TYMB Week 37 - John 3:30

That You May Believe - Study Guide

Week 37 - September 12th, 2021

John 3:30

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Context: After Jesus begins baptizing His followers, some of John the Baptist's disciples become worried that Jesus is threatening John’s ministry. Many who were once John’s followers are now deserting Him to become disciples of Jesus. John responds to his followers, saying “I am not the Christ.” He compares himself to a groomsman who rejoices when the groom comes to the wedding. He then utters the words of verse 30.

Meaning:  John the Baptist recognized that his purpose was not to point to himself but to point to Jesus. He teaches his followers that the whole purpose of his ministry was to make himself obsolete, preparing the way for the true savior of the world. His ministry must now diminish so that the Christ’s may flourish.

Life Application: As followers of Jesus, we would do well to remember John’s words. Although we may give great help to those in need, we are not the Christ. Although we may receive praise and honor for our accomplishments in this life, we should use those accolades to point to Jesus’ greater work. A life lived for Jesus is a life of joyful insignificance, constantly pointing away from the self and toward the Christ.

For Further Study: Jesus comments on the importance and purpose of John’s ministry in John 5:32-38. What words and phrases does Jesus use to describe John? How can we be like John in our own life and ministry?

Week 1 - Psalm 1:1-2

That You May Believe Study Guide

Week 1 - January 3rd, 2021

Psalm 1:1-2

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Context: These are the opening lines of the book of Psalms, a collection of hymns sung by God’s people for millennia. These words serve to describe how this book will function. The Book of Psalms is also the first commentary on the Bible, stemming from the meditations of their authors on YHWH, His work, and His words.

Meaning: The “blessed” man is a man whose life is set apart from the life of the wicked in thought (counsel), word (scoffers), and deed (sinners). Instead of a focus on self, His focus and delight is fulfilled in meditating on the words of YHWH, seeking to align His life ever-closer to the Law of God.

Life Application: The opening stanza of Psalms has informed Christians and Jews alike for generations. These words tell us that the whole Bible shares on meta-genre: It is written as meditation literature. We are to read the words of scripture regularly, and with dedication to their meaning and bearing on our lives. If we read scripture properly we will read it both slowly and obediently. The more we read, the more we understand; the more we understand, the more we will obey. 

For Further Study: The Greek equivalent of the word “blessed” appears famously and frequently in Jesus’ instructions to His disciples in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7). What connections can you find between the teachings of Jesus and the teachings of this Psalm?