my sermon on John 3:22-36

Thanks to David Baird for the opportunity to preach at Koinonia Life Christian Church last Sunday. 

 

Here are the punchlines from my sermon on John 3:22-36:

 

-Baptizing and initiating people into God's Kingdom is important, but who does the baptizing is trivial and focusing on baptism/initiation misses the larger point.

 

-Ministry transitions are challenging but important. (SE has done a great job with this.)

 

-John avoids the temptation offered by his disciples AND deals with it forcefully instead of soft-pedaling his reply.

 

-A la CS Lewis, we should be just as happy if I or someone else "builds the best cathedral in the world".

 

-How do you stay healthy on this? 1.) It's not about you; 2.) God's in charge; 3.) You're working for Christ; 4.) You're going to get replaced eventually; and 5.) Try to enjoy/celebrate life in the Kingdom.

 

-John ends the passage with 3:36's eternal and ultimate choice: will you choose life or death?

 

Miscellaneous nuggets from my sermon:
-Jesus and John the Baptist worked with the crowds, but they were always working with a small band of disciples (3:22-26; see: Eph 4:11-16)
 

-22's Jesus ministering in rural and city
 

-23's "plenty of water" implies baptism by immersion
 

-John's disciples tip their hand by addressing John with respect but Jesus as "that guy" (3:26)
 

-John the Evangelist uses three "musts" in ch. 3: 7's born again, 14's lifted up, and 30's greater/lesser
 

-28's prophecy/teaching would have been a comfort to John and a conviction to his disciples
 

-36's a la Dallas Willard, for Christians, eternal life has already begun