Who Are You. (John 1: 1-19-34)
Full Transcript
I very much grew up in the shadow of his father. Northern Ireland, the place I grew up in the 1960’s and 70 was a profoundly religious place and my father as director of a Worldwide Christian Mission, had a very high profile. Add to the fact that he occasionally appeared on a Sunday evening Christian television shown on BBC Northern Ireland called Credo.
Growing Up I never felt I had an identity of his own, I was always Ronnie McCandless’s son. The fact that in my teens he was awarded and various honours un the UK honour what was called an MBE when I was about 13 and later, he was made a Night Meritorious by Royal Order. Now don’t get me wrong I was proud of him, and I am to this day although he died over 20 years ago. But at the time all I remember it meaning was people constantly telling me to remember who my father was, everything I was caught doing something bad.
Now I gave my heart to the lord as a young teenager, but I suppose question for me became in my times of crisis , was, who was I really.
Perhaps some of you listening to this today have never asked yourself the question, "Who am I?" Maybe you've never had an identity crisis and have never had to ask that question, but many of you probably have at some point. Are you just someone’s wife, or someone’s, husband, or maybe like me where you just someone’s son or daughter.
Now, that can be good, but frankly, it can also be bad because you So, who are you?
Well, let me ask and attempt to answer that question this morning: just who are we anyway?
How should I value and look at myself so that I can have some kind of self-acceptance and true self-worth?
That’s what we are going to do today on TBPDP….
I would like to suggest that the proper answer to that question is illustrated in a man named John. A moment ago, we read the passage in John chapter one, which is the story of John the Baptist.
Today’s passage can be divided into two parts. In the first part, John talks about himself and about the Lord and by the way, all of these events occur on one day, those are verses 19 to 28.
Then, in verses 29 to 34, we have the events of another day in which John then focuses mainly on the Lord, but by implication, again talks about himself and for that matter, he talks about the rest of us as well.
So today, I want to look at these two days in the life of John the Baptist.
To fully appreciate what's going on here, we need a little background.
Before we look at the passage itself, it’s helpful to know a little Jewish history.
In the Old Testament, hundreds of years before the event described here, God gave to the nation of Israel the Tabernacle, the sacrificial system, and the feasts. So, the routine, day-in-day-out routine of Israel's history was taking lambs down to the Tabernacle, sacrificing them several times a year, keeping their feasts, and then repeating that over and over and over again, day by day.
Later in their history, as their national holiness started to decline, God sent prophets to them. They would suddenly appear, and they would preach, denounce the unrighteousness of the nation, call the nation back to righteousness and repentance. Sometimes those prophets wrote their message down on scrolls, and those books are still with us to this day.
But then it seems there was a time when the prophets ceased. For years, and I mean hundreds of years—there had been no prophet on the scene.
Since Malachi’s time, there had not been a prophet in Israel. For 400 years, no prophet had stood and announced the error of the people and called them back to righteousness.
Then a man appears on the scene, a man by the name of John the Baptiser, and he was different, folks. He was different. He wore camel hair, and he ate locus and wild honey. Now that is a locus tree, not insects. Locus was a wild plant, and apparently a quite nourishing food.
The point is, he was out in the wilderness eating whatever grew in the wild.
But the really different thing about John the Baptist was that he was the first one on the scene in 400 years, and the whole thing started with him baptizing people. Now, that was really different, at least the way he did it. Perhaps the greatest surprise of all is that he started attracting large crowds.
Now, with all of that in mind, let's look at John chapter one, verse 19.
John the Baptist Denies Being the Messiah.
19 Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.” 21 They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” 22 Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 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.’” 24 Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” 28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
(John 1: 19-28)
At this point, John the Baptist had been ministering for some time, drawing large crowds, which upset the officials in Jerusalem. Verse 19 refers to the Sanhedrin which was the highest official body in Israel made up of men of letters and Levitical priests.
Rome had conquered Israel, but their policy allowed local authorities to stay in place. Thus, Rome ruled while the Jewish Sanhedrin, managed local affairs, keeping within Roman guidelines. The Sanhedrin held both political and religious power which meant they were also responsible for investigating anyone claiming to a prophet, especially a Messiah.
Within the Sanhedrin, there were two factions: the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The Pharisees were conservatives who believed in the Old Testament, resurrection, and the existence of angels. The Sadducees were the liberals of the day, they rejected the resurrection and other lesser doctrines.
Verse 19 tells us that the priests and Levites from Jerusalem came to John. These were conservatives, indicated by verse 24, which states that those sent were Pharisees—the strictest, most rigid authorities, akin to political conservatives with a religious context.
