It was John who revealed to us that great mystery of God’s Purpose in seven simple words: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). John’s ministry reached its height when Jesus came down to the river Jordan to be baptized. There John saw the heavens opened, saw the Spirit of God descending upon Jesus like a dove, and heard a Voice saying, “This is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.” With evidence like this it is difficult to doubt; and so, with great authority and conviction, John said, “I saw, and bare record, that this is the Son of God” (John 1:34).
John knew his purpose had been fulfilled, and with great eagerness he handed the reins over to the One he had so faithfully proclaimed. He had prepared the way, and now the One he had been preparing everyone for had arrived.
Shortly thereafter, John was arrested and put into prison. His work was complete, his sun was setting, and just as he had said, Jesus was increasing and John was decreasing. But oh, what a decrease! The ministry was finished, the crowds were gone, and John was left alone in prison with only a few disciples who came to visit him.
When everything is stripped away you are soon left with little but your own thoughts. In prison, John had a lot of time to think. And the essence of his thoughts were along these lines: Did I make a mistake? Is Jesus the Son of God, or not? If He is the Messiah then where is His Kingdom? Why doesn’t Jesus do something? Did I really see the Spirit and hear the Voice, or was that just my imagination? And if He isn’t the One, do we need to start looking for another?
We can all take comfort in the knowledge that even the greatest prophet who ever lived (Luke 7:28) can have troubling thoughts, moments of doubt, and crises of faith. We all experience times when the darkness mocks us and circumstances try to convince us that the best course is to “curse God and die” (as Job’s wife so eloquently put it). We can afford to be philosophical and detached about Jesus increasing and us decreasing while we are still ministering out by the Jordan, but in prison the truth of what we have been proclaiming is put to the test. Sadly, many of us fail the test. Jesus simply does not do what we expect – and this upsets us!
The real crisis of faith is along the lines of this Man. We can all disagree over Bible doctrine and interpretations of Scripture. But what will you do about Jesus? He will not change Who He is to accommodate Who we think He is. He is Who He is. We either have to come to grips with Jesus as He in fact is, or we have to settle for something less or something else. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). So the question we all have to answer is this: Is Jesus enough? Is He enough, just as He is? Or do we still need Him to do something else in order to satisfy us? Intellectually we can say, “Yes, Jesus is enough. Amen to that. I believe it.” But I am surprised at the growing number of people who are openly suggesting that Jesus really is not enough for them! We need fellowship, they say. Or we need God’s blessings. Or we need spiritual gifts and more powerful anointings. To believe that Jesus is Enough (they say) is simply too mystical, too simplistic, too out-of-touch with the real world – no matter what Colossians 2:10 says.
I would suggest, brothers and sisters, that if Jesus is not Enough for us then we have not really met Him yet, or at the very least, we do not know Him very well. Corrie Ten Boom said, “You may never know that Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have.” That is the purpose of all God’s dealings with us in this area of being decreased (or as I like to say, being reduced to Christ). Jesus is not quite all we HAVE, and so we are reluctant to say that Jesus is all we NEED. The problem, dear friends, is not that we have too little, but that we have too much. It is not that we need more of the Lord; I believe we already have all of Him. We just need less of everything else. Like the Laodiceans, we consider ourselves to be rich, increased with goods, and in need of nothing (Revelation 3:17). Like Martha, who was vexed over “many things”, we have too many religious things, too many Christian things, too many spiritual things, too many church things, too many of the “many things” that distract us from the One Thing that is needed (Luke 10:42). No one is ever vexed over the One Thing. It is always the “many things” that vex us, all those “things” apart from Jesus that we think we just cannot live without, all those “things” we think we “need” simply because when it gets right down to it, we do not see Jesus as Enough.
Now we all face the same temptation John faced. What is the temptation? There in prison he began to think, and he came up with a question, and if you really look at this question I think you will see where the suggestion comes from, and you can still hear its echo from time to time. The question is this: “Are you the One, or do we look for another?” And notice this is not John’s own personal dilemma. By using the word “we” he included himself and others who were equally puzzled and wondering within themselves as to whether or not Jesus was the One.
The essence of the question is this: everything we are, everything we have, and everything we believe is based upon Jesus being the One; but Jesus has disappointed us, not so much by what He has done, but by what He has failed to do. We expected His Kingdom to be thus and so, we expected Him to be thus and so, and nothing is as we expected it would be. Now we can continue believing in this One Who frustrates us so, this One Who seems to be moving so slowly, or we can look for another, someone who can be depended upon, someone who makes sense, someone who always answers us according to our own thoughts, desires, needs, and schedule. Someone who does not require us to be decreased in order for him to be increased, someone who does not talk about denying ourselves and taking up a cross, but will just love us the way we are and let us be who we are. Are you the One, Jesus? Will you allow us to make You into what we want you to be, or do we look for another?
