JOHN THE BELOVEDS TESTIMONY CONCERNING JOHN THE BAPTIST

John 1:6-8, 15-36

Morning Meditation 12/10/2013

Well, this meditation is not going to be a phrase or clause in a verse or a verse, it will be based on this whole passage. Or, we won’t finish before the rapture!

John the Baptist is one of the most unique person’s in the Scripture. His ministry is definitely prophesied in the Old Testament. Isa. 40:3 says, “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Then Matthew says this prophecy is fulfilled in John the Baptist: “For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight” (Matt. 3:3).

Luke says of John, “For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb” (Luke 1:15). Now don’t write me and ask me what the last part of that verse means. I don’t know. But I do know he was filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother’s womb and I will just leave it there believingly!

Jesus said, “Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” (Matt. 11:11). Oops! I brought up another I can’t explain. Now I can guess and have several times. But I don’t think the Lord is too interested in my guesses.

Now to our text. John says, “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John” (verse 6). Well, we know he was a man and that he was sent from God. The word for man (anthropos) means “human being” the word for “sent” (apostello) is the combination of two words: the word “apo” which is a preposition of separation, and the word “stello” which means “to set, place, set in order, arrange.” The word “apostle” comes from this word. It means that God separated John from Himself to go to Israel before Christ to set the stage for his personal ministry. This means that John came with God’s authority. Jesus brings this out in Matthew 21:23-27 where the chief priests and elders of the people questioned His authority. Jesus asked them, “The baptism of John, whence was it? From heaven, or of men?” John was a man sent from God. He had heaven’s authority.

Next, John says, “The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe” (verse 7). The word “came” is an aorist tense and is a snapshot of his whole ministry. The word “witness” (marturia) means “a testifying, the office committed to the prophets of testifying concerning future events.” John was testifying concerning the near future. He began just a few months before Jesus and told Israel that Jesus was about to appear. The words “that all men through him might believe” give scope and opportunity. The word “all” means each and every. Men are saved one at a time. The word “men” is in italics. It simply means everyone and reaches beyond Israel to the whole world. The words “might believe” is an aorist tense and subjunctive mood. The aorist tense means at some point in time. The subjunctive mood is the mood of potentiality. It is possible. Jesus died for all men. If men are not saved it is not because God does not give them opportunity. It was this to which John was sent to be a witness.

Verse 19-23 says, “And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.”

They came to John and asked him, “Who art thou?” This is really not a bad idea. If you want to find out who a person is, ask him. He’ll probably know. Some of you think I’m joking. And some may not like what I am about to say.. John said, “I am not the Christ.” Now that one is out of the way. Then they asked him again, “Art thou Elias?” And John answered, “I am not.” There are some people who believe that John the Baptist was Elijah. Well, if he was Elijah, he didn’t know it. And incidentally, John was also named of the Lord. See Luke 1:60-64. Then they kept probing John: “Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the voice of the one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias” (verses 22-23). He didn’t stutter. John knew exactly who he was and what prophecy he was fulfilling. You say preacher, “How do you account for Jesus saying in Matt. 11:14, “And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.” I simply don’t have an answer. I just know that the Scriptures do not contradict. I believe all of us need to learn to live with the unexplained.

John said in verses 33-34 that God had given him a way to recognize Christ when he saw him: “And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.” John the Baptist believed in the deity of Jesus.

Then John identifies Jesus and introduces him: Verses 29 and 36 say, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!” I call this “When John the Baptist answers Isaac.” Isaac asked his father Abraham, “Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?” (Gen. 22:7). This was John’s ministry to pave the way for the Messiah and to introduce him when he came.

What happened when John introduced Jesus to his disciples? Verse 37 says, “And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.” These two men were disciples of John the Baptist. They heard John tell about Jesus and was there when he introduced Jesus with the words, “Behold the lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” When they heard John they followed Jesus. This is what every preacher of the gospel should desire. When they hear the man of God, they should follow Jesus.

A summary: There are four things that stand out in this passage. John was,

1. A man with a commission. He was “sent.”

2. A man with a message. He came to “bear witness of the Light.”

3. A man of controversy. They ask “Who art thou.” It is hard to explain the man who walks with God.

4. A man of evangelism. He said, “Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.”

May the Lord bless you.

In Christ

Bro. White