In this sermon, Pastor Dave Capoccia examines John the Baptist’s testimony about himself in John 1:19-28. The author, John the Apostle, presents John the Baptist’s three-part testimony about himself so that you will believe and exult in Jesus alone. John the Baptist testifies in the same three ways that you should testify about yourself as a disciple of Christ:
1. I Am No One Special (vv. 19-21)
2. I Am Just a Voice (vv. 22-23)
3. I Am an Unworthy Slave (vv. 24-28)
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thank you so much we’re skillfully leading Us in worship to our God just a quick heads up hey called an audible a slightly different sermon title and passage for today we’re still in John don’t worry but if you see a different title don’t be like what happened so let’s go before the Lord in prayer great God oh Lord you are so worthy of all worship you are worthy of our entire lives being dedicated to you only you are worthy of this not we ourselves not any person not any creative thing only you would speak to us encourage us instruct us convict us so that we may be your holy Witnesses in the world in Jesus name amen little Bible quiz question to start off this morning something for you to think about who was the greatest prophet of the Old Testament era don’t answer that out loud just think about it under the old Covenant who was the prophet with the greatest Ministry and significance perhaps the most obvious answer would be the prophet Moses Moses after all LED Israel out of bondage to Egypt they’d been in bondage for hundreds of years and through the Wilderness to the promised land Moses did many miracles even brought down cataclysmic judgments from God down on Wicked Egyptians he gave Israel God’s law instruct the people in Israel’s unique Covenant with God he wrote for us the first five books of the Bible and he spoke to God as it were face to face the Bible says enjoying unique and intimate fellowship with God himself Moses was truly a great prophet and Jews today still hold him in the highest esteem but Moses according to the Bible was not the greatest Old Testament prophet there was another Prophet who was spectacular in his own way the Prophet Elijah Elijah lived during the divided Kingdom Period served in the Northern Kingdom of Israel it was kind of like the boogeyman of wicked Israelite Kings he would show up out of nowhere from the Wilderness wearing his funny clothes he would denounce Kings like Ahab for their wickedness Proclaim God’s judgment and then just disappear Mike Moses Elijah did many miracles both of judgment and of healing and restoration he had a famous confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel you remember that the culmination of which was I Elijah’s simple prayer to God in which God sent fire from heaven that is lightning and it consumed a dripping wet sacrifice the stone altar in which the sacrifice was laid and even the water around the altar it licked it all up magnificent and though Wicked people saw Elijah’s death again and again nobody could catch him nobody could kill him in fact he didn’t even die Elijah was given the unique privilege being taken alive to heaven and a fiery Chariot Moses lived a long time but he even he didn’t get that so it was Elijah the greatest Old Testament prophet well Elijah was great yet not even Elijah was the greatest so who was God’s greatest divinely commissioned spokesman then was it Abraham David Daniel Isaiah Malachi none of them According To Jesus in Matthew 11 11 the greatest prophet of the old Covenant period was John the Baptist John the Baptist does that surprise you I mean there are certainly some remarkable aspects to the life and Ministry of John according to Luke 1 John had several Miracles take place in connection with his birth he was the son of the righteous priest Zacharias and Zacharias wife Elizabeth they were both too old to have children and yet God enabled them to have John an angel even appeared to zecharias to prophesied John’s birth and his purpose in life this same Angel struck Zacharias mute for a time because Zacharias would not believe right away in accordance with the Angel’s instruction John was raised under a form of the Nazarite vow he never tasted wine or alcohol but lived as an ascetic for most of his life and set apart service to God John was a relative of Jesus probably a cousin through Elizabeth and Mary’s relation he was uniquely filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb even memorably once leaping for joy in utero at the sound of Mary’s voice when she was pregnant with Jesus John like Elijah lived alone in the wilderness for most of his life even dressing like Elijah did according to Luke 3 a word of new revelation came to John in the wilderness when he was about 30 years old so around A.D 27 John began preaching a message to the people of Israel a message of repentance and light of the coming Kingdom and Judgment of God note that Israel had previously not heard a word from God in about 400 years now John wasn’t just given a new message he was given he was commissioned to bring a new ritual to Israel that ritual was baptism or immersion in water a baptism of repentance for the Forgiveness of sins the scripture says now ceremonial washing was not a New Concept for Israel or even for the surrounding Nations Jews often baptized Gentile converts as a symbol of their giving up their old sinful unclean way of life but never had Jews themselves been called to participate in mass in this immersion ritual this baptism ritual John brings this and in addition to all these John was a bold and Powerful preacher unafraid to confront even the greatest persons either in the religious system or the political system over their hypocrisy and sin he became quite popular though many Old Testament prophets encountered only stubborn resistance to their Ministries Matthew 3 5 says that all the people of Jerusalem Judea and the surrounding area of the Jordan were going out into the bleak uncomfortable wilderness just to see John to listen to him and to be baptized by him John quickly gained a group of dedicated disciples and was generally regarded by the common people as someone special They revered him they wondered if he even might be the Messiah now all that being said it is notable John the Baptist never did any miracles and unlike Moses and Elijah John met an ignobal end he was imprisoned and then beheaded by Herod Antipas for confronting that supposedly Jewish ruler over adultery so why would Jesus say that John the Baptist was the greatest Prophet existing up to Jesus own day and not just the greatest Prophet but the greatest person born from a woman that is the greatest human being why would Jesus say John is the greatest well the answer lies in the special role that John and only John got to enjoy as a prophet to be the Forerunner of Jesus the Messiah himself John wasn’t just the last Old Testament prophet he was the one specifically commissioned to announce the imminent arrival of the Christ and to make the people ready to hear and receive their Christ there’s no one greater than Jesus Christ he’s the Eternal Word made flesh he’s the son of God therefore to be the Forerunner of this one the Incarnate Word to announce the coming of Yahweh himself into the world that is the greatest responsibility that is the greatest privilege that is the greatest honor any human Prophet could be given so this is who John the Baptist was he was the greatest Old Testament Prophet because he was the Forerunner of Christ himself but what did John think about himself and his position when the religious authorities of the day inevitably investigated John for his activities in Ministry what testimony did John the Baptist offer them as we proceed this morning into our first narrative section of the Gospel of John we’re going to see these questions answered and discover that the greatest Old Testament Prophet was absolutely committed to not drawing people after himself instead pointing people to the one who’s truly great Jesus Christ please take your Bibles and open to John chapter 1. John chapter 1 if you’re using the few Bibles on page 1058 my new title for today’s message is I am not the Christ I am not the Christ John chapter 1 though the testimony of John the Baptist really comprises verses 19 to 34.
we’re just going to focus on the first half of John’s testimony today which is John’s testimony about himself and that’s verses 19 to 28. John 1 verses 19 to 28 next week we’ll look at the other half of John’s testimony which is John’s testimony concerning Jesus that’s verses 29 to 34. but John 1 19-28 is our text today and let’s read the passage this is the testimony of John when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him who are you and he confessed and did not deny but confessed I am not the Christ they asked him what then are you Elijah and he said I am not are you the prophet and he answered no and they said to him who are you so that we may give an answer to those who sent us what do you say about yourself he said I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness make straight away of the Lord as Isaiah the prophet said now they had been sent from the Pharisees they asked him and said to him why then are you baptizing if you are not the Christ nor Elijah nor the prophet John answered them saying I baptize in water and among you stands one whom you do not know it is he who comes after me the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie these things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan where John was baptizing now there are several purposes that come together in this first part of John’s related testimony our author shows John the Baptist to be a great example to imitate but also a leader not to be ultimately followed is a great example of a witness but he’s not the leader that you should be looking to instead like John the Baptist himself our author is directing us to believe in serve and follow Jesus Christ Alone so I think we can roll those different purposes together in one statement our passage’s main idea here it is in John 1 verses 19 to 28 the author presents John the Baptist’s three-part testimony about himself so that you will believe and exult in Jesus alone author presents John the Baptist three-part testimony about himself so that you will believe and exalt in Jesus alone not yourself not John not anyone else Jesus alone first part of John’s testimony about himself appears in verses 19 to 21.