This “looking for another” is the entire object of our adversary, that spirit of Antichrist that is forever trying to corrupt us “from the simplicity of Christ” (II Corinthians 11:3), always trying to get us to leave “Him that called you” to follow after “another Gospel” (Galatians 1:6), which really is no other, Paul says, only the appearance of Another, Something Else, or Someone Else. At least Peter, for whatever faults he may have had, was smart enough to realize that there was no one else but Him: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). But this does not stop people, even Christians who should know better, from “looking for another.” They look for another pastor, another preacher, another teacher, another prophet, another ministry, another sign or word or prophecy or teaching or manifestation or meeting or miracle. The simplicity of Christ, the reality of Who He is, cannot keep their attention for very long.
In another place Jesus asked, “Whom seek ye?” (John 18:4). In other words, who are you looking for? This particular crowd was pressing in to have Him arrested and put to death. The day before the crowds were pressing in to proclaim “Hosanna!”, and before that they were pressing in to make Him their king by force (John 6:15). At other times the people pressed Him to hear the Word of God. Still other times the people pressed Him to be healed of their diseases. Have you ever noticed that everyone wants something, that there are more takers in this world than givers? Pressing Him, pushing Him, forever wanting more and never satisfied. Very few know how to sit at His feet just to hear His Word. Very few are willing to pour out the best ointment on Him, and when they do, they are severely criticized for such a “waste”. Very few are content just “to be with Him” (Mark 3:14). Instead, this one wants a loaf of bread, this one wants a healing, this one wants a teaching, this one wants a sign, this one wants an answer to a question, this one wants proof of His divinity, this one wants something to accuse Him with. Does anyone seek Him for His sake? Does anyone press upon Him, not for what He can give, but for Who He is? Does anyone seek Him out, not to get some need met, but so they “may know Him” (Philippians 3:10)?
Whom seek ye? Have you discovered Him yet, and is He enough, or do you seek another? We do not proclaim the preeminence of Christ because it is a nice doctrine to believe in; for us, it is a matter of life and death, because everything hinges on whether or not Jesus is preeminent. If He is preeminent then He is Enough, and there is nothing else but Him, and there is nothing worth proclaiming except Him. To John in prison, and to us wherever we may happen to be, Jesus says, “No, you did not make a mistake. I am the One, but I am more than you can imagine, more than you dare to dream. Blessed are they who are not offended in Me.”
This letter reminded me of my first song I wrote I asked the Lord what He wanted me to share with others and He said “Share with them what I’ve done for you ”
Could It Be You?
So many times I’ve sat here and cried
For a Love that was Real, real inside
I thought I knew what I was looking for
Till another one, another one
Would walk out the door
After many years of living like this
I said “Lord, I have only one simple wish
It is ” To find a Love a Love that is True”
Could it be, Could it be, Could it be YOU?
He said ” My child can’t you see
the love I have for you is free
The Way was made on Calvary
Oh can’t you see, can’t you see
You’ll find true love in Me”.
So here I am 30 some years old
They say ” You’re the greatest Love story ever told”
But I know You more than a simple fairy tale
You’re the Lover of , the Lover of , the Lover of my soul
I said ” My Father , Now I see
The love You have for me is free
The Way was paid at Calvary
Now I see, now I see
I’ve found True love in Thee
I’ve finally found True love in Thee”.
He is the ONE !
His Story is our History
Hi chip, i really appreciate ur article on John the Baptist’s ‘should we look for another?’ and i also appreciate the fact tha t you are now serving in ‘AN OPEN FIELD’, but please try and help some of your fans strike a healthy balance: i read some posts by these ones that ‘now i understand why i prefer worshipping God alone’. You yourself, i believe still meet with different bodies of believers for fellowship. The Bible says ‘do not forsake the assembly of ourselves together’ again the Bible says that believers are MEMBERS of the BODY of CHRIST: NO MEMBER OR PART of a BODY can survive in ISOLATION! I appreciate you and want to read more of your work. SHALOM!
