John: The Witness

Exegetical Point: John the Baptising was not the Christ, but testified that Jesus was.

Homiletic Point: Hear that Jesus is the Christ, and testify it to the world!

Intro

How do we prove something happened?

In court proceedings, innocence or guilt comes down to whether you can prove beyond a reasonable doubt whether or not something happened.

The Judge and the Jury were not present at the scene, so how do they know what happened?

You need witnesses. You need someone who was there, who observed what happened to clarify the truth.

Maybe think about when something incredible happened to you - something that was just one chance in a million!

I caught a fish this big, but it jumped out of the boat...

The car passed literally this close to me while crossing the street...

I thew the ball and it went through the hoop, bounced through the hoop again...

When crazy stuff happens before our very eyes, how can we validate it? How can we verify that it was a real, true event? With witnesses!

Witnesses can testify about what happened. Confirming that you’re not spinning a tall tale.

Now these days, in courtrooms we rely on more than just eye-witnesses, we have video and photographs and DNA evidence etc. that act as witnesses as well.

When we pull off an amazing trick-shot or have a near miss sometimes its caught on camera which then acts as a confirmation that it really happened.

But before the advent of such technology, you could really only rely on the words of others to try and understand truth. That’s why in the Old Law you could only convict law-breakers on the evidence of two or three witnesses.

The Apostle John was one of those witnesses of Jesus. He lived and saw and heard, and experienced Jesus as the Son of God. He writes in this book about many of the confirmations of who Jesus was, whether it be people saying it, or miracles, or prophecy fulfilled, all of it testifies to the Divinity and nature of Jesus as God-in-the-flesh.

We know what John is doing with the way he writes and what he leaves out for what he puts into to his account, because he told us the express purpose of the Gospel of John is:

John 20:31 NIV

But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John wants the book to confirm, to testify, that Jesus is God’s Anointed one.

Yet even before the John wrote this book, God sent someone to be the initial witness to testify about Jesus’. This man who came first, we call John the Baptist. He came to confirm that Jesus was the Christ, the anointed one of God.

He came to get people ready, get them looking the right direction so that when Jesus came, they would be ready to receive Him. So when John was writing his history of Jesus, he starts with John the Baptist (as does Mark) as the first witness.

Recap

But, lets do a quick recap of what we covered last week, so we can be jump into this next bit. Because the book doesn’t start with the historical events of Jesus life on earth - it has this epic prologue.

John Told us in the prologue:

Who the Book as about (word of God, the light),

the corroborator John the Baptising,

What the light came to do (rescue the children of God),

and how he was going to do it (Became flesh, revealed the father, gave grace and truth.)

As we said, there was so much packed into the prologue that we couldn’t unpack, but, the same ideas and themes we breezed through in the Prologue will come up in detail throughout the book.

We pick up today a theme that has already been driven home in the prologue: John the Baptist was a Witness of the Christ. But now we are seeing how that becomes a reality.

The Prologue was kind of a top down summary of Jesus, Word of God, The Light of All Mankind

Now we’re stepping into the body of the book, where John shows us Jesus from the bottom up - from the perspective of people and places, in time and space. He tells the story with Witnesses and Testimony, from records and experience.

Remember - John the Baptising is always called John, whereas the author of the book of John is John the Apostle - whenever he comes up in the story he refers to himself cryptically as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”. John

What has already been said about John the Baptising in the Prologue?

John 1:6–8 NIV

There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

and,

John 1:15 (NIV)

(John testified concerning [the Son]. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”)

So the stage is very clearly set on what to expect about this John the Baptising character:

He is Sent from God

His job is to affirm the “Light” of all humanity

He was not the main show, he was the warm-up act.

Unlike the other Gospels, there is little attention paid to the ministry of John. The author is not interested in fleshing out all the details about John’s ministry, because he was only telling us what we need to know to show that Jesus was the Christ.

Aside: We notice that John is quite different to the other Gospels, but putting in details or leaving them out of a story is not misleading - whether you’re writing a 200 word news report, or telling an interesting story to your friends, you always make choices about what elements of the true events you leave out or put in to a story. Effective communicators leave out details that do not help you understand the point they’re trying to make. All Biblical writers did this under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Now in saying that, do not ask me what the 153 fish at the end of John has to do with Jesus being Messiah.

So that’s the top down view of John the Baptist, but How does that play out on the ground? Well it’s shown to us through a story that answers the Questions:

Who is John the Baptising? And where is the main Event?

1. Not the Messiah (v19-21)

Delegation to find out what’s what. We know form other places that JB is preaching repentance and forgiveness, and seeing that spiritual story play out with a physical sign of ritual washing. John was building a following and having an effective ministry. These guy come to see what this guy was doing.

John 1:19 NIV

Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was.

The delegation has priests serving (levitical religious officials) and levites (maybe a reference to temple police). There also appear to be some pharisees in the mix as mentioned further down.

John was from a priestly line - ritual washing was a family trade, but John was doing something outside the standard order.

Not an invitation for innovative worship practices - God had told them how to run the temple rituals, and told John to do what he did. Unless God is speaking from heaven, we don’t have any grounds to play around with the elements of worship - not talking about style, but content.

Because he was “out of order” the authorities wanted to know on what basis, or on what authority JB could introduce this new stuff. They knew their Bibles, they were waiting for the promises of God, so they considered the possibility that JB was one of the promised people they were waiting for.

There were three people that they were waiting for, and John answers each one.

Are you the Messiah?

They were waiting for a Messiah - and Annointed one, a.k.a. a Christ. Daniel specifically prophesies this:

Daniel 9:25–26 (NIV)

“Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing.

There was also the expectation of the anointed one as a King in the line of David, who would restore the throne and the fortunes of Israel.

John Says:

John 1:20 NIV

He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”

SO John is not the Christ they were expecting. Well, what about option be?

Are you Elijah?

Elijah, if you know the story, never died. He left the earth in a Chariot of Fire. Many Jews believed that Elijah would return some day, before the end of the world.

Now God had also spoken though the prophet Malachi the Elijah would come back:

Malachi 4:5–6 NIV

“See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”

This meant that some were expecting the literal Elijah to return and continue his prophetic ministry.

Now John denies it: “I’m not Elijah”

John 1:21 (NIV)

They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.”

Now we need to add an interpretive note here, becaue John is kind of Elijah. You see Jesus would specifically say, as would the Angel Gabriel, the John the Baptist was the fulfillment of the Malachi prophecy - John came in the spirit and power of Elijah to fulfill that prophetic office.

They wore similar clothes, they both had a message of repentance, but JB wasn’t the literal Elisha come back - he was similar, like in the same way a child can be very much like their parents with mannerisms etc, while being two separate people.

So no, JB wasn’t Elijah literally, but he was a like a successor to Elijah.

So, he’s not Messiah, he’s not Elijah, perhaps he’s THE Prophet?

Are you the Prophet?

The Jews were expecting a big-deal prophet. Moses was one of the biggest most iconic prophets, but God had told God’s people to expect someone like Moses:

Deuteronomy 18:18–19 (NIV)

I will raise up for them a prophet like [Moses] from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him. I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name.

They were hanging out for this guy. It had been a minuite since Moses was around!

John was a might prophet, he was out in the wilderness, kind of like Moses who led them in the wilderness for 40 years.

What John the guy?

John 1:21 (NIV)

... “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”

John was very concerned not to insinuate himself where he didn’t belong. He was here not to big-note himself, but to highlight his successor.

We too are not the main event. We can think of ourselves like the star celebrity in our own movie, but we are really supporting cast for God’s story. JB was a big deal, but even he wasn’t the star, his job is to let the Light Shine through.

Same goes for you! Some of us will have “prominent” roles in life and be remembered for a few generations, but the vast majority of us will fade into obscurity as far as world history is concerned. Make sure you lift up Jesus, and not yourself.

If I can play some small part in glorifying Christ by making Him known and working in His Kingdom, then it will all be worth it. My life is worthless unless it brings honor to Jesus. He is worthy to receive your whole life; even if your part seems insignificant - it is valuable if it is for the Glory of Christ.

You are not the main character, you are not the center piece of history, you are not even the most important part of your own life - Jesus is!

Give way to him!

Let him take center stage, and you point to him as you fade into the background!

You’re not the hero!

You’re not the messiah!

2. Hear The Voice (v22-28)

So, they’re fed up with guessing! Just cut to the chase will ya John?

Who are you to do the things you’re doing?

John 1:22 NIV

Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

So it seems they’re a little exasperated. John gives way a little, and tells them about his mandate from God:

John 1:23 NIV

John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ ”

We read this earlier. It comes from a passage of Isaiah, where God is prophesied to return to His people. God was angry with them for their stubbornness and sin. They had suffered the justified punishment from God, but God promised not to abandon them; he would care and nurture His people like a shepherd looking after the flock.

So as part of that return, God would send a messenger ahead, a voice who would get the people ready for God’s return!

Like a road construction crew laying a smooth highway, John was calling people to prepare for the arrival of God, prepare the princes highway!

Isaiah 40:3–5 NIV

A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

God was coming to town!

Get ready!

Get rid of any impediment between you and God!

What do you do when there you have visitors coming to stay? You clean the house, make up the spare bed, you get out towels for them, you stock up the fridge with food.

You get ready to receive your guests and make their way easy. You want to receive them with open arms, and not be repulsive to them. You treat them with love and devotion.

As humanity, we have a problem with God coming to town. We have all kinds of junk in our lives which is an affront to God.

It needs to be dealt with, we need to prepare for God’s arrival.

Your sin need to be taken away.

What if Christ came bodily amongst us right now?

How much shame and disgust would there be amongst us at the idea of hosting our Lord? We know that we are not worthy to receive him. We need to be cleansed!

And that’s the ministry that JB had - he was calling people to own up to the sin and rebellion in their life, take responsibility, and deal with it!

