Who are you?
Notes
Transcript
John 1:15–34 (ESV)
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.’ ”)
16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
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.
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’
31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”
32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.
33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
What does our passage tell us about God?
First, He is in control right? When pressed by the religious leaders on who He was He quoted Isaiah which was written 7 to 8 hundred years earlier. So what does that mean to you this morning? It means that God is in control. Our fate is not determined by the whims of sinful men who have control of a massive army. We do not need to worry or panic that some lunatic will unless a nuclear missile. Our fate is not determined by men It is determined by a loving Father who is sovereign over the affairs of men. TO the point He predicted the birth and purpose of John the baptist 7-8 hundred of years prior. I hope that gives someone here peace this morning that our world is just happen stances and our future isn’t random. The God of the universe Is in control and if you are His, He loves you to a point that is immeasurable by human standards. He loved us, His followers by sending His Son. Amen?
This leads to the second point we learn from our passage about God. Look at verses 32 - 34.
32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.
33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
This is the most profound truth of all human history. Jesus is the son of God. This is one of those truths that if you are not careful, becomes another fact you believe but has no real practical application to your everyday life. Did you come here this morning eager to meet with the living Son of God? Did you come to worship the spotless lamb that took away your sin? Or did you come because this is what you do every Sunday? Or because someone expects you to? Or because you like seeing the people here? Why did you come? If you are not careful you can loose sight that we have come to worship the Son of God.
The final truth about God I want to examine from our passage this morning is the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Now you maybe doing a double take looking at our text Saying Brad I see no mention of the Holy Spirit.
15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.
So as we compare and contrast the behavior of John the baptist with the religious leaders the evidence of the indwelling Holy Spirit is evident.
And as we explore the effect The Holy Spirit has on John the Baptist, we can also examine the truth about humans.
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.”
Why did the Pharisees send priests and Levites out to ask John who he was?
4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Baptism wasn’t new to the Jewish people. They had many Mikvehs at the temple.
You see that is why they send men out to see why John was baptizing in the Jordan instead of the people going to the temple.
What hope can we gain form this passage?
The first hope
ADVERTISEMENT