John 3:22-36

Until John, we have been using older manuscripts of Ryle's Expository Thoughts. Just recently, though, EP Publishing has put out a lightly updated version of Ryle's work, which I am now working from. If you are interested in a physical copy of the Expository Thoughts, you can find it HERE.

John 3:22-36

1. We have a humbling example of the petty jealousies and party spirit which may exist among those who profess Christian faith.
2. We have a splendid pattern of true and godly humility.
3. We have an instructive declaration of Christ’s honor and dignity.
4. We have a broad assertion of the nearness and presentness of the salvation of true Christians.

"Nothing so defiles Christianity and gives the enemies of truth such occasion to blaspheme as jealousy and party spirit among Christians."

"Let us covet earnestly the best gifts, but above all let us covet humility. The way to true honor is to be humble."

"We can never make too much of Christ. Our thoughts about the church, the ministry and the sacraments may easily become too high and extravagant. We can never have too high thoughts about Christ, can never love Him too much, trust Him too implicitly or lay too much weight upon Him and speak too highly in His praise."

"Pardon, peace and a complete title to heaven are an immediate possession. They become a believer’s own from the very moment they put faith in Christ. They will not be more completely their own if they live to the age of Methuselah."

Questions:

1. Ryle warns us of the party spirit we see exhibited in John’s disciples as they complain to John about everyone going after Jesus. Can we truly say that we rejoice when another church that preaches the gospel is blessed and growing? Whatever our denomination, can we praise God when another church in another denomination is seeing souls won to Christ?

2. We see in John the Baptist the grace of humility. There is a lot of confusion regarding humility that can have us going in the wrong direction. It can sometimes be thought about as thinking less of ourselves, but in truth it is just thinking about ourselves less. John the Baptist had his focus so much on Christ that it wasn’t about him anymore. He could receive less, because Christ was being honored. It is in light of this that instead of asking a useless question like, “how humble are you?” it would be better to ask, “how much are we focused on ourselves? Can we look at all we have and admit, “this has all come from God?”

3. I don’t know about you, but I have never read these verses as one of the richest declarations of Christ’s majesty in Scripture. Let this litany of Christ’s majesty wash over us again: John speaks of Christ as the bridegroom of the church, as He who comes from above, as He whom God has sent, as He to whom the Spirit is given without measure, as He whom the Father loves, and into whose hands all things are given. To believe in Him is everlasting life and to reject Him is eternal ruin. Does that not cause your heart to worship?

4. What a tremendously encouraging and terrible thought to consider that if in Christ, heaven is very near to the believer, just a breath away; but, on the contrary, if an unbeliever, hell. Are we trusting in Jesus Christ? Be greatly encouraged: to die is gain! Are you not trusting in Christ? Be greatly afraid, and turn to Christ today, and find His arms open wide!