John 1:19-37

Well, good morning to you all. Please take your copy of God's Word and join me in John chapter 1.

John 1 · chapter mention

The opening phrase of verse 19, and this is the testimony of John, lets us know that something new is happening.

We've spent some slow time so far, but our pace is going to pick up a bit as the narrative takes off.

If your Bible translation is anything like mine, there is likely a subheading inserted here before verse 19.

So, the verses before us today tell us something of the testimony of John the Baptist.

Let's not forget that the singular prominent aim of John the Apostle's gospel account,

sometimes called John the Evangelist, is found in John chapter 20, verse 30 and 31.

John 20:30

There he writes,

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples which are not written in this book,

but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,

and that by believing you may have life in his name.

This entire book is the testimony of John the Apostle.

A testimony is a spoken or written statement giving evidence of something that has occurred.

Now today's text is not the first time that John the Apostle has mentioned the testimony of John the Baptist.

In verses 6 through 12 of this very same chapter,

He wrote,

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name,

He gave the right to become children of God.

The word translated witness in these verses is the same translated testimony in verse 19.

It's the very same Greek word.

And then again, we'll see it translated witness in verses 32 and verse 34.

So those two terms I may use interchangeably this morning as the translators of John do.

I think that John is doing here is he's placing an emphasis on the need for the gospel to be

proclaimed by faithful witnesses in order that others might believe.

He's right at the outset speaking of faithful proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ,

even as he's about to lay out his own proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ.

Beloved, if we have been shown the grace of God in the person and work of Jesus Christ,

if we have been given the right to become children of God,

if we have life in his name,

then a significant marker of our lives should be faithful proclamation of that very gospel that saved us.

It should characterize God's people that we share the good news of Jesus.

We can learn something of what being a faithful witness looks like from the earlier account of John the Baptist in chapter 1 that I just read to you.

Notice, firstly, that a faithful witness is humble.

John records of John the Baptist that he was not the light.

John the Baptist could save no one,

but his job was to point people to the one who could save them.

So a faithful witness, secondly, exalts the person and work of Jesus Christ.

John the Baptist was not the light, but he came to bear witness about the light.

He goes on in verse 9,

The true light which gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

So John the Baptist, not the light.

Jesus Christ, the true light.

So a faithful witness exalts the person and work of Jesus Christ.

And a faithful witness offers the means of salvation.

Good for us to talk about Jesus, who he is and what he has done.

But we also must say to people,

And this is how you can be saved.

Verse 7, John the Apostle records,

John the Baptist,

He came as a witness to bear witness about the light

that all might believe through him.

And then verse 12,

But to all who did receive him,

who believed in his name,

he gave the right to become children of God.

So there's this pattern that's established in verses 6 through 12 of the chapter.

And we're going to see this pattern repeated in today's text.

As John the Apostle, once again,

speaks of the testimony of John the Baptist.

So again, John chapter 1, verses 19 through 37.

John 1:19–37

Before I read it, let me remind you, beloved,

this is God's word to us,

written for his glory and our good,

that we might believe its promises,

obey its commands,

and have affection for its author.

May we hear it and respond accordingly to it.

And this is the testimony of John.

When the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him,

Who are you?

He confessed and did not deny,

but confessed,

I am not the Christ.

And they asked him,

What then?

Are you Elijah?

He said,

I am not.

Are you the prophet?

And he answered,

No.

So they said to him,

Who are you?

We need to give an answer to those who sent us.

What do you say about yourself?

He said,

I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,

Make straight the way of the Lord,

as the prophet Isaiah said.

Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.

They asked him,

Then why are you baptizing,

if you are neither the Christ,

nor Elijah,

nor the prophet?

John answered them,

I baptize with water,

but among you stands one you do not know.

Even he who comes after me,

the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.

These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan,

where John was baptizing.

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said,

Behold the Lamb of God,

who takes away the sin of the world.

This is he of whom I said,

After me comes a man who ranks before me,

because he was before me.

I myself did not know him,

but for this purpose I came baptizing with water,

that he might be revealed to Israel.

And John bore witness.

I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove,

and it remained on him.

I myself did not know him,

but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me,

He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain,

this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.

And I have seen and I have borne witness

that this is the Son of God.

The next day again,

John was standing with two of his disciples,

and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said,

Behold the Lamb of God.

The two disciples heard him say this,

and they followed Jesus.

John the Apostle structures his narrative

of John the Baptist's testimony

concerning Jesus Christ

around three successive days.

John seems to be more concerned about chronology

than the other gospel writers.

We're going to see this phrase on the next day

many, many times throughout this text.

So as we walk through the text

and consider some details of it,

I will lead us with perhaps the simplest

three-point outline I have ever presented to you

or ever will.

It is as follows.

Number one, day one, verses 19 through 28.

Number two, day two, verses 29 through 34.

And number three, you probably know,

day three, verses 35 through 37.

As a joke, I thought about making that point

really obscure and different,

but I resisted.

Then, after we look at some of those details,

I'm going to revisit those three characteristics

of a faithful witness

and highlight them in the text for you.

So that's our plan

as we work through the text together.

So, number one, let's look at day one.

Remember, this is the testimony of John the Baptist

recorded in three successive days.

Day one, verses 19 through 28.

Before looking at the questions

that were asked of John

and his responses,

let's deal with who it is

that is asking these questions.

Because there are four groups mentioned,

and we could get a little lost

if we don't understand who they are.

So you see in verse 19,

this is the testimony of John,

when the Jews sent priests and Levites.

So, number one group, Jews.

Number two group, priests.

Number three group, Levites,

to ask these questions.

And then we get the parenthetical

that John puts in there in verse 24.

Now, they had been sent from the Pharisees.

So there's the fourth group.

So, lest we be confused.

The Jews is a term

that certainly can be used

of any and all ethnic Hebrew people.

Like, any Israelite could be called a Jew.

But John most regularly uses the word

to refer to religious authorities

who were hostile towards Jesus.

So it's this broad term that he's using,

but to speak of a group of the Jews

that were hostile towards Jesus.

Most likely, he's referring to

what he has in his mind

is the Sanhedrin,

which was the governing body of Israel

that was allowed to function

under Roman authority.

Whenever Rome would go and conquer a land,

they would allow some of the government

to stay intact,

some of the culture to remain

while they ultimately ruled over and above them.

So that was the Sanhedrin

that ruled as the Jewish governing authority.

That's probably who John has in mind

when he says the Jews.

So it's the Jews,

this group, this Sanhedrin,

this council that sends priests,

which were officiators

of religious ceremonies,

and they were the theological authorities

of Israel.

They were the most qualified

to come and ask theological questions.

And we see that they're not sent alone.

They're also sent with Levites.

Levites were men from the tribe of Levi

who assisted the priests with their duties.

Temple security consisted of Levites.

So when we see the phrase priests and Levites,

it is most likely a group of theological experts,

those who were sent to ask questions,

gather information, challenge,

and they're bodyguards.

So think theological experts with bodyguards as well.

And the last group we see are the Pharisees.

The Sanhedrin was largely made up of Sadducees

who were theologically liberal.

Religion for them was largely social and political.

And the Pharisees,

these two parties within the Sanhedrin,

the Pharisees were theologically conservative.

It is this minority group

that would have been most watchful

for the Messiah,

which is the Hebrew word for the chosen one,

this deliverer.

We also know the Greek word Christ,

and we see that word used most often.

They were the most watchful for the Messiah

and most concerned about anyone

who had a significant following

as John the Baptist did.

So, what I'm gathering from that

is it's most likely that this group,

the Jews, the Sanhedrin,

send the experts along with some guard,

and those experts that they send

are those that were most concerned

about who this John the Baptist is.

They were watchful for the Christ.

So, a delegation is sent to John the Baptist

and sent to ask the question,

who are you?

We see that in verse 19,

and then in verse 21,

what then are you Elijah,

and are you the prophet,

and who are you?

We need to give an answer

to those who sent us.

What do you say about yourself?

Verse 22,

and then why are you baptizing

if you are neither the Christ,

nor Elijah,

nor the prophet?

Verse 25.

We're trying to sort out

who this John the Baptist is.

Who are you?

Now, many false messiahs had come

before the true messiah's arrival.

Jewish people had a gross misunderstanding

of who the Christ was going to be.

They were a conquered people.

Don't lose sight of that,

even though there's some structures

in place of authority.

They were a conquered people,

and they were oppressed

under Roman rule.

And as any conquered people will,

they were looking for a way out

of that oppression.

And they found in the Old Testament text

this anointed one,

this Christ,

this deliverer,

and they thought that he would come

and he would rule militarily.

