Well, good morning to you all. Please take your copy of God's Word and join me in John chapter 1.
The opening phrase of verse 19, and this is the testimony of John, lets us know that something new is happening.
We've spent some slow time so far, but our pace is going to pick up a bit as the narrative takes off.
If your Bible translation is anything like mine, there is likely a subheading inserted here before verse 19.
So, the verses before us today tell us something of the testimony of John the Baptist.
Let's not forget that the singular prominent aim of John the Apostle's gospel account,
sometimes called John the Evangelist, is found in John chapter 20, verse 30 and 31.
There he writes,
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples which are not written in this book,
but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that by believing you may have life in his name.
This entire book is the testimony of John the Apostle.
A testimony is a spoken or written statement giving evidence of something that has occurred.
Now today's text is not the first time that John the Apostle has mentioned the testimony of John the Baptist.
In verses 6 through 12 of this very same chapter,
He wrote,
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name,
He gave the right to become children of God.
The word translated witness in these verses is the same translated testimony in verse 19.
It's the very same Greek word.
And then again, we'll see it translated witness in verses 32 and verse 34.
So those two terms I may use interchangeably this morning as the translators of John do.
I think that John is doing here is he's placing an emphasis on the need for the gospel to be
proclaimed by faithful witnesses in order that others might believe.
He's right at the outset speaking of faithful proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ,
even as he's about to lay out his own proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ.
Beloved, if we have been shown the grace of God in the person and work of Jesus Christ,
if we have been given the right to become children of God,
if we have life in his name,
then a significant marker of our lives should be faithful proclamation of that very gospel that saved us.
It should characterize God's people that we share the good news of Jesus.
We can learn something of what being a faithful witness looks like from the earlier account of John the Baptist in chapter 1 that I just read to you.
Notice, firstly, that a faithful witness is humble.
John records of John the Baptist that he was not the light.
John the Baptist could save no one,
but his job was to point people to the one who could save them.
So a faithful witness, secondly, exalts the person and work of Jesus Christ.
John the Baptist was not the light, but he came to bear witness about the light.
He goes on in verse 9,
The true light which gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
So John the Baptist, not the light.
Jesus Christ, the true light.
So a faithful witness exalts the person and work of Jesus Christ.
And a faithful witness offers the means of salvation.
Good for us to talk about Jesus, who he is and what he has done.
But we also must say to people,
And this is how you can be saved.
Verse 7, John the Apostle records,
John the Baptist,
He came as a witness to bear witness about the light
that all might believe through him.
And then verse 12,
But to all who did receive him,
who believed in his name,
he gave the right to become children of God.
So there's this pattern that's established in verses 6 through 12 of the chapter.
And we're going to see this pattern repeated in today's text.
As John the Apostle, once again,
speaks of the testimony of John the Baptist.
So again, John chapter 1, verses 19 through 37.
Before I read it, let me remind you, beloved,
this is God's word to us,
written for his glory and our good,
that we might believe its promises,
obey its commands,
and have affection for its author.
May we hear it and respond accordingly to it.
And 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.
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?
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.
Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.
They asked him,
Then why are you baptizing,
if you are neither the Christ,
nor Elijah,
nor the prophet?
John answered them,
I baptize with water,
but among you stands one you do not know.
Even he who comes after me,
the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.
These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan,
where John was baptizing.
The next day he 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.
I myself did not know him,
but for this purpose I came baptizing with water,
that he might be revealed to Israel.
And John bore witness.
I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove,
and it remained on him.
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.
And I have seen and I have borne witness
that this is the Son of God.
The next day again,
John was standing with two of his disciples,
and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said,
Behold the Lamb of God.
The two disciples heard him say this,
and they followed Jesus.
John the Apostle structures his narrative
of John the Baptist's testimony
concerning Jesus Christ
around three successive days.
John seems to be more concerned about chronology
than the other gospel writers.
We're going to see this phrase on the next day
many, many times throughout this text.
So as we walk through the text
and consider some details of it,
I will lead us with perhaps the simplest
three-point outline I have ever presented to you
or ever will.
It is as follows.
Number one, day one, verses 19 through 28.
Number two, day two, verses 29 through 34.
And number three, you probably know,
day three, verses 35 through 37.
As a joke, I thought about making that point
really obscure and different,
but I resisted.
