He must increase

He Must Increase

John 3:22-36

In the world of competitive swimming, few rivalries have been as memorable as Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte. Both were elite athletes and world champions, training at a level most of us cannot imagine, but as the years went on Lochte found himself competing not only against the best swimmers on earth but against the greatest Olympian of all time. Later in his career, Lochte was asked if he was grateful to have competed in the same era as Michael Phelps. He answered with striking honesty: “My career would definitely be different. I guess you would say I’d be like the Michael Phelps of swimming if he wasn’t there.” There was no resentment in his voice. There was no jealousy or bitterness. Lochte was simply recognizing that sharing the stage with someone greater had reshaped his entire story.

Anyone familiar with competitive swimming knows another simple truth. A swimmer cannot move as fast if he keeps looking into the lane beside him. The moment his focus shifts sideways, the moment he begins comparing himself with whoever is next to him, his rhythm breaks and his confidence wavers. Comparison always slows you down. The sideways glance pulls your attention away from your purpose and convinces you that someone else’s success is a threat to your own.

This is exactly what we see happening in John chapter 3. John has been showing us from the very beginning of this Gospel that Jesus is the true light who gives life to all who believe. Here in chapter 3, he is showing us that life includes freedom from comparison and joy in seeing Christ exalted. John the Baptist had been the leading voice in Israel. People traveled long distances to hear him preach. His ministry was powerful, bold, and unmistakably from God. But then Jesus appeared, and Jesus did not simply enter the next lane. He arrived with heavenly authority, divine power, and a presence that drew people in a way Israel had never seen before. Suddenly the crowds began moving toward Jesus, and John’s disciples felt the shift immediately.

They came to John and said, “Rabbi, everyone is going to Him.” In that moment you can hear the sideways glance. You can sense the comparison. You can feel the fear of being overshadowed. Their question was not driven by theology, but by insecurity. They wondered what would happen to their influence, their ministry, and their place in the story.

Into this moment of comparison, John gives one of the clearest and most liberating statements in all of Scripture. He says, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John understood that life is not lived well when our eyes are on others. He understood that joy does not come from holding the spotlight, but from helping others see Christ more clearly. And these are the last words recorded by the Apostle of John the Baptist, but note that he never calls him that in the gospel. For his primary identity is not of the Baptizer, but the Witness. And we hear his last witness testimony of the person and work of Christ. 

  This passage invites us away from comparison, away from insecurity, and into the joy of making much of Jesus. Let us turn now to John 3:22–36 and see how God frees us from the trap of comparison and leads us into the joy of humility.

The Temptation of Comparison

So what does this look like in John’s life. Let us start where the passage starts, with the temptation of comparison in John 3:22–26,

After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized (for John had not yet been put in prison). Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” 

John begins by describing two ministries operating at the same time. In John 3:22 we read, “After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing.” Jesus has left Jerusalem and is now drawing people to Himself in the rural regions surrounding the city. His ministry is expanding in visible and undeniable ways. Crowds are coming. Disciples are forming. The kingdom is advancing.

But John the Baptist is still active too. Verse 23 says, “John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized.” John remains faithful to the mission God entrusted to him. He is preparing Israel for the arrival of the Messiah and calling the nation to repentance. John the apostle adds an important clarification in verse 24 when he says, “(for John had not yet been put in prison).”

This helps us understand the scene. The ministries of John and Jesus overlap for a brief period, and both draw significant attention. From a distance, it might appear that two spiritual leaders are rising at once, but in reality God is orchestrating a transition. John is completing his work, and Jesus is beginning His.

A problem surfaces in verse 25. John writes, “Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification.” We are not given the details of the dispute, but it likely concerned the meaning and purpose of baptism. Whatever the discussion involved, it stirred insecurity within the hearts of John’s disciples. They recognized that the ministry of Jesus was growing rapidly, and this unsettled them. Their anxiety becomes clear in verse 26 when they approach John and say, “Rabbi, the One you testified about, who was with you across the Jordan, is baptizing, and everyone is going to Him.”

Their reaction reveals the condition of their hearts. They saw people leaving John to follow Jesus and interpreted this as a loss. They exaggerate the situation by saying “everyone is going to Him,” a sentiment born out of fear rather than fact. They feel overshadowed, displaced, and forgotten. Their concern is not centered on the truth of who Jesus is. It is centered on the shrinking visibility of their own ministry. In their minds, the rise of Jesus equals the fall of John.

This moment exposes the subtle danger of comparison. John’s disciples no longer see their ministry through the lens of God’s purpose. They measure it by the attention it receives. They have forgotten what John said earlier when he identified himself by quoting Isaiah, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord” (John 1:23). John’s entire calling was to prepare people for Jesus. Yet his disciples respond as if the success of Jesus is somehow a threat instead of the fulfillment of everything they had been working toward.

Comparison distorts how we see God’s grace. It convinces us that someone else’s blessing diminishes our own. It teaches us to view others as competitors rather than fellow recipients of mercy. John’s disciples fell into the same human pattern that affects each of us. We know how easily comparison takes root. It appears when a coworker earns praise while we remain unnoticed or when a friend experiences rapid spiritual growth while our own hearts feel slow and uncertain. It emerges when we see someone gifted in ways we are not or when another ministry seems to flourish more visibly than ours. The sideways glance becomes powerful. Instead of praising God for what He is doing, we begin asking what we are losing.  Beloved, comparison blinds us to grace and robs us of joy.

You can think of it like scrolling through social media. Every picture and every post is a highlight reel. Someone else’s vacation. Someone else’s achievement. You begin the scroll fairly content, but as you continue you feel a heaviness you cannot quite name. Nothing in your life changed in those few minutes, but your heart did. Why? Because you stopped looking at what God has actually given you and started staring at what He has given to others. That is the sideways glance. That is the quiet work of comparison. It tells you that God has been generous to everyone else and stingy with you, and if you listen to it long enough, joy quietly drains from your soul.

Comparison is especially dangerous in ministry because it shifts the focus from faithfulness to reputation. It convinces us that we must protect our place rather than serve with open hands. It tempts us to interpret the fruit of others as evidence of our failure. Most tragically, comparison causes us to take our eyes off Jesus. John’s disciples could not rejoice in the fact that the Messiah was drawing people to Himself because they were preoccupied with their own importance. The very work that John had prepared them for was unfolding, but they could not see it.

This passage invites us to examine our own hearts. Do we rejoice when Christ is magnified in someone else’s life, even if we become less visible? Can we celebrate the spiritual growth of others without feeling threatened? Are we able to view our ministries and opportunities as gifts rather than possessions? Before we hear John’s response, we need to face the reality that the temptation of comparison is real. If it is not confronted, it will rob us of joy and blind us to the beauty of God’s work around us. Comparison blinds us to grace and robs us of joy.

The next verses lead us into a better way as John teaches us the joy of decreasing so that Christ may increase. 

The Joy of Decreasing

John does not share his disciples’ anxiety. He answers it with joy. Look with me at John 3:27–30,

John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.”

John responds to his disciples’ concern with remarkable clarity and calmness. Instead of sharing in their anxiety, he gently corrects their entire perspective. His words in these verses form one of the most beautiful statements of humility in all of Scripture.

John answered in verse 27,“A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.” This is his theological anchor. John is teaching his disciples that every gift, every opportunity, every moment of influence, and every assignment in the kingdom of God comes from the sovereign hand of the Lord. No ministry belongs to the servant. All ministry belongs to God. John is not losing something that was his. Jesus is receiving what the Father has given Him. John wants his disciples to see that if Jesus’ ministry is growing, it is because heaven has ordained it. 

And if John’s ministry is fading, that too is from the Father’s hand. This truth draws us into the deep comfort of God’s sovereignty. Paul says in1 Corinthians 4:7,

For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it? 

 Every gift, every breath, every circumstance, and every opportunity comes from the purposeful hand of God. Nothing in your life is random. Nothing is outside His wise appointment. This means there is no room for envy when others are lifted up and no room for boasting when God gives us a measure of fruit. He ordains our roles. He assigns our gifts. He determines our influence. The rise of one ministry and the fading of another both unfold under His sovereign care. When we believe this, comparison loses its sting. The urge to elevate ourselves fades, and our hearts rest in the God who governs all things with perfect wisdom and perfect love.

This confidence in God’s sovereignty is essential for a peaceful and joyful life. So much of our restlessness comes from believing that our worth depends on our visibility or that our security depends on our performance. Beloved, you cannot undo what God has decreed, and you cannot miss what God has prepared. His plans are firm. His providence is unfailing. When that truth sinks into your heart, fear begins to loosen its grip. You stop trying to manage outcomes. You stop grasping for recognition. You start trusting the God who writes every line of your story. Joy grows as you say, “Lord, everything I have and don’t have is from You, and everything in my life is for Your glory. I trust you!” For the believer who rests in the sovereign goodness of God, decreasing is not a threat. It is freedom and peace. It is the pathway to joy.

John continues in verse 28. He says, “You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’” John reminds them of his identity. He had never claimed to be the Christ. He had always pointed beyond himself. His entire ministry was preparatory. His calling was to awaken Israel to the coming of Someone greater. The disciples’ sorrow reveals that they have forgotten the purpose of their own work. John calls them back to the truth. He is not the center. He was never meant to be.

Then John gives a vivid illustration in verse 29. He says, “The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.” In the ancient world, the friend of the groom played an important role in the wedding celebration. He arranged details, supported the groom, and ensured that everything pointed toward the marriage. But once the groom arrived, the friend stepped aside. The attention shifted. The celebration focused on the couple. The friend took joy in hearing the voice of the groom because it meant the wedding had begun and his task was fulfilled. 

John is saying that Jesus is the groom and that the people coming to Him are the bride. John is only the friend. The arrival of Jesus does not threaten him. It completes him. His joy is full.

Then John speaks the famous words in verse 30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” The word “must” is important. It references divine necessity. This is not an optional preference but the unfolding of God’s plan. The Messiah must be exalted. The forerunner must step aside. John’s decreasing is not a tragedy. It is the proper response to the rule and reign of Christ. It is him accepting his role in God’s plan. 

This is humility in its purest form. John does not cling to position. He does not fight to preserve his influence. He does not resent the ministry of Jesus. He rejoices in it. His joy expands as his own reputation fades. He finds fulfillment not in being seen but in helping others see the Savior. Beloved, joy grows when Jesus becomes greater and we become less.

It is a little like the difference between the actor at center stage and the stagehand running the spotlight. The audience never claps for the person holding the light. Most people have no idea who that person is. Yet if the spotlight operator does his job well, the actor is clearly seen. The story comes alive. The beauty of the performance is visible. John the Baptist is content to be the one holding the light. His joy is not in standing at the center of the stage. His joy is in making sure that everyone in the room sees the true star, the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the freedom God offers us in the church. We are not called to be the main character. We are called to hold the light steady on Christ.

This truth speaks directly to the life of the church today. One of the great struggles of the Christian heart is the desire to be significant. We want to be noticed. We want affirmation. You may feel that right now. You may feel unseen in your serving, overlooked in your workplace, or feel forgotten in your family. John’s words are for you. When someone else receives the attention, when another believer is gifted in ways we are not, when another ministry seems more effective, we can quietly feel threatened or discontent. The desire for recognition can creep into and take over our hearts. Beloved,  our joy grows when Jesus becomes greater and we become less.

John teaches us that true joy is not found in elevating ourselves but in exalting Christ. Joy grows when Christ becomes greater in our sight. Joy grows when our identity is rooted not in what we accomplish but in who Jesus is. Joy grows when we embrace the role God has given us, whether that role is visible or unseen.

This is important for Park Baptist Church. Our church is full of people with different gifts, callings, and opportunities. Some ministries receive attention while others are carried out faithfully in quiet places. Some people serve up front while others serve in prayer, in hospitality, in small acts of sacrifice that few may notice. If we are not careful, comparison can enter even in a healthy church, measuring our value by visibility rather than by faithfulness to God.

John calls us away from this. He invites us to discover the freedom of decreasing. He shows us that it is a gift to be small in the presence of a great Savior. When we make room for Christ to increase, we find peace. When we release our need for approval, we find rest. When we celebrate the fruit God gives to others, our own joy deepens. When we stop the sideways glances, our eyes can see Christ more clearly.

This posture also strengthens the unity of the church. A congregation filled with people who desire Christ to increase above all else becomes a powerful witness to the world. It becomes a community where no one is competing for recognition. It becomes a place where every gift is valued because every gift comes from heaven. It becomes a church where Jesus is clearly seen. And it becomes a place when we are all seen for the gifts God has given us for one another. 

John’s words offer us a path to freedom. They lift the burden of comparison from our shoulders and place our focus where it belongs, on the greatness of Christ. Joy does not come from advancing ourselves but from stepping aside so that Jesus may be more clearly seen among us. 

With our hearts prepared by John’s humility, we now turn to the final section of this passage, where John explains why Jesus must increase. He describes the supremacy of the Son who came from above.

