Cultivating Humility

March 29, 2026|Cultivating Humility| John 3:22-36

JD Cutler

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In the gospel of John, we have previously looked at John the Baptist as an example of a witness, and saw that to be an effective and faithful witness, we must have the heart of witness. Someone who knows who they are, that sees Jesus for who he is, and that declares him to others passionately. 

This morning in our passage we find ourselves getting a glimpse into John’s life and ministry after he has announced Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. We are not done learning from John the Baptist on what it means to be an effective and faithful witness. This morning we are going to hear what a truly humble disciple of Christ proclaims as his final recorded words in the gospel of John. 

Here is the problem whenever we talk about humility.Humility is one of those virtues that is not realized by ourselves but recognized by others. Here is what I mean by that. The moment we think of ourselves as humble, we have lost the very humility we are talking about.

One pastor said it this way, 

Humility is that grace that, when you know you have it, you have lost it.- Andrew Murray

To that David Martyn Lloyd-Jones adds. 

If our humility is not unconsciousness it is exhibitionism.- David Martyn Lloyd-Jones 

That raises the question, how does one cultivate humility if by focusing on it, it becomes more and more elusive?

Perhaps even more importantly, why should we even concern ourselves with it?

Because when we look at the Scriptures, humility is not optional.

Jesus is our example of humility outlined in Philippians 2. That’s pretty important since the purpose of the Father is to conform those who are his into the likeness of his son through the power of His Spirit.

Humility is one of the things that Paul lists as essential to our identity as God’s chosen ones, alongside compassionate hearts, kindness, meekness, and patience in Colossians 3.

In Ephesians 4 Paul tells us humility is a necessary component alongside patience and gentleness to bear with one another in love.

In Romans 12 it is the primary attitude of those able to live in harmony with one another. In Matthew 18 Jesus says that humility is necessary to be great in the kingdom of heaven.

The most eye opening statement in scripture is repeated throughout the new testament, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. 

So how do we become humble?

Our text shows us something crucial:

If we are going to be humble men and women, it will not come by focusing on humility itself, but by seeing more clearly. Here’s the second truth we’re going to see this morning: We will never truly know how humble we are until our pride is tested.

It’s easy to feel humble when everything is going our way.

But what happens when:

attention shifts away from us

influence begins to fade

others begin to surpass us

That’s where genuine humility is revealed.

And that’s exactly where we find John the Baptist. As we look behind the curtain of his heart, we don’t see a man trying to be humble, we see a man who sees clearly.  Because he sees clearly, he responds rightly.This morning, we’re going to see that John has embraced four realities that produce true humility:

If you haven’t already, open your bibles to John chapter 3 at verse 22 and let’s read this encounter together. 

John 3:22–36 ESV

²² After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. ²³ John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized ²⁴ (for John had not yet been put in prison). ²⁵ Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. 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.” ²⁷ John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. ²⁸ You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ ²⁹ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. ³⁰ He must increase, but I must decrease.” ³¹ He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. ³² He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. ³³ Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. ³⁴ For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. ³⁵ The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. ³⁶ 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.

Before we look at John’s response and the worldview that motivates it, let’s as a way of introduction, briefly look at the test he encounters. Here is the situation. At least for a brief time, the ministry of Jesus and John the Baptist overlapped. From other gospel accounts it can seem like John’s ended with his imprisonment and Jesus’ began, but Apostle John, who seems to have been one of John’s disciples who ultimately became one of Jesus’ wants us to see into this interesting historical moment. Scripture tells us that they were both baptizing, Jesus and his disciples in the Judean countryside and John and his disciples at Aenon near Salim. John adds the parenthesis (for John had not yet been put in prison). 

