John 1:19-28 - The Second Witness of John the Baptist
JESUS THE MESSIAH, THE LORD
“The Second Witness of John the Baptist”
John 1:19-28
John was Questioned by Religionists of “Who he was”—1:19
John the Baptist
A. The questioning of John was to be expected, for his father, Zechariah, was a priest (Luke 1:5-25).
1. All the sons of the priest were automatically priest’s by descent, however John was not a priest like others.
2. Levites – servants of the priests, descendants of Levi just as the descendants of Aaron were. However, only descendants could serve as priests; all other Levites served under them.
B. John was radically different by the way he lived & preached (Matthew 3:1-12).
John stressed thirteen points
1. Repentance (v.2).
a. The first Word of God, breaking the 400 years of silence!
b. Jesus’ first sermon began with the same imperative (Matt. 4:17), setting the tone for His entire earthly ministry (Luke 5:31).
c. Jesus Himself said, “unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3, 5)
d. God “commands all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30-31).
e. God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2Pet.3:9).
f. The Great Commission: Jesus commanded the apostles to preach repentance (Luke 24:47).
g. Jonah was sent by God to go to Nineveh & “cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.” (Jonah 1:2; 3:2).
1) Jonah 3:5 – “So the people of Nineveh believed God”
2) Jesus said “The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.
h. True repentance illustrated
1) David (2 Samuel 12:13; Psalm 51:16-17)
2) The true Peter is seen not in his denial but in his repentance (Matthew 26:75)
3) The thief on the cross (Luke 23:40-41)
a) Matt. 27:44 & Mk. 15:32 both criminal are mocking Christ.
b) As the hours went by this criminal conscience was smitten, & he repented.
c) The one criminal continued to mock (v.39), while the other rebuked him (v.40) and refused to mock Jesus any longer (v.41-42)
4) The prodigal son (Luke 15:17-19)
5) The repentant son (Matthew 21:28-32)
a) The idea is that repentant tax collectors & harlots would enter the kingdom of heaven before outwardly religious hypocrites.
6) Paul (Galatians 1:23)
i. False repentance illustrated.
1) Saul (1 Samuel 15:24-30).
2) Judas (Matt. 27:3-5).
a) Judas felt the sting of his own guilt but this was not genuine repentance.
j. The danger of neglecting repentance.
1) Matthew 11:20-24
2) Luke 13:3-5
k. Godly sorrow produces repentance (2 Cor. 7:10).
1) Repentance is at the very heart of an proves ones salvation.
2) Sorrow of the world is getting caught in a sin, wounded pride.
Repentance means to change; to turn; to change one’s mind; to turn one’s life. It is a turning away from sin and turning toward God; “For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, (1 Thessalonians 1:9 NKJV)
Repentance is turning to Jesus Christ and trusting in Him for the forgiveness of your sins.
If you believe in the Gospel but you do not repent, then you really do not believe the Gospel.
2. The kingdom of Heaven (v.2).
a. The sphere of God’s dominion over those who belong to Him.
b. The spiritual rule over the hearts of believers “For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you”(Luke 17:21).
3. Prepare, for the Lord is coming (v.3-6).
a. V.3 – A prophecy concerning John the Baptist (Isaiah 40:3-5).
b. V.4 – John himself also had the image of Elijah (2 Kings 1:8); locust (Lev. 11:22).
c. V.6 – The Baptism of John symbolized repentance, they were repenting in anticipation of the Messiah’s arrival.
d. Baptism was an act of obedience to the Lords command
e. Baptism does not produce the forgiveness & cleansing from sin.
f. Genuine repentance brings from God the forgiveness of sins (Eph. 1:7).
Christian Baptism altered the significance of the symbolism of John’s Baptism.
