Introduction

Good morning, beloved family in Christ. It's a joy to be with you today, as we gather together in our Father's house, under the banner of His love, to bask in the beauty of His Word and to celebrate the life we share in Him.

Today, we turn our attention to the Gospel of John, a book that is profoundly rich with theological insights and practical wisdom for our daily walk with Christ. In this Gospel, John the Apostle, led by the Holy Spirit, paints a breathtaking portrait of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, full of grace and truth.

Our Scripture passage for today is John 1:15-19, which reads:

"John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, 'This was he of whom I said, He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was."

Proclaiming the Praises

As we consider the life of John the Baptist, we see a man who was wholly committed to the task of making known the coming Messiah. His entire existence was centered around this mission. He lived in the wilderness, dressed in camel's hair, and ate locusts and wild honey. His lifestyle was a testament to his dedication, a physical manifestation of his spiritual devotion. He was a voice crying out in the wilderness, preparing the way for the Lord.

Our mission: We may not be called to live in the wilderness or eat locusts, but we are called to the same mission - to make Christ known. We are called to proclaim His praises, to declare His goodness, His grace, His mercy, and His love to a world that desperately needs to hear it. We do this not just with our words, but with our lives. Our actions, our attitudes, our responses to trials and tribulations, all these can be a powerful proclamation of the praises of Christ.

The life of John the Baptist: We see a man who was not concerned with his own reputation. He was not seeking to build a following for himself. His sole aim was to point people to Christ. He said of himself, "I am not the Christ, but I have been sent ahead of Him." He understood that his role was to decrease so that Christ might increase.

A lesson for us: In a world that often encourages us to promote ourselves, to build our own brand, to seek our own glory, we are called to a different path. We are called to make much of Christ, not of ourselves. We are called to be like John the Baptist, pointing people to the Savior, not seeking to draw attention to ourselves.

John the Baptist was a man of courage: He was not afraid to speak the truth, even when it was unpopular. He confronted the religious leaders of his day, calling them to repentance. He even confronted King Herod, rebuking him for his sin. This ultimately cost him his life.

We too are called to be people of courage: We are called to speak the truth in love, to confront sin, to call for repentance. This may not make us popular. It may even cost us something. But we must remember that we are not called to be popular, but faithful. We are not called to please people, but God.

John the Baptist was a man of humility: He recognized that he was not worthy to untie the sandals of the One coming after him. He understood that his role was simply to prepare the way, to make straight the path for the Lord.

We too are called to be people of humility: We are not the Savior, we are simply the messengers. We are not the light, we are simply the reflectors of the Light. We are not the source of grace and truth, we are simply the recipients and the conduits of grace and truth.

Perceiving the Proclamation

As we continue to unpack the richness of this passage, we find ourselves drawn to the way John the Baptist perceives the proclamation of divine truth ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO