QT 06/03/2026 Fri. John 3:22–36 How John reacts when his followers decrease? 跟随者减少时约翰如何应对？

QT 06/03/2026 Fri. John 3:22–36 How John reacts when his followers decrease?
READ http://www.esv.org/john3:22-36

John’s followers themselves ask John why his followers are on the decrease. How do you expect an influencer these days to react? How did John react?

In John 3, the spotlight begins to shift. Crowds are moving. Attention is growing. Influence is measurable. Some of John the Baptist’s disciples feel the tension—John 3:26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” (ESV)

It sounds like loss. But John hears it differently.

(1) The Joy of Knowing Who You Are

John answers with an image of a wedding: “The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom… rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:29–30)

John understands his role. He is not the Christ. He is not the centre. He is not the bridegroom. He is the friend. And that is enough.

Application for today: There is deep freedom in seeing ourselves rightly. We are not the Saviour. We are not the source of life. We are not the main character in God’s redemptive story. Jesus is. When we try to be more than “friend of the bridegroom,” we lose joy. But when we gladly step aside so that Christ is exalted, our joy becomes complete.

(2) Jesus Is the Truth

John goes further: “Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true.” (John 3:33). To receive Jesus is to declare that God is true. To reject Him is to call God a liar.

Jesus does not merely speak truth—He is the truth. He comes from above (John 3:31). He speaks the very words of God (John 3:34). The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand (John 3:35). There is no neutrality here. Receiving Christ is believing God. Rejecting Christ is rejecting God.

(3) Life or Wrath

The passage closes with sober clarity: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” (John 3:36)

Notice the parallel: believing is tied to obeying. True faith receives Christ as He is—Lord, Bridegroom, Son of God. Saving faith bows. Eternal life is not earned. It is received. But it is received through humble trust that submits to the Son.

Apart from Him, wrath remains. Not begins—remains. We are not neutral people deciding between two equal options. We are fallen people in need of rescue. And the rescue is Christ.

(4) A Call to Decrease

This text confronts our pride. We want recognition. We measure impact. We compare ministries, platforms, influence, even spiritual maturity. But the friend of the bridegroom listens for one voice.

Is Christ increasing in your life?

• In your ambitions?
• In your conversations?
• In your reputation?
• In your private obedience?

To decrease does not mean self-hatred or self-debasement. It means proper perspective. We are servants. Witnesses. Friends. He is the Bridegroom. And when He is exalted, our joy is full.

Prayer

“Father in heaven. You are the true and living God, and You have sent Your Son from above. You have given all things into His hand, and You have declared Him to be the Bridegroom, full of grace and truth.

Forgive me for seeking my own increase. Forgive my pride, my desire for recognition, my quiet longing to be more than a servant. Teach me to see myself rightly — not as the Christ, not as the centre, but as a friend of the Bridegroom who rejoices at His voice.

Cause Your Son to increase in my heart, in my thoughts, in my words, and in my life. Let His name be greater, His glory brighter, His authority unquestioned in me. Where I must decrease, give me grace to do so gladly.

Father, I receive the testimony of Your Son. I set my seal to this: You are true. Strengthen my faith to believe Him fully and obey Him sincerely. Keep me from hardness of heart and from disobedience that leads to death.

Thank You that whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Let that life be evident in me — a life of humility, joy, and faithful obedience. Make me content to stand and hear His voice. Let my joy be complete as Christ is exalted. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

QT 06/03/2026 星期五. 约翰福音3:22-36 跟随者减少时约翰如何应对？
阅读 http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/Jhn/3

门徒们主动询问约翰为何追随者日渐减少。你认为当今的意见领袖会如何反应？约翰又是如何应对的？

约翰福音第三章起，聚光灯开始转移。人群在流动，关注度在攀升，影响力变得可量化。施洗约翰的门徒们感受到这种张力——约翰福音3:26 “他们来到约翰那里，对他说：“拉比，你看，从前和你在约旦河东，你为他作见证的那一位，他也在施洗，众人都到他那里去了。”

这听起来像是损失。但约翰却有不同的领悟。

(1) 知己之喜

约翰以婚礼为喻回应：“ 娶新娘的是新郎。新郎的好友站在那里听着，听见新郎的声音就非常喜乐。因此，我这喜乐满溢了！他必兴旺，我必衰微。”（约翰福音3:29-30）

约翰明白自己的定位。他不是基督，不是焦点，不是新郎，而是伴郎。这已足够。

今日应用：正确认识自我带来深层自由。我们不是救主，不是生命之源，也不是神救赎故事的主角。耶稣才是。当我们试图超越“新郎的朋友”身份时，便失去喜乐。但当我们甘心退后，让基督得着尊荣，我们的喜乐便全然满足。

(2) 耶稣就是真理

约翰进一步阐明：“那接受他的见证的，就确认　神是真的。”（约翰福音3:33）领受耶稣就是宣告神是真实的；拒绝祂就是指称神是说谎者。

耶稣不仅说真理——祂就是真理。祂从天上降下（约翰福音3:31），祂所说的正是神的话语（约翰福音3:34）。父爱子，已将万有交在祂手里（约翰福音3:35）。在此没有中立立场：接纳基督就是信靠神，拒绝基督就是拒绝神。

(3) 生命或忿怒

经文以清醒的宣告作结：“信子的，有永生；不信从子的，必不得见永生，　神的震怒却常在他身上。”（约翰福音3:36）

注意其平行关系：信与顺服紧密相连。真实的信心接纳基督本相——祂是主、新郎、神的儿子。救恩的信心俯伏顺服。永生并非靠功德换取，乃是领受。但领受之道在于谦卑信靠，顺服圣子。

离开祂，忿怒便存留。不是开始存留——而是持续存留。我们并非在两个平等选项间抉择的中立者，而是需要被拯救的堕落之人。而这救赎就是基督。

(4) 衰微的呼召

这段经文直指我们的骄傲。我们渴求认可，衡量影响力，比较事工、平台、声望，甚至属灵成熟度。但新郎的朋友只聆听一个声音：

基督在你生命中是否日益增长？

• 在你的抱负中？
• 在你的言谈中？
• 在你的声誉中？
• 在你私下的顺服中？

“衰微” 并非自厌或自贬，而是持守正确立场。我们是仆人，是见证者，是朋友。祂是新郎。当祂被高举时，我们的喜乐便得着满足。

祷告

"天上的父啊，祢是真实活着的上帝，祢从天上差遣祢的儿子。祢将万有都交在他手里，宣告他是满有恩典与真理的新郎。

求祢赦免我追求自我彰显的罪。赦免我的骄傲、渴求认可的心，以及那渴望超越仆人身份的隐秘渴望。求祢教我正确认识自己——非基督，非中心，唯是新郎的朋友，因祂的声音欢喜。

愿祢的儿子在我心中、思想里、言语间、生命中日益增长。愿祂的名更尊大，荣耀更明亮，权柄在我里面无可置疑。当我必须缩小自己时，求赐我恩典欢然顺服。

父啊，我领受祢儿子的见证，在此立誓：祢是真实的。求祢坚固我的信心，使我全然信靠祂、真诚顺服祂。保守我免于心硬，免于那导致死亡的悖逆。

感谢祢，凡信子的人必得永生。愿这生命在我身上彰显——成为谦卑、喜乐、忠心顺服的生命。求祢使我甘心站立聆听祂的声音，因基督被高举，我的喜乐便得完全。奉耶稣的名求。阿们。