Here are some questions based on last Sunday’s sermon text (John 3:22-36), in case they’re helpful to you for personal growth or group discussion…

• [24] The reference to John’s imprisonment not only provides a timeframe for the passage and casts these events in a foreboding light; it also indicates a strongly possible trajectory for all those who “bear witness” (Greek martyreo) to Christ. It is unlikely that people “doing ministry” primarily to increase themselves (i.e., for their own glory, reputation, comfort, etc.) would willingly suffer what John suffered. What drives John in his ministry? What drives you? Can you imagine suffering for the sake of Christ because of your testimony? Do you find yourself in places where this potential suffering could become a reality?

• [26-30] Are you ever jealous of Christ for being the center of the universe? Are you ever jealous of other believers or churches for their apparent “spiritual/ministry success”? What does this kind of jealousy reveal about your approach to spirituality? What is the result of this kind of jealousy in your life as a Christian? What is the cure for this kind of jealousy, and how might your life change if this cure were applied?

• [33-36] Read Genesis 3:1-5, 22-24. How does the end of John 3 address the problem introduced into the world by the serpent in the garden? If Genesis 3 reveals the root of humanity’s universal problem, and John 3 sees the solution in Christ, what does this mean for you in your conversations with others? What is evangelism (“bearing witness” to Christ) attempting to accomplish?