we’re going to see three parts to this first side of his testimony the first part in verses 19 to 21 where John declares there number one I am no one special I am no one special look at the first part of verse 19.
this is the testimony of John here’s a nice summary statement of what this next section of the Gospel is all about verses 19 to 34 is John’s testimony regarding himself and regarding Jesus now the word translated testimony here is the Greek word marturia meaning testimony or witness it’s of course where we get the English word martyr a martyr is someone who dies testifying on behalf of a person or cause now martyria is courtroom type language testimony or evidence presented to prove a case in this case John wants to prove something about himself and Jesus now of course the reference to John here in verse 19 is to John the Baptist and not John the Apostle as we discussed in our book introduction sermon our author John the son of Zebedee never refers to himself as John in this book rather referring the phrase the disciple whom Jesus loved to identify himself so when you hear John you see the name John we’re talking about John the Baptist now notice in verse 19 and following that our author does not provide any historical background information about John the Baptist before presenting his testimony he assumes the author assumes that you as the reader or listener are already familiar enough with John the Baptist’s life and Ministry so you will appreciate the significance of his testimony so he just goes right into the testimony he assumes you already know about John the Baptist now when was this testimony from John given we’ll look at the next line in verse 19. it says when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him who are you well here’s the first time we see the term the Jews in this book I already told you a little bit about this term in our introduction sermon remember that generally not exclusively but generally when you see the term the Jews in this gospel it is referring to the Jewish opponents of Jesus those who ultimately reject and seek to destroy him it would be true as the nation as a whole but it certainly means his opponents particular in particular and in this specific passage the Jews points to the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem they would be the Sadducees and the scribes they have sent some of their lower level Temple Personnel priests and Levites to go check out this John the Baptist fellow and what he’s doing so we have this delegation from the Jews that is the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem coming to check out John and as we’ll see from some details later In this passage and in the rest of chapter 1 this visit is taking place after Jesus first meeting with John in which Jesus was baptized that’s already taken place in the past in fact Jesus has already had his time of Temptation in the wilderness by this point Jesus is actually on his way back at this moment at the beginning of verse 19 to visit John where he is and to collect Jesus first disciples we’re going to see that at the end of chapter one it just so happens that the day before Jesus shows up to visit John the Baptist again that this delegation from Jerusalem arrives to question John and this makes sense because at this point in history the religious authorities in Jerusalem would have noticed John’s Great popularity they would have heard about his notable preaching and baptizing Ministry and they wanted to make sure they knew and dealt with if necessary what was going on most of the Jews at this time are at a high level of Messianic and eschatological that is end time expectation they believed that God’s kingdom was certainly Drawing Near judgment was about to arrive Messiah himself is coming John the Baptist seemed to be someone who was or at least pretended to be an important person for these expected end time events the Jewish leaders need to find out what’s the deal with John hence their question at the end of verse 19 who are you now John the Baptist knows what this delegation is really after so he doesn’t Supply an answer to their question like well I’m John no he doesn’t say that instead we see verse 20.