Then John’s disciples are challenged by a Jew over purification, probably related to baptism, and from their message to John, probably something to do with Jesus and his disciples baptizing. The apostle John doesn’t give us any details about that conversation but whatever its content, it caused the disciples of John to come back to him expecting him to do something. Inherent in their words are a kind of expectation that John should be upset by the current situation. “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.”This man, whom you baptized, whom you graciously endorsed, this same one, he is baptizing…here is the real sticking point for them… and all are going to him.

Everyone who used to come to you is now going to him, aren’t you going to do something? Pretty soon it will just be you and us. There’s something beneath their words; urgency, maybe even desperation, and likely a growing disappointment as they watch the crowds leave.

Numbers and comparison have begun stealing their joy. More than that,  they seem to want John to feel the same way. You can hear it in their final words, ‘and all are going to him.’

Previously we looked at the success of John the Baptist’s ministry, people from all over and from all walks of life were coming to him to be baptized for repentance. His popularity increased to the point the Pharisees sent an official delegation to question him, and now the attention has shifted from John to Jesus. From his disciples standpoint John is fading into obscurity while this Jesus is gaining popularity and attention. 

How did John respond?

By expressing a series of realities that his disciples were evidently missing that he himself had embraced. 

The first reality, like John, we need to embrace is that we must…

I. EMBRACE THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD  

Look at his statement in verse 27.

John 3:27 “27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing — unless it is given him from heaven.” 

From the first time we meet John until his final words, he remains steadfastly committed to the idea that everything he has, his ministry, his calling, his effectiveness are a gift from God. His goal in ministry was never to be well known, but to be faithful to his heavenly mission. 

Here he clearly states that he understands that it is not just him, but to anyone who has even one thing cannot claim that it is his and not a gift from heaven. This is consistent with what we see elsewhere in scripture. Paul repeatedly emphasized everything that he was and had was from God. In 1 Corinthians he says by the grace of God I am what I am. In Ephesians he says he was made a minister of the gospel by the gift of the grace of God, in Galatians that he was set apart before he was born and called by God’s grace. In Colossians he says that his whole ministry to the gentiles was a gift of stewardship from God. Similarly in 1 Corinthians, he applies this to every minister when he says, 1 Corinthians 3:5–7 “5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.”

God is the one who gives the growth. 

Similarly James, the half brother of Jesus says it this way, James 1:17 “17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” 

Jesus says it this way in John 6:44 “44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.” 

From the calling, equipping, and proclamation to the drawing, expression of faith, and salvation, every bit of it is attributed to God’s sovereign will and work in scripture. 

What then does any of us have to be proud of?

What do have that God did not give us? If we received it what reason to boast do we have?

This is the Apostle Paul’s argument in 1st Corinthians 4. 

Here is where Christians across various traditions find common ground, all admit that salvation is not initiated by man but by God and rightly conclude that there is nothing to boast in when it comes to our salvation. 

For John the Baptist, it could have been easy to look around at his once thriving and successful ministry as it was eclipsed by Jesus’ and think, this isn’t fair, or even I need to do something. But, he embraced the sovereignty of God and declared, a person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. 

What about you? What about our church collective?

What do you see when you look around at your life?

What about when another gospel preaching church is experiencing growth and salvations?

Is our response one of humility or one of pride?

If we truly embrace the sovereignty of God—that everything we have is given, not earned—then it begins to reshape how we see ourselves.

Because once we realize that God is the giver of all things, we are forced to come to terms with this next reality:

We are not the center.We are not indispensable.We are not the Christ.

Which leads us to the second reality we must embrace:

II. EMBRACE THE LIMITS OF YOUR ROLE

Look at verse 28. John 3:28 “28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’” 

You see, John doesn’t just understand God’s sovereignty—he understands his place within it.

This kind of humility flows from two things John understands clearly: his identity and his mission.

First, his identity. I am not the Christ. You have already heard me say this.

Second, his mission. I have been sent before Him. 

Listen, no matter how many people you lead to Christ, how much Bible you teach, or how many disciples you make—you are not the Christ.—We are not the main character in the story. Christ is. John understood this, the question is—do we?