Then, after we look at some of those details,
I'm going to revisit those three characteristics
of a faithful witness
and highlight them in the text for you.
So that's our plan
as we work through the text together.
So, number one, let's look at day one.
Remember, this is the testimony of John the Baptist
recorded in three successive days.
Day one, verses 19 through 28.
Before looking at the questions
that were asked of John
and his responses,
let's deal with who it is
that is asking these questions.
Because there are four groups mentioned,
and we could get a little lost
if we don't understand who they are.
So you see in verse 19,
this is the testimony of John,
when the Jews sent priests and Levites.
So, number one group, Jews.
Number two group, priests.
Number three group, Levites,
to ask these questions.
And then we get the parenthetical
that John puts in there in verse 24.
Now, they had been sent from the Pharisees.
So there's the fourth group.
So, lest we be confused.
The Jews is a term
that certainly can be used
of any and all ethnic Hebrew people.
Like, any Israelite could be called a Jew.
But John most regularly uses the word
to refer to religious authorities
who were hostile towards Jesus.
So it's this broad term that he's using,
but to speak of a group of the Jews
that were hostile towards Jesus.
Most likely, he's referring to
what he has in his mind
is the Sanhedrin,
which was the governing body of Israel
that was allowed to function
under Roman authority.
Whenever Rome would go and conquer a land,
they would allow some of the government
to stay intact,
some of the culture to remain
while they ultimately ruled over and above them.
So that was the Sanhedrin
that ruled as the Jewish governing authority.
That's probably who John has in mind
when he says the Jews.
So it's the Jews,
this group, this Sanhedrin,
this council that sends priests,
which were officiators
of religious ceremonies,
and they were the theological authorities
of Israel.
They were the most qualified
to come and ask theological questions.
And we see that they're not sent alone.
They're also sent with Levites.
Levites were men from the tribe of Levi
who assisted the priests with their duties.
Temple security consisted of Levites.
So when we see the phrase priests and Levites,
it is most likely a group of theological experts,
those who were sent to ask questions,
gather information, challenge,
and they're bodyguards.
So think theological experts with bodyguards as well.
And the last group we see are the Pharisees.
The Sanhedrin was largely made up of Sadducees
who were theologically liberal.
Religion for them was largely social and political.
And the Pharisees,
these two parties within the Sanhedrin,
the Pharisees were theologically conservative.
It is this minority group
that would have been most watchful
for the Messiah,
which is the Hebrew word for the chosen one,
this deliverer.
We also know the Greek word Christ,
and we see that word used most often.
They were the most watchful for the Messiah
and most concerned about anyone
who had a significant following
as John the Baptist did.
So, what I'm gathering from that
is it's most likely that this group,
the Jews, the Sanhedrin,
send the experts along with some guard,
and those experts that they send
are those that were most concerned
about who this John the Baptist is.
They were watchful for the Christ.
So, a delegation is sent to John the Baptist
and sent to ask the question,
who are you?
We see that in verse 19,
and then in verse 21,
what then are you Elijah,
and are you the prophet,
and who are you?
We need to give an answer
to those who sent us.
What do you say about yourself?
Verse 22,
and then why are you baptizing
if you are neither the Christ,
nor Elijah,
nor the prophet?
Verse 25.
We're trying to sort out
who this John the Baptist is.
Who are you?
Now, many false messiahs had come
before the true messiah's arrival.
Jewish people had a gross misunderstanding
of who the Christ was going to be.
They were a conquered people.
Don't lose sight of that,
even though there's some structures
in place of authority.
They were a conquered people,
and they were oppressed
under Roman rule.
And as any conquered people will,
they were looking for a way out
of that oppression.
And they found in the Old Testament text
this anointed one,
this Christ,
this deliverer,
and they thought that he would come
and he would rule militarily.
They were looking for a temporal release
from this oppression,
and they were constantly looking for it,
and there were men who constantly arose
claiming to be this Christ,
and were found not to be so.
So, they're rightly concerned.
Anybody who's got a following going on,
they want to know what's happening.
And, not only do they genuinely want there
to be a messiah who will deliver them,
but often these false Christs would arise,
and they would form a little insurrection,
and Rome would have to come
and crush that insurrection,
and more oppression would come with it.
And so, they were concerned, rightly.
They were trying to get out ahead
of any possible wrongdoing,
and if certainly John the Baptist
was the messiah,
they'd like to know this as well.