and he confessed and did not deny but confessed I am not the Christ now I think you can notice in the beginning of this verse that we have the same idea given three different times twice positively once negatively you confess did not deny he confessed now what’s the point of that repetition isn’t that just like using too many words no it’s about emphasis this is about strong emphasis actually the pronoun he uses in his statement is also emphatic the eyes emphatic and Greek so it’s like John is saying this in response to the delegation visiting him I I myself am absolutely positively definitely not the Christ I know you’re all wondering if I’m going to claim to be the Christ but I’m telling you nothing could be further from my mind I am not the Christ perhaps you know this but what does Christ mean well that’s just the Greek translation of the Hebrew word mashiach Messiah and it means anointed one Messiah Christ they both mean anointed one in the Old Testament Israelite prophets priests and kings were often Anointed with holy oil as a symbol of being set apart by God for some special service or rule sometimes these persons especially Kings in Judah were called anointed ones Messiahs over time though especially after the Old Testament was completed Jews saw a special anointed one as coming a ultimate Messiah an ultimate Christ or Christos this would be the ultimate servant and savior set apart by God to fulfill the promises of the Old Testament about bringing a judgment on the world and a restoration of the Kingdom to Israel they’re looking for this Messiah this Christ and John says that’s not me I’m definitely not him well the issue of Messiah should cleared up the delegation has a few follow-up questions for John look at the beginning of verse 21.
they asked him what then are you Elijah and he said I am not you might be wondering why don’t I ask about Elijah that seems kind of random actually it’s not random at all because the last prophet before John Malachi closed his prophecy and Malachi 4 5 and 6 with these words this is Malachi 4 5 and 6 God speaking behold I’m going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord that is Yahweh he will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse now the Jews knew about this verse from Malachi and they believed it before the great events of the end they believed when God himself is coming to the Earth to restore Israel judge the world even purify his own people God is going to send Elijah first and since the Christ is also tied up with these eschatological events the Jews came to believe that Elijah would come before the Christ so God’s coming Christ’s coming Elijah is going to become first oh I just going to come first before Christ and God and considering that the Old Testament Elijah never died the Jews actually believed that the same Elijah would come back he never died he’s just gonna come right back and he’s going to be the Forerunner of the Messiah so maybe John the Baptist is Elijah but John says I am not I am not Elijah who I’m not the Elijah that you have been expecting now that reply may make you scratch your head a little bit if you know and are familiar with the other Gospels because Jesus testifies later after this point recorded in Matthew 11 14 but also Mark 9 13 He says to his disciples and if you are willing to accept it John himself is Elijah who was to come oh boy Jesus says John is Elijah but John says he is not Elijah what’s going on was John the Baptist lying or is this a contradiction in the Bible well we who have come to know God and be saved in Jesus Christ we recognize that the Bible is God’s perfect word it is the very revelation of God himself as Jesus said scripture cannot be broken this is not a true contradiction there must be some reasonable way to harmonize these two statements from Jesus and John how do we do that well there are three main ways interpreters have sought to harmonize the statements of Jesus and John I’ll give them to you possibility one John was not denying having the rule of Elijah but denying being the man Elijah himself after all that was the Jewish expectation Elijah himself would come back and perceive the Messiah but John says I am not a lie to return I’m a different person though I am the one fulfilling the role of Elijah notably Luke 1 17 says that John does not come as Elijah but this was the angel speaking to Zacharias in the spirit and power of Elijah that’s possibility one possibility two John didn’t know or John didn’t believe that he himself Was Elijah when he actually was not lying he’s just ignorant the idea here is that John is too humble to claim to be Elijah but Jesus tells it like it is he’s quite willing to honor John by clarifying for the other disciples later that John really is Elijah promised from the Old Testament that’s possibility too possibility three John was like the promised Elijah and fulfilled the same role but the real Elijah prophesied in Malachi is still coming so John the Baptist was actually being truthful and accurate and his denial according to this view the Same Old Testament Elijah who went to heaven never died he will actually appear again before Jesus Second Coming perhaps as one of the two witnesses mentioned in Revelation 11.
so which interpretation of these is best what I think possibility one is certainly true I’m open to possibility three but whatever the exact answer there’s no real contradiction of scripture here John was telling the truth when he clarified that he was not the Elijah that the Jews were expecting so that question answered the delegation precedes the third question the end of verse 21.
are you the prophet and he answered no now who’s this Prophet they’re referring to well that would be the prophet mentioned by Moses in Deuteronomy 18 18 and 19.
