What Jesus Did : John 3:28-29 - The Joy of the Bridegroom
by Phil Ware
The Joy of the Bridegroom - John 3:28-29
"You yourselves heard me say, 'I am not the Christ. I am only the one that God sent to prepare the way for him.' The bride always belongs to the bridegroom. The friend that helps the bridegroom just waits and listens. He's happy just to hear the bridegroom talk. That's how I feel now. I'm so happy that he (Jesus) is here." (ERV) Full TextKey Thought
What a beautiful image. The friend of the bridegroom finds his joy in seeing the bride come to her groom. Imagine if we all lived with the same commitment that John had. What amazing power would be unleashed among God's people if we all lived to prepare the way for Jesus to come to other people! So why don't we? Why not start right now and make a commitment to give the rest of your life to prepare the way for others to know Jesus!
Today's Prayer
Loving Father, please use my words, my influence, and the rest of my life to help others come to know Jesus and his love. Open my eyes to the opportunities around me to touch others with your grace. Open my ears to hear the cries of those hungry for your Living Bread. Please give me the joy of the bridegroom! In Jesus' name. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
After this, Jesus and his followers went into the area of Judea. There Jesus stayed with his followers and baptized people. John was also baptizing people in Aenon. Aenon is near Salim. John was baptizing there because there was plenty of water. People were going there to be baptized. (This happened before John was put into prison.) Some of John's followers had an argument with another Jew. They were arguing about religious washing. So the followers came to John. They said, "Teacher, remember the man that was with you on the other side of the Jordan River? He is the man you were telling people about. That man is baptizing people, and many people are going to him." John answered, "A man can get only what God gives him. You yourselves heard me say, 'I am not the Christ. I am only the one that God sent to prepare the way for him.' The bride always belongs to the bridegroom. The friend that helps the bridegroom just waits and listens. He's happy just to hear the bridegroom talk. That's how I feel now. I'm so happy that he (Jesus) is here. He must become more and more important. And I must become less important. "The One (Jesus) that comes from above is greater than all other people. The person that is from the earth belongs to the earth. That person talks about things that are on the earth. But the One (Jesus) that comes from heaven is greater than all other people. He (Jesus) tells what he has seen and heard. But people don't accept what he says. The person that accepts what he (Jesus) says has given proof that God speaks the truth. God sent him (Jesus). And he tells the things that God says. God gives {him} the Spirit fully. The Father loves the Son. The Father has given the Son power over everything. The person that believes in the Son has life forever. But the person that does not obey the Son will never have that life. God's anger stays with that person."-- John 3:22-36 (ERV)
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