"He Must Increase and I Must Decrease"

Sermon Notes are available for you to follow along below, or for download here.

Sermon Notes
SERIES: Gospel of John
John 3:22-30

The Big Idea
Your joy will never be complete until your greatest goal is for Jesus to be glorified.​​

​​​Setting the Stage: John the Baptist Fades Into Jesus’ Shadow (3:22-26)

• The ministries of Jesus and John the Baptist overlapped for a time. (22-24)

​​​Setting the Stage: John the Baptist Fades Into Jesus’ Shadow (3:22-26) continued

• John’s followers become ____________ over John’s shrinking ministry.
  • It began with a discussion about purification. (25)
  • They became distressed over baptism. (26)
• Beware of two sinful tendencies when sharing a ministry:
  • Beware of the sin of ________________.
  • Beware of the sin of ________________.

The Key to Fullness of Joy: Jesus Must Increase, and I Must Decrease (27-30)

• Why does the writer bring John the Baptist back into the story? Is he saying anything new here?
• The key is in verse 29: John finds abounding joy in Jesus getting bigger and him getting smaller.
• How can our joy be made complete? John the Baptist shows us four ways:
  • All ministry and blessings are a _________ from God, so there can be no competition. (27)
  • Our position is because of God’s _________. (28)
  • The best man should __________ in the Bridegroom receiving his bride. (29)
    • The voice of the Bridegroom has silenced the voice crying out in the wilderness.
      • The bride will recognize the voice of the ______________.
      • The sheep will recognize the voice of their _____________.
    • Herod would eventually silence John’s voice completely with the sword.
  • As Jesus increases, _________ increases. (30)

What About Purification?

• Did John skip over the discussion about purification?
• Why did John speak about Jesus being a bridegroom instead of pointing to Him as the Lamb?
  • The bride is the wife of the __________. (Rev. 21:9)
  • The bridegroom is the Lamb who lays down his life for his bride.
    • The groom will be ______________.
    • The bride will be _____________.
    • Jesus will be ______________.
    • Our joy will be _______________.