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John 3:31-4:2 Humility (Part 2)

Alfonse Javed

Surrender the throne to Him, meaning submit your head, heart, and hand to Him. Let Christ increase until there is nothing left of self-rule.

John 3:31-4:2 – 3:31 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.

 4:1 Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2 (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples)…

“Is Jesus truly all in all in your life?” With that question, we ended the first part of this message from John 3:22–4:2, and that is where we begin again today. Because unless Jesus is all in all, something else will become ultimate. When the self becomes ultimate, comparison becomes inevitable. That is why comparison is so dangerous. It is not merely a social problem; it is a spiritual disease. Comparison is the symptom of a heart that lacks humility and has lost sight of Christ.

The Problem

Most people don’t know that comparison is a poison we are born with. I see it even in my own home. Over the last six months, I have watched my five-year-old twin girls compete over everything. If I compliment one sister, the other— no matter where she is in the house— comes running with the question: “What about me?” As parents, we keep reminding her, “You do not need to compete for a love you already possess.”

Church, that is not just a lesson for children— it is a lesson for all of us. People need to know that the reason we compare ourselves with others is that we have forgotten who we are in Jesus and what we have in Jesus. We keep asking, “What about me?” because we are still trying to earn an identity that Jesus already secured for us at the cross. When Christ is enough, we don’t compare, complain, and contrast with others; rather, we rejoice at their success.

Last time, in John 3:22–4:2, we noticed that success became the catalyst for conflict. John’s disciples took the success of Jesus as a threat to John’s ministry. But what shocked them was John’s response. He was not jealous of Jesus. He was not threatened by Jesus. He was not competing with Jesus.

Instead, he confronted them with humility and declared in John 3:27, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.” In other words, what God gives cannot be stolen by man, and what God withholds cannot be secured by striving.

Then in John 3:29, John described himself as the friend of the Bridegroom and said: “This joy of mine is now complete.”

And finally, in John 3:30, he summarized the entire posture of humility in one sentence: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” That is not insecurity. That is spiritual maturity. This is why humility is not thinking less of yourself— it is being so captivated by Christ that you think of yourself less.

The Big Idea

Unless Jesus is all in all in our lives, we will make everything about ourselves. We will measure our worth by what others possess, what others accomplish, what others receive, and what we lack. That creates an environment where envy is born, jealousy is nurtured, and pride is enthroned. We make Christ our all in all by understanding and living in humility.

Humility is the underlying spiritual principle of John 3:22-4:2 that reveals that humility confronts the conflict of comparison, creates contentment in the conflict, and confesses the command of Christ. We already covered the first two previously; today on this Mother’s Day, we examine how the humility confesses the command of Christ.

Humility Confesses the Command of Christ (John 3:31-4:2)

Only when we confess the command of Christ, that is, submitting to His reign and rule in all matters, whether spiritual, emotional, relational, financial, and physical, is the curse of comparison broken, and complete contentment is secured.

Then instead of asking, “What about me?” we say, “It is all about Jesus.” John 3:31-36 outlines three reasons why it is not about any of us but all about Jesus and how humility is needed to recognize it.

True Humility is in Admitting the Supremacy of Christ (John 3:31)

John 3:31 reads, “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.” John draws a line in the sand. Jesus is not merely greater than us by a degree— He is different from us by nature. John belongs to the earth. Jesus created the earth. John points to the truth. Jesus is the Truth. John carries a message. Jesus is the Message.

This is the heart of humility: recognizing that there is a throne in the universe you were never meant to occupy. Pride attempts to ascend. Humility bows. Pride says: “My will. My recognition. My glory.” Humility says: “Christ is above all.” That’s what John is doing.

The reason comparison destroys us is because comparison is ultimately a battle for supremacy. But when you truly see Christ exalted, self-exaltation begins to die.

Gospel Truth

A humble person is not someone who values himself less; he is someone who has seen Christ infinitely greater than himself.

Imagine holding a candlelight in pitch darkness, and suddenly, the sun comes from behind the dark clouds with its brilliance; that is how John must have felt.

True Humility is in Submitting to the Superiority of Christ (John 3:32-34)

John 3:32-33 continues, “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.”

John says Jesus speaks what He has seen and heard. Christ does not offer opinions. He delivers divine revelation. When Jesus speaks, heaven speaks. That means His words are not suggestions to admire; they are commands to obey.

John 3:34 explains, “34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.” That is another distinction that makes Jesus superior to John. Every prophet received the Spirit in measure. Jesus possesses the Spirit without measure because He is God in the flesh. Therefore, Christ is utterly unique. He is not one voice among many. He is the final Word above all voices.

Gospel Truth

Humility is not merely confessing the name of Christ. Humility is surrendering to the reign of Christ. Many people admire Jesus but resist His authority. They want His forgiveness without His Lordship, His promises without His commands, and His salvation without surrender.

Imagine standing before a massive bridge spanning a dangerous canyon. You can admire the architect and the structure. You can even intellectually believe the bridge will hold you. But the bridge only saves you when you step onto it.  Many people treat Jesus the same way. They admire Him from a distance but never entrust themselves to Him completely. Faith is stepping onto the bridge.

True Humility is in Recognizing the Sovereignty of Christ (John 3:35-36)

John 3:35 continues, “35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.” This is the “All in All” reality. John 3:35 says that the Father gave “all things” into Jesus’ hand. This includes history, eternity, salvation, judgment, your future, your next breath, and your next heartbeat. That means nothing exists outside His authority.

