John 3: 25 – Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification. 26 – And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!” 27 – John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28 – You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, I have been sent before Him.’ 29 – He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. 30 – He must increase, but I must decrease.
John is declaring at the end of his ministry the same thing he was saying at the very beginning; my message is not about me but about the One coming after me. John is now saying that Jesus is that One and as His ministry takes root and grows stronger John’s must diminish. John realized that he had run his race, he had accomplished what he was sent to do. Now it was the time for the ministry of Jesus. Here is how Henry describes this.
“John spoke about Christ’s increase and his own decrease also as highly just and agreeable, and giving him complete satisfaction. He was very pleased to see the kingdom of Christ gain ground: He must increase. The kingdom of Christ is and will be a growing kingdom, like the light of the morning, like the grain of mustard seed. He was not at all displeased that the effect of this was the diminishing of his own interests: I must decrease. The shining out of the glory of Christ eclipses the brightness of all other glory. As the light of the morning increases, the light of the morning star decreases. We must be cheerfully content to be anything — in fact, to be nothing — so that Christ may be everything.”
So this prophetic word from John is speaking powerfully to us today, “He must increase and I must decrease”. This is a powerful word for all Christians in their life and ministry. The changes in our lives should draw attention to the Lord, not to ourselves. The successful efforts of our ministry should point to Christ and never to us. John had run his race and had the revelation and humility to see it. Our race is to magnify Christ with our lives and ministry, when we are successful at that we have accomplished our purpose.