They asked John, "Who are you?" asking by implication whether he was the Messiah, as anyone drawing such large crowds must be someone significant. John replied, by saying, "I am not the Christ." John knew who he was not. If you are ever to ask yourself who you are, it might help to start by figuring out who you are not. John began by saying, "I am not the Messiah."
This response surprised them, so in verse 21, they asked if he was Elijah, referencing the last verse in Malachi, which promised Elijah's return before the Messiah. John again replied, "I am not."
The Sanhedrin representatives then though maybe another Old Testament passage might explain who he was. In Deuteronomy 18, Moses promised that a prophet would come and it was possible that this prophet would be distinct from the Messiah so they asked, "Are you that prophet?" John again answered, "No."
Notice how John's answers get shorter and shorter.
First, he says, "I am not the Christ." Then, when asked if he is Elijah, he replies, "I am not." Finally, to the question of whether he is the prophet, he simply says, "No." His answers become very brief, perhaps he is getting irritated, but the key point is that he knew who he was not.
John the Baptist knew he wasn't the Messiah. I wish some people realized they weren't God themselves.
But to an extent the truth is, we all have moments when we think the world revolves around us, expecting everyone else to serve us. When we have this attitude, we quickly find that not everyone agrees, leading to personal conflict.
John knew who he was not. But knowing who you are not doesn't tell you who you are.
The officials the asked John, "Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?" John replied, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,'" John is quoting the prophet Isaiah.
The officials turned into the Old Testament to try and identify John the Baptist, starting with Messiah, then Elijah, and finally the prophet and John also referenced the Old Testament, specifically another passage also in Isaiah where he speaks about how before the Lord's comes there would be a voice crying out for people to make straight the way of the Lord.
In ancient times, there were no paved roads. When a king came to town, he travelled over bumpy trails. To ensure the king's comfort, the local people would smooth out the path.
John the Baptist claimed to be that voice, the forerunner, saying, "I am simply a voice of one crying, 'Make straight, make smooth the path, because the King is coming.'"
John saw himself as related to someone else. It's interesting that if I were to ask you, "Who are you?" you would probably identify yourself in relation to someone else. You might say, "I'm someone's wife or son or husband or daughter or nephew." Often, we get our identity by describing our relationship to someone else.
That's precisely what John does. But he says, you can only understand who I am by comparing me to someone else. In John's case, that someone is Jesus Christ
Look again at the beginning of this chapter: John 1:1 says, "In the beginning was the Word." Now drop down to verse 23, john says, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord.'"
John is saying Jesus Christ is the Word, the living Lord the living Lord God and he is saying you can only understand who John is in relation to Jesus is the living Lord, the Word; John is just a voice.
May I suggest understanding who we are, we also need to see ourselves in relation to Jesus Christ.
In verse 25, they then ask John, "Why do you baptize if you're not the Messiah, Elijah, or the prophet?" This was a critical question because, at the time, baptism was reserved for Gentiles converting to Judaism.
John is baptizing Jews here, which was something different so the Sanhedrin ask, "By what authority do you do this?" They hadn't given anyone the authority to baptize Jews.
John answers "I baptize with water, but there stands one among you whom you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie."
Again, he refers to his relationship with Jesus Christ. John explains that he baptizes with water because the Messiah is here, and he is going before him just preparing people for their encounter with Him.
He also re-states his own lowly position saying that he is not worthy to tie Jesus' shoes, a task considered the lowest form of service, even below what a student would do for a teacher.
John saw himself totally in relation to Jesus Christ. Many of us walk around thinking the world should revolve around us. The truth is the opposite. God intended for us to be servants; like John the Baptist..
Philippians 2 says, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, yet made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant."
Jesus Christ, the only human with the right to have a Messiah complex and to be worshipped as God, chose humility.
When we think we're the centre of things we tend to put others down but when we understand we are servants, we naturally build others up.
The next time you hear someone constantly putting others down whether they realize it or not, they're acting as if they're the judge. This attitude is at the root of most personal conflicts. But if you see yourself in relation to Jesus Christ and adopt the attitude that you're not worthy to untie His shoes, you might then be able to see yourself as a servant who came to minister, build up, and encourage other, rather than tear down and criticize.
So, John the Baptist was asked who he was and he answered in this way. That’s the end of day one,
Day Two
John Testifies About Jesus.
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 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.’ 34 I have seen, and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”
(John 1: 29-34)
On the second day, in verse 29, he says to his disciples, "Behold, the Lamb of God." Some commentaries suggest that Jesus had just returned from the wilderness at this point, having faced temptation, and John, seeing Him coming, pointed and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God."