Therefore, John 3:36 concludes, “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.” Notice the verse says it takes believing in Christ and obeying Christ to have eternal life.

Many people think that by obeying, they will be saved, but the truth is, when you believe in Christ, you are saved, and then by the power of the Spirit, you obey Him. Human pride keeps people from believing that only Christ saves, and in the absence of humility, they think they can obey in their own strength.

Eternal life is not earned; it is received through surrender to Christ. The opposite is also true: Unbelief is not merely intellectual doubt; it is spiritual rebellion. Just as eternal life is a reality for those who put their faith in Jesus, eternal hell is a reality for those who do not put their faith in Jesus.

Gospel Truth

It takes humility to confess you need salvation because you are a sinner and heading to hell, and it is not by human will, or good works that you can be saved, rather it is by God’s Will and the ultimate Work of Christ on the cross that you can be saved. It is after believing that you are saved that you obey to show you are saved. So, if you have never accepted Jesus before, will you humble yourself and believe in Jesus to receive eternal life.

Astronauts often describe a profound shift when they view Earth from space. Borders disappear. Distinctions blur. Things that once felt ultimate suddenly seem temporary. Perspective changes everything. That is exactly what happens when Christ is rightly seen. When you truly see His supremacy, superiority, and sovereignty, your ego shrinks, your comparisons weaken, and your jealousy fades.

Spiritual Principle

Faith in Christ is the final expression of humility. When we believe in Christ and not in what we can do or secure, that is true humility. When we say, “I cannot save myself. I cannot rule my destiny; therefore, I desperately need a Savior.” Unbelief, on the other hand, is ultimately pride because it refuses to surrender to Christ’s rule and reign.

Application

Every rejection of Christ is an attempt to preserve self-rule in opposition to confessing the command of Christ. However, every act of faith is a surrender to His supremacy, superiority, and sovereignty. John 4:1-2 tells us that Jesus was indeed more popular than John because He was making more disciples than John, but it did not bother John a bit because he saw Jesus for who He truly is. The question is, do you see Jesus for who He truly is? We will pick this up next time at John 4:3.

Closing Thought

As I close, I want to tell you the story of a man who once confessed to his mentor that jealousy was robbing him of joy.

The man said, “I pray, attend church, serve, and cleaned up my life.”

The mentor responded: “You’ve given Jesus a religious room and a moral room, but you still hold the title deed. You are still the landlord, and He is only a guest. To declare Jesus ‘all in all’ means you hand Him the keys and sign the deed over to Him completely.”

That is the issue. Jesus does not want visitation rights in your life. He demands rightful ownership. If He is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all. Only when He is all in all, then comparison dies along with envy, jealousy, and strife.

Action Step

This week, mentally hand the keys of every room in your life to Christ. Say: “Lord, I stop being the landlord of this area. You are all in all. Whatever You command, I will obey.”

I tell you, humility is the soul confessing: Christ is above me, Christ is over me, and Christ is enough for me. Humility dethrones self and crowns Christ.

Appeal

Surrender the throne to Him, meaning submit your head, heart, and hands to Him. Let Christ increase until there is nothing left of self-rule. Stop trying to preserve control over what already belongs to Him. Hand over the keys. Make Jesus all in all in your life. That means that Jesus Christ is not merely part of your life— He is the center of it.

He is the supreme sustaining sovereign force governing every thought, every affection, every ambition, every decision, and every desire. He is not simply your Helper in hardship; He is your Lord in everything.

To say Christ is “all in all” means that He is the source of your identity. He is the satisfaction of your soul. He is the authority over your choices. He is the sustaining power in every season of life.

What season of life are you in? Is Jesus truly all in all in your life, regardless of the season? Is it the cry of your soul, “He must increase, but I must decrease?” If not, you will remain trapped in the web of comparisons where envy is born, jealousy is nurtured, and pride is enthroned.

Inductive Bible Study: Observation, Interpretation, Application

 Observation: What Does the Text Say?

  1. According to John 3:31, where does Jesus come from and what does that reveal about His authority?
  1. What contrast does John make between “earthly” people and Christ?
  1. What does Jesus testify about in John 3:32–34?
  1. What does John 3:34 reveal about Jesus’ relationship to the Father and the Spirit?
  1. What is the difference between “believing” the Son and “rejecting / disobeying” the Son in this passage?

Interpretation: What Does the Text Mean?

  1. Why is humility directly connected to recognizing that Jesus is “above all”?
  1. How does pride compete with Christ for control and recognition?
  1. Why is unbelief ultimately a form of pride according to this passage?
  1. Discuss what it means practically to say, ““He must increase, but I must decrease.” As the Sunday message stated: “Humility is not thinking lowly of yourself—it is thinking rightly about Christ.”

Application: How Should This Change Us? 

  1. Where are you most tempted to compare yourself with others?
  1. How does comparison affect your joy and contentment?
  1. Are there “locked rooms” in your life that you have not fully surrendered to Christ?
  1. What does genuine submission to Christ’s authority look like in your current season?
  1. How can humility help restore harmony in relationships, ministry, marriage, or church life?
  1. Think about what the Sunday message said, “Pride negotiates with Jesus. Humility bows before Him.” In what ways are you tempted to negotiate with God instead of obeying Him?
  1. Discuss how this group can help one another move…

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John 3:22-30 Humility (Part 1)

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