WHAT'S IN A NAME?

John 1:19–34 (ESV)

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 have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

So many questions…So lets break it down...

Who John the Baptist was-

1- He Was the Spiritual Link between the Old and New Testament

The Connection between the Prophecy and the Fulfillment

2- He was a Fulfillment of prophecy, Isaiah 40.3,

“A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God...”

Although NOT Elijah, Incarnate, but rather, Living in the Spirit and Power of Elijah, ( Luke 1.17) John the Baptist, came to call sinners to Repentance- Just as Elijah had.

He preached of a baptism of repentance. This same baptism would become the link to the future baptism of the NT Church.

The Gospel of John does not dwell on the details or nuance of the Baptists preaching, as Matthew and Luke do.

In Matthew 3, He accuses the Pharisees and Sadducees of being a “Brood of Vipers”

In Luke 3, He tells the people to be in support of each other in the community, advises the Tax Collectors to not collect more than authorized and the soldiers to not use their authority to intimidate or coerce others.

His message to all is to be happy with what they have and to give freely to those around them who may have less.

John’s Gospel message focuses on the Baptists purpose of identifying Jesus as the “Lamb of God”

The Apostle does not even speak of the Baptism of Jesus, directly but rather relates a later narrative of John the Baptists retelling of the event.

The reference to Jesus being the, “Lamb of God” goes directly to the Mosaic Covenant sacrifice made to God annually for the forgiveness of the peoples sins.

Even more significant is the Passover Lamb, celebrated for the Hebrews escape from Egypt.

The contrast is obvious, but so often missed...

The sacrificial lamb of old was one presented BY THE PEOPLE, through the Priest/Levites, to the alter.

Jesus was/is the Lamb of God- Chosen, belonging to and presented by God to the People as the final and complete sacrifice for sin.

And not just for a single people group or ethnic group, but for all of Humanity, FOR ALL TIME.

Only God, Himself, the Creator of all things could provide such an all-encompassing answer to Sin.

And He did without reservation, when the time was right in the world.

WHO JOHN THE BAPTIST WASNT.

In the text he identifies himself as to who he was by stating who he wasnt.

He was not and is not the Messiah.

The Jews had been promised a Messiah since the ancient times, who would rescue them form their oppression, Their “Saviour”

He was not Elijah- One of the most powerfully used Prophets of the Old Testament- The one taken to Heaven by an Angelic Chariot- Not ever feeling the taste of death.

His reappearance is viewed as the sign of the End of Days of Malachi 4.

“The Great and awesome day of the Lord comes”

He was not the Great Prophet, Moses, either.

In Deuteronomy, Moses tells the people of Israel that God would rise up a prophet, like himself.

Moses was speaking of the Messiah and John the Baptist was not that.

So…Who WAS John the Baptist?

He was a man, called of God, before he was even born, commissioned to be the Messenger.

He prepared the way, opened the eyes and hearts of the people to be ready to accept the One who could truly save them from themselves.

John did not bring or promise to bring a new religious thought, or idea, but rather a new Person.

John identifies this Chosen One as one, “Whose sandals I am unworthy to untie”

The untying of the sandals was menial slave work, something neither disciples or their teachers would ever do.

Yet John the Baptist viewed himself as unworthy of even slave labor for this One named Jesus.

A true testament of the Glory and Righteousness of Jesus Christ.

In our final section today, we will look at who John the Baptist said Jesus was and is.

In Verses 29-34 we have the follow-up to the questioning of John the Baptist by the Jews.

John identifies Jesus to his followers, as the One who John had been sent to prepare the way for.

John is clear in stating that Jesus is the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the World.”

John also recognizes Jesus’ Deity as “the one who comes after me, but was before me”

Although not described in the Gospel of John, Jesus’ baptismal event is related to the crowd in the Baptist’s narrative here.

John the Baptist saw and was witness to the Triune Godhead appearing at once in the form of the Son of God (Jesus), the Holy Spirit (The Dove) and God the Father (The Voice from Heaven)

Both Matthew and Luke record the words of God. “This is My Beloved Son, in who, I am well pleased.”

Luke also adds this “…Here ye Him.”

John the Baptist has now completed his mission.

He has prepared the people for the coming Messiah, he has identified that Messiah as Jesus Christ and testified to his own followers that Jesus is the One and only that can forgive them of their sins.

As we close, consider the impact on those that witnessed for themselves, God the Son, living among them.

To recognize that their lives would be changed forever with this discovery.

and this is only the beginning of the story.