The Prophet
The Prophet
John 1:19-28
We’ve seen some astounding things about the Lord Jesus from John 1. For instance, if we were to ask:
· (When was he?) In the beginning, v1 – in fact he was so in the beginning that he was really before the beginning.
· (Where was he?) With God, intimately tied to and united to the Father – in fact he was so with God that…
· (Who is he?) Was God. Everything that makes God the Father God, is true of Jesus. In fact he is so God that if we were to ask…
· (What is he?) The Creator, v3. All things were made through him. If it exists, it’s because he made it. If he didn’t make it, it doesn’t exist.
· (Then what did he do?) Most astoundingly, we saw last week and we celebrated yesterday, the Word became flesh.
We might be tempted to think, “Yeah, good one John, pull the other one.”
However, John says, “Don’t just believe me. Believe these testimonies.”
Throughout his gospel, he calls to the witness stand a number of individuals who give testimony to who Jesus is.
This morning we hear John saying, “Your honour, in defence of my claim that Jesus of Nazareth is bigger and better than anybody else and worthy of undivided adoration by all, I’d like to call my first witness.”
“Yes. And who might that be?”
He’s the only son of an elderly couple. His father’s name was Zechariah, he was a priest. His mother’s name was Elizabeth. They took delivery of this boy, in circumstances which are well documented, your honour, in the early chapters of Luke, in such a way that lead them to believe that John, who was born to them, was a very special gift from God.
About 26AD John the Baptist makes his appearance in public ministry.
His first public appearance attracted a following, and created a stir amongst the religious community of his day. So much so that as v19 tells us, the Jews from Jerusalem decided that this phenomenon, this John the Baptist phenomenon, was of such importance that they needed to launch a royal commission, so they sent priests and Levites.
What you have in vv19-28 are the details of this inquiry.
The investigation first of all, concerned the identity of John the Baptist.
Which makes sense, especially if he has interesting things to say, especially if he has started to create a stir and attract a crowd. The natural thing to ask is, ‘who is this man?’
We know from the other gospels that this character was into health foods, eating all-natural products, locusts and wild honey.
As often goes together with such individuals he was also into clothing that was different and as all-natural as his diet, camel skins and large leather belts. As a result they asked, “Who is the man?”
They also noted the crowds he was attracting. That is, he spoke in such a way as to make people listen – a trick the religious leaders of the day had not been able to master much themselves.
The crowds were drawn to him. He spoke in a way which was real and relevant and urgent. Not like the other rabbis.
People were attracted to him in a way they were not with the religious leaders. Hence their desire to discover what and who this man was.
Incidentally, Luke tells us in Luke 3:15, that it had grown to such an extent that the people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John the Baptist might possibly be the Christ.
Which actually helps us to understand why John replies in v20 the way he does.
If you were to come up to me and say, “G’day, nice to meet you, who are you?”
I reply, “Well you know, I must confess, I’m not the Christ”, you’d probably take a few steps backwards, “Umm, OK, I never actually thought you were.”
The thing is people were starting to wonder if John the Baptist was the Messiah.
He answers very openly and unambiguously in v20, He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”
It was important for him to debunk the myths that were surrounding him.
In v21, they then ask him a very direct question, “If you’re not the Messiah, are you Elijah?”
See, the Jews believed that the prophet Elijah would return again, bodily, perhaps in a similar manner in which he had departed this earth, and his return would be before the arrival of the Messiah, and his responsibility would be to herald his coming and prepare the world to receive him.
Out onto the desert plains comes this fellow, and it is very natural for Jews who knew their Bible to say, “Maybe this is the Elijah we look for.”
While it is clear that John’s ministry was in the spirit of Elijah’s ministry, therefore allowing Jesus to refer to him in those terms, he was not literally Elijah – he was John the Baptist, so he simply rejects this designation.
You can imagine the investigative journalist with their notepad
“Are you Elijah?” “I am not.” “OK, cross that one of the list.”
“Next question: are you The Prophet?” v21b.
Again, we need to understand the Old Testament. Some had begun to interpret Deuteronomy 18 as referring directly to another forerunner. As one who again would come before the Messiah and he was The Prophet. (Incidentally, Peter, on the day of Pentecost, applies that Deut 18 passage not to another forerunner but directly to Jesus.)
John, realising that this is not the case, also makes very clear, “No, I am not the prophet.”
“OK, cross that one of the list.”
Now if you’d launched a little board of inquiry and sent them off with great hopes for a successful visit and you had even gone along with them to see how things were going, you’d realise that up to this point they’re not making a great deal of headway.
You can sense something of their frustration, as they say finally in v22, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us.
“At least give us something! What do you say about yourself?”
In reply, John expresses the humility that is vital for someone who wants to be a servant of God.
It’s a question on which a lot hangs for anybody who claims to be a follower of Jesus, “What do you say about yourself?”
How would you answer?
What would you have said if you had been in John’s position? (People had big thoughts about John)
John could have replied in multiple ways. He could have said:
· I am the one filled with the spirit in my mother’s womb (read about it in Luke 1)
· I am the one who was designated the forerunner, the clearer of the paths.
· I am the one who transcends the Old Testament prophets into the New Testament coming of the Messiah.
He could have said a whole host of things that would have been true, and would not necessarily been boastful, but he chooses to reply with a deep humility necessary for the servant of God.
If only there were more people like that today. The world would be a better place, churches would be stronger, and our testimony to Jesus would be made more attractive.
One of the purposes of John the Baptist’s ministry is to make sure he is not confused with Jesus—and to make sure that Jesus is seen as utterly amazing.
He deprecates himself in v23 and says, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord’”.
He is not The Word – that designation (and all that goes with it) belongs only to Jesus. He is simply a single voice in the desert.
“You guys are asking the wrong questions. It’s not about who I am. What’s important is who I’m talking about.”
Who is it that this voice is talking about? “I know you guys are asking about me, but let me tell you about Jesus.”
1) Jesus Is Yahweh
The terminology here, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord’ was a common enough expression. When a conquering hero was coming to town, there would be someone who went on in front to make sure the street was clear and smooth. If you tried to go to the shops on this day, you wouldn’t have been able to because of all the roadworks.
That was the job of John the Baptist. To prepare the way, straighten out the minds of individuals. Like a warm-up act to get the crowd ready for the main event.
Who is this main event?
It’s the Lord.
‘Make straight the way of the Lord’, as the prophet Isaiah said.”
In Isaiah “the LORD” is who?
Yahweh, Jehovah, the God who is the Creator and Ruler of the world, and the Covenant God of Israel. Now here is John the Baptist saying that he is that voice crying in the wilderness, and the Lord whose way he is preparing is Jesus Christ.
That’s his first thing to say about Jesus in these verses. The man coming after me is more than anyone ever dreamed. He is the God of the Old Testament—only now he is man as well as God.
Build a road. Knock down the hills. Dig a tunnel if necessary. Fill in the ditches. Make the road straight, because this is going to be the highway for the King!
1. Jesus Is Yahweh
Therefore…
2) Jesus Is Superior
These inquirers do change their tack a bit, and in v25 ask about what he’s doing: They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
Again, they don’t get it. They’re still asking about John the Baptist.
John still doesn’t really answer their question. He says, “You guys don’t get it. Stop asking about me. You should be asking about the one to come, the one I’m talking about.”
John answered them in v26, but not really 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.”
We will say more next time, Lord willing, on the meaning of John’s baptising with water and Jesus’ baptising “with the Holy Spirit” (John 1:33).
For now notice this. They ask why he is baptising, and he answers simply by saying the one I am preparing for is so superior to me that I am not worthy to untie his sandals.
A disciple of a rabbi, such as Jesus’ disciples, attended the lectures of the rabbi, of course, and learned the lessons he taught. He also took on the role of a servant. The disciple functioned as the personal servant of the rabbi and took care of all of his needs – making his housing arrangements, getting his food, and so on.
The one thing that differentiated a disciple in a rabbinical school from an actual servant, or bondslave, was that the disciple was never required to take care of the shoes or the sandals of his teacher.
A slave could be reduced to that humiliating task, but not a disciple.
So when John says, “I’m not even worthy to unstrap his sandals,” he was saying: “Don’t look at me. I’m lower than a disciple. I’m even lower than a slave. I’m not even worthy to untie his shoes, to take off his sandals, to clean his feet. Don’t look at me. Look at him.”
My baptising is not about me. It’s about Jesus, and he is infinitely superior to me.
1. Jesus is Yahweh
2. Jesus Is Superior
Therefore…
3) Jesus Ranks Before
Third, in vv29–30, John the Baptist says the main thing about why Jesus, the Lord of glory, has come to earth. The next day [John] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, “After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.”’
V30 repeats v15 (and half quoted in v27): (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.’”)
The point that John is emphasising is Jesus’ rank. He is absolutely before John. Jesus is from eternity. “In the beginning was the Word” (John 1:1).
He ranks before John the Baptist, before Elijah, before Moses, before Abraham. Before everyone. He ranks first and daylight is second.
John the Baptist was an incredible man, but Jesus is better.
John the Baptist was a faithful messenger. Jesus is the message.
John the Baptist was filled with the Spirit from before he was born. Jesus fills people with the Holy Spirit and causes them to be born again.
John the Baptist commanded people to repent. Jesus grants people the ability and will to repent.
John the Baptist loved God. Jesus is God.
Which is why he is superior to, and ranks before, everybody else.
If Jesus is God it means…
A. God without Jesus is no God
If in your mind when you think about God, Jesus is not there, then you’re not thinking about God.
Jesus himself said in John chapter 5, “Whoever does not honour the Son does not honour the Father who sent him” (John 5:23).
In other words, if you want to know if someone honours God (has a true relationship with God), the test that you use to know this is: Do they honour Jesus for who he really is—as the divine Son of God, the Messiah, the crucified and risen Saviour, the Sovereign Lord of the universe and Judge of all human beings? If they don’t, then they don’t honour God.
The god of Islam is no God. The god of Judaism is no God. The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ god is no God.
Really today we like to think that we’re all talking about the same God. Well we’re not.
Jesus warned elsewhere in John’s gospel, “unless you believe that I am” that’s his shorthand way of saying I am God, “unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24).
Jesus is God, and he’s not going to share his glory with others. If these things are true, how could it be any other way?
If Jesus is God…
B. Are you ready?
Christmas is our annual reminder that God is in the business of interrupting history and bringing human affairs to a crescendo.
There is a dangerous lie in secular logic, because of the linear way in which we view time, that says all things will simply continue as they are. This mindset isn’t new. The apostle Peter witnessed it in his own day when he warned of certain ‘scoffers’:
They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” (2 Peter 3:4)
If we remove God from the picture, we can still expect development and progress in the world, but we lose any sense that time has an end-point. There is no ultimate destination, no final conclusion to human history.
Christmas, and John the Baptist, says otherwise. Make straight the road because the King is coming.
If God can interrupt history once, He can do it again. At least one hundred prophecies were fulfilled at Jesus’ first coming. Many more promises are made about His imminent return.
God is bringing history to a glorious conclusion. The question that Christmas asks each one of us is, are you ready?
Are you ready for God to interrupt your world? Are you ready to meet your Maker? Are you ready for history’s final, grand crescendo?
Do you honour Jesus for who he really is?
If these things are true, how could it be any other way?
If Jesus is God…
C. You’re not God
If you’re not God then that means more living like John the Baptist.
I don’t mean alternative diets and clothing and housing arrangements (living in the desert).
I mean, when it comes to the question, “What do you say about yourself?” How do you answer?
If you want to be a servant of Jesus, here’s step 1.: Less talking about yourself.
What do you say about yourself? We’re very eager to answer … well, let me tell you.
Even if nobody asks the question, we take it upon ourselves to answer it. “Just in case you were wondering about me, let me tell you some things – painted in the best possible light, of course.”
John the Baptist says, “I’m actually not going to talk about me. I just want to draw attention to Jesus.”
Think back over 2021. How many times did you draw attention to yourself when you could have drawn attention to Jesus? (We’ve got some calculators to pass around…)
John the Baptist was a man of resolve.
What about this resolve for 2022, this resolution: I’m going to resolve to draw less attention to myself and more attention to Jesus than I did in 2021.
If these things are true, how could it be any other way?
Give us what we need to see Jesus for who he is, so infinitely superior and ranking infinitely above that we would not even be worthy to untie his shoes.
Give us what we need to see our purpose for what it is, not to focus on and highlight ourselves, but to enjoy and make much of Jesus.
Give us grace to that end we pray.