John's Clear Role
Advent Year B • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 35:27
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· 23 viewsBro. Toby preaches the third of four advent sermons. Before he gets started in John 1, he comments on the reading from Isaiah 61.
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There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.
He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”
And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”
Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”
He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,” ’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees.
And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.
It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”
These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
John’s Clear Role (6-8)
John’s Clear Role (6-8)
He was sent
He was sent
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
This word for sent carries a sense of “sending someone with a special commission.”
They have a certain purpose.
The Bible tells us that John was sent from God.
When someone is sent on behalf of another person, the words they speak are on behalf of that person.
In this case it is from God.
Think about an ambassador who works in an embassy in a foreign country. He gets to speak to presidents, religious leaders, prime ministers, and other people in important government positions.
The ambassador gets to enjoy his family, maybe some hobbies, gets to see the city and has special privileges, but he can’t speak on his own behalf-only that of the government, and specifically, the leader of that government.
John was such a man.
Notice how your translation says something like, “there came a man,” or “there was a man sent.”
Compare this to
There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
“There was a man...”
Notice the difference in “sent” and “was?”
In chapter 3, Nicodemus is described merely as a man, while John is a man specifically sent.
Oh, the difference between simply a man, and man sent!!
Application: You too are sent into a lost and dying world.
So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
Friends, you’ve been sent into the world as ambassadors for Him, not as mere men, but as children of God!
He came as a witness
He came as a witness
This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.
We are looking at legal terminology here.
More specifically, “for witness, to bear witness.”
He was coming to testify.
And much like the guilty, when they know someone is bringing a damning testimony, they try to stop it.
But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him concerning Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,
John served as a witness for the things to come: specifically, the coming Messiah who would be the fulfillment of the OT prophesy.
Application: We are to be a witness for Him.
People won’t like it, but we must tell them to repent.
Folks will be upset at our language, but we can’t back down to societal pressure.
Families will be torn apart and relationships strained, but the Gospel taught that didn’t it?
For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’;
Friends, are you fulfilling your role as a Gospel witness?
He bore witness
He bore witness
This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.
He was not only to be a witness, but he came to bear witness.
Some witnesses are powerful simply by showing up. Their presence in the courtroom tells the judge and the jury they are serious; especially when their live is in danger.
The fact that John showed up, outside of the city and the temple, wearing the clothes of a prophet testifies in itself.
THEN John opens his mouth and testifies.
He bore witness of the coming of Christ.
Friends, this is the hardest thing for us to do.
We have a hard enough time with being a visible witness for Him, but talking about Him? It’s hard!
Application: We too are to bear witness as we go.
So people would believe
So people would believe
This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.
Notice John’s message:
It isn’t a “gotcha!” message.
He didn’t come to say, “I told you so!”
John came so “that all through Him might believe.”
Does our presentation of the Gospel come with a sense of trying to beat someone down, or in loving care showing someone that they are apart from God and are in need of the Savior?
Application: Our witness should point people to Christ so they’ll believe.
John’s Clear Testimony (19-28)
John’s Clear Testimony (19-28)
His clear confession (19-21)
His clear confession (19-21)
Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”
And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”
John is very clear about his message.
He is clear upfront.
They ask him, “Who are you?”
Notice how he answers: “I am not the Christ.”
He knew what they were asking.
“Who are you?”
“John. Ya’ll know me. My dad was Zacharias. Quit playing.”
No. John knew what they wanted and he cut to the chase.
His clear confession denied all false accusations.
“Are you Elijah? The Prophet?”
He answered “no” to these questions.
Friends, we’ve spent enough time trying to convince people to “come to church,” or “to let God fill that hole,” or “be baptized.”
It’s time to be clear with the Good News of the Gospel.
His clarification (22-23)
His clarification (22-23)
Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”
He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,” ’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
“We still don’t get it, who are you?”
He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,” ’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
He was saying, “friends, the King is coming and He is angry, but He is offering forgiveness to you.”
John was preparing them to understand what repentance was in order that they would receive the gift of forgiveness.
It’s hard to say you’re sorry when you don’t think you’ve done something wrong.
John was clarifying for them.
John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
Concord friends, and those who may not be here but are listening later; the Gospel we preach MUST INCLUDE SIN AND REPENTANCE.
John preaches repentance (24-28)
John preaches repentance (24-28)
Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees.
And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.
It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”
These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
Remember last week in Mark 1?
I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
John is baptizing with water for the remission of sins-in preparation for the One who comes baptizing for the forgiveness of sins.
When we share the Gospel, we don’t pull a trailer behind our car that has an open water tank asking people to show us they are for real when they’ve repented of their sins.
But a figurative baptism of repentance will certainly lead to a physical baptism after salvation.
Not only does this baptism represent how you’ve died to sin and have been raised to eternal life, but it says:
You are submitting yourself to be obedient to Christ.
You are ready to follow Him rather than your own desires.
You are submitting yourself to the local body of Christ.
You are ready to be a Gospel witness with your actions and your words.
Friend, do you have a clear role for the Gospel?
Can you present a clear testimony for those who have no hope or those whose hope is placed in something other than Christ?