Berita NECF Newletters

Chairman's Message

Description: More of Him, Less of me

More of Him, Less of me

by Rev. Eu Hong Seng

"HE MUST INCREASE, BUT I MUST DECREASE." (John 3:30 NKJV) I can't think of a more appropriate motto for year 2010.

The apostle of love is the only disciple who declared this. He understood that he had nothing that God did not give him (v27), he was not the Christ, though he had a powerful ministry and reputation (v28) and that he had this privilege of communicating with the God of gods (v29).

Understandably, John had this passion to see Jesus promoted. Notice the "must." He must increase.

He is to go on growing1 whilst I go on decreasing. These were John's last words from the dungeon until his enquiry whether Jesus was the Messiah (Matt11:2ff)

He must - this means it is not an option. There is no choice. It is non-negotiable. We must obey and do all that is necessary to ensure this is done.

Be it Church, job, office, school, or family, Jesus must be glorified.

When our business does well, when one gets promoted - does anybody know it is God who helped us?

Are we quick to glorify God? Do we spontaneously give Him the credit? Do our neighbours know we are trusting in Him alone? Do we always put Him first? Do people of other faiths have a better opinion of the Church because of us?

When our buildings are built, does a-l-l glory really go to God?

When our testimonies are sporadic and our character suspect, then the "must element" is missing.

For God's plan is twofold - there is to be a growing and continual comparison between Christ and us - and this is clearly seen in John's life (John3:31-36).

John must diminish and Christ must continue to grow.

Too often, our "humble decrease" is but for a season or occasion. We focus on Him increasingly but we lose sight of our "must decrease."

Are we really decreasing? We seem to be plagued by Hollywood Christianity. We boast of CEO leadership (in contrast to servant leadership); there is the new generation of workers who are slow to respond to their call till the pay package is right; more and more want to be "consulted", the growing dependence on publicity; inflated figures about our churches; the uncontrollable; many who feel they have the right to correct and slander churches publicly etc.

This worrying trend clearly shows that we have yet to learn to live I-must-decrease lives.

There can be no genuine "increase" if there is no "decrease" on our part.

I pray that 2010 will be a year we all re-learn humility and walk with this single focus - "He must increase!"


1 Present active infinitive auxanein (NT:837) - Roberston's Word Pictures in the NT



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