Day 2 - John 1:19-34
03 Jan 2017
In 1:6-8 we were introduced to John, who came to bear witness about the light so that all might believe through him. In these verses we hear his witness.
We can’t underestimate the impact John the Baptist’s ministry had. The religious establishment needed to know what was going on so sent a delegation to find out. John responds to them by explaining who he was in terms drawn from the Old Testament. In Isaiah 40 God promised to come to deliver his people, and to reveal his glory. John’s role is as the voice that called people to prepare the way for him to come (John 1:23 refers back to Isaiah 40:3). He did that by calling people to repentance.
Far more important than recognising John’s role is understanding who Jesus is. In the scene where John and Jesus meet we hear John’s testimony about him. Jesus is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”. In Exodus God called each family to kill a lamb and put its blood on the doorpost so the angel of death would passover them. Jesus is the fulfilment of that event - he is the lamb who is going to be killed to bear the sin of those in rebellion to him. It is an amazing thing to think about - especially as John has already told us that the world wants nothing to do him (1:11).
John also bears witness to the fact that Jesus was “before me”. This is true in time - remember, Jesus is the word who was there “in the beginning” (1:1), and it is also true in status - he is God, the creator of all (1:2, 3).
Finally John bears witness to what Jesus will do. John just makes people wet - an important symbolic act, but Jesus will “baptise with the Holy Spirit”. He will unite people to his life, so that we can receive grace and life.
Drawing this all together John makes a great confession. “This is the Son of God”. This is a testimony that we must hear, believe and act on.