John 1:19-28

¹⁹ Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders 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.’”

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.

During a graduation ceremony, the Master of Ceremonies went to the microphone and said, “May I now invite our School Director to the stage to introduce our distinguished Guest Speaker.”

The School Director stepped forward and began listing the impressive credentials of the Guest Speaker. “Today’s speaker graduated summa cum laude from Harvard University with a Doctorate in Philosophy in Administration,” he began. He continued, “Currently, he serves as the President of Harvard University. He is also the founder of a successful manufacturing company and a thriving tech enterprise.”

As the introduction continued, the audience—especially the graduating class—listened in awe, inspired by the speaker’s remarkable accomplishments.

Guest speakers at graduation ceremonies are typically individuals with impressive accomplishments—credentials that lend weight to their words and inspire confidence in their message. Audiences are naturally drawn to those who have achieved notable success, and graduates—especially those preparing to step into the professional world—often listen attentively, hoping to glean practical advice or guiding principles that might help them navigate their own journeys.

Experience has shown that many successful individuals have reached their goals not only through personal effort but by learning from the experiences and insights of others. While a few exceptional people succeed through trial and error alone, most benefit from the wisdom shared by those who have gone before them.

Before a guest speaker takes the stage, someone is entrusted with the important task of introducing them. This role goes beyond simply listing achievements; it is an opportunity to build anticipation, highlight the speaker’s credibility, and prepare the audience to engage fully.

A well-delivered introduction sets the tone. It opens the hearts, minds, and ears of the audience, encouraging them to give their full attention and the respect due to a speaker whose message may influence their future.

In much the same way, John the Baptist acted as the one who introduced the most important person—Jesus Christ. In the first century of the Christian era, there were also groups of people who tried to exalt John the Baptist. Long after his death, some continued to promote the teachings of John the Baptist. Scholars have identified these groups as the “John the Baptist Sect.”

Throughout the Gospel of John—and we’ll see this highlighted at various points—we will observe that there was a struggle between the John the Baptist Sect and the first century Christians.

In our passage tonight for this sermon series, the Author of the Gospel of John emphasized the words of John the Baptist to strengthen the faith of the Christians and to indirectly influence the belief of the John the Baptist Sect.

Our text today is about the presentation John the Baptist used to introduce Jesus Christ. John the Baptist testified that:

 1. Jesus is the Christ

When the Jews asked him who he was, in verse 20 it says,²⁰“He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, I am not the Messiah.”

 The style that John the Baptist used to answer the Jews of Jerusalem is an example of intentional witnessing.

Intentional witnessing refers to the deliberate and conscious effort to share one’s faith or beliefs with others, going beyond casual or unintentional interactions. A few examples would be praying for specific individuals to have that personal relationship with Jesus or reaching out to specific groups like going to missions overseas to spread God’s word.

I remember a time back in China when my parents would host a gathering called “English Corner” for students who are studying English in the University my mom taught. The students saw this as a great way to hone their English with a foreigner and my parents saw this as a great opportunity to talk about Jesus. I saw this as a great opportunity to eat snacks that were laid out.

John the Baptist used every opportunity to testify about the coming Messiah. Even when the Pharisees questioned him directly—asking if he was the Christ—he clearly denied it, emphasizing instead that he was merely a messenger, as described in verses 26 and 27, 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.”

What does it mean when we say Christ or Messiah?

 Christ or Messiah means “The Anointed One.”

Jesus -The anointed person was chosen, designated, qualified, and consecrated to a position with correlated tasks.

When you hear the name Jesus Christ, do you envision a King who holds rightful authority over all creation?
When you pray in His name, do you picture a priest interceding on your behalf before the Father? And when you read about Jesus Christ in your Bible, do you see a Prophet faithfully proclaiming the Word of God?

ILLUSTRATION: 

When watching movies or television shows, it’s not uncommon to hear the name of Jesus Christ used casually or even disrespectfully as though it held no value. Some may do this to undermine His significance, while others may simply follow what they’ve heard unaware of who He truly is. Often, it’s a reflection not of malice, but of a lack of personal knowledge or reverence for the name they use so carelessly.