Deuteronomy 18 18-19 God says to Moses I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you and I will put my words in his mouth and he shall speak to them all that I command him it shall come about that whoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak in my name I myself will require it of him so God promises back of Deuteronomy that there would come a prophet like Moses to authoritatively teach and Lead God’s people not just there to be more prophets but a special Prophet like Moses now this is actually a Messianic prophecy and it is fulfilled in Jesus as the apostles point out in Acts 3 and as Steven points out in Acts 7.
but many Jews in Jesus Day thought that the prophet was someone separate from the Messiah and separate from Elijah really Christ Elijah and the prophet were for the Jews at that time the three major personalities of are associated with Jewish eschatological hope and the Judgment of the world when they’re looking for the end of all things they’re looking for three people to show up it’s the Christ it’s Elijah it’s the prophet so that’s why they’re checking if John is or claims to be any of these people but John’s answer regarding whether he’s the prophet is like the others but this time he simply says no so by the end of verse 21 John has stated quite emphatically that he is not some great or special person associated with Jewish end time expectations and this presents a certain problem for the delegation sent to investigate John he’s given a whole bunch of denials to them but he still hasn’t explained who he actually is or what he’s doing with this whole preaching baptism thing so the delegation presses John further in the next section which is where we see the second part of John’s testimony about himself in verses 22 to 23. John declares next number two I am just The Voice I am just a voice let’s look at those two verses 22-23 and they said to him who are you so we may give an answer to those who sent us what do you say about yourself he said I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness make straight the way of the Lord as Isaiah the prophet said you can see in verse 22 the delegation is not willing to go back with at least something positive to say some substantial designation of who John the Baptist is orally says he is so John is forced to say something more about himself the positive declaration that John does give in verse 23 is a quotation of Isaiah chapter 40 verse 3 which is part of the section we read earlier in the service remember the context of those verses is that God promises a restoration to Israel after judgment Comfort Comfort my people their iniquity has ended and part of this restoration includes God himself coming to the Earth the cities of Judah even Jerusalem will behold their God as he comes to Shepherd his people listen again to what Isaiah 40 verses 3 to 5 mention about a voice calling for the preparation of the land for God’s arrival Isaiah 40 verses 3 to 5.
a voice is calling clear the way for Yahweh in the wilderness mix smooth in the desert a highway for our God let every Valley be lifted up and every mountain and Hill be made low and let the rough ground become a plane and the rugged terrain abroad Valley then the glory of Yahweh will be revealed and All Flesh will see it together for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken you can understand that it was customary in those days if a great person like a king was going to travel then you would have someone or more likely a group of people go before him to smooth to smooth the way even alter the terrains that the king would not encounter any annoying obstacles any uncomfortable difficulties on the way or when he arrived Isaiah 40 verses 3 and 5 says that such would be needed in the wilderness where the desert portion of Israel to make the way ready for God this way all would be able to see the glory of Yahweh and John’s answer to the Jews in John 1.
he declares that he is simply fulfilling that scripture not literally obviously as if John were driving a bulldozer or assembling a team of Jews to build Earth and ramps or break down Stone obstacles but in the wilderness John is one preparing the way spiritually for God calling on people to recognize their sin their need for repentance and cleansing and forgiveness from God he’s spiritually preparing the people of Israel for the arrival of their Messiah and that may sound like a pretty prestigious job you know I get to do this something John could exult in but notice Isaiah 40 verse 3 identifies the person fulfilling this rule simply as a voice not the voice not the voice of the great spokesman of God just a voice can’t even see a voice but you can hear it you can heat it John the Baptist finds a voice to be the best description he can give about who he himself is I am just a voice a voice ordained by God to call you to prepare for his coming that’s all don’t try to look at me instead look to your God look to your Messiah well with this answer John seems to satisfy most of the delegation one point of that sent group isn’t yet happy persons of this group I’m going to ask John one more question and in response he provides the third part of his testimony about himself which we see in verses 24 to 28.