So, this initial question that they ask,
John knows exactly what they're asking, right?
John the Apostle records in verse 20,
he confessed and did not deny,
which the Greek can just mean
did not fail to confess.
They're saying emphatically,
he confessed and he didn't fail to confess,
but confessed,
I am not the Christ.
John the Baptist already knows
this is what they're trying to get at
as they come and ask
this initial question of him,
and he's very clear.
He wants there to be no misunderstanding.
I am not the Christ.
So, it follows.
What then?
Are you Elijah?
And they would ask this question
because of a prophecy found in Malachi,
chapter 4, and verse 5.
There we can read,
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet
before the great and awesome day
of the Lord comes.
And so, the Jews understood
that there was going to be Elijah
and they thought it was going to be
a returning from heaven, Elijah.
Elijah himself that would come back.
And it's understandable
why they may have thought
that John the Baptist
was that very Elijah
because of his appearance.
In Mark, chapter 1, and verse 6,
we read,
Now John was locusts and wild honey.
Elijah is described in 2 Kings, chapter 1, and verse 8
as wearing a garment of hair
with a belt of leather
about his waist.
So, they see one that appears
like Elijah
and his response to them is,
I am not.
Now, it could be a little bit of a confusion
at this point
because, as I'm going to show you
in just a moment,
John the Baptist was the fulfillment
of the prophecy
in Malachi, chapter 4, and verse 5.
And I'm going to confirm that for you here
in a moment.
When there that prophecy is made,
behold, I will send you Elijah.
It's not Elijah himself,
but one like Elijah.
And we know that to be true.
So, he's saying,
I am not Elijah,
but he is the fulfillment
of that prophecy
in Malachi 4, and verse 5.
So, let me show you
from Matthew, chapter 17.
This is verse 10.
And I describe,
say that first,
Elijah must come.
This is coming from Malachi, chapter 4,
and verse 5.
Jesus says,
Elijah does come,
and he will restore all things,
but I tell you
that Elijah has already come,
and they did not recognize him,
but did to him
whatever they pleased.
At this point in Matthew's narrative,
John the Baptist
has already been beheaded.
So, also,
Jesus goes on,
the Son of Man
will certainly suffer
at their hands.
Then, verse 13,
the disciples understood
that he was speaking to them
of John the Baptist.
So,
is John the Baptist
this Elijah character
in Malachi 4 or 5?
Yes,
but he's answering the question
most honestly
because he is not
Elijah.
So,
they go on.
Are you
the prophet?
And this is coming
from a prophecy
made by Moses
found in Deuteronomy 18
and verse 15.
There we can read,
the Lord your God
will raise up for you
a prophet like me
from among you,
from your brothers.
It is to him
you shall listen.
And there's
more to it
in the context,
but that's most
narrowly there.
The prophet.
They're looking
for this one.
Now,
there's no consensus
who the prophet
was in Jesus' day.
There's a lot of confusion
about who
the prophet was.
Some thought
another prophet
like Jeremiah
or Isaiah.
Some rightly thought
the prophet
is the Christ.
That's the right
understanding
of that text.
Both Peter
in Acts chapter 3
and Stephen
in Acts chapter 7
apply
Deuteronomy 18
15
to
Jesus.
So,
they're asking
the question,
it's really a repetition
of their initial intention
to see if he was
the Christ,
but there was a lot
of misunderstanding
about who the prophet
may have been.
And so,
John the Baptist
rightly answers
no.
So,
they say,
who are you?
We need to give
an answer
to those
who sent us.
They can't go back
empty-handed.
What do you say
about yourself?
So,
after this string
of denials,
John speaks
of himself
in the affirmative.
He says who he is
in verse 23.
I'm the voice
of one crying
out in the wilderness,
make straight
the way
of the Lord,
as the prophet
Isaiah said.
John is here
citing Isaiah
chapter 40
and verse 3.
A voice cries,
in the wilderness
prepare the way
of the Lord,
make straight
in the desert
a highway
for our God.
all four
gospels
cite this verse
in connection
with John
the Baptist.
But only in this
gospel is John
himself recorded
as using it.
And we're going to
pick up his answer
to this question
and to the next
back up in my
concluding
comments.
But they go beyond
that, right?
After the answers
with this,
I am the voice
of one crying out
in the wilderness,
make straight
the way
of the Lord
to ask,
then,
why are you
baptizing?
