How to be a worthy witness; follow the example of John the Baptist

Who are you, what are you doing?

Confusion abounds when people don’t know who they are or what they are meant to be doing.

We have all laughed off occasions when we can’t remember what we were meant to be doing or where we left something.

Normally there is nothing more sinister to these occasions than simply being distracted. Sadly for some these lapses in short term memory are signs of something far more concerning.

I was speaking recently to someone who is able to laugh at a condition they suffer.

At times there is a disconnect for this person, occasions when they are unable to recognize the object that they are looking for.

It is far more than the usual couldn’t see the thing I was looking for because it was right in front of me.

It is literally the thing I am looking for is in front of me and I don’t recognize it as the thing I am looking for.

The person sharing with me identified a recent experience when they were outside someones house and needed to enter the yard. So they walked up and down the front fence looking for the way into the yard. The gate was there, it was in plain sight but because of the condition they have they could not recognize and connect the gate to the action of entering the yard.

As they explained this to the group one of the other people there realized what had been going on a few days before when they went out to meet their friend who had been walking backwards and forwards along their front fence. They wanted to come in, they knew they needed to come in but they couldn’t recognize how this was to be achieved.

Like wise with life.

We can recognize that we must have a purpose, we want to achieve it, we know we need to achieve it but we don’t understand what it is or how to achieve it.

When we are overloaded with questions and pressures it is easy to become confused about our purpose, to get lost in the endless circle of responding to the next question, the next pressure.

A man named John the Baptist understood his purpose and how to achieve it.

Listen to part of his story.

John 1:19–28 NLT

This was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John, “Who are you?” He came right out and said, “I am not the Messiah.” “Well then, who are you?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?” “No,” he replied. “Are you the Prophet we are expecting?” “No.” “Then who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?” John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah: “I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Clear the way for the LORD’s coming!’ ” Then the Pharisees who had been sent asked him, “If you aren’t the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?” John told them, “I baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognize. Though his ministry follows mine, I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal.” This encounter took place in Bethany, an area east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.

The Witness to the Religious Leaders

There was a huge expectation in the land of Israel at this time.

Numerous groups were expecting a Messiah.

There was a sense that something was going to happen and then John the Baptist turns up.

John was from a priestly family, yet his life was different from others of his time.

He had lived largely in the wilderness and many saw him as a prophet, one who spoke for God.

This got the people excited as there hadn’t been anyone like John for 100s of years.

John was a controversial figure for a number of reasons.

He spoke out against the sins of the rulers, in particular he attacked the marriage of Herod Antipas to Herodias who had been married to Herod Philip.

It was against the Jewish law to take your brothers wife as your wife, especially if your brother was still alive and you stole her from him.

Sadly for John the Baptist Herodias didn’t appreciate John’s declaration that she was in an immoral relationship and we read in Matthew 14:1-12 that she plotted to have John executed.

Because of John’s prophetic preaching calling people to repent of their sins and because he included the leaders in this preaching the people considered John to be a prophet.

The Jewish Ruling Council, known as the Sanhedrin had a responsibility to assess the genuineness of any one who claimed to be someone sent from God. So they sent representatives to ask John what he was up to, who was he.

Who I am not

John was pretty blunt with his answers.

But beyond the blunt answers is an incredibly complex understanding.

Let me put it this way. When I pick up a microphone we all know that you speak into it and your voice comes out the speakers louder than what you said into the microphone.

A simple answer to a complex process.

When the Jewish leaders asked John who are you his answers are simple. The meaning is complex.

There was an expectation of who would come, when they would come and what they would do.

Many had claimed to be the Messiah so the representatives are probably expecting John to make a similar claim.

But he doesn’t, so then we see a line of questioning which reveals the expectations of the time and possibly an allusion to the story of Peter’s denial of being a witness in John 18:17-27

In John 1:20-21 John the Baptist says

I am not the Christ (Ouk eimi)

I am not Elijah (Ouk eimi)

No (Ou)

In John 18:17-27 Peter says

I am not his disciple, (Ouk eimi) verse 17

I am not his disciple, (Ouk eimi) verse 25

No, verse 27

The New American Commentary: John 1–11 (1) John’s Witness under Interrogation (1:19–22)

Of course it could be purely by chance, but in this Gospel almost nothing occurs purely by chance.

Here we see the Apostle John tying together two important points.

The concept of a threefold witness was important to confirm something.

The importance of the term “I am, I am not”. You will remember that God the Father used the term “I am” to reveal himself to Moses and the people of Israel and that Jesus then used the term of himself in John 8:58 and other places.

So already there are layers of meaning in the conversation and we haven’t even got to the answers to the questions that were asked.

There is a purpose, a point to everything that the Apostle John wrote in this Gospel. The Apostle John knew why he was writing.

John the Baptist knew why he was preaching repentance and Baptizing people as a sign of that repentance.

It wasn’t because of who he wasn’t.

For many there was an expectation of an end time when Israel would be restored and God would reign supreme.

Now while the understanding of who and how and when wasn’t consistent across the understandings of the time there was a common theme.

Elijah had been carried to heaven in a fiery chariot and was seen as a divine messenger who had not died. He would return to prepare the people for the dreaded Day of the Lord.

The prophet spoken of in John 1:21 is even more uncertain but was most probably “one like Moses” mentioned in Deuteronomy 18:15.

Deuteronomy 18:15 NLT

Moses continued, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.

What makes this the most likely understanding is the transfiguration event of Mark 9:2-4 when Jesus stood in his heavenly glory with Moses and Elijah whilst Peter, James and John watched on in terror.

