Why Am I? The Question of the Day

Introduction

We are faced with so many questions in life regarding our existence. There are many of us who ask ourselves “Who Am I?” Then others of us ask ourselves, “What Am I?” But few of us ask ourselves “Why Am I?” This is the central idea of the text (CIT) is answering the questions “Why Am I?”

The main objective of sermon (MOS) i.e. when we leave here we want to know, or at least make it a priority to answer “Why Am I?”

In other words, we must know our purpose. God gave Jeremiah the most appropriate answer in , “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

The Message Chapter 1

There once was a man, his name John, sent by God to point out the way to the Life-Light. He came to show everyone where to look, who to believe in. John was not himself the Light; he was there to show the way to the Light.

I. The Messenger (6) - Man/Messenger

man n. — an adult person who is male...

how humbling, that God would use messed up creatures such as ourselves

John the Baptist, Elizabeth and Zechariah’s boy, the one that leaped in the womb, John the Baptist

II. The Mission (7-8) - Witness to Testify

II. The Mission

John the Baptist’s life had purpose.

to be dispatched (state) v. — to be or become sent towards a designated goal.

Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: John B. John’s Witness Concerning the Light (1:6–8)

The phrase “sent from God” is reminiscent of the OT description of a prophet whose role was to function as a spokesperson for God

to bear witness v. — to solemnly assert something, offering firsthand authentication of the fact; often concerning grave or important matters.

witness - comes from a word that has “martyr” as its roots - which means I’m willing to die as a witness

The New American Commentary: John 1–11 1. The Magnificent Prologue (1:1–18)

The Johannine theme of believing introduced here is without doubt one of the most central concerns of the Gospel. It is crucial to the evangelist’s purpose statement for writing the Gospel (20:31)

The New American Commentary: John 1–11 1. The Magnificent Prologue (1:1–18)

To be a child of God comes by way of God’s gift through human receiving. The Johannine idea is thus quite similar to the Pauline idea that justification comes by way of grace as a gift that is received through faith

III. The Message (7) - LIGHT

light source n. — any object serving as a source of light (whether natural or artificial).

to trust (faith) v. — to have a strong confidence or reliance upon someone or something.

to trust (faith) v. — to have a strong confidence or reliance upon someone or something.