John declares finally number three I am an unworthy slave I am an unworthy slave look at verse 24.
now they had been sent from the Pharisees verse 24 is a difficult sentence to Translate in Greek could be translated multiple ways most literal translation is the one that I read to you the one that appears in The New American Standard 95 Edition but there is a logical problem with this translation what’s the problem verse 19 has already told us that the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem were the ones who sent priests and Levites to John those leaders would not have been Pharisees and would not have gotten along with the Pharisees who are the Pharisees again well if the Sadducees were the official religious leaders the ones in control of the temple in Jerusalem the Pharisees were the popular religious leaders they were the ones control of the synagogues we often hear about the Pharisees and the other Gospels they were thought of by the common people as super righteous the most guaranteed to make it into the kingdom of God because they were the most fastidious the most zealous keepers of God’s law that was the popular conception in reality as Jesus and John and others would point out that Pharisees externalize the law of God they added man-made Traditions to invalidate the law or to keep instead of the law they neglected the most important aspect of the law the heart are actually some of the worst offenders against God but anyways the Pharisees were certainly not good friends of the Sadducees they were rival groups it’s highly unlikely that those sending the delegation were Pharisees as we might translate it another way we could translate the sentence would be to say that the sent ones were Pharisees the delegation is made up of Pharisees but that too is unlikely since Pharisees are or were generally not priests and Levites and the Sadducees would not be very comfortable sending their opponents as their official delegation to John so the best way to understand verse 24 is that the sent delegation included some Pharisees it’s those of the fairsake faction within the delegation that speak up next even though the Sadducees didn’t like the Pharisees they recognized that Pharisees considerable influence they didn’t want to cause unnecessary trouble so they begrudgingly allowed some Pharisees to join this group going out to check out what John is doing so it’s after John answers the previous question about himself saying I’m just a voice that the contention of Pharisees pipes up with their own question for John that is not so subtly a criticism of John look at their question in verse 25.
they asked him and said to him why then are you baptizing if you are not the Christ nor Elijah nor the prophets can you hear what they’re implying hey John this baptism thing you’re doing with all the Jews it’s a little weird you’re suggesting that we God fearing Jews need to be purified in some profound way that’s a pretty bold claim to make and it’s extra bold that you ordain yourself to be the administrator of this baptism rather than letting all the Jews do it to themselves which is how ceremon ceremonial washing usually went how can you John justify what you’re doing since you yourself confess that you are not the Christ not Elijah and not the prophet maybe one of these special persons of eschatological significance could be allowed to do this but why should we let you carry on with this when you yourself say you’re no one special how does John reply look at verse 26.
John answered them saying I baptize in water when among you stands one whom you do not know John replies by first noting that he does indeed baptize with water and this confession is set up to give a contrast between John and someone else if you’re familiar with the other gospels you were probably expecting John to say something like I baptize with water but one coming after me baptizes with something even greater than water that’s not the way that John responds here not yet he will say something like that later in the chapter but there’s still something self-effacing there is indeed a contrast that John is setting up like John is admitting I’m merely baptized with water your Pharisees are uncomfortable you think I’m doing some crazy thing with this water baptism I’m telling you this is nothing this is water and I’m nothing special for doing it but I’ll tell you why I’m doing it the reason is someone greater someone truly special has arrived and even stands among you whom you have not recognized yet now when John says that someone stands among them he need not mean that literally as if Jesus were in the crowd listening to this conversation that’s possible but it need not be what John means because by this point as I said John has already met Jesus he’s baptized Jesus Jesus went into the Wilderness John knows that the Messiah has arrived but he doesn’t know exactly where he is at this point he knows he’s somewhere in Israel he is among the Jews but doesn’t know where exactly neither does anybody else but the main point of John’s apply is this I baptize with water not because I’m special but because someone truly special is here even among the people of Israel though he has not been recognized yet he’s not been publicly identified Don John then testifies further about how special this other one is in