Mark 9:2–4 NLT

Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed, and his clothes became dazzling white, far whiter than any earthly bleach could ever make them. Then Elijah and Moses appeared and began talking with Jesus.

You see John didn’t act on who he wasn’t, he acted because of who he was, his actions flowed from his purpose.

Why does the chicken cross the road?

Regardless of all the funny, and sometimes lame answers, the chicken crossed the road because that’s what chickens do.

We all know that, we all hope we don’t run over the chicken as we drive through the farmyard.

The chicken crosses the road, because that is what it does.

Who I am

Like wise John preaches repentance and baptizes people as a sign of that repentance because he is the one who makes straight paths for the coming of the Lord. John 1:23 is a quote from Isaiah 40:3

John 1:23 NLT

John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah: “I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Clear the way for the LORD’s coming!’ ”

Isaiah 40:3 NLT

Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the wilderness for the LORD! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God!

Here we see a call to preparation, if the Messiah is to come then people have to be ready.

If Christ is to enter as Lord of people’s lives then there has to be a time of preparation, a time of discovery.

God simply doesn’t turn up in peoples lives there is always a time of discovery or confrontation beforehand.

It might be short or it might be long, but there is a time of discovery and confrontation in every life.

Originally the words of Isaiah that John the Baptist quotes referred to a time in Israel’s history when they would return to the promised land.

A time of metaphorical preparation of their hearts just as the land is cleared and graded to build a freeway.

The people had been in exile, their idolatry had been dealt with, the land of Israel is steep and rocky, their issues had to be swept away and a path prepared before they could return.

It is said that the exile cured Israel of idolatry forever.

John claims this prophecy of Isaiah 40:3 for himself.

His purpose is to prepare the hearts of the people for Jesus.

And while we may question his effectiveness, after all many of the people abandoned Jesus at the end, the simple truth remains that at least two of John’s followers became disciples of Jesus and Apostles John 1:38

All of this was very confrontational.

The Jews practiced Baptism as a once off break with the past for those converting to Judaism.

It was a sign of washing away the uncleanliness, but this sort of baptism wasn’t normally practiced for Jews, they certainly had ritual washing's as part of the law of Moses, but what John practiced was different.

It was a Baptism of repentance and it was for the whole nation.

This too confirms John’s purpose, he was claiming the prophets call to prepare the nation for the coming of the Lord

The whole thrust of John’s message was to point people to Jesus.

The Worthiness of the Witness

John knew his task, his purpose, his calling was to make straight the path for the Lord, to prepare peoples hearts.

But to know your purpose you also need to know your place.

So often today we see peoples actions being all about them.

There is a pride, an arrogance about what people do, there life isn’t about their purpose it is about them.

One of the biggest challenges for Christians is to not fall into this trap.

It is very easy to make it all about me.

My success, my reputation, my comfort and while some of you may be above that I know that it is certainly a trap for me as a pastor.

Why does he have a bigger church, why can he afford a new car, why does he dress smart and people pay attention.

Throughout Scripture there is a constant theme

Knowing his place humility it is about Jesus not about me

When John the Baptist speaks of Jesus in John 1:27 he makes it very plain.

John 1:27 NLT

Though his ministry follows mine, I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal.”

It is about Jesus, John doesn’t put himself first, he doesn’t put his ministry first, he isn’t concerned for his reputation or how many people he is baptizing compared to someone else.

John is simply concerned with his attitude towards Jesus.

This is the same attitude we need if we are to fulfill our purpose of pointing people to Jesus, of preparing the path for them to encounter his call upon their life.

How to be a Worthy Witness

Simply be like John.

How to be a Worthy Witness? We don’t need to save people or convict them, that is God’s job. Our role, just like John’s, is to make the path straight to prepare the way for Jesus to enter into peoples hearts

How

All to often we fall for the trap that it is up to us. It isn’t, I can’t convict people of their sin, I can only be the mouthpiece of God who asks the searching questions.

It is the Holy Spirit who does the convicting.

I can’t save people from their sin, I can’t even save myself.

Only Jesus can do that, I can only declare to them how he has saved me from my sin and share with them the difference Christ has made in my life

How to be a Worthy Witness? Firstly by realizing it isn’t actually about us, it is about Jesus

Let’s not fall for the trap that worth is wrapped up in my achievements.

This is the trap of idolatry, worshiping ourselves or our success instead of worshiping God.

Yes we need a sense of achievement , but for the Christian shouldn’t it be about achieving the things that please God, that fulfill our purposes in him rather than being about achieving the things which we think will make us happy.

It is so easy to fall into this trap, after all it is the message of the world around us.

But it only leads to emptiness, only the things of God have eternal value. If we can remember this and make this our focus there will be a lot more contentment.

If only I can remember this and practice this there will be a lot more contentment.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:21 Where our treasure is there our heart will be also, is Jesus our treasure?

Matthew 6:21 NLT

Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

Now we can get all worried about how we might make and keep this realization that it is all about Jesus.

But the simple truth is that we make and keep this realization when we have the servant heart.

The heart demonstrated in the life of John the Baptist, the heart exemplified in the life of Jesus

How to be a Worthy Witness? Secondly by realizing that humility is simply being there as a servant.

It isn’t rocket science, it is simple attitude.

Because of Christ’s love in me I love those around me.

Because of Christ’s mercy and grace for me I graciously treat others around me.

John the Baptist knew his purpose; it was to be a worthy witness, one who prepared the way for Christ in the lives of those around him. This to is our purpose.