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John 3:30 “He must increase, I must decrease.”

John 3:22-31

John the Baptist here didn’t self-promote. He self-demoted. He was placed on an equal plane (Rabbi) with Christ by those of his day. John realized that the world didn’t need John (decrease). The world needed Christ (increase). Probably, without realizing it, John was…in his humble statement about being small…ushering out the Old Covenant and bringing in the New Covenant. 

John only baptized with water…not the spirit. It was expedient for his ministry to cease and Christ’s begin. Here he humbly steps aside and “calls it what it is”. Most would try to hang on to whatever following they had and keep something for themselves.

Small Seeds plant great forests

Small Sparks light great fires

Little David slew great big Goliath--before this he slew even smaller things: a bear and a lion. Little Daniel stopped the mouths of Lions with a prayer. God had him do a small thing, pray 3x a day, before this. Those prayers probably got him ready to pray in the lion’s den.

The door of life is a door of mystery. It becomes slightly shorter than the one who wishes to enter it. And thus only he who bows in humility can cross its threshold. 

Be humble or you’ll stumble. – D.L. Moody

Never be haughty to the humble. Never be humble to the haughty. – Jefferson Davis

Abraham Lincoln once got caught up in a situation where he wanted to please a politician, so he issued a command to transfer certain regiments. When the secretary of war, Edwin Stanton, received the order, he refused to carry it out. He said that the President was a fool. Lincoln was told what Stanton had said, and he replied, “If Stanton said I’m a fool, then I must be, for he is nearly always right. I’ll see for myself.” As the two men talked, the President quickly realized that his decision was a serious mistake, and without hesitation he withdrew it.

  1. We are not programmed to BE SMALL: We drive big cars, live in big houses, eat big food, make big money, spend big money.
  2. We like to read Christian literature…too often the author is a: world traveler, noted lecturer, having addressed huge audiences, in great demand.

“If it means Him getting bigger, then I don’t mind being small.”   –Jimmy Needham

One of the greatest examples of Being Small: (John 13: 1-5, 10-11, 15-16, 21-27) Jesus washed Judas’ feet prior to his betrayal.

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