verse 27 look there it is he who comes after me the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie you’ll recognize in the beginning of verse 27 a statement that we’ve already heard from John the Baptist in this gospel just go back to John 1 15. John mentioned that there’s one coming after John who actually existed before John he’s talking about that same person even though it doesn’t give the full description here it doesn’t mention that person’s eternality but notice what John does say in addition about this other person this special one who comes or appears after John John says I am not worthy to untie the thong or the strap of his sandal now I think even without extra background we recognize that as a statement of humility but let me give you a little bit of background so you can appreciate just how momentous that statement is in ancient Israel religious teachers that is rabbis were not paid for their teaching it seemed wrong to the Jews that someone who teaches about God or the scriptures should do it for money but they did allow for some level of compensation instead of payment rabbis understood that they could count on their students their disciples to provide services for their master so for example a disciple might go into town to get food for his rabbi rather than the rabbi doing it himself or a disciple might prepare a meal for his Rabbi with said food just little services but there were understood limits as to what a disciple might be expected to do for his teacher his master and one of those limits involved feet and Footwear feet are usually not a part of the body you feel great about touching especially other people’s feet and why is that because feet stink they get dirty they get corns they get calluses and if we feel that way even about our own feet sometimes and we wear modern shoes and socks imagine what it’s like dealing with feet in the ancient world everyone’s wearing some version of open-toed sandals or no shoes at all often walking for miles a day traveling on Dusty roads and all sorts of weather you can imagine feet got pretty gross and who’s going to want to touch those feet take off shoes give those feet a bath nobody that’s who so in those days undoing your shoes and washing your feet those often went together that was something you had to do yourself or have a slave do for you if there’s one at the household in which you are in and if there are multiple slaves in that household undoing shoes that’s a task that fell to the lowest slave and when it came to rabbis taking off the rabbi’s shoes and washing his feet that was one service that rabbis could not expect from their disciples there’s actually a rabbinical saying recorded in 80 250 but probably originating much earlier that says this every service which a slave performs for his master shall a disciple do for his teacher except the loosing of his sandal thong so with all that in mind consider again what John the Baptist says to the Pharisees in verse 27.
it is he who comes after me the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie do you hear that John the Baptist says that the one coming after him is so great that John does not feel worthy to perform even the lowliest most disgusting the most slave level Act of service to be asked when Ty that one’s sandals so John that would not be a presumptuous humiliation that would be an honor which John would never dare to take upon himself he wouldn’t do that unless you were specifically told to be too much of an honor so to come back to the Pharisees question why is John baptizing not because John is worthy of it but because the one who is coming the one for whom John is preparing the way he is worthy of it who is that coming one John hasn’t explicitly identified it for the crowd yet but he soon will in the next section of the passage that coming one is Jesus Jesus Christ the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world far from arrogantly exalting himself John acknowledges that he is really just an unworthy slave of God and an unworthy slave of Christ verse 28 then finishes off this first section of narrative these things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan where John was baptizing I actually don’t know where Bethany beyond the Jordan was today apparently it was some town or region on the Eastern side of the Jordan which had enough water close by for John to baptize those who came to him we don’t know exactly where it was thus concludes the first half of John the Baptist testimony the testimony about himself and consider already how profound John’s testimony is if John the Baptist the greatest Prophet up to that time responded in such a way gave such a testimony that is very instructive for us in John we see the attitudes the words the behavior of a true witness and disciple of Jesus and you know what the same things ought to be true for us any of us here who claim to be disciples and Witnesses of Jesus but is it Brethren can each of you acknowledge as John does can you say with the same amount of emphasis that the same amount of zeal because you don’t want anybody to get the wrong idea I am not the Christ will you confess and not deny but confess you are no one special you are not one worthy of honor and exultation only the Lord is you are not one ultimately that other people need to behold