John 1:14-28
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and f is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
19 Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders h in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”
21 They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
22 Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ ” m
24 Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
26 “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing. [1]
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John knew who he is. He knew his place. He knew his role. And he knew that it is all in relation to Jesus.
John had become very popular with the people and had gained quite a following, so much so that the leaders sent a contingent out into the wilderness to question him. John could have promoted himself, could have played up his importance and his ministry. But all he does is point to Jesus. Note that all of his answers serve to point out that he is not the messiah and that all he is doing is to prepare the way for the Messiah. In John 3:30, John put it this way: “He must become greater; I must become less.”
Do I have such clarity regarding my identity? Granted, I haven’t been called to eat locusts and wild honey, but John’s words here apply to my life – and they apply to yours.
I am not the Messiah. I am not God. It’s not all about me. I am not at the center. Remember when we talked about being a “Kingdom Representative” in our discussion of covenant and kingdom, and Pastor Mark used the helpful picture regarding keeping God at the center of the circle, not ourselves. Our tendency is to place ourselves at the center and see the world revolved around us. John saw himself on the edge. Jesus in the center.
Am I keeping Jesus at the center? Can I define my role and my activity in terms of pointing to Jesus, and lifting Him up? John came not to build up his ministry, to gain a big following, to grow in power and influence. Simply Jesus, preparing the way for others to meet Jesus.
Can I see my day today in those terms? This is my prayer, that the Lord work in me that all I do serve to point to him. That I keep Jesus in the center in my work, in my home, in everything. All glory be to Him!
[1] The New International Version. 2011 (Jn 1:14–28). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