Repent!

Turn away from the wickedness!

Seek the forgiveness of God, and the cleansing that he offers the penitent heart!

This ritual washing of John signified this internal act - he washed the outside of the body in baptism as a sign of the forgiveness and cleansing that God can do inwardly so that God can come to be with his people.

Even after John let on to his divine commission - the religious leaders were still not convinced. The kept asking Questions, but JB directs them back to Jesus, even though JB didn’t know it was Him yet:

John 1:24–27 NIV

Now the Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”

John knew that the Messiah was coming. His identity hadn’t been revealed yet. Even though Jesus & John probably knew each other, they were cousins after all, John did not yet know the identity of the messiah.

What he did know is that he had come, and was going to take over where John left off. On top of that, this secret messiah would not be a student of Johns, but rather John’s master.

If you were to stoop to untie someone's sandals in that day, it was a sign of lower status. It was a sign of social inferiority. Here is john saying, i’m so inferior to the messiah I can’t even be his servant. I’m not good enough to do even the lowest of jobs for him.

However, the hidden identity of the messiah wasn’t to stay hidden for long...

3. See and Testify that this is Jesus

John now witnesses the revelation of the Messiah! He gets to testify! To recognize and affirm the Christ!

John 1:29–31 NIV

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

Now John knows! He would Go on to say why he know Jesus is the Messiah in a moment. But here, we have that wonderful recognition:

Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!

He’s here!

And we begin to understand that all these pieces of this passage fit together in Jesus. All the prophcies connect in Him!

Jesus is the Messiah King,

Jesus is the Prophet,

Jesus is the coming of God prophesied in Isaiah 40.

Jesus was “before John” because He was God.

Jesus was the Lamb of God who takes away the sin that we need forgiveness for. We need to be washed to receive him.

Jesus comes as a lamb. This is a strange turn of phrase, and even weirdly disconnected from other parts of the Bible - but suffice to say John seems to name Jesus as the suffering servant of Isaiah 53 - He is like a lamb who is slaughtered for the transgressions of many people.

Jesus would go on to do this - to die for the sins of God’s people.

He would die like the passover lamb, so that the judgment of God would pass over God’s people.

He would die like the animals at the temple worship, to repair the disconect between God and his people.

But he would do it once and for all! No more sacrifices needed after this Lamb dies.

Yet he can’t stay dead. Jesus rose from the grave!

SO how did John know Jesus was the one? The Anointed one? He saw Jesus being Anointed by the Holy Spirit!

John 1:32–33 NIV

Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’

The other Gospels record this too. Jesus was anointed by God’s spirit. He was the One. The chosen one. The Special one.

Spirit like a dove, why is this significat? Dunno.

- Noah’s Dove found a place to rest when God’s wrath was past,

- Doves could be used by even the poorest people in their worshipful mediation with God like Jesus & HS.

- Hovered over Christ like the Spirit hovered in the waters of creation?

Whatever the case, this one anointed by HS, will also be the one who washes other in the HS!

Imagine that, that you can bathe in the HS! Jesus will cleanse people by the HS!

Jesus will go on to be the lamb who takes away the sin of the world, and Jesus uses the HS to make that sacrifice effective in the life of God’s people.

The HS makes the work of Christ effective in our lives.

We need Him!

We need His cleansing and power!

Ezekiel Prophesied this!

Ezekiel 36:25–27 NIV

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

If you want the forgivness and cleansing of Christ in the HS, call out to God! Repent and put your trust in Jesus!

Then, come and receive the outward washing of Baptism as the sign of the inward cleansing of the HS!

I hope and pray that we will see many baptisms to come! I hope it is a regular feature of our church life that we are gathering to celebrate the cleansing of souls and welcome them into God's Church!

Once we are cleanse by the HS, making Christ’s work effectual in us, then we will be able to please God with the way that we live, walking in accordance with His laws.

But we can also then join with JB, continuing his legacy of testifying to the Christ!

Although it was a particularly special mission for JB, there is a sense in which we all have that same motive. With our mouth, and with our conduct we testify along with John that Jesus is God’a annointed king!

John 1:34 NIV

I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”

What now?

Let Jesus take center stage

Hear the voice, prepare for God - repent

Be cleansed - receive the HS and receive the physical sign of washing.

Be Jesus witnesses! Tetsify!

We may not have seen it, but we have seen the power of Christ in history, and even in our midst. We can testify the good news!

(References:

Sinclair Ferguson Sermon on John 1:19-34.

John Piper Sermon on John 1:19-37.

Sproul, R. C., ed. The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version. Orlando, FL; Lake Mary, FL: Ligonier Ministries, 2005.

Barry, John D., Douglas Mangum, Derek R. Brown, Michael S. Heiser, Miles Custis, Elliot Ritzema, Matthew M. Whitehead, Michael R. Grigoni, and David Bomar. Faithlife Study Bible. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016.

Balogh, Amy. “Elijah the Prophet.” The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016.

Carson, Pillar Commentary on John