Christian Baptism symbolizes the identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection
(Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12)
4. Flee the wrath to come (v.7).
5. Bear fruit (v.8).
6. Do not be deceived over the merits of a godly heritage (v.9).
7. Acknowledge the power of God (v.10).
8. Judgment is at hand (v.10).
9. Fruit is demanded - now (v.10).
10. Everyone who bears bad fruit is condemned (v.10).
11. Repent – be baptized with water by man (v.11).
12. Repent – be baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire (v.11).
13. The messiah shall separate the wheat from the tares (v.12).
II. He was a Man Who Knew Who He Was—1:20-22
The Minister & Humility:
A. John knew who he was and that God had sent him into the world for a specific ministry (John 1:6-8).
1. A man sent, not by man, but from God (v.6).
2. A man with a mission (v.7).
a. To bear witness of the Light, Jesus Christ.
b. The purpose was that “men might believe.”
1) We to must bear witness of the light, Jesus Christ, that men might believe (Matthew 5:14-16).
3. A man who was great but was not the light (v.8).
The Humility of John the Baptist
1. Jesus Himself said, “among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist. (Matthew 11:11 NKJV).
2. Read John 1:19-23, 27
a. He confessed he was not the Christ – v.20
b. He prepares the way for Jesus – v.23
c. He says he was unworthy to loosen Christ’ sandal strap – v.27
d. He points all people to Jesus not to Himself – v.29, 35-37
e. John wants the Lord to increase not Himself – v.30
3. Passages on humility.
a. Matthew 23:12
b. Philippians 2:3-4
c. Romans 12:3
d. James 4:10
e. 1 Peter 5:5
4. It takes humility, not pride to come to God & be saved.
a. Luke 18:9-14
B. He was not the Christ – v.20
Christ – Messiah – the words “Christ” (christos) and “Messiah” are the same word. “Messiah” is the Hebrew word & “Christ” is the Greek word. Both words refer to the same person & mean the same thing: the “Anointed One”
In the days of Jesus – people were longing for the promised Messiah.
The Messiah was thought to be several things.
1. NATIONALLY – He was thought to be the leader from David’s line who would free the Jewish state and establish it as an independent nation, leading it to be the greatest nation the world had ever known.
2. MILITARILY – He was to be a great military leader who would lead Jewish armies victoriously over all the world.
3. RELIGIOUSLY – He was to be a supernatural figure straight from God who would bring righteousness over all the earth.
4. PERSONALLY – He was to be the One who would bring peace to the whole world.
The Lord Jesus Christ
Jesus accepted the tile of Messiah on three separate occasions (Matt. 16:17; Mk. 14:61; Jn. 4:26)
1. Lord is His title
2. Jesus is His name
3. Christ is His mission
C. He was not Elijah – v.21
D. He was not that prophet – v.21
1. This prophet was thought to be another forerunner of the Messiah (John 7:40), Jeremiah or Isaiah. This was based on Moses prediction that there would be a prophet like unto himself (Deut. 18:15).
2. Today most Christians interpret this prophet to be Christ Himself (Acts 3:22; 7:37).
E. Application: The Lessons are very clear.
The servant or minister of God must not
1. Claim to be the Christ nor any other great prophet.
2. Pretend to be some great man of God.
3. Seek recognition.
4. Assume some honor that does not belong to him.
5. Allow God’s power upon his life and ministry to turn his head toward pride, thinking more highly of himself
III. He was Only a Voice – Only a Forerunner for the Lord—1:23 (cf. Luke 3:4-6; Matt. 3:3; Mark 1:3)
A. John the Baptist, Forerunner:
1. Whenever a king was going to travel throughout the province there would be a forerunner.
2. The forerunner would gather together crews of people to repair all the highways.
a. Removing the rocks, filling the low place, smoothing the way so the king would have a smooth ride.
b. Spiritually, they were to prepare their hearts for the coming of the Messiah.
3. These people needed their religion straightened out.
a. 2 Tim.3:5 - They became formal and institutionalized.
b. Going through the motions of religion, its service & rites, yet living as they wished.