If you are
neither the Christ
nor Elijah
nor the prophet.
And we'll say
some more about
this in just a bit.
But John
answers them,
I baptize
with water,
but among you
stands one
you do not
know.
And it's
unsure at this
point,
but it's suggested
that perhaps
Jesus is actually
there as they're
asking these
questions,
right?
In the larger
crowd,
he's actually
standing there.
Even one
who comes after
me,
the strap of
whose sandal
I am not
worthy to
untie.
So John
gets grilled,
right?
Who are you?
And he gives
a very clear
denial of all
the possible
people they
thought he may
be,
and a very
clear message
that he is one
preparing the
way.
for the
Christ.
Secondly,
let's look at
day two,
beginning in
verse 29.
You'll notice
that phrase,
the next
day.
This time his
address is to
the broader
crowd.
So before it
was just to
this group
that was sent
to him,
this delegation
now,
to the
broader
crowd as he
sees Jesus
coming toward
him and
cries out,
behold the
Lamb of God
who takes
away the
sins of
the world.
On the
second day,
John is not
being questioned,
but he still
gives a
faithful witness
to Christ
in making
this
extraordinary
declaration.
Behold the
Lamb of God
who takes
away the
sin of
the world.
This phrase
is not found
in this form
in the Old
Testament,
but the idea
is everywhere.
Some examples,
Genesis chapter
22,
verse 7 and
8,
and we know
there that
Abraham is
given the
command to
go and
sacrifice his
son Isaac.
And Isaac
says,
Behold the
fire and the
wood,
but where
is the
Lamb for
a burnt
offering?
And Abraham
replies to
him,
God will
provide for
himself the
Lamb for a
burnt
offering.
my son.
And then we
see his
hand stayed
and in
verse 13
God provides
a substitutionary
ram for
Isaac which
prefigures a
greater sacrifice
that will
come.
We get
the whole
another place,
Exodus chapter
29,
38 through
39,
Leviticus
chapter 23,
just one
example here,
Exodus 29
verse 38,
a command
for the
continual
giving of
Lamb for
sin.
Lambs were
part of
daily,
ongoing
sacrifices
for the
sin of
the people.
Now this
is what
you shall
offer on
the altar,
two lambs
a year
old by
day,
regularly.
And if
you back
up,
Exodus
chapter 12
verses 3
through 13,
if you look
at verse
5,
we hear
this account
of the
Passover
Lamb.
And the
command is
given,
your Lamb
shall be
without
blemish,
a male
a year
old.
And they
were to
slaughter
that Lamb
and spread
the blood
on the
doorposts
that the
angel of
death
would pass
over
their
homes.
So there's
lots of
imagery
that tends
in this
direction,
pushes us
toward an
understanding
of what
John is
declaring
when he
cries out,
Behold
the Lamb
of God.
I like
to imagine,
so hear
me,
this is an
imagination
piece,
but that
this
declaration
would have
had a
particular
resonance
because the
Passover
was going
to be
celebrated
shortly.
As I spend
a little more
time on this,
I might be
able to tell
you the
exact number
of days,
but I at
least know
it's some
days out.
John
chapter 2
verse 13,
the Passover
of the
Jews was
at hand.
It's not
too many
days later
that this
is taking
place.
So,
perhaps,
lambs were
being or
had been
recently herded
past the
place that
John was
baptizing.
It's very
possible,
right,
that they
were being
brought from
the fields
outside and
being brought
to this
great number,
massive number
of lambs
that were
sacrificed
at the
Passover.
And so,
the image
is fresh
in everybody's
mind of
lambs being
taken to
slaughter.
It's my
imagination.
It's possible.
That is why
the detail of
his location
is included
in verse
28,
about a
two days
journey from
Jerusalem.
He cries
out,
Behold
the Lamb
of God
who takes
away
the sin
of the
world.
What stands
in our
place is
the
propitiation
that takes
God's
wrath on
our behalf.
Not a
sacrifice that
needs to go
on and
on,
but a
one-time
sacrifice
once for
all.
That anybody
who believes
in him
has our
sin taken
away,
punished
in him,
his
righteousness
granted
to us.
This idea
of the
Lamb of
God
is picked
up,
I think,
in a way
that's
rather stark
when you
understand
the geography
of the
land.
