At His Feet

June 29, 2017: Jesus is Greater and we must become less.

John 3:31-36

"He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth and we speak of earthly things, but He (Jesus) has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. He testifies about what He has seen and heard, but how few believe what He tells them! Anyone who accepts His testimony can affirm that God is true, for He is sent by God. He speaks God's words, for God gives Him the Spirit without limit. The Father loves His Son and has put everything into His hands. And anyone who believes in God's Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn't obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God's angry judgement." 

John the baptist had to explain this to his followers when they came to him, telling him that Jesus was getting more followers than John. It sounded to me that those people were getting a little worried (jealous maybe?) John told them "That's good then that the people go to Jesus because I told you before: Jesus is the messiah and I'm just the person sent to prepare the way for Him. I am the best man, Jesus is the bridegroom." (John 3:27-29) 

In verse 30, John even went onto say this:

"He must become greater and greater and I must become less and less." 

That's a very powerful thinking there. I say this because majority of the time, the only person I find myself looking out for is myself. I worry about me, I want to please myself, or I pay attention to certain things if it's in my interest. I like to think I'm a good person and that my heart is so huge that will one day break out of my chest but the truth is...I'm shallow and God is opening my eyes to that. I have so much work that needs to be done and its all on the inside of myself. It's my thinking and how to love other people like God patiently loves me. How to stop looking at my situation and go look at another person's life and see their tears and brokenness and struggles. 

To get out of myself or like John the baptist says "Become less and less" because it is not about me. The world does not revolve around me because if it did, there will be a lot of messed up things in order...I'm just being truthful. 

And yet I find myself living life like its all about me. Last night my anxiety popped up and I found myself fighting to not throw a pity party: I cried and I prayed because I know once I give in, it will be myself, myself, and myself and nothing will ever get done! It shouldn't be this way!

The bible says that it is about Jesus: He has to become greater: He had to be lifted up and die for our sins (He rose again of course because He is AWESOME!) but in this day and age, Jesus must be greater in our very lives! We have to become less and less and Christ has to become greater: Greater than our favorite shows, greater than our desires and greater than ourselves. Because we are not staying here on this earth to rot away and then end. No! Jesus said that whoever believes in Him has eternal life (John 3:16) We are called Children of God because we are saved and set free: We no longer belong to this world, we belong to God and God sent Jesus down here to save us, to open our eyes, our hearts, and our minds. Jesus testifies everything that God tells Him and we who believe are saved and safely put in His hands: The bibles says we are a new creation in Christ, meant to grow and imitate God our Father. Jesus is the first of many.

So why is this so hard to do: to put God first and let ourselves become less? It's so obvious why Jesus must become greater: He's God's Son who came down from heaven and saved us all: He gave us the comforter (The Holy Spirit) to do the work He trusted us with. He's the one that always existed and always will exist; God Almighty. Jesus covers us with his blood of grace and salvation, taking us out of God's angry judgment: He paid the price so why is it hard for me to put Him first?

Paul describes the battle inside of us...
The flesh fighting the Spirit.

I want to do good things, to do what God wants me to do without doubts and without being weak but I don't: I fail and I end up doing what I do not want to do....I sin when I do not want to sin. 

Sounds familiar? 

The apostle Paul wrote something like this in his letters but even better relatable. I can't find exactly which letter he wrote it in but it's there. So does this mean that even though we sin, we are still judged?

Nope!

We are always going to sin; we are going to struggle with sin every day and sometimes we are going to trip up rather we know it or not but Jesus paid it all! That means we are no longer under God's angry judgement and that since we belong to Christ, we have become a new creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17

It means we are no longer a slave to sin because now we know better and the Holy Spirit gives us the power to obey God and say no to our sins (temptations?) 

In John 3:18-21 says this:

"There is no judgement against anyone who believes in Him (Christ). But anyone who does not believe in Him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son. And the judgement is based on this fact: God's light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for the fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants."

What I am trying to say is this and I hope it comes out clear: 

God/Jesus comes first because it's about what He did to pay for our sins and what He does every day of our lives. He comes first and He forever. We are sinners and that is something hard to swallow and that is why some people do not listen to the word but for those who believe Christ is the Son of God and that He died and rose again on the third day, we listen and come to the light: we accept the salvation that comes from Christ and God makes us new creations, giving us the Holy Spirit to guide us and comfort us and teach us and correct (convict) us and grow us so that we can be more like Christ: Christ can become more and more and we can be less and less: We can stop sinning and go out and love others like God loves us and them and we can lead people to Jesus like Jesus led us to Himself (God). When we become less and less, it is possible or maybe easier to do these things because we stop worrying and thinking about ourselves and being afraid or hateful of people and we would want to save them and show them the salvation that can only from Christ sacrifice on that cross, it is the very power of God! This doesn't mean we are going to be perfect and never sin or struggle: sadly life is a struggle and we will have some slip ups because we are human but it means and we are still saved and never alone or abandoned. God is with us no matter what and is going to help us and lead us and take us to the place we need to be. God is going to grow us and make us strong and we have to do the work too. We can't just say "Yeah we save, lets sin because we have grace!" no! That would be misusing and abusing God's grace to us. It means, God picks us back up when we do sin and we repent of the sin and we continue walking forward. We run this race to get the eternal prize. So let us keep running and " fight the good fight."

Father God,

I hope this chapter can help someone understand a little bit. I pray that You will use what I have and help others make sense of it all. Jesus, thank You for the grace and salvation that comes from Your sacrifice on that Cross. Jesus thank You as well for always being with me even while I was still in darkness and Thank You because I know You will grow me and make me more like You. You will become greater in my life and I will become less. God, bless the person reading this, please open their hearts and minds and carry them their the struggles they face themselves. I pray that we all will continue to grow and please fill us with Your Great love so that we can go out and love others and have the desire to show them the way to everlasting life. Please protect us with the shield of faith and strengthen us when we are weak. In Jesus Holiest and Mightiest and Awesome name, Amen!

-Candy