and learn from or imitate Jesus is you are not the one who can give people what they really need for their souls you can’t give them life you can’t give them salvation but Christ can Lord forgive us for where we make life and even church ministry about ourselves and not the Lord Brethren can you all confess in truth that you are no more than a voice for Jesus is your life purpose like John’s to point people to Christ and make them ready for his appearing does it bother you to see people making much of you when they should be making much of him are you actually happy when people forget about you and they’re just focused on Jesus can you finally say insincerity from your heart that you are an unworthy slave of God and Christ is Christ that great in your estimation Jesus actually commanded this attitude for his followers Luke 17 10 Luke 17 10 Jesus says so you too speaking his disciples when you do all the things which are commanded you say we are unworthy slaves we have done only that which we ought to have done Brethren this was the apostles attitude we see it in their letters they open it with James the slave of Christ Paul a slave of Christ is that our attitude not just the thing we say but what actually shows up in our lives do we count in a glad privilege to serve Jesus in the lowest way the most painful way the most long lasting way the most humiliating way the most unacknowledged way or do we instead exalt ourselves we refuse to serve in any low or humiliating way we refuse to act as a witness for Jesus because that would cost us too much we become angry or depressed when people do not acknowledge our godliness how much we serve we expect actually other people to serve us even God himself meeting all our desires rather than if we don’t have John the Baptist’s own attitude he really is presented to us like an ideal disciple we need to repent if you’re not like John you need to repent you’ve been making it about yourself you need to put Jesus back into the Supreme place in which he belongs amen no one is worthy of your faith and devotion except Jesus Christ not you and not anyone else not your spouse not your parents not your children not your boss not your pastors not Moses not John the Baptist not Mary not the pope not any Christian Saints alive or dead these are not the Christ Jesus is the Christ and if John the Baptist the greatest Old Testament Prophet commissioned by God Filled from the womb with the Holy Spirit if he testifies that Jesus is so much greater than him he doesn’t even deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence and surely Jesus is Worthy of our devotion are giving our lives to him we are to heed the testimony of John in that way as I said in the beginning the testimony from John has been supplied so that you will believe and exult in Jesus alone so do you believe in Jesus I mean really believe have you repented of your sin in your own way and all your self-righteous efforts to get to God and secure salvation and his approval for yourself if you repented of that and have you actually given yourself over in faith to Christ saying you’re my Lord You’re My Savior you Your Righteous life your death your Resurrection is the only thing that can bring me to God and in you I am absolutely safe forever do you believe I think many of you confess that you do and I praise God for that but I say again if you do does your belief show up in your life the way it showed up in John the Baptist life has it transformed your attitude the way you think the way you talk the way that you act and serve the way that it transformed John may God indeed accomplish this transformation and continue it in each one of us let’s pray Jesus Christ it is all about you God so easily we make it about ourselves we begin to say to ourselves why hasn’t God done exactly what I want him to do why is god making me to serve in this way why did God take this from me instead of saying oh lord I can’t believe have the privilege to know you to serve you even by untying the thong of a sandal forgive us Lord for our sinful self-exultation but thank you that you do forgive us that you are near to the Brokenhearted and the contrite that when the wicked forsakes his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts you welcome him in you pardon him you forgive him and that’s because of Jesus Christ oh Jesus you are worthy of all glory everybody should be looking to you and not us God help us not to be lazy Witnesses Unfaithful Witnesses proud Witnesses but Lord let us be humble Witnesses diligent Witnesses bold Witnesses because you’re worthy of it we’re not special you Lord God you’re special oh Jesus there is no one like you may that be the testimony of our hearts and if we don’t know that don’t appreciate that yet God I pray that you would cause us to anybody who doesn’t know you here listening to this message God that they would believe in you and be saved and those that do believe in you they’d come to know you more they’d say yes I am glad to suffer for Christ I am glad to be spent for Christ it is my honor it is my privilege this is not my mere Duty Jesus is worthy of it he is that lovely and I love to enjoy him by just serving him Lord let that be true more and more of everybody in this congregation we know that’s where Joy is and you being glorified in Jesus name amen