“After this, Jesus and His disciples went to the Judean countryside, where He spent time with them and baptized. John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water there. People were coming and being baptized, since John had not yet been thrown into prison. Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a Jew about purification. So they came to John and told him, “Rabbi, the One you testified about, and who was with you across the Jordan, is baptizing — and everyone is flocking to Him.” John responded, “No one can receive a single thing unless it’s given to him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I’ve been sent ahead of Him.’ He who has the bride is the groom. But the groom’s friend, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the groom’s voice. So this joy of mine is complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:22-30

Jesus and His disciples retreated to a riverside where He could pour into their lives. He taught them, fellowshipped with them and baptised (who or who was baptizing, we don’t know–see John 4:2) John the baptiser was also nearby baptising there.

So, an argument breaks out between JB’s disciples and a Jew about a purification, and ened up with JB’s disciples complaining that Jesus and His disciples were drawing a larger crowd than JB and his disciples were!

Now most people’s knee jerk reaction would be to react with competitiveness or jealousy. No so with JB! He reacts in a very profound way. First of all, he gives glory to God by reminding them that ALL THINGS–people, provisions-ALL THINGS that are good come from God (James 1:17), so the favor that Jesus was having with the crowds obviously came from God! Next, JB illistrates his point by saying a groomsman is not jealous of the attention that is given to the groom. No, he’s there to call attention to the groom, not himself! Lastly, JB confirms that the joy of glorifying Jesus was all his.JB ends with a statement that’s a motto we all should live by, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

In my life, Jesus should increase and I should decrease! In my time Jesus should increase and I should decrease! In my attirude Jesus should increase and I should decrease!

In my family Jesus should increase and I should decrease! In my church Jesus should increase and I should decrease! In my daily encounters Jesus should increase and I should decrease!

Jesus must increase in all of us!

Think about it!