Genuine humility is not thinking less of yourself—it is thinking rightly about your role in God’s plan. 

Let me take you back to how John identified himself when he was asked by the delegation from the Pharisees, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

Do you hear what they’re really asking?

Who are you?

Who do you think you are?

How would you answer that question if you were John? I am the Prophet who was foretold, I am the elected forerunner of Christ, I am the one who ushers in the Christ.

How did John answer?

23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

I am the voice. John refuses to identify himself as central to the story. Instead, he embraces this picture—his whole ministry is just a voice… a sound in the wilderness pointing to Someone else. 

Even in the way he described his mission. 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.

Not that I would make Him known, but that God would reveal Him through the role He gave me.That wasn’t just true for John, it’s true for us.

When you think about your role.

As a husband, as a wife, as a parent, as a teacher, as a disciple-maker, as a Christian.

It is not about you. Husbands, you are called to love and lead your wives well, not so that you get the credit but that you might cultivate in her a greater love for the one who gave you that role. Parents, you are called to love and bring your kids up in the admonition of the Lord, not so they will say what a great parent they had, but what a great God who made you their parent. 

Do you see the difference this would make, if we would start seeing ourselves not as the main character, but as faithful witnesses who point others to Christ in all that we do?

When we stop seeing ourselves as the main character, and start seeing ourselves as witnesses—everything changes.

When we embrace the sovereignty of God, and we accept the limits of our role—there’s only one place left to look.

If we are not the center…if we are not the Christ, then who is?

That brings us to the third reality we must embrace:

III. EMBRACE THE SUPREMACY OF CHRIST

For a moment, let’s look at verses 31-35 for a moment. 

John is no longer just speaking about himself—he is lifting our eyes to Christ. And what he says is unmistakable: Jesus is not just greater—He is above all.

³¹ He who comes from above is above all.

Christ is from above. We are from the earth.

He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way.

He speaks what He has seen and heard in heaven. We speak what we have learned on earth.

But John doesn’t stop there. He tells us why Christ is supreme:

He comes from above. His origin is heavenly 

He speaks what He has seen and heard. His testimony is perfect 

He is sent by God. His authority is divine 

He gives the Spirit without measure. His power is unlimited 

the Father has given all things into His hand. His position is absolute 

Everything belongs to Him. All authority. All power. All judgment. All salvation.

To be truly humble, John doesn’t need to think about himself at all, he simply needs to think about Jesus and by comparison, his supremacy is so vastly beyond ours, we aren’t even in the picture.

When you get a right view of Jesus, humility is the only possible option. 

And that brings us to the dividing line in verse 36: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life…”

This is not just about ministry for John, this is about eternity. John is a voice, John is a friend, the point is not to receive John (which wouldn't gain anyone anything), but to receive the one he proclaims. To receive Christ is life and to reject Christ is wrath. This is the whole of it for John. 

John unequivocally pronounces that Jesus is supreme because he sees Jesus for who he is. 

Do you?

Have you subtly made the Christian life about yourself?

When you think about your call to make disciples, do you think that means making people like yourself, or helping people become more like Jesus?

When you understand that in His sovereignty God has declared that Christ is over all.

When you understand that you are not the main character but Christ is.

When you understand that Christ is infinitely supreme.

What is left…but to rejoice?

This is why John responds the way he does, the final reality we need this morning is to…

IV. EMBRACE THE JOY OF SERVANTHOOD

Let’s go back and pick up in verse 29 where John describes his joy in bringing men and women to Jesus. 

 ²⁹ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.

John uses a great imagery here to help his disciples see the reason he has joy in Christ’s ministry and not jealousy, why he is grateful in humility and not upset in pride.

He paints a picture. Jesus is the bridegroom, he is the friend of the bridegroom, probably similar to what we would call a best man in our current vernacular. No one thinks the wedding is about the best man. He may wear a nice tuxedo, participate in the ceremony, the pictures and the celebration, but he is there not in a primary role, but a supportive one. 