This verse is one of the most powerful in the Bible for revealing who Jesus is. John says, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." He is the lamb, not merely meek and lowly, but the sacrificial lamb that takes away sin. Every Jew would have immediately understood this. Lambs were taken to the temple for sacrifice, and they symbolized atonement for sin. John is saying, "Here is the lamb provided by himslef God, not by man."
When John says, "Lamb of God," it recalls Abraham's story, where God provided a ram as a substitute for Isaac. Thus, Jesus is not only the sacrificial lamb but also the sacred, divine provision offered to us by God.
The phrase "takes away the sin of the world" tells us that He took away the world's sin by taking it upon Himself. Jesus hung on the cross, and God laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He took away the sin of the world by bearing it Himself.
The startling aspect of this statement is that it refers to "sin" in the singular. All the sin of the world is lumped together and laid on Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, lambs were sacrificed to cover individual sins, familial sins, and, on the Day of Atonement, the sins of the nation.
But John the Baptist declares that Jesus is the Lamb who takes away the sin of the entire world. This is a comprehensive sacrifice, sufficient for all humanity.
Understanding that Jesus is presented here as the Lamb of God is crucial. Every this means sin you have ever committed can be forgiven through Him. To gain eternal life, you need to trust in Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God, the sacrificial and sufficient lamb who takes away all your sin.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon's shortest sermon illustrates this powerful message. Invited to speak at a huge cathedral in London, Spurgeon wanted to check the acoustics. Believing the auditorium was empty, he stood at the podium and declared, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." Unbeknownst to him, a cleaner was present, high in the balcony. Hearing this one phrase, booming across the building he fell to his knees and surrendered his life to Jesus.
The truth of the matter is that in that one statement—Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God—is enough for every human being to be forgiven.
John then bears record, saying, I saw, and I bear record that this is the Son of God."
These verses testify to the deity of Jesus Christ and when John also says, "He who comes after me is preferred before me," he means that Jesus Christ pre-existed him. It means he says that Jesus Christ existed before his birth—He is God.
The essence of these verses is that Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world because He is God. If He were not God, He couldn't be the lamb that takes away the sin of the world.
One significant point John also makes is that he did not know who Jesus was until he saw the Holy Spirit descending on Him like a dove.
You see, John knew Jesus was the Messiah because God revealed it to him. This is echoed in Matthew 16, where Jesus asks Peter, "Who do you say I am?" Peter replies, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God," and Jesus responds, "Flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven did." Ultimately, we know Jesus Christ is the Son of God because God has revealed it to us.
Bottom line is, the most profound assurance comes from divine revelation. God tells us who Jesus Christ is, and that is how we truly know.
My experience with Jesus Christ is confirmed objectively by the Word of God, but in the final reality, the way I know Jesus Christ is the Son of God is through the Holy Spirit. God, through His Word, told me, and the Holy Spirit confirmed it for me and that's how I know He's the Son of God.
Let's me try and put this all together.
Over two days in the life of John the Baptist, he essentially said that Jesus Christ was the living Word one day, and the next, he said that Jesus Christ was the sacrificial lamb.
But there's another issue in this passage—a subplot, if you will. John the Baptist seems to be saying that if you can never see that Jesus Christ is the living Lord, you'll see yourself as a servant. If you can fully understand that He is the dying Lamb, you'll see yourself as a sinner.
Who am I? I can answer that in two words: I'm a sinner and I'm a servant. The problem is that I sometimes forget who I am.
We often define ourselves by our achievements or possessions. For example, when asked who we are, we might respond with our job title or what we own. But when you see yourself in light of Jesus, you will understand that He is everything, and you will begin to understand your true identity.
In my young life over a great many years particularly in my early 20’s I had to come to define myself in terms of mMoney, position, prestige. My happiness, and even my identity had been contingent upon what the world esteemed.
But then I learned that the really important question to ask is not who I am, or what do I do, or how much do I make.
The necessary question for me as a Christian to ask is who am I dependent on? I must focus on the person of Christ, to pursue Him rather than wealth and position, to find value in this life and salvation in the next.
It is an existence whose grammar is totally different from that of the world. The question is not who you are, but whose you are. To whom do you belong?"
If we can see ourselves in relation to Jesus Christ. Recognizing Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world it can help us understand that we are simply sinners in need of His grace.
Knowing Him as the living Lord reminds us that we are His servants, called to live according to His purpose and for His glory.
Ultimately, the most important question is not about our identity in worldly terms, but our relationship with Christ.
The real question then is not, who are you, but, whose’ are you?
To whom do you belong?