The Supremacy of the Son

John now steps back and gives a theological explanation for everything he has just said. In verses 31 through 36, he shows why Jesus must increase. It is because of who Jesus is. John 3:31–36,

He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. 

John is not simply more humble than his disciples. He is more clear about Christ. He sees the supremacy of the Son and bows before it.

He begins in verse 31 with a statement about origin and authority. “ He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all.” John wants us to understand that Jesus is not simply a better teacher or a more powerful prophet. Jesus is from above. His origin is heavenly. He shares in the eternal fellowship of the Father. Every other voice, even a great one like John the Baptist, is earthly. Jesus alone carries the authority of heaven. This is why His ministry must grow. Jesus is the Son who has come down from the Father.

John continues in verse 32, “He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony.” Jesus speaks with authority because He speaks what He has seen in the presence of God. When Jesus speaks, God speaks. Yet John acknowledges the tragic reality that many do not receive His testimony. People resist the truth not because it is unclear, but because their hearts are darkened.

In verse 33 John describes the blessing of belief. John 3:33, “Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true.” Faith in Jesus is not merely trust in a man. It is an agreement with God. To believe Jesus is to declare that God can be trusted. To reject Jesus is to call God a liar.

In verse 34 John explains why Jesus speaks with such authority. “For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.” Unlike the prophets who received the Spirit in limited portions, Jesus possesses the fullness of the Spirit. John has already highlighted how the Spirit descended on Jesus and remains. This will be a key theme throughout the gospel. And because Jesus has been given the Spirit without measure, His words are perfectly true. His works are perfectly aligned with the will of the Father. Jesus is the complete revelation of God.

Think about the difference between the sun in the sky and a flashlight in your hand. A flashlight is useful at night. It helps you navigate a dark path. It shows you a few steps ahead. But when the sun rises, the flashlight becomes unnecessary. Its little beam is swallowed up by the greater light. The prophets and teachers who came before Jesus were like that flashlight. God used them to shine truth into the darkness. But when the Son of God stepped into the world, the full light of God’s glory rose on the horizon of history. Jesus is not one more small beam. He is the blazing sun. All other lights find their meaning in Him.

In verse 35, John shows the deepest foundation of Christ’s supremacy, “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.” The Father’s eternal love for the Son has resulted in the Son receiving all authority. Jesus holds every power. Jesus rules every kingdom. Jesus oversees every human story. Jesus governs all of history. All things have been placed into His hands by the Father’s delight in Him.

John brings the passage to its sharpest point in verse 36. “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” Here the stakes of faith become clear. Belief in Jesus brings present possession of eternal life. But rejecting the Son leaves a person under the wrath of God. John does not describe rejection as a passive mistake or a simple misunderstanding. He calls it disobedience, a deliberate refusal to bow to the authority of the One whom God has sent. It is the heart saying, “I will not trust Him. I will not follow Him.” We are not neutral people who simply need a little help. Apart from Christ we are already under wrath, and this wrath is not merely in the future but wrath remains even now on all who refuse to trust in Christ. John is giving a loving but urgent warning. Neutrality toward Jesus is not possible. A person is either under life or under wrath. Which are you?

This leads naturally to a call for anyone listening who may not know Christ. If you are not a believer, John 3 invites you to look to the Son who came from above for your salvation. Eternal life does not come through moral effort, religious activity, or spiritual feeling. It is not earned by good intentions or improved behavior. Scripture teaches that we are sinners who have fallen short of the glory of God and that we stand under God’s wrath, His righteous judgment. But God, in His mercy, sent His Son from heaven into our broken world. Jesus lived the perfect life we could never live and then willingly went to the cross. There He bore the wrath of God in the place of all sinners who would believe. On the cross He took what we deserved, absorbing the judgment that should have fallen on us. His blood was shed for the forgiveness of our sins, His body broken so that we might be healed. Every barrier between you and God was placed on Christ at Calvary.

Yet the good news does not end with the cross. On the third day Jesus rose bodily from the dead. His resurrection is the Father’s public declaration that the sacrifice of the Son was accepted. Death could not hold Him. Sin had no claim on Him. The grave surrendered Him because He is the Lord of life. Through His resurrection He opened the way for sinners to be reconciled to God. This is the hope held out to you today. You do not need to fix yourself before coming to Him. You cannot climb your way to heaven. Heaven has come down in the person of Jesus Christ. Salvation is received by turning from your sin and trusting in His finished work. If you believe in the crucified and risen Lord, He will save you today. If you believe, the wrath of God will be removed from you and eternal life will be given to you. Christ will take your guilt, clothe you in His righteousness, and bring you into the fellowship of the Father. There is no greater gift and no greater Savior.

For the Christian, this section of Scripture deepens our confidence and strengthens our worship. If Jesus is above all, then our lives must be anchored in His authority. If Jesus speaks the words of God, then our hearts must be shaped by His teaching. If the Father has given all things into His hands, then we can release our fears and rest in His rule. If eternal life is found in Him alone, then we must daily draw near to the One who sustains us. The supremacy of Christ frees the believer from anxiety. We do not have to control outcomes. We do not have to protect ourselves. We do not have to fear the future. Our Savior holds all things.

This passage also reminds us that our mission is urgent. Every person we meet is either believing the Son and living under life or rejecting the Son and remaining under wrath. This truth should shape our prayers, our conversations, and our priorities as a church. We proclaim the gospel not from a place of fear, but from a place of confidence in the One who saves. Our mission is urgent because those without Christ will face his just and powerful wrath. We have the message of hope that the world desperately needs to hear. Let us be faithful to share it!

The glories of Jesus Christ stand over this entire passage like a bright and rising sun. He is from above and therefore greater than all who are from the earth. He speaks with the authority of God because He has seen the Father. He possesses the fullness of the Spirit because He is the beloved Son. He holds all things in His hands because the Father has entrusted everything to Him. He gives eternal life to all who believe because He is the life. He removes wrath because He bore wrath on the cross. He stands supreme over every power, every kingdom, every nation, and every soul. There is no one like Him. There has never been anyone like Him. And there will never be anyone who compares with the Lord Jesus Christ.

When we began today, we remembered Ryan Lochte’s honesty about swimming in the shadow of Michael Phelps. Lochte admitted that his entire career was shaped by the presence of someone far greater. He said that without Phelps he might have been the Phelps of his era. But he was not. He lived his life in the pool beside a swimmer who outshined him in every category. Over time he had to learn the freedom of no longer trying to outdo someone he could never surpass.

Spiritually speaking, we are all Ryan Lochtes. We live in the presence of someone who is far greater than we are. It is like climbing a tall mountain and feeling proud of the height you have reached, only to look bhind you to see Mount Everest towering over you. At first, the smaller peak seems impressive. It feels significant because it is all you can see. But once Everest enters the frame, the true scale of things becomes unmistakable. Your mountain did not shrink, but its glory fades in the presence of something infinitely higher.

Every one of us lives in the shadow of someone infinitely greater than we are. We are not running beside a slightly more gifted competitor. We are living our entire lives before the face of the Son of God, the One who speaks the words of the Father, who possesses the Spirit without measure, and who holds all things in His hands. We are not meant to compare ourselves with Him. We are meant to worship Him. We are not invited to compete with His glory. We are invited to reflect it. True joy is not found in trying to elevate ourselves, but is found in gladly acknowledging that He is above all and resting in the freedom of His greatness. 

This is what John the Baptist understood. Jesus did not diminish him. Jesus fulfilled him. Jesus did not threaten his ministry. Jesus completed it. John did not resent living in the shadow of someone far greater. He rejoiced in it. His joy became full when Jesus became visible. And this is the freedom God invites us into today. Let Jesus increase in your life. Let His glory overshadow your desire for recognition. Let His greatness quiet your insecurities. Let His authority silence your fears. Let His worthiness reorder your ambitions.

For the believer, joy begins when the sideways glance ends. When we stop measuring ourselves by the lanes beside us and start fixing our eyes on the One who came from above. When we stop trying to be impressive and start resting in the One who is truly great. When we stop grasping for attention and start pointing to the Savior who deserves it all.

And what a Savior He is. The One who came from heaven. The One who reveals God with perfect clarity. The One loved by the Father from all eternity. The One who holds all things in His hands. The One who gives eternal life to all who believe. The One who rescues sinners from wrath. The One who reigns forever. There is no name more worthy than His. There is no glory more radiant than His. There is no joy more complete than the joy of making Him known.

Lets rejoice that we are the Ryan Lochtes of the kingdom standing beside someone far, far greater. Our purpose is to exalt Jesus. Our joy is not in elevating ourselves but in lifting Him high.

So may this be the confession of Park Baptist Church, each and every day, “He must increase. We must decrease.” This confession is the path to true and lasting joy.