4. The Messiah was to bring a strong message of truth.
a. That man is sinful and perishing
b. That man must repent
c. That man must prepare, for the Kingdom is at hand.
B. All Christians are to proclaim the truth.
IV. He was a Baptizer—1:24-26
Baptism – The Baptism of John the Baptist:
A. The Questioners were the Pharisees – v.24
Pharisees – separated ones. They were strict religionists, refusing to practice Greek customs and dedicated to practicing the Jewish law in the strictest sense.
– They were the main opponents of Jesus Christ, savagely attacking Him for two reasons:
1. He was not a graduate of their rabbinical schools, nor a member of any of their religious sect.
2. He attacked their rules & regulations which had been added to God’s law (Matt. 23:1-36; Lk. 11:37-54).
B. They Questioned John’s right to baptize – v.25
1. John’s baptism shocked the nation, for the Jews were never baptized
a. Jews considered all gentiles unclean, so they had to be baptized, after becoming converts.
b. However, Jews thought themselves to be clean and acceptable to God no matter how they lived. Why? Because Jews were “of the seed of Abraham.”
c. John said “Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, “and do not think to say to yourselves, `We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. (Matthew 3:8-9 NKJV)
2. The religionist wanted to know if John was the Christ.
3. The religionist wanted to know if John was a prophet.
a. In theory a true prophet was said to have the right to institute new practices.
4. John’s baptism was radical, a ‘baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” (Luke 3:3).
V. He was an Unworthy Servant— The Servant of God – Humility 1:27
A. John proclaimed & confessed that Jesus was “preferred before him”.
“is preferred before me” literally means “first to me or first of me.”
1. John is talking about the pre-existence of Jesus in glory, prior to His birth. This is reference to both time and importance, superiority, Being, & Person!
2. Jesus Christ was the first in time, existing before John – He existed “in the beginning”—throughout all eternity.
3. He always existed – Jesus was the first – Jesus was the very cause for John’s existence.
"Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: `I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God. (Isaiah 44:6 NKJV)
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." (Revelation 1:8 NKJV)
"And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, `These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: (Revelation 2:8; 21:5-7; 22:12-13; 22:20)
"And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last." (Revelation 22:12-13 NKJV)
He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:20 NKJV)
B. John proclaimed that he was not even worthy to unloose the shoe latchet of Jesus’ sandals.
1. Slaves were the ones who loosed the sandals of guests & washed their feet
Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. (John 13:3-5 NKJV)
So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? "You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. "For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. (John 13:12-15 NKJV)
2. John said that he was less than a slave, unworthy to do even what a slave did.
3. Every servant of God must make the same confession of unworthiness.
VI. He was a Man who Brought Honor to a Place—1:28
A. John was ministering in Bethabara beyond Jordan.
1. Bethabara was a great distance from Jerusalem, John brought honor to this place for nothing else is known about this city.
B. Application: The servant of God.
1. If we are faithful in our witnessing and ministry (like John) we will bring honor to a place.
2. In God’s eyes a place is honored because believers are there (Genesis 18:16ff.).
C. What we have learned.
1. John was questioned by the religionists of his day.
a. We are going to be questioned about our faith in God; we must be ready to answer.
2. John knew who he was, knew what God wanted him to do, & did it in humility.
a. We must seek the Lord daily, knowing His will for our lives & doing it in humility.
3. John was a forerunner to go before the Lord.
a. Christ has already come & died for our sins, showing the way to heaven.
b. We must be a forerunner, proclaiming the truth of the Gospel, to a lost and dying world before the Lord comes a second time.
4. John was a baptizer.
a. Baptism is critical, it does not save you, but if you are a Christian you should be baptized.
b. We must proclaim the baptism of repentance in it full meaning (Matt. 3:8).
5. John was an unworthy servant.
a. Since we are children of God, we must serve our God in humility.
He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8 NKJV)
6. John brought honor to a place.
a. We must be faithful in our witnessing & ministry.