John
chapter 18
and verse
1.
This is
just after
the last
supper,
which was
a Passover
meal.
There John
records,
when Jesus
had spoken
these words,
he went
out with
his disciples
across the
brook
Kidron,
where there
was a
garden which
he and
his disciples
entered.
So to
get to
the garden
of
Gethsemane,
the place
where we
know that
Jesus
weeps
and
sweats
blood,
he's in
great anguish
because he
knows of
his coming
crucifixion,
bearing the
wrath for
all who
would ever
believe in
him,
he goes
across the
brook
Kidron.
That's a
significant
thing.
It's an
important
detail that
all of the
early readers
would have
totally understood
and we
just need a
little help
in order
to do
that.
Now you
might have
noticed,
or maybe
you didn't,
I did not
bring up
with me
this morning
the
program's
progress,
so I'm
not planning
on reading
out of it.
But I
am going
to quote
Charles
Spurgeon
just so you
all know
I'm okay.
No one's
taken over
my body,
it's me,
really.
This is what
Charles Spurgeon
says of the
brook Kidron.
The brook Kidron
was an
insignificant but
usually a
most foul
and filthy
ditch outside
the walls
of Jerusalem.
If it was
not, as some
have called
it, the
open town
sewer, yet
there are
reasons for
believing that
at least the
filth of the
temple ran
into it.
The scouring
of the
sacrificial
places went
by an
under
channel
into this
brook.
Let me
pause there
in the
quote for
just a
moment.
This means
the Passover
is taking
place,
these lambs
have come
in and
they've
been being
slaughtered
all day
long.
The brook
Kidron would
have been
flowing with
blood from
those lambs.
It would
have just
been full
of blood.
They crossed
over it.
It was a
small stream.
Maybe they
hopped.
They crossed
over it on
their way
to
Gethsemane.
Further,
Spurgeon
goes on.
And we
have one
or two
instances in
Holy Writ
where when
houses were
purged and
cleansed,
the filth was
thrown in
to the
brook
Kidron.
So when
the sinfulness
of a home
was purged,
where did
all of it
go?
They threw
it into
the brook
Kidron.
The passing
therefore over
that foul
and black
brook becomes
the symbol
of a time
of deep
sorrow and
acute distress.
The king
himself then
passed over
the brook
Kidron.
The royal
road lies
over the
place of
sorrow.
The way
even for
kings is
by the brook
of grief
and shame.
Behold,
the lamb
of God.
The one
who comes,
the one
who could
come and
die in
our stead
to take
away the
sin.
It's
incredible.
Verse 31,
John says,
I myself
did not
know him,
but for
this purpose
I came
baptizing
with water
that he
might be
revealed
to Israel.
On day
one,
John is
asked a
question
about
baptism,
which he
answers.
Here,
he is
clear why
he is
baptizing.
The Jews
were concerned
about his
baptism
because he
was baptizing
Jewish
people.
You see,
the Jews
baptized
proselytes,
converts to
Judaism,
but not
Israelites,
as they
viewed
Israelites,
as already
God's
people.
John's
baptism
acknowledged
that sin
had placed
all people
outside of
God's
covenant,
and therefore
that all
people need
to repent
and believe
in Christ.
All of
them were
outside of
the Mosaic
covenant.
Every single
one of them
had sin.
None of them
had kept
God's
law.
And so
everybody
needs to
repent
and believe
in Christ.
His
baptism
was a
sign of
repentance.
And so
it's unique,
and that's
the reason
they're
concerned
about what
it is
that he
is doing.
Behold
the Lamb
of God
who takes
away
the sin
of
the world.
Unless
you be
mistaken
at this
point,
I am
not
going to
argue
from
this
text
for
general
atonement.
We have
to be
very,
very careful
at this
point.
If you
narrow it
down,
you ignore
the rest
of the
teaching
of
Scripture,
you would
think
that
Jesus'
death
took
away
every
sin
of
every
person
ever.
You
become
a
universalist
to be
sure.
John
uses
this
word
cosmos
in
a lot
of
different
ways.
Here
he's
saying
not
only
does
he
take
away
the
sin
of
Jews,
but
also
of
Gentiles.
This
letter
written
to
both.
Anybody
and
everybody
who
would
place
their
faith
in
Christ.
And
we'll
unpack
that
more
likely
in
John
chapter
3.
everybody
needs
to
repent
and
believe
in
Christ.
