John 1:19-28
19 Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders[c] 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.’”[d]
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[e] 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. (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%201&version=NIV)
It is amazing to watch the story of history unfold. John is questioned by the Pharisees as to who he is and what his mission is, and he simply stated he was the fulfillment of a prophesy as the "voice of one calling in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.'" These words of Isaiah would have been familiar to the Pharisees, and they would have made the connection. John continues to proclaim the majesty of the one for whom he was paving the way, by contrasting his baptism by water to the presence of the One standing among them who was the Messiah. John is setting the stage for the arrival of Jesus, the one true Messiah who is the Savior. John makes no claim to anything beyond being the voice that fulfills prophecy, and even says he is not worthy to untie the sandals on Jesus' feet. The humility that John displays here is amazing and gives me pause when I set out to do something for God to make sure I am doing it for the right reasons. God gives us the call and the mission, and everything we accomplish for Him is because of His mercy, grace, and enabling power, and not of our own doing. I pray that I will be on mission for God, accomplishing what He has for me to accomplish, and giving Him the glory for what He enables me to do to further His kingdom.
Lord Jesus, thank you for the sacrifice you made to bring salvation to the world. Please help me to glorify your name by pursuing your will for me, and by being a witness for You. Please strengthen my resolve and provide opportunities to witness to those that are lost and in need of a Savior. Help me to humbly give Your Name the glory for everything, and that You will continue to bless and guide me and my family as we attempt to make a difference for You in our own home, our church, our community, and the world. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment