John 1:15-34
We live in a time of “double talk” it might be defined as, deliberately
combining nonsense syllables and actual words to form unintelligible
speech. As you read verse 15, it sure comes across in that manner: “(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.’”)
Now it is clear that someone born after us could move into a
position of rank or authority over us, but how could someone born after us be
alive before us? You and I have read the
story, but let your imagination place you as part of this audience, there is no
New Testament, you are under the harsh rule of Rome, and you are hoping for a
Messiah to come and defeat Rome, to put things in order, that is if you are
still hoping at all. And this guy John,
who is a man’s man, dresses funny, and needs a hair cut is speaking very
powerful words, and many are coming to him to confess sin and be baptized.
As we place ourselves in that group that
has come to see this John the baptizer, we are not the only ones who are
curious about his position of importance, was he of a high status. If John showed up today we would ask where he
got his education, what he did for a living, who was his family, and what
church or denomination and political party he belonged to. But that day as we stand in the crowd, we see
priests and Levites from Jerusalem coming to ask this question: “Who are
you?” Now I must confess, the crowds
that had come before us had returned saying is this the Christ, the Messiah, or
could it be Elijah, if not, surely John is a Prophet sent by God.
The first thing John said when asked “Who
are you” is “I am not the Christ” and then they ask, are you Elijah and his
answer was no. One of the groups sent
from Jerusalem say then you must be a Prophet sent by God, and to my shock,
John replied, no. At this point things
are getting real interesting, if he is not the Messiah, nor Elijah, and not
even a Prophet sent by God, who is he and that is what they ask next. You see they needed to give an answer to
those who had sent them. This is what
John said about himself. It is recorded
in John’s gospel, chapter 1:23, “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.”
The crowd was pushing in on us and yet it
was very quiet, so it was easy to hear what those that had been sent said; and
John’s reply is recorded in verses 25-27, “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.”
Now I do not know about you but I came back the next day, I
had to know more about this person John is referring to, as one whose sandal he
is not worthy to untie. And early that
morning while John was baptizing, he stopped 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.”
(Recorded in John 1:29-31)
Then John said to us, “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 have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” (This
also was recorded in John 1:29-34)
Often, it helps me to place myself in the
story, what seems to be “double talk” became very clear, and I believe
the Spirit of God who descended on Jesus also made it clear to some of those in
that crowd, my prayer is that He did the same with you.
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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