 16 the Bible says in mark chapter six and verse number 17 I'm sorry the Bible says for Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake his brother Philip's wife for he had married her so what's going on so Herod stole his brother's wife and married her all right for John had said unto Herod it is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him and would have killed him but she could not for Herod feared John verse number 20 knowing that he was a just man and an holy and observed him and when he heard him he did many things and he heard him gladly isn't that interesting right there Herod liked to listen to John the Bible here is saying that he liked to listen to John Herod was simply a coward ruled by his unlawful wicked wife was the situation there but it says that Herod liked to listen to John turn to Luke chapter three we see another angle of this same story so you ask yourself what is getting John in trouble here what is getting John to the point where he's literally going to be decreased to the point of death look at Luke chapter three look at verse 18 you have to pick up these little phrases here in the Bible where it says in Luke 3 18 it says and many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people what was John preaching what was John preaching John was preaching the entire word of God is what John was preaching all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is what and is profitable what was John doing he was preaching the entire word of God and he was profiting people what was he doing he was increasing people by preaching the word of God and Herod by the way Herod he liked the preaching he could rabbit trail this one he liked the preaching until it hit him don't be that guy don't sit there and say oh I like the preaching oh but not that sermon oh a little close to home on that one if it's in the word of God just apply it to yourself if it hurts just apply it but Herod he gladly heard a lot of the things that John said but see John was preaching many things and why was John preaching many things you say why wouldn't have John John just shut up about that one thing I mean Herod standing right there why would you say you know why would you preach against divorce and adultery why would you have done that why because he is preaching the entire word of God it's profitable for what for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness he's instructing people in righteousness because guess what saying that somebody that's divorced in the church you're not preaching on divorce to try to beat up the divorced people you're not trying to preach how God hates divorce to try to just tear down people that might have been divorced years ago or whatever you know what we're trying to do we're trying to instruct in righteousness we're trying to stop the kids from fornicating we're trying to stop the kids from getting divorced we're trying to stop the kids from marrying somebody that's unequally yoked and making these decisions in their life so they're not to go through that it's instruction in righteousness and it's going to make people mad and it cost John his life but what was he doing he was decreased to death for the preaching of the word of God that was increasing other people and that's why the whole word of God needs to be preached and things need to not be unsaid that's why the the preacher that has subjects that he won't approach damaging people he's not increasing anybody the preacher that won't stand up and stand up against all this perversion being pushed on kids today is damaging people he's not increasing anybody but himself and his wallet the preacher that will not preach against the culture and and is literally afraid of their faces the preacher that is inviting all kinds of sin and trash into his church he doesn't love his people he doesn't want to increase the children in his church he doesn't want to increase the next generation he can't bring up all these things everybody will leave my church that's that's the preacher that's just trying to increase himself he's increasing himself and he's decreasing everybody else and in cases the stuff we're seeing today is literally putting people in danger these preachers that do nothing but preach feel-good messages how God loves everything you do no matter what he doesn't love your family he doesn't want to increase your children increase your marriage increase your family unit that's a preacher that has he just wants to increase his wallet John said it all he said everything he increased everyone around him including Herod and it decreased him to the point of losing his own head turn to Hebrews chapter 12 guess what else did this Jesus Christ himself did this Jesus Christ decreased himself to the lowest degree look at Hebrews chapter 12 Hebrews chapter 12 in verse number two the Bible says this why did Jesus decrease himself like this so we could increase look however nice or you are however good you were you were increased the eternal life when you got saved that's a huge increase and Jesus decreased himself to the lowest point even lower than John look at verse number two of Hebrews chapter 12 it says looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross look at this despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God in Acts chapter 2 in verse number 31 it says that Jesus's soul literally went to hell after he died on the cross after he endured that shame his soul was in hell for three days and three nights and then you know he has the keys of death in hell so he came out and was resurrected but you know what he decreased himself lower than anyone else will despising the shame he didn't like it that's why it's so bizarre that you'll have religions that'll put like a crucifix and like hang this person that they claim is Jesus on a crucifix and that is the most shameful point of Jesus's life and you're going to try to picture that and hang on your home it's disgusting yeah it's like somebody would have a loved one murdered and like take picture of the murder scene and hang it in their house and frame it it's weird it's odd it's disgusting Jesus despised the shame but he went through it all why so the entire world whosoever could be increased that's why to everlasting life turn to Jeremiah chapter 23 Jeremiah chapter 23 you're the final thought i want to leave with you this evening look at Jeremiah chapter 23 i'm going to give you one more example but look at Jeremiah chapter 23 i got news for you folks we will all decrease we will all decrease in this life you aren't going to be strong forever you aren't going to be sharp forever maybe the day comes when you can't walk maybe someday i can't stand up here and preach anymore we will all decrease the real question is look down to verse number three of Jeremiah chapter 23 it says and i will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whether i've driven them and i will bring them again to their folds and they shall be fruitful and what an increase he's talking about the flock increasing i want to give you one more example of somebody that was willing to just despise everything about themselves just to be willing to decrease themselves just to increase somebody else and then i want to show you how important that is for us today not for salvation but for us today for our families for this country that we live in and for this world turn to numbers chapter 27 numbers chapter 27 moses i don't know who the two witnesses are most people think they're going to be moses and Elijah but it is definitely moses he is by far the best advocate for the people that is that is documented in the bible hands down and i'm going to show you why look at numbers chapter 27 look at verse number 12 moses didn't get to go to the promised land if you've read through the bible i i read through this every time i read through the bible and i still kind of think like man that's pretty harsh just because he disobeyed the lord really he didn't give glory to the lord at maraba and you know he was not allowed to go into the promised land even after everything that he did for the lord look at numbers chapter 27 and look at verse number 12 god tells moses that he's not going to go into the promised