Even so-called Christians when they are upset or annoyed will say “Jeez”, a word that emerged around the 1920s and 1930s in American English. This interjection is a euphemism or shortened form of Jesus. When I googled the etymology of the word Jeez, I was hoping it was an expression that came from something else since I too have used it to express my annoyance.

APPLICATION:

When we hear the name Christ, I encourage each of us to pause and envision a King—one who rightfully owns all that we have. We are not owners, but stewards, entrusted to manage what ultimately belongs to Him.

When we say the word Christ, I encourage each of us to imagine, visualize, envision a priest who is interceding for us to our Heavenly Father.

When we read the word Christ, I encourage each of us to imagine, visualize, envision a prophet teaching us the Word of God.

Let us, like John the Baptist, be intentional in telling others about Jesus Christ. When someone asks “How do you stay so hopeful even in difficult times?”, you can simply respond, “Because I have the assurance that God has given me the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ.”

As it reads in Romans 12:2, “² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Rather than using Jesus’ name casually, as so many around us do, we should speak His name as the very reason for our transformation and renewed way of thinking. His name represents the hope we hold onto—a hope firmly anchored in our faith that He will carry us through whatever challenges we face. And as we live and speak with that confidence, it may stir curiosity in those we meet, thus opening the door for them to come to know Jesus as well.

Transition Sentence:

John the Baptist testified that Jesus is the Christ and..

 2. Jesus is the Lord (v.23)

²³“I am the voice of one calling in the desert, make straight the way for the Lord.”

The Jews in Jerusalem repeatedly questioned John, seeking to understand what authority or credentials gave him the right to teach them.

Notice that John showed little interest in speaking about himself as seen in his response in verse 23; John intentionally refocused and redirected their attention not to himself but to the coming of the Lord.

What does it mean when we say Lord?

The original meaning of the word Lord is “BREAD KEEPER” or “LOAF-WARD.” The Lord takes care and controls the food supply. The Lord is a person who has authority, control, or power over others; master, chief, leader, or ruler. He exercises authority from property rights; owner of land, houses, or labor etc.

When you pray and say, “Lord Jesus” can you imagine our Lord Jesus in a store house waiting for you to tell Him what you need?

When you hear the name of our Lord Jesus in a sermon can you visualize our Lord Jesus who is giving instruction of what we do?

When you read the Lord Jesus in your Bible can you envision our Lord Jesus directing you of His plan for your life?

ILLUSTRATION:

       In the United Kingdom—they have “House of Lords” instead of “House of Representative” or “Senate.” The “House of Lords” has also its committees to look after the welfare of the people. The “House of Lords” has also a legislative function to look after the rights of the people.

Now that the Canadian elections have concluded, I encourage everyone to continue praying for our government—asking God to grant them wisdom in fulfilling the responsibilities of the offices they have been appointed to.

APPLICATION:

The leaders of the Jews in Jerusalem struggled to accept the coming of the Lord as they believed it meant someone would rule or will be lord over them. The authority they cherished over the people of Jerusalem was slowly being challenged by this son of a carpenter—someone who had not undergone the same rigorous training they had.

For many, it’s difficult to accept Jesus as Lord because they believe in their own self-sufficiency. They resist the idea of surrendering authority to anyone else.

Especially in today’s world, where the prevailing message in the media often emphasizes the power of self, many struggle to accept Jesus as Lord. With just a Google search, the mantra of “I can do it all by myself” is reinforced, making it harder for individuals to recognize their need for authority beyond their own.

Someone brought up the thought of when did “all by myself” go from something that makes us happy as kids to something that makes us sad as adults. As kids, when we finished something on our own, we proudly say “and I did it all by myself.”

When we pray “our Lord Jesus”, we should trust that He is more than capable of meeting all our needs—whether financial, physical, material, intellectual, emotional, or spiritual. We need not worry about navigating life, for our Provider has it all covered.

Last Wednesday, we learned that Jesus Christ is the Creator. As our creator, we can look to Jesus to provide for the needs of His creation. As we go to our smaller groups tonight, let’s continue to ask God to supply our needs and continue to give thanks of the time he helped us.

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