John the Witness

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John the Witness

What have we learned so far in the book of John?
-The Word became flesh
-The Testimony of John the Baptist
-John the Baptist says “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
-Jesus calls the first Disciples
-The Wedding at Cana
-Jesus Cleanses the Temple
-Jesus knows what is in man
-Nicodemus - Ye must be born again
-God so loved the world
Tonight we are going to look at the next verses that tell us about John the Baptist and goes over what He had said earlier in the book. John is listed as a witness

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

-

15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”)

19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 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?” 23 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.”

24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25 They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Lets get into this weeks verses and study what is going on at this point of our study of the book of John.

John the Baptist Exalts Christ

22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. 23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized 24 (for John had not yet been put in prison).

25 Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” 27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. 33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. 34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing.

After what? After the visit to Jerusalem for passover
Where are they? Judean countryside (not specific)
The synoptic Gospels pick up Jesus’ ministry when John the Baptist is in prison and when Jesus is back in Galilee.
When we look forward to , Jesus was not baptizing, but He was there.

4 Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2(although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples),

Jesus is here, why is John the Baptist Baptizing?

23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized 24 (for John had not yet been put in prison).

-Where is Aenon? besides near Salim?
Water was plentiful
People were coming to be baptized
He wasn’t in prison......yet

25 Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification.

A “Discussion” was happening. “A Jew” is asking questions.
-What Jews were asking questions back in chapter 1?
-Could this have been Nicodemus?
We aren’t told who the Jew was but his question had some legitimacy, is he baptizing or providing the washing for the Jewish ritual of purity listed in Leviticus 14
: 8-9

8 And he who is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes and shave off all his hair and bathe himself in water, and he shall be clean. And after that he may come into the camp, but live outside his tent seven days. 9 And on the seventh day he shall shave off all his hair from his head, his beard, and his eyebrows. He shall shave off all his hair, and then he shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and he shall be clean.

John the Baptists’ disciples then asked him
“who was with you across the Jordan to whom you bore witness?”

26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.”

Jesus was the one who was baptized across the Jordan and who John the Baptist witnessed of.
Now the emphasis is that Jesus and His disciples are baptizing more people than they are.
“Look more people are going over there and here?”
-What was the purpose of John the Baptist?
We know from John chapter 1 that JTB was not interested in making his name great, he was interested in lifting up the name and ministry of Jesus. So what that the one he was lifting up had more “popularity”. That was his message from day one. So many of us get so wrapped up in popularity and who is better than who, but that wasn’t JTB’s message. Jesus was baptizing more people than him....FANTASTIC!!!
John answers. this next verse he is just warming up. He is getting ready to teach again. They called him Rabbi so he is getting ready to teach....

27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.

No one is able to receive anything unless it is given from Heaven
This is JTB’s introduction, now he gets into the meat of the lesson

28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’

You bear witness of me
-they knew who he was and had witnessed what he was doing and saying
-reminder things are sent from heaven, this is where John’s authority originates

7He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

7He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.

-He said “I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him”

20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”

Just as he did in chapter 1 he explains who Christ is and what his part is to witness of Jesus

29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Basic wedding picture
Bridegroom = groom is the one taking care of the Bride
Bride - one going to live with the groom, the one who has prepared a place for the Bride
Friend of the bridegroom (groom) = best man
-what are some of the responsibilities of a best man?
Help the groom get the groomsmen ready with their attire
Plan a bachelor party
take care of any needs the groom has the day of the wedding
hold the ring during the ceremony
be the grooms chauffeur
get the groom and bride to the reception
So JTB is basically referring to himself as a type of best man.
“the bridegroom friend stands and hears and greatly rejoices”
basically he is there to assist, but is not the center of attention.
*show pic of Chris/Jen wedding*
I was excited for my brother in law, but I wasn’t the center of attention, they were.
JTB says “therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.”
This is not a disappointment to JTB. He is excited that people are following Jesus instead of himself, because that is his life’s purpose. Some may have wondered how JTB would have taken the news that more were going to be baptized by Jesus’ group, but it didn’t worry JTB, it gave him excitement.

31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32

Chris is above all because He is from heaven. we are earthly and do not have the authority that Jesus has.

32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony.

we see again from chapter 1 that Jesus came to the world with hope, but even his own people didn’t want to listen to him.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

Ye must be born again
The testimony of Jesus is a life change beginning with being born from above.
Receiving Jesus’ testimony, believing, trusting in what He said was true. Not just only accepting it, but putting your seal on it.
Your stamp of approval that God is true. It is not that you stamp of approval is what God needs for His words to be true, but you are accepting His words and putting your seal on it that this is who you are, this is what you believe/trust base your life on.
A personal stamp from a signet ring on hot wax is the reference JTB is talking about here.
*Show wax stamp*

34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.

When God sends someone to speak His words, He gives them the Spirit entirely, not partially, but an immeasurable amount of comfort and support.
I need it for Spanish class. I would not be taking a foreign language on my own, but God has a plan for me to go and share His love to the people in Mexico, so I need to learn their language. As I sit in class trying to understand grammar which I don’t understand in a language I don’t understand is the most frustrating experience I’ve ever had, but I trust God and I know that I have the power of the Holy Spirit living inside and guiding me, otherwise, I wouldn’t be here.

35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.

We are not going to dissect how the Trinity works with God the Father, God The Son, and God The Spirit all being different personalities and still the same God, but He is.
Here God the Father who is in Heaven loves God the Son (Jesus who is from Heaven) and has given Jesus all authority over everything.

36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

ver. 15, 16; ch. 5:24; 6:40, 47, 54; 1 John 5:12, 13; [ch. 11:25, 26; 20:31]; See Matt. 19:16

all these references to those who believe, TRUST in the Son who is Jesus will have eternal life and those who don’t will not see life and God’s wrath is on him.
Jesus did not come into the world to condemn, but to give life. those who do not put their trust in Him are condemning their selves.
We all put our stamp of approval on something. John the Baptist put his entire life and mission on introducing people to Jesus. Where does God want you to share His love? Who does God want you to share His love with?
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