Sermon Preview – Week of July 24


This Sunday we return to the Gospel of John where our preaching text will be John 3:22-36. Jesus has really made an impact in Jerusalem with the scene in the temple (2:13-22) and his subsequent ministry in the city (2:23). Not only has he drawn the attention of the everyday man, woman and child, but he’s also drawn the attention of the Jewish religious leaders. Some of those leaders outright hate and reject everything going on with Jesus, but there is another group that recognizes something unique about him. Nicodemus is one of those religious leaders that sees something unique about Jesus, so he seeks Jesus out. Jesus doesn’t waste any time with Nicodemus, he gets right to the point and let’s Nicodemus know that what he and everyone else need most is to be born again or born from above to have eternal life. Jesus goes on to say that he is the source of that life, like the serpent lifted up in the wilderness for the people of Israel, Jesus will be lifted up and whoever believes in him will have eternal life. After John elaborates on this most glorious news (3:16-21) he brings us back, in our text this week, to the ministry of John the Baptist. I find this account to tie in beautifully with everything leading up to it. Jesus is setting himself forth as God’s means of salvation, and whoever believes will be rescued from the just wrath of God that they stand to inherit. Have you ever found the concept of belief to be elusive? In other words, have you ever found it difficult to identify what belief actually looks like in your life? How do we move beyond mere intellectual ascent to some facts about Jesus to the kind of belief that God requires for salvation and eternal life? Well, I think we have a good example of that in our text this week. John the Baptist helps us put skin on what it means to receive the testimony of Jesus and believe in him as Savior and Lord. It boils down to his brief yet powerful conclusion, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”. May we all, by God’s grace, learn what this means and live it out to the glory and praise of God!

*We Will Observe The Lord’s Supper Together This Sunday During Congregational Worship


Sermon Title: “He Must Increase, I Must Decrease”

Sermon Text: John 3:22-36

Meditation Passage: Hosea 2:14-23

Call To Worship: Psalm 95:1-6

Benediction: Hebrews 13:20-21


Songs For Sunday:

He Is Exalted

Crown Him With Many Crowns

Holy Spirit Living Breath Of God

See The Destined Day Arise

All Glory Be To Christ

Take My Life And Let It Be


 

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