Thanks for reading. Since church attendance has been hammered into the consciousness of God’s people for 2,000 years as a requisite for being a “member” of the Body, I don’t think it is out of balance to constantly remind people of a supreme spiritual truth: we are members of His Body, not because of our faithful attendance at religious meetings, but because the Spirit binds us together. This oneness is true, regardless of our physical proximity or frequency of meeting. I could write about that the rest of my life and still not be out of balance, seeing that the religious system has been indoctrinating folks for two millenniums to believe the opposite.
I know now why I feel more okey worshipping God alone in my room than inside a gathering…
Hi Nora
I have never felt comfortable in the institutional setting…I always enjoyed being alone with Jesus at home …worshipping Him in Spirit and Truth.I should have left the assembly a long time ago but it wasn’t till Christ Himself told me to leave and to learn of Him at home.He instructed me to unlearn everything man has taught and listen to Holy Spirit as I read and pray. He has me hid right now and boy I didn’t know how addicted to going to a church was..I know there was a withdrawal I went through. I am alone with Him and there is no fellowship but Holy Spirit but I wouldn’t trade that for anything.It has been good though as there are no distractions. I love being alone with Him. He is the best Husband.
Blessings
Marjorie
Hello Chip
I am so thankful for this ministry. Yes Jesus is definetly enough. Thanks for this teaching.
Karla I am praying for your full recovery dear.
Love Marjorie
Hi Chip,
Thank you so much for helping me keep perspective in a difficult world by your ministry.
Keeping you and Karla in my prayers. Blessings
Do ya’ll ever think that possibly this “holy separateness” can exist within a church body? Sometimes I get the feeling that my wife and I could very well be the healthiest people in church. The only safe bet for me to be able to go where I’m am sent is to forsake any connection with the places that I am sent. Much in the same way a piece of broken bread will never be part of the loaf.
There is such a broken-ness within our local body of believers. I am compelled to reach out there first. As Christ is the head and we are the body, all the rest of the world is literally under our feet. If that principal is true, it would make sense to be sure the body is in good health.
I am conflicted in my participation with the local body of believers. It seems that I have been thinking and acting as if Jesus is not enough. I have been “desiring worship” like a hungry brat who has forgotten that his father owns the grocery store. The thoughts of need, crowd in, lending a whole new meaning to “temptation”. I am tempted to think of myself as; not separate for a specific use and as such, falsely drawn to follow the crowd, trying to please some old idea of who man is. The net result is a forsaking of Christ. This is simply un-excusable. We are a holy nation a royal priesthood, His own special people set apart in Him. It seems this upward-inward path just gets more narrow, but the view is fantastic.
Chip: this article is great. Have been struggling with staying with the church I attend–for a variety of reasons. Your article gives much help. thank you!
Chip,
I can so relate to the troubled thoughts of John the Baptist as he sat in jail wondering did he miss “it”. I have often wondered if John and disciples actually “decreased” after Jesus came on the scene. Somehow his mouth got him into trouble with his opinions finding their way to Herod. It must have been difficult to have reached the pinnacle of his ministry only to find himself left out “after all I did”. Jesus didn’t even ask him to be a disciple. Ouch! John’s outspokenness got him into trouble somehow in politics.
Jesus was careful to do what His Father said and had 100% success rate!
Such a great prophet, John and, yet, so human. Was it hard to decrease after having such a successfull ministry? I sense he struggled to give it up even though he had seen and heard the Truth. There was some reason he ended up in prison, and there is some revelation to be found there, but I don’t have it all.
I know he expected Jesus to rescue him from physical prison. It’s possible that John had compromised Jesus and placed Him into a tight spot. Jesus never danced or played to another’s wishes. Who knows if Jesus might have been jailed as well getting involved and trying to clean up another’s mess? People were always trying to get Jesus distracted from obeying only the
Father’s voice.
It’s up to God to watch over His word to perform it.
We deliver it then step aside if we’re smart.
I often wonder if John stepped aside enough. Knowing we are supposed to decrease and doing it are two different things. I don’t want to be mean to John, it’s just that I have, myself, often made that mistake, and
ended up in a mess.
Knowing when something is over is difficult. Letting go is especially difficult when you’ve been in the limelight. I guess I just see the humanity of John as he was adjusting to giving up an assignment he had given his life’s preparation to.
When we’re in prison with our heads about to be chopped off let’s see which last straws we willl be grabbing! I feel for John, but i understand Jesus keeping His focus on target. Brenda Brown
I believed Jesus was grieved over John’s plight, but He did not lose His focus: the blind see; the lame walk; the deaf hear was His reassuring word to John that told him, “you had it right about me.”
Filled with joy, i do appreciate all your messages.
You’re right…Jesus is THE One, and that Jesus is much more than enough.
Beautiful!