LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2019, Page 79

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Selfless Esteem, Surrender-ful Joy
JOHN 3:25–30

The Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz
Executive Director, Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty
67th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod • July 22, 2019 • Midday Prayer
John the Baptizer said, “The friend who attends the
bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when
he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is
now complete. He must become greater; I must become less”
(John 3:29–30 NIV).

politically powerful. He calls them to “produce fruit in
keeping with repentance.” No ill-fated humility rooted
in fear or timidity, rather a JOYFILLED FAITH in the
preeminence of Jesus Christ FOR ALL. That’s what John
is offering us today!

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you in all in Christ, the
center of our life, the essence of our Joy!

So, how can the path to joy be about becoming “less”?

What a powerfully confusing word from John today,
right? The key to JOY? I must become less? How can that
be good? In a world that argues over and over again that
the key to happiness and joy is all about becoming
greater, how can the path to joy be about becoming
“less”?
But that’s exactly John’s point. When your emptiness is
filled by Jesus Christ’s fullness, when your sin is
forgiven because of Christ’s sacrificial service and
propitiating death, when you and I can do nothing for
Him, when, in fact, we need Him to do everything for
us, the spiritual fact abides… I must decrease, He must
increase! AND THAT’S COMPLETE JOY!
Now it’s important to hear these words especially as we
gather to make decisions about our mission and
ministry together. We need to remember that John’s “I
decrease, Christ increases, Joy” is specifically about his
ministry. It’s not meant to be reduced to some
principles for our appropriation of joy. But, there are
lessons to learn from his attitude that do indeed call us
to greater faith, abundant life, even JOY that only Christ
can give!
First, John’s beautiful acknowledgement of the
preeminence of Jesus, his awareness of his decreasing
role as forerunner of Christ — it’s no faux humility.
John is a man of “truth-infused backbone.” His is an
authentic humility not derived from any fear of
confrontation. His humility before Jesus actually
compels his commitment and courage to “speak the
truth in love” to anyone and everyone no matter the
personal cost to him. Remember the variety of episodes
where he calls out the religious leaders and the
Convention Sermons

Easy. Repentantly allow Jesus to become everything for
you.
Here we need to admit that the message of the
Scripture is counterintuitive to much of what we think
we know to be true.
For real, lasting joy, we’re errantly told to grab for the
gusto — to look out for number one, to live life on our
terms alone. The deep and abiding problem in all of this
is that our terms, our abilities, our desires are corrupted
by our rebellion, depravity and sin.
John as forerunner — not Messiah — knew that he
needed a Savior just like we do. And the good news is
that we have one, in Jesus Christ alone.
The key to joy in life is not only for Jesus to become
greater in your life, but for Christ to become everything
for you, with your life becoming one of abundance in
Him for others.
What an incredible truth! We do have a Savior, one who
doesn’t encounter us to overwhelm or destroy us, but
comes to us with life and salvation as gifts of His grace.
Even as we realize our emptiness without Jesus, He
doesn’t leave us wanting. He increases to the point that
He becomes all things for us, living our life to the fullest,
dying our death in the judgement of the cross, and
giving us His eternal, abundant life by grace, through
faith alone!
And His gift of grace empowers a life of joy in Him for
the sake of others.
In fact, we have a joy that comes from what I like to call
“selfless esteem.” And therefore, in Christ, we have
“surrender-ful joy”! What I mean is this….
PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2019 (67TH) LCMS CONVENTION | 79