"Ingredients for Humility"

Order of Service

• Announcements
• Hymn — Now Thank We All Our God
• Call to Worship — 1 Chronicles 29:10-13
• Hymn — Now Thank We All Our God
• Prayer of Invocation
• Confession of Faith — Colossians 1:15-20
• Scripture Reading — Acts 28:17-31
• Hymn — Jesus Shall Reign
• Pastoral Prayer
• Offering
• Prayer of Dedication
• Hymn — I Surrender All
• Sermon
• Hymn — Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart
• Benediction

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Sermon Title: Ingredients for Humility

Scripture: John 3:22-30

I. The Sovereignty of God as an Ingredient for Humility

A. John's response to his jealous disciples grounds humility in divine providence

1. John's disciples complain that Jesus is baptizing and drawing followers away from John
2. John's entire ministry was sovereignly appointed as forerunner to Christ; pride would contradict that calling

B. Verse 27: "A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven"

1. The statement is absolute — not one thing in life can be claimed as one's own apart from God's giving
2. John was at the height of his influence and in the prime of life, yet he accepted the sovereign withdrawal of that influence
3. This is not fatalism or stoicism but humble dependence on God's purpose to increase Christ in one's life

C. Application: What is God giving or taking away in this season of your life to cause Christ to increase?

II. The Word of God as an Ingredient for Humility

A. Verse 28: John appeals to what he had already declared — "I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him"

1. John's disciples had heard this testimony and yet came with jealousy, quickly forgetting God's word
2. This mirrors Israel's forgetfulness in the wilderness, at Sinai, and throughout redemptive history (cf. Deuteronomy 6, King Josiah)

B. The theme of remembrance runs throughout Scripture

1. Israel's entire calendar was structured to bring God's promises to remembrance
2. The Lord's Supper: "Do this in remembrance of me"
3. The Holy Spirit's role: John 14:26 — given so disciples would remember all Christ said
4. Peter's pattern: 2 Peter 1:12-13 — continual reminders to those already established in the truth

C. Warning against neglecting God's word

1. When God's word is neglected, the serpent's whisper — "Did God really say?" — becomes a shout
2. John's disciples loved his ministry yet missed its very substance: Christ
3. True listening means hiding Scripture deep in the heart, as Mary pondered these things (Luke 2)

D. Application: Do not neglect corporate worship, personal reading, prayer, and meditation on Scripture

III. The Joy of God as an Ingredient for Humility

A. Verses 29-30: John uses the image of the bridegroom and the friend of the bridegroom

1. In ancient Jewish weddings, the best man organized the wedding and brought the bride to the bridegroom, then stepped back to rejoice
2. It would be particularly heinous for the best man to take the bride for himself — John says he is the last person who would do so

B. The bride imagery draws on the Old Testament

1. Throughout the Old Testament, Israel is called the Lord's bride (e.g., Hosea 2:19 — "I will betroth you to me forever")
2. John declares Christ to be the fulfillment of Yahweh's covenant promise to re-betroth his people

C. John says, "This joy of mine is now complete"

1. Joy in its most perfected state is beholding God's salvation in the person of Jesus Christ
2. Cf. Simeon in Luke 2 — holding the infant Jesus and saying, "Now, Lord, you are letting your servant depart in peace"

D. The paradox of Christian joy

1. The world says joy comes through increase — status, influence, wealth, popularity
2. John says true joy comes through decrease: "He must increase, but I must decrease"
3. Whatever gives us our greatest joy is what we sacrifice for — the Christian's sacrifices are to be distinct, pointing to Christ

E. Application: The secret ingredient to humility is not primarily what you do (as Benjamin Franklin discovered) but who you know — knowing Jesus Christ is the fullness of joy, producing true humility, true peace, and willingness to sacrifice all for his increase