land because he what he did at the waters of maraba look at verse number 12 of numbers chapter 27 the bible says in the lord said in moses what do you think your reaction would be you serve the lord for 40 years you slip up one time because you're a little angry and god puts this judgment upon you it says the lord said unto moses get the up into this mount abram and see the land which i have given under the children of israel and when thou has seen it thou also shall be gathered unto thy people he says you're going to die as erin thy brother was gathered for ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of zinn in the strife he says ye talking to people he's talking about erin and moses plural the yeas are important folks for ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of zinn in the strife of the congregation to sanctify me at the water before their eyes that is the water of maraba and kate see a lot of people think oh he hit rock instead of speaking at the walk no he didn't sanctify the lord he didn't give the credit to the lord that was the problem so you think about that next time you get some blessing in your life and you say i'm awesome you think about that next time you go to work and and you get that big promotion at work and you're like i deserve that promotion because i got up early and i stayed late for two years no you give glory to god because it's only god's grace that gave you that ability to do that everything that you have that is good is from the lord look at verse number 15 he literally tells him this sentence that you're going to die you're not going to get to see the promised land and moses spake unto the lord saying what do you think you think he's going to be mad he says let the lord the god of spirits of all flesh set a man over the congregation which may go out before them which may go in before them which may lead them out which may bring them in and have and the congregation of the lord be not as sheep would have no shepherd he says lord give them a proper man to lead them all he cares about is increasing the people he doesn't care about himself he literally said god's like you're going to die now and you're not going to get to go to the promised land lord please replace me with someone who can lead these people that is a humble man right there look at verse number 20 look at verse number 20 this is god's answer and now shall put some of thine honor upon him that the congregation of the children of israel may be obedient you know what god is telling moses to do right there put some he's talking about joshua he's saying go put some of your honor on him he said go start increasing him in front of the people is what god tells him now go to deuteronomy chapter 31 deuteronomy chapter 31 look at verse number seven and what does moses do does moses leave god and then go and just start being mean to joshua and start being angry at joshua and just start you know like getting mad at the new kid that just got promoted look at verse number seven and moses called unto joshua and unto him in the sight of all israel he says be strong and of good courage for thou must go with this people unto the land which the lord has sworn unto their fathers to give it to them and now shall cause them to inherit it and the lord he it is that doth go before thee he will be with thee he will not fail thee neither forsake thee fear not neither be dismayed he does exactly what god wanted him to do he goes and he increases joshua in front of the people moses was a perfect example of exactly what john the baptist was saying in verse number 30 of john chapter 3 now turn to joshua chapter 2 and we'll end here turn to joshua chapter 2 how did it work out for joshua how did it work out for joshua with you know him being able to do the same thing that moses did because isn't that what we're looking for in our lives how do we increase people how do we be like moses and increase you know the next generation look at joshua chapter 2 now we see the generational importance of increasing those that come after us in joshua chapter 2 look at joshua chapter 2 verse number 6 moses did it successfully moses successfully increased joshua and passed that to the next generation look at verse number 6 it says when joshua had let the people go the children of israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land and that so they had already gone through and they'd conquered for the most part they had conquered the promised land they went in there they fought the battles they got the land like like i said for the most part that's a long story in itself but they conquered the land and now he's dividing it up and people are going to their inheritance this is a huge milestone for the children of israel they wandered in the wilderness they had to fight all these battles and the people serve the Lord all the days of joshua and don't miss this all the days of the elders that outlived joshua now look at this right here who had seen the great works of the Lord that he did for israel and joshua the son of none the servant of the Lord died being 110 years old and they buried him in the board of his inheritance of the tenomathrones in the Mount of Ephraim on the north side of the hill gash look at verse number 10 and also all the generation that were gathered that generation were gathered unto their fathers and there arose another generation after them which knew not the Lord nor yet the works which he had done for israel so the bible here is saying that when joshua died the people still serve the Lord until all the people that fought with joshua died then those people forgot everything and those people were not increased this is a fail right here of increasing the next generation so the point i'm trying to make is that as we decrease in our lives and you will decrease sometimes i get out of bed i'm like man i'm decreasing you will decrease in your life we need to assure that we have properly increased the next generation you say why why homeschool you say why homeschool why go to all this trouble why go all this trouble to be different and to you know not make as much money as everybody else and have to go through all this work and not have my wife work when everybody else's wife work why do this it's to increase the next generation that's why you say why why uh why sacrifice all these things why live a separated life why it's to increase the next generation you say why why why start a church why come to a church why be part of growing a a new testament church why be part of that it's to increase it's to increase the next generation you say why go so many why go so many it's to increase the next generation you know that for every person that gets saved somebody preached the gospel to that person you know that every person they got the gospel preached to them somebody preached the gospel to them and somebody preached the gospel to that person and somebody preached the gospel to that person and somebody preached the gospel to that person there's all these chains there's all these things nobody fell over on accident hit their head on the the Bible and got saved. Somebody carried a Bible and walked up to somebody with the Gospel who wanted to hear the truth and preached the Gospel to them and they got saved. And that person a generation before got that person saved. And if you could yank that chain you would end up at verse 30 of John chapter 3 of Jesus and John baptizing in that river. That's why we're here is because people have successfully increased the next generation. You're literally here and saved because this was done successfully by somebody. Shouldn't you make an effort? See Moses knew, Moses knew, Joshua knew how important this is. John knew and Jesus commanded. It is basically what has kept Christianity going for the last 2,000 years. Verse number 30, he must increase, I must decrease. It is literally the core of Christianity. There is no success without succession. It's the heart of our life on this earth. You will all increase. You will all decrease. And the question is who are you increasing? That's the Christian question right there. And that's what John the Baptist was explaining. Let's borrow our heads and have a word of prayer.