John the Baptist - testimony to Christ

John 1: 19-34

Who Was John the Baptist?

What was his purpose?

I. Intro

Vs. 19 – This is John’s testimony.

Vs. 32 & 34 again tell us this is John’s testimony (Emphasis)

NOTE: The Sanhedrin was compelled to send a delegation to check out this wild man living in the wilderness, eating locusts and honey. You see, the religious leaders of the time saw themselves as a sort of religious police. He was an unauthorized teacher!

II. John Identifies Who He Is “Who are you?” Vs. 20-22

Not the Christ
The Jewish people were awaiting the Messiah. Possibly because Daniel had predicted (Ch 9) 490 years from the rebuilding of the temple and Jerusalem --> Messiah. As John was baptizing Jews they reasoned that perhaps he was the Christ.
Not Elijah Mal 4:5-6 - “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”
Not the prophet A prophet like Moses…This was a point of uncertainty among the Jewish people. Some thought the “prophet” was the Christ himself, while others weren’t so sure. The term comes from Deut. 18:15, 18 – “I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.” (Vs. 18). Feeding of the 5,000 - “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” – John 6:14 Again in John 7, “’Truly this is the Prophet.’ Others said, ‘This is the Christ.’”

o “The voice of one crying in the wilderness” - Vs. 23

o Claiming fulfillment of prophecy. Quoting Is. 40:3

Mal. 3:1 - “Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,” Says the Lord of hosts.”
NOTE: Making straight the way of the Lord is an allusion to the preparation for a coming king. Before a king arrived great effort were made to impress the king. They’d tidy up the town, fix everything, but especially repair the roads making them smooth as possible for the king’s travel into the city.

III. “Why…do you baptize if you are not…Christ…Elijah…Prophet?” v 24

o John’s baptizing made him a proselytizer. They wanted to know what his message was.

o Baptism was not a new practice. It was understood as a powerful sacramental ceremony to symbolize purification & the removal of sin. The Sanhedrin understood this and asked. “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ?”

o Baptism was an initiation rite and normally reserved for converts to Judaism. BUT John baptized Jews too!!! What was John trying to demonstrate with this baptism? Why did the Jews need to be baptized too? John was demonstrating a GREATER TRUTH about to be revealed!

Roman Soldier’s Oath - Early Christians called baptism a “sacramentum", a Latin word for a Roman soldier’s oath of absolute devotion and obedience to his general. [1]

IV. John Identifies Who Christ Is

o Jesus was before John – Eternal

o Popularity of John, All region & Judea came to hear him, BUT he kept referring to a greater one

Vs 27 - “He who, coming after me, is preferred before me” In their culture, normally the firstborn son was the favored one. The firstborn received a double portion of the father’s inheritance. This was meant so that the firstborn could use it to protect and care for the family. Vs. 30 - But John recognized this as just an earthly view of Jesus… later he says, “This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me'”
Col. 1:17 – “And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist”
John 8:56-59 – Jesus claims to be from before Abraham. And associates himself with the “I Am” that god labeled Himself at the burning bush when talking to Moses – “Before Abraham was, I Am”.

One of whom John was a lowly servant - Master

Vs. 27 “whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.” This was a job left to the lowliest of servants in a household of that time. But as a servant of God it is better to be the lowest of His house than the greatest of any other. This is why King David said of God, “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.” - Ps. 84 10 John’s humble servant attitude earned him this saying from Jesus himself: “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” – Matt. 11:11 Vs. 29 One who is “The Lamb of God” - Savior*
This is easily understood to be relating to the Passover lamb. Before the Israelites left the slavery of Egypt, God commanded that they kill a lamb and put its blood on their doorposts. When the angel of the Lord saw the blood He would “pass over” the household. If they did not have the blood on the doorpost the firstborn of that house would die. Jesus was here to replace this figurative lamb and is greeted by John with “Behold! The Lamb of God…”

Passover lamb (allusion to) < Lamb of God (the Real Deal)

Hebrews 9:13-14 - “For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling them that have been defiled, sanctify unto the cleanness of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (ASV.)

“…The sin of the world” Previous sacrifices were only for the person or family presenting it. Jesus was everyone’s personal sacrifice made for all people.

1 John 2: 2 - “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” This does not mean everyone is saved. Only those who chose to follow Him. But it does mean there is “no distinction between Jew and Greek” any longer because now “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” - Rm 10:12-13

Vs. 32-34 One whom God reveals to John - Revealed

“And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.” John Recognized the Messiah via the H.S. AND we have historic proof* via the resurrection. Attempts to discredit:

Legend – Josephus (lived during apostles), Not enough time, No un-mythed documents of NT
Lies – 2 reasons for lies (get or avoid something), Lives changed, Willing to die
Hallucinations – Everyone knew the tomb was empty, No group hallucinations (500 people), Skeptics James & Paul changed after
Swoon – Nature of wounds, Suffocation, Soldiers spear test, 80 miles to Galilee
Only Alternative Left – Jesus rose AND proves He is Messiah!!!

Vs. 33 One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit – True Baptism (New and different)

Have you ever been to a church where you were unfamiliar with its practices? You just followed everyone else so you didn’t look stupid?

When an American destroyer was laid over for a weekend in Swedish waters, two sailors aboard decided to go to church. Unable to understand one word of Swedish, they resolved to play it safe by sitting behind a rather large man and do whatever he did. In the course of the service, the pastor paused to make a special announcement, whereupon the citizen leaped to his feet. The two sailors promptly did likewise, whereupon the entire congregation dissolved into a gale of laughter.

Later the sailors learned the cause of the merriment. The pastor had announced an infant baptism and requested the father of the baby to rise.

-Bennett Cerf

- I don’t have the time to discuss who should be or how baptism should be done.

2X’s in this passage John exclaims “I baptize with water” However, when John is told by God how to identify the Christ he is told “this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit” Matthew, Mark, and Luke all record John as saying, “I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” This was the GREATER TRUTH John was revealing! Before this everything was physical ritual done by man’s power. But NOW by Christ’s power Via the Holy Spirit!
Acts 1:5 - Jesus says something similar “for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” He goes on to say “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Vs. 34 John identifies Jesus as “The Son of God”

What does Son of God mean? Some might say “so what!” Aren’t we all really, as His creation, the son’s of God? John 19:7 - *"We have a law, and according to our law he ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God." (Law of Leviticus 24:16)

V. Conclusion:

o John came to prepare the way for the Lord. The next to last verse is fitting for the end of the Bible. Here Jesus is speaking and says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” To which was the response, “Amen. Come Lord Jesus.” – Rv. 22:20

o Like the ancients preparing the roads leading into their cities before a great king would visit.

Are you fixing the roads and buildings of your heart and life in preparation for the great and everlasting King who is coming?

o John Recognized the Messiah via the H.S. resting on Him.

Do You Recognize Him?

Matt. 16:13-19
"Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?"
But the all important question to Jesus was: "But who do you say that I am?"
His response to Peter was: "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven..."

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[1]Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations : A Treasury of Illustrations, Anecdotes, Facts and Quotations for Pastors, Teachers and Christian Workers (Garland TX: Bible Communications, 1996, c1979).