Who are you?
The Gospel of John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 37:06
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Introduction
Introduction
Who are you?
The Office was a sitcom which ran on TV for several years and was pretty popular here in the US. Many of you have probably seen the episode where Jim and Pam get married. Jim and Pam are coworkers who have fallen in love over the years working together and they are finally getting married. They have spent months in preparation for the wedding, and it’s finally their special day.
But all throughout the ceremony, their boss Michael keeps on grandstanding them. Instead of the music you had selected to play while you walk down the aisle, he picks some weird techno music and does a dance down the aisle. He insists on pushing Pam’s grandfather down the aisle in his wheelchair because he wants to be the one to give Pam away to Jim—but since he can’t, he settles for making a scene by doing the bridal walk while pushing her grandfather. When her grandpa gets tired of his antics, he stands up and walks the aisle without the wheelchair. Offended, Michael obnoxiously drags the wheelchair behind him down the aisle, continuing to do the one-step bridal march. All of this takes place during the processional. To make matters worse, one of their coworkers decides that she wants to wear a white dress to the wedding, because that’s the color she looks best in.
Michael, and other coworkers, continue these antics, apparently unaware or unconcerned that this day isn’t about them—it’s about Jim and Pam. At times, some of them seem to be merely oblivious to that fact, while others are more intentional about stealing the show. When they ought to be pointing to the bride and groom, they’re too busy pointing to themselves. Instead of finding their identity in relation to the bride and groom, they’re occupied with making a name for themselves.
FCF: It’s easy to roll our eyes and ridicule people like that, who seem to think that the whole world revolves around them no matter where they are. But in reality, each of us struggles with an exaggerated sense of our own importance. Our pride constantly pokes out its ugly head, showing us to be no better than the girl who wears white to her friend’s wedding or the guy dragging a wheelchair down the aisle to steal back some of the attention. When we ought to find our identity in our relationship to Christ, we seek to make a name for ourselves instead.
FCF: It’s easy to roll our eyes and ridicule people like that, who seem to think that the whole world revolves around them no matter where they are. But in reality, each of us struggles with an exaggerated sense of our own importance. Our pride constantly pokes out its ugly head, showing us to be no better than the girl who wears white to her friend’s wedding or the guy dragging a wheelchair down the aisle to steal back some of the attention. When we ought to find our identity in our relationship to Christ, we seek to make a name for ourselves instead.
Main Idea: But, in John chapters 1 and 3, John the Baptist shows us how we ought to find our identity in Christ. Our lives will be the most fulfilled when we point other people to Christ and then get out of the way.
Main Idea: But, in John chapters 1 and 3, John the Baptist shows us how we ought to find our identity in Christ. Our lives will be the most fulfilled when we point other people to Christ and then get out of the way.
Turn with me in your Bibles to John 1:19-34
19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 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.” 24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25 They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. 29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 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.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
We’re also going to look this morning at John 3:22-30. Hold your place here in chapter one and turn with me to chapter three.
22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. 23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized 24 (for John had not yet been put in prison). 25 Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” 27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”
Who we’re not:
Who we’re not:
We are not people worthy of praise or attention.
We are not people worthy of praise or attention.
The significance of this line of questioning is often lost on modern readers who don’t understand what the Jews believed and were expecting.
First century Jews knew the Scriptures well and they were anticipating the fulfillment of a number of prophecies. Much as you and I look to Revelation, Matthew chapter 24, and other as yet-unfulfilled prophecies and eagerly await their fulfillment, so too the Jews were awaiting the fulfillment of a number of OT prophecies.
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
17 And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.
28 When Lamech had lived 182 years, he fathered a son 29 and called his name Noah, saying, “Out of the ground that the Lord has cursed, this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil of our hands.”
1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. 2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. 3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, 4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. 5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins. 6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. 7 The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. 9 They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. 10 In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious. 11 In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea.
2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. 3 You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. 4 For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. 5 For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. 6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
The Jews knew that a Messiah was coming and they expected him to—literally—take the throne as David’s successor, oust Rome’s occupation, and reestablish Israel as God’s literal, physical, geo-political Kingdom on earth. They knew that the coming of the Messiah would begin to undo the curse of sin and reconcile people to God.
15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— 16 just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ 17 And the Lord said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19 And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.
The Jews had been without a prophet for about 400 years—ever since the last OT prophet. They hadn’t had a word from God in a long time, but they knew that God would one day send a prophet.
5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”
So, Jews who read the Scriptures and took them seriously—as the Pharisees certainly did—also were expecting Elijah to return. Some Jews believed that the Messiah, the Prophet, and Elijah would be three separate people. Apparently, that’s what the Pharisees thought. But no one expected that the Messiah and the Prophet would be one person.
So, when the Jews approach John and ask him who he is, that’s what they’re asking. There was no doubt a temptation there to declare himself to be important.
