HOMEGOING FOR DR LARRY BEAVER
(Finishing Well - August 28, 2022)
Series Big Idea: "Home-going for Dr. Larry Beaver"
Sermon Big Idea: "We must decrease, and Christ must increase"
Key Scripture (John 3:22-30)
Today our hearts are heavy and happy at the same time. We are sad because we are now separated from one of God’s great servants, our founding pastor, Dr. Larry Beaver. Separation is difficult for us as humans. But we are happy because Pastor Beaver has now finished his Christian race. He has fought well and is now at home with the Lord. This is not a funeral service for Pastor Larry, but there is no way we could not acknowledge the loss we feel at the moment. So, I am praying that this sermon will both honor him and glorify the name of Christ in this place.
(John 3:22-30)
After this, Jesus and His disciples went to the Judean countryside, where He spent time with them and baptized. 23 John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water there. People were coming and being baptized, 24 since John had not yet been thrown into prison. 25 Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a Jew about purification. 26 So they came to John and told him, “Rabbi, the One you testified about, and who was with you across the Jordan, is baptizing—and everyone is flocking to Him.” 27 John responded, “No one can receive a single thing unless it’s given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I’ve been sent ahead of Him.’ 29 He who has the bride is the groom. But the groom’s friend, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the groom’s voice. So, this joy of mine is complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”
John the Baptist is a powerful example of finishing well in the life of a servant of our Lord. From the human perspective, John closed out his life as a total failure, an underdog. He was upstaged by another more popular preacher, whose name just so happened to be Jesus. He wound up in prison. Finally, suffering a brutal death as he was beheaded, and his head was delivered to the king on a silver platter. By earthly thinking, finishing life this way is insignificant; utterly worthless.
If John is to be an example for us, then Jesus must have a different view of what it means to finish out your life on top. John’s ministry was brief, but it wasn’t the length of his ministry that counted, it was the quality.
Two words mark the ministry of John the Baptist. It would be to your advantage to remember these two small but powerful words. Maybe even write them down somewhere. This passage reveals much about John’s character.
1. Faithful
John was faithful. How do we know that? It is because he was actively baptizing. This proves he was busy doing God’s will for his life. Jesus was exploding with popularity. Some of you may have been working in ministry for a long time. God calls us to run and not faint. Listen to what the Apostle Paul said.
(2 Timothy 4:6-8) For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time for my departure is close. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 There is reserved for me in the future the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved His appearing.
My friends, we are to remain faithful. John and Paul had a work to do, and they did it. As Christians we have a work, and we need to do it. John and Paul had a ministry to fulfill, and they fulfilled it. We have a ministry to fulfill. John and Paul also had a purpose to fulfill, and they fulfilled it. We have a purpose to take the Gospel to the world and we must do it! These men made up their minds they were going to remain faithful and dependable at all costs.
2. Humble
John was humble. He could have fell into a state of jealousy. His disciples were disturbed about Jesus. They were worried about their own ministry. But John kept focus on the Gospel. He found something I believe we all need, contentment.
John’s attitude was that of a servant. He knew Jesus was the Messiah and he pointed everyone toward Him. Think of it like this. John was standing at the door of the bride. His purpose was to listen for the groom. When he heard the groom, he was to open the door. He wasn’t the Messiah, Jesus was. He pointed the way!
Conclusion:
We see the commitment of John in these verses. He said Christ must increase and I must decrease. He meant that day by day more and more of him must die so that Christ would increase. You and I are going to meet Christ one of these days when we come to the end of our lives. We must say like John and Paul and Pastor Larry. I must decrease so Christ can increase. Finish well like John the Baptist. Finish well like the Apostle Paul. Finish well like Pastor Larry Beaver. At the end of our lives we will hear the words “well done they, faithful servant.”
Pastor Beaver's thoughts and ideas are inspired by:
Holman Christian Standard Bible
English Standard Version Bible
King James Version Bible
Christian Standard Bible
WORDsearch. Adult Questions for LESSONmaker. WORDsearch, n.d.
Walvoord, John F., and Roy B. Zuck, Dallas Theological Seminary. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.
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Barry, John D., Douglas Mangum, Derek R. Brown, Michael S. Heiser, Miles Custis, Elliot Ritzema, Matthew M. Whitehead, Michael R. Grigoni, and David Bomar. Faithlife Study Bible. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016.
Carson, D. A. The Gospel according to John. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans, 1991.
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Radmacher, Earl D., Ronald Barclay Allen, and H. Wayne House. Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary. Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1999.
Keener, Craig S. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993.
Smith, Jerome H. The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge: The Most Complete Listing of Cross References Available Anywhere- Every Verse, Every Theme, Every Important Word. Nashville TN: Thomas Nelson, 1992.
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Brooks, Keith. Summarized Bible: Complete Summary of the New Testament. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009.
Hughes, Robert B., and J. Carl Laney. Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary. The Tyndale Reference Library. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2001.
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