John Testifies Again About Jesus

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John Testifies Again About Jesus

²² After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. ²³ Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. ²⁴ (This was before John was put in prison.) ²⁵ An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. ²⁶ They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”
²⁷ To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. ²⁸ You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ ²⁹ The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. ³⁰ He must become greater; I must become less.”
³¹ The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. ³² He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. ³³ Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. ³⁴ For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. ³⁵ The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. ³⁶ Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them. 
                                                                                             John 3:22-36
 
In this passage, John The Baptist is called upon to settle a dispute, a debate over ceremonial washing.  They were probably arguing about which is right, sprinkling or dunking.  John disciples were jealous because all the people were going to Jesus instead of John.  John compares it to a wedding.  Placing himself as the best man and Jesus as the Bridegroom.  Sure the best man gives the toast and stands up at the front of the church in his tux, but the reason he is there is to get everything ready for the bridegroom.  The best man is more than happy to play second fiddle to the bridegroom.  After all, the wedding day is all about the happy couple.
 
In verses 31-36 John tell his disciples that Christ greater than he is.  He says, ‘Hey, this guy is from heaven,  and I am just a man.’  John could tell the people what he had learned about heaven, Jesus told what He remembers about heaven.  Just like a pastor can tell you about heaven from the books he has read and the classes he took, but Christ can tell about it because He is from there.  I can tell you about Hickory, NC because that is where I was born and raised.  Well, heaven is where Jesus was born and raised.  His Dad runs the place!  Jesus was tell everybody about heaven and His Father, but nobody was believing Him.  John tells us that if when accept what Christ says as the truth we will have eternal life, but if we don’t God’s wrath will remain on us. 
 
If this is your first time hearing the good news of Jesus Christ, and you want to follow Him, you too can know his joy. The peace that passes all understanding. All you have to do is ask Christ into your heart and ask him to forgive your sins. He stands at the door, ready to come in. If you would like to know Jesus and God the father, please pray the following prayer or one like it. Or, you can contact me at jeremylail@gmail.com and I will be more than happy to pray with/for you.
Heavenly Father, have mercy on me, a sinner. I believe in you and that your word is true. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God and that he died on the cross so that I may now have forgiveness for my sins and eternal life. I know that without you in my heart my life is meaningless. I believe in my heart that you, Lord God, raised Him from the dead. Please Jesus forgive me, for every sin I have ever committed or done in my heart, please Lord Jesus for give me and come into my heart as my personal Lord and Savior today. I need you to be my Father and my friend. I give you my life and ask you to take full control from this moment on; I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.