John 3:22-36 has Jesus with his disciples in the countryside and He “relaxed with them there”. Jesus knew the importance of taking care of both the spiritual and the physical body. He rested, and led His followers to do the same. Sometimes in today’s chaotic world, we don’t take time to stop and relax. We press on, having bought into the world’s lie that success happens when we trade all our time for activity of some sort. It may not be work, but we are equally guilty of just being plain busy all the time. Jesus recognized that as humans we need some rest and relaxation. God instituted the Sabbath as a day of rest, but Jesus shows us there is more than that.
John the Baptist and his followers were also in the area baptizing people. His guys got into an argument about Jesus doing the same thing. So they come to John and say “you know the one who was with you on the other side of the Jordan? The one you authorized with your witness? Well, he’s now competing with us. He’s baptizing, too, and everyone’s going to him instead of us”. Wow – doesn’t that sound like church life today? Obviously people are still people. Rather than seeing others bringing people to God, sometimes we can get caught up in competing for the limelight and numbers. We can miss the real goal – which is bringing people to eternal life.
John sets his followers straight reminding them that his purpose is to be the preparation for the Messiah, not the main act. John reminds them that “The One who comes from above is head and shoulders over other messengers from God”. That is all of us have to do – point to Jesus. He alone is the main event. He alone has the power to change lives. He alone has the ability to forgive sins and bring people to eternal life. God sent Jesus to bring life to anyone who would trust and believe in Him.
“That is why whoever accepts and trusts the Son gets in on everything, life complete and forever”. God sent Christ so He could bring grace and mercy to all of us that are in desperate need. Sin will destroy us and cause us to spend eternity apart from God. But Jesus came bringing God’s gift to mankind – salvation. God “turned everything over to him so he could give it away–a lavish distribution of gifts”. Jesus didn’t come with just enough. He came with all God is and has. And He came to give it away to anyone who would receive it. That is the price of admission. That we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and receive His sacrificial gift on the Cross where He traded His life to cover our sin. A lavish gift that is offered freely to anyone who will trust and believe!
Arlin Sorensen's Thoughts on Scripture 