In 1st century Judea there were two groomsmen, one for the bridegroom and one for his bride. Before marriage they acted as intermediaries between the couple, at the wedding they offered gifts, waiting upon the bride and bridegroom, and after the ceremony led them to the bridal chamber, concluding their responsibilities. It was the duty of the friend of the bridegroom to present him to his bride. John pictures the moment that the bridegroom tells his friend, his best man, it is time and he gets to accompany the bridegroom to his bride. 

Jesus himself uses the term bridegroom for himself when the pharisees ask why his disciples do not fast. He says, Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.

Paul later picks up the same imagery when he says, in 2 Corinthians 11 I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me! 2 For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. Here he equates himself and his ministry similarly to John the Baptist, as a friend to the bride, whose joy it is to present her to the bridegroom. 

Scripture employs this bridegroom imagery across both testaments to convey God’s intimate covenant relationship with his people and, in the New Testament, Christ’s bond with the church. The analogy portrays the relationship between God and his people in terms of a bond of mutual self-giving love, a marriage, which draws the bride closer to the heavenly Bridegroom. In the Old Testament, this metaphor establishes God’s exclusive devotion to Israel. As a young man marries a young woman, God rejoices over his people as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride. (Isa 62:5) God pledges to betroth his people forever in righteousness and justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. (Hos 2:19–20) 

The New Testament transfers this imagery to Christ and the church. For Christian readers, the term “bridegroom” most readily denotes Jesus Christ, grounded in Ephesians where the incarnate Messiah serves as the bridegroom of the church. Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her and present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. (Eph 5:25–32) This sacrificial love redefines the marital analogy as a model of self-giving rather than possession.

John says, now that men and women are coming to Christ, his joy is complete. Then he utters what has become a well known line. He must increase and I must decrease. Just like when the friend of the groom has completed his responsibility, he is no longer central to the union, his role is complete and he steps back from the couple in joy and satisfaction. Don’t miss this, John is not reluctantly stepping aside. He is rejoicing. This is the way it is supposed to be. He must increase and I must decrease.

This is necessity. This is right. This is good. 

I wonder if we have that kind of joy in our kingdom work, not because God does it through us, but for what it accomplishes in the kingdom of God. I wonder if we will be pleased to hear, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

In our final analysis we find that John’s joy is complete because Christ is exalted.Not because his ministry succeeded.Not because his name was remembered.But because people were going to Jesus.

And that raises the question for us as witnesses ourselves:

What completes our joy?

Is it being seen?

Is it being needed?

Is it being recognized?

Or is it Christ being known?

So what does it look like to cultivate true humility? It’s not by trying harder to be humble, but by seeing clearly.

Seeing that:

God is sovereign over all things

We are not the Christ

Jesus is supreme over all

And our joy is found in pointing others to Him.

So how do you know if this is true in your life? You’ll know when your pride is tested. When the attention shifts, when the influence fades, when someone else is used more than you.

When that happens, will you resist it or rejoice?

That’s what we have seen John do. He doesn’t cling to his role. He doesn’t compete with Christ. He doesn’t try to hold onto the crowds.

He understand and professes: He must increase and I must decrease.

In the end, this is not just about humility, this is about Jesus. Verse 36 makes that clear: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life…”

Everything comes down to this:

Not who you disciple.

Not who discipled you.

Not what role you played.

But whether you have believed in the Son.

Because, to receive Christ is life and to reject Christ is to remain under wrath. 

So the question this morning is this: Have you believed in Him?

And for those who have: Are you living in such a way that your life says:

Not me…but Him.

Not my name…but His.

Not my glory…but His.

May we be a people who find our joy where John found his: Not in being seen, but in Christ being exalted.

That is the heart of a true witness.

That is the mark of real humility.

He must increase.I must decrease.

Let us pray.