Our
very
greatest
of
needs.
And
he
goes
on
the
second
day
and
John
bore
witness.
I
saw
the
spirit
descend
from
heaven
like
a
dove
and
it
remained
on
him.
I
myself
did
not
know
him
but
he
who
sent
me
to
baptize
with
water
said
to
him.
So
God
the
father
said
to
him
!
He
on
whom
you
see
the
Mark
records
in
Mark
chapter
1
verse
9
through
11
in
those
days
Jesus
came
from
Nazareth
of
Galilee
and
was
baptized
by
John
in
the
Jordan
and
when
he
came
up
out
of
the
water
immediately
he
saw
the
heavens
being
torn
open
and
the
spirit
descending
on
him
like
a
dove
and
a
voice
came
from
heaven
you
are
my
beloved
son
with
you
I
am
well
pleased!
So
we
don't
get
the
first
hand
account
of
it
but
we
get
John
telling
us
that
this
very
thing
happened
God
the
father
told
him
that
God
the
spirit
would
descend
on
God
the
son
and
confirm
who
he
is
and
it's
with
that
confidence
of that
confirmation
in
verse
34
John
the
Baptist
says
and
I
have
seen
and
have
borne
witness
!
that
this
is
the
son
of
God!
thirdly
day
three
very
briefly
some
of
this
is
going
to
roll
into
next
week
the
calling
of
the
disciples
the
next
day
again
John
was
standing
with
his
two
disciples
heard
him
say
this
and
they
followed
Jesus
so
we've
got
this
delegation
that
was
sent
to
ask
them
the
questions
we
have
the
broader
crowd
all
together
and
then
we
see
John
with
just
two
of
his
disciples
and
we'll
learn
more
about
them
next
week
and
he
makes
that
declaration
again
and
those
two
disciples
in
response
to
that
faithful
witness
to
Jesus'
person
and
his
work
followed
Christ
so
with
that
let me
loop
back
to
this
three
point
outline
of
what
a
faithful
witness
is
what
he
does
a
faithful
witness
number
one
is
humble
I
just
want
to
draw
your
attention
back
up
into
the
text
a bit
to
observe
the
humility
of
John
the
Baptist
he
thought
very
little
of
himself
he
could
save
no
one
right
he
was
just
there
as a
messenger
sent
a
heralder
of
news
his
whole
intention
was to
point
to
the
one
who
could
save
right
point
to
Christ
he's
so
clear
verse
20
he
confessed
and
did
not
fail
to
confess
but
confessed
I
am
not
the
Christ
he
said
I
am
not
to
the
question
of
he's
Elijah
he
said
no
to
the
question
of
is
he
the
prophet
right
and
then
he
says
I
am
the
voice
of
one
crying
out
in
the
wilderness
you
cannot
look
to
a
voice
a
voice
just
declares
a
message
make
straight
the
way
of
the
Lord
point
people
to
send
people
toward
right
the
Christ
is
coming
what a
privilege
John
had
to be
a
heralder
of the
coming
of
Christ
beloved
we have
the very
same
privilege
we get
to declare
the good
news
of
Jesus
to be
his
witnesses
!