They were looking for a temporal release

from this oppression,

and they were constantly looking for it,

and there were men who constantly arose

claiming to be this Christ,

and were found not to be so.

So, they're rightly concerned.

Anybody who's got a following going on,

they want to know what's happening.

And, not only do they genuinely want there

to be a messiah who will deliver them,

but often these false Christs would arise,

and they would form a little insurrection,

and Rome would have to come

and crush that insurrection,

and more oppression would come with it.

And so, they were concerned, rightly.

They were trying to get out ahead

of any possible wrongdoing,

and if certainly John the Baptist

was the messiah,

they'd like to know this as well.

So, this initial question that they ask,

John knows exactly what they're asking, right?

John the Apostle records in verse 20,

he confessed and did not deny,

which the Greek can just mean

did not fail to confess.

They're saying emphatically,

he confessed and he didn't fail to confess,

but confessed,

I am not the Christ.

John the Baptist already knows

this is what they're trying to get at

as they come and ask

this initial question of him,

and he's very clear.

He wants there to be no misunderstanding.

I am not the Christ.

So, it follows.

What then?

Are you Elijah?

And they would ask this question

because of a prophecy found in Malachi,

Malachi 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4, and verse 5.

There we can read,

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet

before the great and awesome day

of the Lord comes.

And so, the Jews understood

that there was going to be Elijah

and they thought it was going to be

a returning from heaven, Elijah.

Elijah himself that would come back.

And it's understandable

why they may have thought

that John the Baptist

was that very Elijah

because of his appearance.

In Mark, chapter 1, and verse 6,

Mark 1 · chapter mention

we read,

Now John was locusts and wild honey.

Elijah is described in 2 Kings, chapter 1, and verse 8

2 Kings 1 · chapter mention

as wearing a garment of hair

with a belt of leather

about his waist.

So, they see one that appears

like Elijah

and his response to them is,

I am not.

Now, it could be a little bit of a confusion

at this point

because, as I'm going to show you

in just a moment,

John the Baptist was the fulfillment

of the prophecy

in Malachi, chapter 4, and verse 5.

Malachi 4 · chapter mention

And I'm going to confirm that for you here

in a moment.

When there that prophecy is made,

behold, I will send you Elijah.

It's not Elijah himself,

but one like Elijah.

And we know that to be true.

So, he's saying,

I am not Elijah,

but he is the fulfillment

of that prophecy

in Malachi 4, and verse 5.

So, let me show you

from Matthew, chapter 17.

Matthew 17 · chapter mention

This is verse 10.

And I describe,

say that first,

Elijah must come.

This is coming from Malachi, chapter 4,

Malachi 4 · chapter mention

and verse 5.

Jesus says,

Elijah does come,

and he will restore all things,

but I tell you

that Elijah has already come,

and they did not recognize him,

but did to him

whatever they pleased.

At this point in Matthew's narrative,

John the Baptist

has already been beheaded.

So, also,

Jesus goes on,

the Son of Man

will certainly suffer

at their hands.

Then, verse 13,

the disciples understood

that he was speaking to them

of John the Baptist.

So,

is John the Baptist

this Elijah character

in Malachi 4 or 5?

Yes,

but he's answering the question

most honestly

because he is not

Elijah.

So,

they go on.

Are you

the prophet?

And this is coming

from a prophecy

made by Moses

found in Deuteronomy 18

and verse 15.

There we can read,

the Lord your God

will raise up for you

a prophet like me

from among you,

from your brothers.

It is to him

you shall listen.

And there's

more to it

in the context,

but that's most

narrowly there.

The prophet.

They're looking

for this one.

Now,

there's no consensus

who the prophet

was in Jesus' day.

There's a lot of confusion

about who

the prophet was.

Some thought

another prophet

like Jeremiah

or Isaiah.

Some rightly thought

the prophet

is the Christ.

That's the right

understanding

of that text.

Both Peter

in Acts chapter 3

Acts 3 · chapter mention

and Stephen

in Acts chapter 7

Acts 7 · chapter mention

apply

Deuteronomy 18

15

to

Jesus.

So,

they're asking

the question,

it's really a repetition

of their initial intention

to see if he was

the Christ,

but there was a lot

of misunderstanding

about who the prophet

may have been.

And so,

John the Baptist

rightly answers

no.

So,

they say,

who are you?

We need to give

an answer

to those

who sent us.

They can't go back

empty-handed.

What do you say

about yourself?

So,

after this string

of denials,

John speaks

of himself

in the affirmative.

He says who he is

in verse 23.

I'm the voice

of one crying

out in the wilderness,

make straight

the way

of the Lord,

as the prophet

Isaiah said.

John is here

citing Isaiah

Isaiah 40 · chapter mention

chapter 40

and verse 3.

A voice cries,

in the wilderness

prepare the way

of the Lord,

make straight

in the desert

a highway

for our God.

all four

gospels

cite this verse

in connection

with John

the Baptist.

But only in this

gospel is John

himself recorded

as using it.

And we're going to

pick up his answer

to this question

and to the next

back up in my

concluding

comments.

But they go beyond

that, right?

After the answers

with this,

I am the voice

of one crying out

in the wilderness,

make straight

the way

of the Lord

to ask,

then,

why are you

baptizing?

If you are

neither the Christ

nor Elijah

nor the prophet.

And we'll say

some more about

this in just a bit.

But John

answers them,

I baptize

with water,

but among you

stands one

you do not

know.

And it's

unsure at this

point,

but it's suggested

that perhaps

Jesus is actually

there as they're

asking these

questions,

right?

In the larger

crowd,

he's actually

standing there.

Even one

who comes after

me,

the strap of

whose sandal

I am not

worthy to

untie.

So John

gets grilled,

right?

Who are you?

And he gives

a very clear

denial of all

the possible

people they

thought he may

be,

and a very

clear message

that he is one

preparing the

way.

for the

Christ.

Secondly,

let's look at

day two,

beginning in

verse 29.

You'll notice

that phrase,

the next

day.

This time his

address is to

the broader

crowd.

So before it

was just to

this group

that was sent

to him,

this delegation

now,

to the

broader

crowd as he

sees Jesus

coming toward

him and

cries out,

behold the

Lamb of God

who takes

away the

sins of

the world.

On the

second day,

John is not

being questioned,

but he still

gives a

faithful witness

to Christ

in making

this

extraordinary

declaration.

Behold the

Lamb of God

who takes

away the

sin of

the world.

This phrase

is not found

in this form

in the Old

Testament,

but the idea

is everywhere.

Some examples,

Genesis chapter

Genesis 22:7

22,

verse 7 and

8,

and we know

there that

Abraham is

given the

command to

go and

sacrifice his

son Isaac.

And Isaac

says,

Behold the

fire and the

wood,

but where

is the

Lamb for

a burnt

offering?

And Abraham

replies to

him,

God will

provide for

himself the

Lamb for a

burnt

offering.

my son.

And then we

see his

hand stayed

and in

verse 13

God provides

a substitutionary

ram for

Isaac which

prefigures a

greater sacrifice

that will

come.

We get

the whole

another place,

Exodus chapter

Exodus 29 · chapter mention

29,

38 through

39,

Leviticus

Leviticus 23 · chapter mention

chapter 23,

just one

example here,

Exodus 29

Exodus 29:38

verse 38,

a command

for the

continual

giving of

Lamb for

sin.

Lambs were

part of

daily,

ongoing

sacrifices

for the

sin of

the people.

Now this

is what

you shall

offer on

the altar,

two lambs

a year

old by

day,

regularly.

And if

you back

up,

Exodus

Exodus 12:3–13

chapter 12

verses 3

through 13,

if you look

at verse

5,

we hear

this account

of the

Passover

Lamb.

And the

command is

given,

your Lamb

shall be

without

blemish,

a male

a year

old.

And they

were to

slaughter

that Lamb

and spread

the blood

on the

doorposts

that the

angel of

death

would pass

over

their

homes.

So there's

lots of

imagery

that tends

in this

direction,

pushes us

toward an

understanding

of what

John is

declaring

when he

cries out,

Behold

the Lamb

of God.

I like

to imagine,

so hear

me,

this is an

imagination

piece,

but that

this

declaration

would have

had a

particular

resonance

because the

Passover

was going

to be

celebrated

shortly.

As I spend

a little more

time on this,

I might be

able to tell

you the

exact number

of days,

but I at

least know

it's some

days out.

John

John 2:13

chapter 2

verse 13,

the Passover

of the

Jews was

at hand.

It's not

too many

days later

that this

is taking

place.

So,

perhaps,

lambs were

being or

had been

recently herded

past the

place that

John was

baptizing.

It's very

possible,

right,

that they

were being

brought from

the fields

outside and

being brought

to this

great number,

massive number

of lambs

that were

sacrificed

at the

Passover.

And so,

the image

is fresh

in everybody's

mind of

lambs being

taken to

slaughter.

It's my

imagination.

It's possible.

That is why

the detail of

his location

is included

in verse

28,

about a

two days

journey from

Jerusalem.

He cries

out,

Behold

the Lamb

of God

who takes

away

the sin

of the

world.

What stands

in our

place is

the

propitiation

that takes

God's

wrath on

our behalf.

Not a

sacrifice that

needs to go

on and

on and

on,

but a

one-time

sacrifice

once for

all.

That anybody

who believes

in him

has our

sin taken

away,

punished

in him,

his

righteousness

granted

to us.

This idea

of the

Lamb of

God

is picked

up,

I think,

in a way

that's

rather stark

when you

understand

the geography

of the

land.

John

John 18 · chapter mention

chapter 18

and verse

1.

This is

just after

the last

supper,

which was

a Passover

meal.

There John

records,

when Jesus

had spoken

these words,

he went

out with

his disciples

across the

brook

Kidron,

where there

was a

garden which

he and

his disciples

entered.

So to

get to

the garden

of

Gethsemane,

the place

where we

know that

Jesus

weeps

and

sweats

blood,

he's in

great anguish

because he

knows of

his coming

crucifixion,

bearing the

wrath for

all who

would ever

believe in

him,

he goes

across the

brook

Kidron.

That's a

significant

thing.

It's an

important

detail that

all of the

early readers

would have

totally understood

and we

just need a

little help

in order

to do

that.

Now you

might have

noticed,

or maybe

you didn't,

I did not

bring up

with me

this morning

the

program's

progress,

so I'm

not planning

on reading

out of it.

But I

am going

to quote

Charles

Spurgeon

just so you

all know

I'm okay.

No one's

taken over

my body,

it's me,

really.

This is what

Charles Spurgeon

says of the

brook Kidron.

The brook Kidron

was an

insignificant but

usually a

most foul

and filthy

ditch outside

the walls

of Jerusalem.

If it was

not, as some

have called

it, the

open town

sewer, yet

there are

reasons for

believing that

at least the

filth of the

temple ran

into it.

The scouring

of the

sacrificial

places went

by an

under

channel

into this

brook.

Let me

pause there

in the

quote for

just a

moment.

This means

the Passover

is taking

place,

these lambs

have come

in and

they've

been being

slaughtered

all day

long.

The brook

Kidron would

have been

flowing with

blood from

those lambs.

It would

have just

been full

of blood.

They crossed

over it.

It was a

small stream.

Maybe they

hopped.

They crossed

over it on

their way

to

Gethsemane.

Further,

Spurgeon

goes on.

And we

have one

or two

instances in

Holy Writ

where when

houses were

purged and

cleansed,

the filth was

thrown in

to the

brook

Kidron.

So when

the sinfulness

of a home

was purged,

where did

all of it

go?

They threw

it into

the brook

Kidron.

The passing

therefore over

that foul

and black

brook becomes

the symbol

of a time

of deep

sorrow and

acute distress.

The king

himself then

passed over

the brook

Kidron.

The royal

road lies

over the

place of

sorrow.

The way

even for

kings is

by the brook

of grief

and shame.

Behold,

the lamb

of God.

The one

who comes,

the one

who could

come and

die in

our stead

to take

away the

sin.

It's

incredible.

Verse 31,

John says,

I myself

did not

know him,

but for

this purpose

I came

baptizing

with water

that he

might be

revealed

to Israel.

On day

one,

John is

asked a

question

about

baptism,

which he

answers.

Here,

he is

clear why

he is

baptizing.

The Jews

were concerned

about his

baptism

because he

was baptizing

Jewish

people.

You see,

the Jews

baptized

proselytes,

converts to

Judaism,

but not

Israelites,

as they

viewed

Israelites,

as already

God's

people.

John's

baptism

acknowledged

that sin

had placed

all people

outside of

God's

covenant,

and therefore

that all

people need

to repent

and believe

in Christ.

All of

them were

outside of

the Mosaic

covenant.

Every single

one of them

had sin.

None of them

had kept

God's

law.

And so

everybody

needs to

repent

and believe

in Christ.

His

baptism

was a

sign of

repentance.

And so

it's unique,

and that's

the reason

they're

concerned

about what

it is

that he

is doing.

