The Forerunner to the Messiah
John 1:14-28
Introduction
- The gospel of John screams of the faith that we should have in Christ
-- It is the clearest example of living life FOR the one who redeemed you and I
- If we can learn to love like Jesus’, we can bring others to Him
-- Re: We won’t bring a friend to something we do not like
-- We must learn to love Christ which John demonstrates to all of us
- In the last two messages we’ve seen two specific things about Jesus:
• That He is Life and Light (defined who He is)
• What His purpose was (to bring us hope from a place where hope is eternal)
- Today, we will see what His incarnation means to us
-- And we will discuss the forerunner to His coming (spoiler: John the Baptist)
- Read John 1:14-28
- Pray
∆ Point 1 – The Word became flesh
- What John tells us is the most important item we must understand (v14)
-- He uses his favorite phrasing again to describe God and His authority
-- Writes, “…the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us”
- God, literally the creator of the universe, became one of the created
-- He who was the word, became one of us (IMP) to be an example for us
- He demonstrated the glory of the Father that He represents
-- Their testimony gives weight to their message; it’s first person knowledge
- Seeing His glory allowed them to understand how their life must change
-- Being in His presence allowed them to go and testify to those after them
- IMP: Again, if you miss this concept the rest of the book falls flat for us
-- Re: Only the one who created this Earth could EVER redeem it
-- God, who created us in His image, became one of us, in order to redeem us
- He came with both grace and truth so that we might be without excuse
-- Without excuse to say “we didn’t know” or “we weren’t told”
-- APP: If you are hearing this today, you can never say that again
-- Jesus’ purpose to reveal who He served is on full display for us
- John blends two marvelous words for us to take note of
-- Jesus came to represent grace AND truth so that we might know God
-- Not only to redeem, but to show us there is so much than religious acts
-- There is a God who desires to have a relationship with you and me
-- It is because of this that we worship and celebrate … or we SHOULD
- TRANS: Even though Jesus became flesh, He still always was first
∆ Point 2 – Jesus is still first
- The incarnation of Jesus is always a matter of discussion for scholars
-- The real question is: When was Jesus really born? Was it Dec 25, 0 AD?
- Answer: It occurred specifically at a point in God’s plan when it should
-- Galatians 4:4-5, “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.”
-- IMP: We’ve got to stop missing the main thing by arguing about outlying stuff
-- It is true that Jesus followed John the Baptist, but Jesus was always first (v15)
-- Jesus always was and therefore is always placed first in John’s life (life lesson)
- And now, John’s theology is laid out for us to understand (v16)
-- We have received grace on top of grace
- Consider:
• First grace: God saved Noah and didn’t wipe us totally out
• Second grace: God gave us a Law that we could follow through Moses
• Third grace: Prophets like Isaiah, Jonah, and Micah given to warn us
• Fourth grace: JTB and his testimony to the same world Jesus would see
• Grace upon Grace: Jesus willingly going to the cross for you and I
- But even with this grace, (v18) “no one has seen God but the one and only Son”
-- Many might argue this concept and quote this as a Biblical inaccuracy
-- They will gladly try to use Moses example from Exodus 33:12-23 (Read)
- Let’s be clear, what Moses saw was a temporary form of God’s appearance
-- He did not see God as Jesus saw God, else He would not have survived
-- God’s glory is beyond comparison … WHO could stand before Him and live?
-- Who among us would be able to see God and live? (To think so is arrogance)
- John’s clarification is clear … NO ONE has seen God but the Son
-- And now, the very nature of God has been made flesh for us to see/adore
- APP: When we start living with this knowledge, our life focus ought to change
-- Jesus’ incarnation, or being made in flesh, was to show us all that God offers
-- His life is the very bridge through the cross to God and to our redemption
- HUGE: No other “man-made” religion demonstrates God coming to mankind
-- This is why Jesus is so hated; because all are confronted with His righteousness
-- All are required to accept or reject to be reconciled to our Creator
-- We don’t like this (RE: we like our stuff more), and so as a creation reject Him
- TRANS: So now, let’s talk about John the Baptist and his mission
-- There is a bit of info here, but it’s important for us to digest this together
∆ Point 3 – The Forerunner of the Lamb
- John the Baptist, the cousin of Jesus, is the last of the OT prophets
-- His ministry was simple: “Prepare the way of the Lord”
-- Many would’ve asked him who he is and what he thought he was doing
-- Re: There are always people willing to discourage a ministry for God
- His answer to who He is couldn’t be more direct: (v20-23)
• “I am not the Messiah” (He is not the Christ, the promised one)
• “I am not Elijah” (ref to Malachi 4:5-6, “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”)
• “I am not the Prophet” (ref to Deut 18:15, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.”)
• “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness” (He is a proclaimer)
o His mission is to declare the one that is coming; that we all need
o It is a testimony that delivers truth without being afraid
- Enter our favorite people, the party-poopers: the Pharisees (the “religious right”)
-- They are those who would immediately seek to tear down anything different
-- They are convinced they have the knowledge on who God is - just ask them
-- APP: Free: We must avoid being Pharisees sometimes as well …
- What they wanted from John was physical proof of who he is
-- His ministry is baptizing for repentance yet he has no credentials
-- He hasn’t gone to seminary, or been commissioned by them to serve
-- So, in essence, they ask, “What is it you think you are doing here?”
- The Pharisees are incredulous that someone would be ministering w/o authority
-- But see, they’ve missed the authority that John is actually under
-- They decided that they are the authority granter’s b/c they have God figured out
- APP: It’s at least a caution to us before we start tearing things down
-- Now, if it’s ungodly it will not line up with scripture … but what is John doing?
-- He is pointing people to Christ, to the One who WILL come; total God mission!
- He says in v26 that what he is doing pales in comparison to what’s coming
-- Re: Water baptism is a ritual act of cleansing; demonstrates repentance
-- It was a sign of those who were anticipating the coming of the Messiah
-- And even in this, John considered himself unworthy to untie Jesus’ shoes
- IMP: Let’s just marinate on that a bit for our own spiritual growth:
-- Having a ministry does not make you any more or less important than others
-- John the Baptist, the last OT prophet, the cousin of Jesus, admits his worth
-- He is not even worthy to untie Jesus’ shoes … definitely a lesson in humility
- TRANS: So what do his responses mean for you and me?
∆ Big Idea
- What John gives us in his answers poses to us three important lessons:
1. We are not the focus of the witness
2. We are not the light of the world
3. We proclaim (for others) our own belief in Jesus
- If we are ever to grow spiritually and bring others to Christ, it starts here
-- For most, this will be a lifelong journey as you battle issues of pride
-- For others, you’ve already surrendered and your desire is to live and serve
- But sadly for some, this will always be just out of reach
-- They will continue to believe that we have it all together
-- They will continue to convince themselves that they know who God is
-- And in that struggle, they will miss God and never be truly free
- As a pastor, it is my prayer that we will learn from John these critical lessons
-- The ministry and the mission is never going to be about you and me
-- No one ought to be praising us for who we are; but praising the One we serve
- Pray
