HE MUST INCREASE BUT I MUST

DECREASE...
(Summarized).
John chapter 3:22 - 36.

Someone once said if you are angry, count to 10, if you are
really angry count to 100, if you are extremely angry,,,,,
Dont stop counting.

We all go through the ups and downs of life, but when you
go through a down time it can seem to last forever.....
Through these situations and circumstances in life it is good
to take John 3: 30 as your own personal motto.

This morning I am going to talk about change and the

different types of changes that come our way, whether good
or bad.

CHANGE

We as human beings like to have routine it gives us stability

and a sense of security, but not all changes to our lives are
bad, this is why we take holidays. Sometimes change is
actually a welcome relief from continually stressful situations.

There are some changes that seem to carry with them a

sense of dread, sometimes change upsets the apple cart in
our lives,,,,, HOWEVER,,,, In todays society the dreaded
word change is becoming an increasingly normal part of
life.......Standards of living, expenses , availability of work,
Interest rate increases ETC....all change rapidly and often...
There is also a lot of change within Christendom today,
unfortunately in general it is not for the better. As a result of
apostacy we are faced with compromise... HOWEVER:
churches like this one and others of the faithful few are not to
compromise and come under these types of changes.........
We are not to change our stand on the bible. We are not to
change our bible version. We are not to change the Gospel,
And we WILL continue to share it and trust God for the
results.

EVANGELISM & FOLLOW UP IS THE LIFE BLOOD OF

THE CHURCH.
We also should not change the bibles doctrine, and the other
biblical standards it gives for Holy Living (2Tim 3:13 - 17).

THERE ARE OTHER CHANGES THAT COME INTO LIFE

THAT WE CANNOT AVOID.

So how can we and should we handle the uncertainty that

change brings to our lives.............
HOW DO YOU COPE?

LETS LOOK AT JOHN THE BAPTIST:

*John was the forerunner of Jesus (Isaiah 40:3)
** He was misunderstood by the religious leaders of his day (Jn
1:19:28)
*** He faced opposition from the Jewish leaders who attempted to
divide and confuse his followers (jn 3:25 - 26)
**** In spite of all this opposition we see John handled it all with the
right mindset and attitude (jn 3:27 - 30)

Although some of his followers were becoming confused and divided

at this point, John was not yet dismayed by the craftiness of their
opposition.
johns task and purpose indeed was to point people to Jesus, You
could say he was evangelising (John 3:31 - 36)
He chose the path that allowed him to operate within the framework
of his ministry, and JESUS ministry,, without wondering or worrying
about his future, his only concern was to magnify Jesus and Jesus'
future reign and Kingdom...... circumstances though left him to be
cast into prison (matt 11:1 - 6)
* While imprisoned John went through some time of
bewilderment and confusion, however Jesus calmed his fears and
told Johns disciples to tell Jn Jesus was the one he was looking
for.....

SO WHATS MY POINT ??????

John needed an emotional and mental platform on which to rest his

emotions to give him stability.
When you get sudden news of change things may be turned upside
down, but you must have some form of emotional and mental
platform as a base on which to stand..... JESUS............ HE is to be
our stability, not our circumstances.
here is the bibles answer for that basis of stability John 3: 27 &
30 ..........
•In times of change trouble or uncertainty remember "HE MUST
INCREASE BUT I MUST DECREASE...
•when somebody gets a promotion that I thought I was entitled to
remember HE MUST .........................................................
•When someone gets favour or blessing that I feel I could use in my
life HE MUST ......................................................
•if you want to stop living in the past, robbing yourself of the future,
HE MUST...................

Thats the great pursuit and purpose of life, the goal that the christian
is to seek to meet, the soldier of Jesus Christ is to magnify christ and
diminish self....

for witnessing, He gives us his power,

•Lets not focus on our ability but our avilabilty. We must

magnify HIM.
•One thing we need to do if we dont feel confident leading someone
to christ, is find a way to introduce them to someone who can.
Do you sometimes think to yourself Im nothing Im a nobody, Im
worthless. When thinking like this you're focused on the flesh ,
thinking about self all the time THE SOLUTION: John 3:30 HE
MUST............

To magnify christ is to extiguish all human strife.

•the only way to have the right perspective of myself is to actually

forget about myself...... and...... to magnify Christ
•the way to humble myself is to MAGNIFY CHRIST,, HE must
increase I must decrease

To magnify christ is NOT OPTIONAL.... its a necessity

its not something we can change to "just merely focusing a little more
attention on christ and she''ll be right mate, because if thats all we
have when trouble comes we''ll crumble,...... NO.........He is the only
one we have... our only stability we have in Life,,, YESTERDAY
TODAY FOREVER JESUS IS THE SAME, he is OUR ROCK,,,,,
OUR FOUNDATION..... all of History and the circumstances of life
show us that we are not in control, nor are we or were we ever
meant to be............ OUR LIFE is as a vapour that appears for a
little while and then vanishes away...

I cant controll Life, I cant controll death..... The God in whose hand is
my every breath IS my only hope,,, My only option IS TO MAGNIFY
HIM.

•Personal conflicts We can turn friction and strife into friendship

and cooperation.... HOW????? by magnifying the Lord, Based
on what ???? Based on Gods word?? Endeavouring to keep
the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. EPH 4:3

•this is how you handle grief, this is how you handle strife, this is how
you handle temptation.......Let us LAY ASIDE every weight and
the sin that does so easily beset us.......... Looking unto Jesus
the author and finisher of our faith...
•Turn your eyes upon Jesus look full in his wonderful face and the
things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory
and grace

Are you concerned for the church???????

ACTS 1:8 Clearly says

YE SHALL RECIEVE POWER, after that the holy Ghost is come

upon you and YE SHALL BE WITNESSES unto me both in
Jerusalem and in Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost parts
of the earth....

do we still have the holy ghost today, is it still the same power source
why dont we believe and act based on what we are told here, lets
take God at his promises and MAGNIFY HIM... not our doubts not
our problems not our temptations, it was once said Tell God how big
your problems are and then be sure to tell your problems how big
your God is.....MAGNIFY HIM

Another way we can Magnify Christ is to magnify his word.Jesus said

through the Psalmist in Psalm 138:2..... For thou hast magnified thy
word above all thy name

•Make much of this book

•Make much of Jesus

In times like these we need a saviour, in times like these we need an

anchor, Be very sure your anchor holds and grips the solid rock. This
rock is jesus, yes he's the one

Lets make Jesus central to OUR lives, lets talk of him and magnify
him amongst ourselves and in the communities in which we live.
Lets turn our eyes upon Jesus and look full in his wonderful face
BECAUSE.......HE MUST INCREASE AND I MUST DECREASE.

After all the christian life IS all about Jesus isnt it the term Christian
LITTLE CHRIST (reflect christ........ as a mirror reflects our image
back as it is, so are we to reflect Jesus' image)
How much are you Magnifying the lord Jesus Christ ????????