John 1:19-34

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Sermon Text: Scripture

Call to Worship

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Psalm 147:10–12 CSB

10 He is not impressed by the strength of a horse; he does not value the power of a warrior. 11 The Lord values those who fear him, those who put their hope in his faithful love. 12 Exalt the Lord, Jerusalem; praise your God, Zion!

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Passage:

Formation Journal Page Number: 9:35-10:12 1:04-1:43 4:08-4:48

John 1:19–34 CSB

19 This was John’s testimony when the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He didn’t deny it but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” 21 “What then?” they asked him. “Are you Elijah?” “I am not,” he said. “Are you the Prophet?” “No,” he answered. 22 “Who are you, then?” they asked. “We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What can you tell us about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord—just as Isaiah the prophet said.” 24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25 So they asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you aren’t the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?” 26 “I baptize with water,” John answered them. “Someone stands among you, but you don’t know him. 27 He is the one coming after me, whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to untie.” 28 All this happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I told you about: ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me, because he existed before me.’ 31 I didn’t know him, but I came baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and he rested on him. 33 I didn’t know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The one you see the Spirit descending and resting on—he is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

Opening Illustration:

Brandy story

You need to know who you are in the story - you are not the main character

arrainged things angling

You’re in the story — just not the hero.

You’re on the stage, not in the spotlight.

When we think that we are the main character it changes our expectations - our expectations of the job, our expectations of our relationships our expectations of God.

we live life stressed out, depressed and disillusioned

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Getting into the Sermon

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John vs john the baptist

John the baptist knew who he was

John 1:19–25 CSB

19 This was John’s testimony when the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He didn’t deny it but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” 21 “What then?” they asked him. “Are you Elijah?” “I am not,” he said. “Are you the Prophet?” “No,” he answered. 22 “Who are you, then?” they asked. “We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What can you tell us about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord—just as Isaiah the prophet said.” 24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25 So they asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you aren’t the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?”

Background on baptism types

John was a pretty big deal - it wasn’t normal the way that they baptized

What were they doing - Messiah? NO Is he Elijah? there are asking him if he is actually Elijah like come back. Are you the prophet - there was a Mosiac prophecy of a greater prophet coming.

He is saying I am not any of those - but I have a role

I’m not the hero but I have a role.

I’m not the star but I am on stage- I have a role

John’s role was to show people the messiah!

My role is to be the voice. My role is to point to Christ.

What John was doing. They wanted to know

John 1:26–28 CSB

26 “I baptize with water,” John answered them. “Someone stands among you, but you don’t know him. 27 He is the one coming after me, whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to untie.” 28 All this happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

They are really pressuring him. If you aren’t someone important then what are you doing here?

A slave handled the strap - not a disciple - he was lower than that!

John understood that he was in the story - just not the hero, he was on the stage but not in the spotlight.

Humility is not self-hate it’s self-awareness

If you know yourself - you defer to Christ.

Notice, John isn’t down on himself. He just know’s how much better the other person is.

Reality TV show where a guy had to hang for a long period of time, and one guy was like “I’m a mountain climber - this is what I do” then the other guy was like, yeah, but I’ve been practicing this. He wasn’t self-aware.

If I’m playing with Lebron, my role is to pass him the ball!

Know your role - You are on stage but not in the spotilight

Oftentimes people will take on more authority - demanding that people behave like we want them that the world looks like we want it to look. We try to get more glory than we are do. By demanding that everything be about us.

John doesn’t take glory that doesn’t belong to him, he doesn’t take authority that doesn’t belong to him. He doesn’t assume he knows better than God. He knows his place. Jesus is the one who saves, we show people

John understood his place - he understood his role wasn’t to be the messiah it was to show the messiah.

Jesus saves - we show

John 1:29–34 CSB

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I told you about: ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me, because he existed before me.’ 31 I didn’t know him, but I came baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and he rested on him. 33 I didn’t know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The one you see the Spirit descending and resting on—he is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

So who was the main character - Jesus

Look at what it said about Jesus’ at the baptism

Notice - why was he doing it - to reveal who the messiah was. - he was showing

Why - because everyone else was doing it because of their sins. But Jesus didn’t have any sin. So when he goes into the water - the Spirit is like - yeah this guy doesn’t need it. There’s a voice and everything.

But he isn’t just the messiah - he is the lamb of God

John 1:29–30 CSB

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I told you about: ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me, because he existed before me.’

Explain lamb of God

One question we ask ourselves, is this “what does God think of me?”

we were seperated from God. It leaves a hollowness - if you’ve ever lost a loved one or been through a breakup or moved away from home. You know that feeling - it’s like that but from birth and bigger!

Gospel

But he doesn’t just save us - he gives us the spirit

But here’s another part of it - John the bapist he didn’t know the messiah - but he probably Knew jesus they were related. So what John is saying here isn’t that he didn’t know Jesus as a person, he didn’t know Jesus was the savior until later.

ABC’s of repentence -

Admit we are sinners

Believe in his offer of forgiveness

Commit our lives to Him

That this knowing God, repentance relationship, isn’t just factual knowledge of God.

It’s knowing him relationally as our savior.

John - I didn’t know him

Here’s what’s important here- sometimes people say that they have a hard time forgiving themselves -

It’s not who you were, its who you are now.

When you hold on to self-hatred you are saying you are better judge than Jesus. You are saying that you know better than him. Jesus’ blood was good enough for God but it isn’t good enough for me.

Shame says that Jesus’ sacrifice is good enough for God but not good enough for me.

ABC’s of repentance is turning: Admit, Believe, Commit

This is what he keeps on saying - He baptizes us with the spirit.

What it means to have his spirit.

Here’s why this matters to us - so many people are running around trying to be the star just because they are on the stage. We try to upstage Christ rather than letting him lead.

sneakiness of the enemy

This matters to us because we are all called to live as if he is the main character not us. Our focus is on the building his kingdom

The way that we are going to live a fulfilled life - is to know our role that we don’t save - we show the one who saves.

Now I do need to address one common thought - God doesn’t need me. There’s a sense where that is true.

But it is how God organized the world. We don’t need are penguins, the other day I was driving in south florida and got excited about seeing an inguana. My dad thought I was crazy, but we don’t need iguanas.

God chose to use humans and you are a human.

So the way that we push back the darkness through means, and we are that means. So we don’t need to think poorly of ourselves,

Humility isn’t self-hate it’s self awareness.

So here’s what we want to be at Mercy Hill - we aren’t building an audience we are training an army.

God uses humans - you are a human so we need you!

Your life matters and the way you live matters!

One way is through the church - time, treasure, testimony

in fact - in February we once a welcome party - short meeting after the service

Serve party on how to get involved to serve.

but it is more than that. It’s how we live our lives

Your life matters and how you live matters - because we show we don’t save we show the savior

How you work matters

your marriage matters

your spare time matters - have fun - but point to Christ.

it all matters because it should all be focused on highlighting Christ - preparing people to know him and making it clear that God cares about restoring the world.

Look, when it comes to our role, we are on the stage not in the spotlight - our role is to point people to Christ, together.

Lord’s Supper:

On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 

Benediction:

The LORD bless you and keep you;

the LORD makes his face shine upon you and be gracious to you:

The LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.