In fact, John the Baptist was the long-awaited Elijah!
Jesus acknowledges this explicitly in Mt. 11 after John has been thrown in prison.
8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written, “ ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ 11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.
So why did John say that he wasn’t Elijah?
It’s possible that John didn’t know that he was “the Elijah who is to come.” Jesus may have never revealed that to him.
But, if we assume that he did know, he probably refused the label for the same reason that Jesus didn’t want people to know at first he was the Messiah.
The Jews had a lot of expectation about who the Messiah would be and what he would do. There was a lot of cultural baggage attached to that label.
The same was, no doubt, true of “Elijah.” John’s desire was to promote Christ and glorify him. He couldn’t do that if he drew attention to himself. Accepting the label as “Elijah 2.0” or “the first genuine prophet in over 400 years” would, no doubt, have garnered John a LOT of attention.
John set aside a title and privilege which rightly belonged to him in order to not detract from the attention due to Christ.
Ways we try to get praise or attention:
Ways we try to get praise or attention:
When you work hard, and your work goes unnoticed or unthanked, how do you react?
Think of your greatest accomplishments in life—do they bring glory to God, or to you?
Who are you? Is your identity found in your job, your culture, your family, or something else in this world?
We tend to find our identity in what we feel like we’re good at.
Men, recognize that the “self-made man” image so popular in America runs contrary to the humility which John shows us here.
7 For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?
Ladies, do you dress to attract attention to yourself?
9 likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire,
1 Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.
3 A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. 5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
We are the mountains! If people are to see Christ, we prideful, self-exalting people have to be brought low. We can either do that willingly, in humble submission and recognition of Christ’s glory and honor, or God will do it for us. Every mountain and hill will be made low. Every knee will bow.
But how do we humble ourselves when our sinful pride wants to exalt itself? The key is to raise Christ even higher and set our focus on him.
Who we are:
Who we are:
We just voices, instruments to be used by God.
We just voices, instruments to be used by God.
We must exalt Christ in order to humble ourselves.
Look how quickly John switches the focus to Christ in 1:23 and 1:25
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.”
25 They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
John could have engaged in a theological debate with the Pharisees on his right to baptize.
He could have talked about the importance of his role as the herald of the Messiah.
Instead, he just shifted the conversation to Christ.
Again, John emphasizes Christ’s glory in 3:25-30
25 Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” 27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”
John isn’t jealous of the attention that Jesus is gaining.
He isn’t jealous that even his disciples (Andrew and Peter) are leaving to follow Christ
35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
Children are born with a natural pride and selfishness about them. It’s sometimes amusing to me to sit back and listen to my kids talk about how great they are at certain things. I remember as a kid, I thought I was one of the best bicycle riders that ever existed. I could ride faster than any of my friends, do jumps, make tight turns, and even pop a wheelie. You wanna know what humbles a cocky 12-year old who thinks he’s all that on a bike? Two things—a parked vehicle (which doesn’t budge no matter how hard you hit it on that bike) and videos of Red Bull Downhill Mountain Bike Championships. While the parked truck certainly bruised my ego, the death-blow came from watching these Red Bull MTB’ers. These guys are insane. They go to places that look like the Grand Canyon and then ride their bike off the edge of a cliff. They fly down these canyons at over 30mph along paths barely a foot wide with caverns on either side, hitting jumps that take them flying over canyons over 100’ deep, and going off of drops that are 30’ or more. Just watching 5 minutes of these videos is a cardiovascular workout. The amount of control that these guys have on a bike is incredible. You want to humble a cocky kid on a bike? Show them the Red Bull Championships. Show them what real bikers look like. In the same way, the way to true humility—not a false humility—is to focus our gaze upon the glory of Christ.
Think of who Christ is and what he has done for you.
How he has blessed you with every possession, talent, and treasure you own.
How he suffered and died for your sins.
How though you were once an enemy of the cross, he has adopted you into his family.
How he lived a sinless life in spite of being tempted with every single temptation that overtakes you.
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
We are voices in the wilderness.
We are voices in the wilderness.
We live in a spiritual wilderness. Our duty is to proclaim Christ to unbelievers.
Our job is the same as John’s—to point other people to Christ.
Our lives ought to scream out “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
Our lives were given to us for a purpose that goes beyond our enjoyment and happiness. Our purpose is to declare “I have seen and borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
Worldly people are always wrapped up in their own vanity and self-glorification. Yet they never seem to be happy. Isn’t it ironic that the people who pursue after happiness the hardest find that it eludes them?
We were created by God.
We were created with a purpose—to bring glory to God. To reflect God’s image all over his creation.
We will never feel fulfilled, we will never experience true joy until we empty ourselves and pursue what we were created for.
Conclusion
Conclusion
What is your life all about? Be honest. Does your heart ache to bring God glory? Is your greatest desire that your life would show that God is worth it? Are you content to become lesser, so that Christ can become greater?
