John 3 Pastor Steve Grose’s Funeral Sermon

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 baptized²⁴ (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.

 

How Steve Grose found "Contentment in the Ministry," or, if we turn it around, what to do about discouragement in the ministry.

Steve had accumulated some degrees. He was the first in his dad's family line to go to University, first teachers college at Wollongong 9they liked him so much they invited him to repeat first year.  Then a Bachelors of Theology and Diploma of Ministry at the Baptist Theological College (now Morling College) in 1984. And then a PhD in Education and Theology at the University of Newcastle (2017). He counted it a real privilege to be guided by Dr. Ron Laura.   

He had an interesting life. Steve planted the Kiama Baptist Church in 1984-1986, then he served as pastor of Glen Innes Baptist Church (1987-1990) where his great great grandfather had been a pioneer surveyor, flour mill owner presbyterian scripture teacher to convicts). Called to East Hills Baptist Church in 1991-1996, Steve became a friend to several Southern Baptist Convention Presidents (Tom Elliff, Bobby Welch, Bart Barber) and then served at the Newcastle Baptist Tabernacle from 1997-2010). Steve then worked for Generate and Youthworks developing Scripture and Chaplaincy in the schools of the Western Suburbs of Sydney.  He served as an Anglican pastor at Glossodia and Riverstone from 2010-2016. 

His greatest blessings and encouragement came from his family: Lorelle, his long patient wife and encourager, Eleisha Jami, Fletcher and Spencer,  Amy And Andy, Olivia, Micah and Norah, and Bethany and John, and little Ella and ….

But He delighted in most that through the Lord Jesus Christ he was a friend of God.

In fact, in the later part of his life he was convinced above all that:

 

I.               There Is No Greater Place Than God's Will

The highest place is not the biggest place. The highest place is not the smallest place. The highest place is not the easiest place or the hardest place. The highest place is simply doing what God tells you to do. "A man [has] nothing, except it be given him [of God]." (John 3:27)

I've seen young preachers, David, try to present themselves and oversell themselves to a congregation. And, in a sense, he paints himself into a corner. If he tries to act like God, people will blame him when he doesn't perform like God. We have what we have. Whoever we are and whatever we are is a gift of God. "A man [has] nothing, except it be given him [of God]." (John 3:27) Therefore, we need to understand what we can expect of ourselves. Others need to know what to expect and what not to expect. And there's absolutely no room for jealousy or envy in the ministry or in any other area of life. "No man has anything except what's given him of God." (John 3:27)

 

II.             There Is No Greater Purpose Than Presenting Christ

 

John is still answering; he says, "Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom"—he's talking about Jesus and the Church. The Church is the Bride, and Christ is the Bridegroom—"but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled." (John 3:28–29)

John had an awareness of his call, and his call was that he was to present the Lord

Jesus Christ. John saw himself as a friend of the Bridegroom. Now, what does that mean? Well, a friend of the bridegroom is kind of like the best man of our day, except he did more in that day. He prepared for the wedding feast, the friend of the bridegroom did. The friend of the bridegroom would send out invitations. The friend of the bridegroom would prepare the bridal chamber. He would take the bride and escort her to the wedding. He would deliver her to the bridal chamber. He would be the protector.

And when he brought her to the bridal chamber and heard the bridegroom's voice, he would greatly rejoice that he had presented the bride to the bridegroom. John said, "That's what I'm here to do. I am a friend of the Groom."

In the ministry, you'd better find your joy in presenting people to Jesus Christ, not in budgets, not in buildings, not in organizations, not in numbers, not in honors, because if you do, sooner or later you're going to be disappointed or discouraged.

One of the things that I love about John the Baptist is this: he was a Jesus man. For he said, "He must increase, [and] I must decrease." (John 3:30) As a matter of fact, they were talking about John the Baptist over there in the Gospel of John, in the tenth chapter. And they said of John the Baptist that "John did no miracle." (John 10:41) You know, John never performed a miracle. Yet Jesus said of John, "There was not a greater born of woman than John the Baptist." (Matthew 11:11;; Luke 7:28) That's a pretty good compliment when you consider who said it—"not a greater born of woman than John the Baptist." (Matthew 11:11; Luke 7:28) But in John chapter 10, it says that John never did a miracle. (John 10:41) John never opened blind eyes and unstopped deaf ears. He never straightened withered limbs. He never multiplied loaves. He didn't raise the dead. John never did a miracle. But that verse goes on to say, "But all things…John [spoke] of [Jesus] were true. And many believed on [Jesus]" (John 10:41– 42) because of John's words. I'd rather have that said at my graveside than to say, one day, "I raised the dead," "I healed the lame," or "I fed the multitudes."

And if you ever get discouraged, just go out and win somebody to Jesus. If you ever get down, just get the focus again and say that "He must increase." And keep your focus upon Jesus. If you get your focus upon people, if you get your focus upon buildings, if you get your focus upon programs, sooner or later you're going to be dragging bottom. There is no higher place than the will of God. There is no greater purpose than presenting the Lord Jesus

 

III. There Is No Greater Peace Than Seeing Christ Magnified

"[I] rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:29–30) Jealousy and discomfort and discouragement come when we get our fulfillment from achievements and possessions rather than Jesus. And not everybody's going to appreciate you. Not everybody appreciates me.

There was a violinist who did a great concert. And the people stood and cheered, but the violinist stood aside with his head down. One of the stage managers said, "Go out and take a bow. You did wonderful. The people are so pleased." He said, "Not all of them. You see that man sitting down there with his head down? He's my teacher. If he's not pleased, I'm not pleased."

 

Though Steve knew himself as a screw up in so many ways, he did know that only these three things counted.

There is no greater person for Steve than the Lord Jesus Christ.

And you need to know that person for yourself too.