Behold

the Lamb

of God

who takes

away

the sin

of

the world.

Unless

you be

mistaken

at this

point,

I am

not

going to

argue

from

this

text

for

general

atonement.

We have

to be

very,

very careful

at this

point.

If you

narrow it

down,

you ignore

the rest

of the

teaching

of

Scripture,

you would

think

that

Jesus'

death

took

away

every

sin

of

every

person

ever.

You

become

a

universalist

to be

sure.

John

uses

this

word

cosmos

in

a lot

of

different

ways.

Here

he's

saying

not

only

does

he

take

away

the

sin

of

Jews,

but

also

of

Gentiles.

This

letter

written

to

both.

Anybody

and

everybody

who

would

place

their

faith

in

Christ.

And

we'll

unpack

that

more

likely

in

John

John 3 · chapter mention

chapter

3.

everybody

needs

to

repent

and

believe

in

Christ.

Our

very

greatest

of

needs.

And

he

goes

on

on

the

second

day

and

John

bore

witness.

I

saw

the

spirit

descend

from

heaven

like

a

dove

and

it

remained

on

him.

I

myself

did

not

know

him

but

he

who

sent

me

to

baptize

with

water

said

to

him.

So

God

the

father

said

to

him

!

He

on

whom

you

see

the

Mark

records

in

Mark

Mark 1:9–11

chapter

1

verse

9

through

11

in

those

days

Jesus

came

from

Nazareth

of

Galilee

and

was

baptized

by

John

in

the

Jordan

and

when

he

came

up

out

of

the

water

immediately

he

saw

the

heavens

being

torn

open

and

the

spirit

descending

on

him

like

a

dove

and

a

voice

came

from

heaven

you

are

my

beloved

son

with

you

I

am

well

pleased!

So

we

don't

get

the

first

hand

account

of

it

but

we

get

John

telling

us

that

this

very

thing

happened

God

the

father

told

him

that

God

the

spirit

would

descend

on

God

the

son

and

confirm

who

he

is

and

it's

with

that

confidence

of that

confirmation

in

verse

34

John

the

Baptist

says

and

I

have

seen

and

have

borne

witness

!

that

this

is

the

son

of

God!

thirdly

day

three

very

briefly

some

of

this

is

going

to

roll

into

next

week

the

calling

of

the

disciples

the

next

day

again

John

was

standing

with

his

two

disciples

heard

him

say

this

and

they

followed

Jesus

so

we've

got

this

delegation

that

was

sent

to

ask

them

the

questions

we

have

the

broader

crowd

all

together

and

then

we

see

John

with

just

two

of

his

disciples

and

we'll

learn

more

about

them

next

week

and

he

makes

that

declaration

again

and

those

two

disciples

in

response

to

that

faithful

witness

to

Jesus'

person

and

his

work

followed

Christ

so

with

that

let me

loop

back

to

this

three

point

outline

of

what

a

faithful

witness

is

what

he

does

a

faithful

witness

number

one

is

humble

I

just

want

to

draw

your

attention

back

up

into

the

text

a bit

to

observe

the

humility

of

John

the

Baptist

he

thought

very

little

of

himself

he

could

save

no

one

right

he

was

just

there

as a

messenger

sent

a

heralder

of

news

his

whole

intention

was to

point

to

the

one

who

could

save

right

point

to

Christ

he's

so

clear

verse

20

he

confessed

and

did

not

fail

to

confess

but

confessed

I

am

not

the

Christ

he

said

I

am

not

to

the

question

of

he's

Elijah

he

said

no

to

the

question

of

is

he

the

prophet

right

and

then

he

says

I

am

the

voice

of

one

crying

out

in

the

wilderness

you

cannot

look

to

a

voice

a

voice

just

declares

a

message

make

straight

the

way

of

the

Lord

point

people

to

send

people

toward

right

the

Christ

is

coming

what a

privilege

John

had

to be

a

heralder

of the

coming

of

Christ

beloved

we have

the very

same

privilege

we get

to declare

the good

news

of

Jesus

to be

his

witnesses

!

in the

world

in which

we

live

if

it's

not

on

our

hearts

if

it's

not

a

great

desire

of

ours

to

declare

what

God

has

done

for

us

in

Christ

something

is

amiss

something

is

wrong

we

either

never

have

experienced

the

grace

of

God

to

us

in

Christ

or

our

hearts

need