in the
world
in which
we
live
if
it's
not
on
our
hearts
if
it's
not
a
great
desire
of
ours
to
declare
what
God
has
done
for
us
in
Christ
something
is
amiss
something
is
wrong
we
either
never
have
experienced
the
grace
of
God
to
us
in
Christ
or
our
hearts
need
some
serious
tuning
we
have
to
want
to
regularly
talk
about
what
Jesus
has
done
for
us
humble
it
starts
with
humility
we
can
save
no
one
I'm
so
grateful
as a
pastor
to
have
a
big
God
theology
to
believe
that
God
has
a
people
that
he's
saving
for
his
purpose
because
oh
if it
depended
on
me
it
would
be
crushing
I
wouldn't
be
doing
this
anymore
I
would
have
already
thrown
in
the
towel
too
much
work
too
hard
too
much
pressure
I
just
get
to
be
a
let
the
lion
out
of
the
cage
as
Spurgeon
said
and
God
does
saving
work
he
uses
the
message
of
Jesus
Christ
to
draw
people
to
himself
lift
Christ
high
he'll
say
later
and
God
will
draw
people
to
him
he
says
John
answered
I
baptize
with
water
but
among
you
stand
ones
you
do
not
know
even
he
who
comes
after
me
the
strap
of
whose
sandal
I
am
not
worthy
to
untie
the
lowliest
of
servant
positions
in a
home
the
removal
of
shoes
and
the
washing
of
feet
John
the
Baptist
says
I'm
not
even
worthy
of
that
position
when
it
comes
to
my
Lord
verse
30
this
is
he
of
whom
I
said
after
me
comes
a
man
who
ranks
before
me
because
he
was
before
me
right
Christ
was
preexistent
and
deserves
exaltation
and
therefore
we
ought
to
be
humble
so
a
faithful
witness
is
going
to
be
humble
John
the
Baptist
models
that
for
us
secondly
a
faithful
witness
exalts
the
person
and
work
of
Jesus
Christ
right
who
he
is
and
what
he
accomplished
both
things
are
important
so
just
really
fast
he
points
to
Jesus
as
the
Lord
verse
23
he
says
he's
going
to
send
the
spirit
to
come
and
indwell
them
he
says
he's
the
lamb
of
God
in
verse
29
who
takes
away
the
sins
of
the
world
he's
exalting
his
person
he's
talking
about
his
work
all
amidst
this
what a
wonderful
place
for us
to start
our
gospel
proclamation
to
talk
about
the
person
of
work
that
he
came
to
accomplish
this
gospel
proclamation
is a
great
privilege
that's
given
to
God's
people
and
it
must
be
proclaimed
you
may
have
heard
it
said
at
one
point
preach
the
gospel
at
all
times
and
when
necessary
use
words
it's
always
necessary
to
use
words
whether
written
or
said
our
good
works
adorn
the
gospel
right
our
good
works
are
apologetics
for
the
gospel
it's
a
foundation
people
see
us
and
they
see
us
as
different
they
see
that
we
hope
in
something
else
they
see
our
lives
ordered
properly
all
of
those
things
I'm
not
negating
any
of
that
at
all
but
just
merely
being
nice
to
somebody
is
not
sharing
the
gospel
with
them
right
you
got
to
open
your
mouth
and
you
have
to
speak
!
he
done
on
your
behalf
it
must
be
done
it
must
be
proclaimed
a
faithful
witness
I
just
want
to
insert
a
Christian
a
Christian
exalts
the
person
and
work
of
Jesus
Christ
and
proclaims
that
to
others
and
thirdly
a
faithful
witness
offers
the
means
of
salvation
it's
so
good
to
talk
about
Christ
and
it's
so
good
to
talk
about
his
work
but
we
also
must
!
call
people
to
believe
turn
from
their
sins
!
place
their
faith
in
Christ
we
have
yet
to
share
the
gospel
if
we
haven't
quite
gotten
there
and
I
know
sometimes
that
takes
a
series
of
conversations
but
we
want
to
drive
to
that
point
to
say
to
people
this
is
true
and
it's
the
thing
you're
most
needful
of
and
it's
the
kind
of
truth
that
demands
a
response
you
have
to
respond
to
it
one
way
the
!
you have
to
reject
it
wholeheartedly
or
you
have
to
accept
it
wholeheartedly
you
only
have
two
choices
now
I've
got to
stretch
a
little
out
of
our
text
but
I
just
want
you
to
see
the
pattern
here
the
means
of
salvation
he
says
verse
33
that
he
baptizes
and
it
was
said
to
him
he
on
whom
you
see
the
spirit
descend
and
remain
this
is
he
who
baptizes
with
the
spirit
of
christ
comes
into
us
makes
us
new
causes
us
to
believe
go
back
to
earlier
in
the
chapter
where
there
john
the
apostle
says
of
john
the
baptist
he
came
as
a
witness
to
bear
witness
about
the
light
that
all
might
believe
through
him
verse
12
but
who
did
receive
him
he
just
spoke
his
name
he
gave
the
right
to
become
children
of
God
so
Jesus
is
the
Christ
the
anointed
one
of
God
the
lamb
of
God
the
son
of
God
who
takes
away
the
sin
of
the
world
and
if
we
are
in
Christ
this
morning
then
we
have
been
called
to
be
proclaimers
faithful
witnesses
to the
personal
work
of
that
Christ
to
call
people
to
repentance
and
faith
may
it
be
so
let's
pray
to
that
end
as