John 1:19-34

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Observation + Meaning:
  • Outline: We witness the testimony of John the Baptist and also John hailing Jesus as “God’s lamb"
  • “I am not the Christ” And they asked him “What then? Are you Elijah?” (v20-21)
    • John denies being the Christ despite receiving all this attention and ‘fame'
    • He humbles himself for the Lord even though he has still not witnessed Jesus yet
    • He demonstrates true faith
  • “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord’” (v23)
    • John is keeping in line with the prophet Isaiah’s words
    • By preaching a word of repentance and divine judgement, he was a messenger to prepare the way for the Lord
  • The strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie (v27)
    • Even someone like John, who was baptising and converting people knew that Jesus (who was to come at this point), was so far above that he was not worthy to untie his shoes
  • "Behold the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (v29)
    • As soon as Jesus began walking towards him, he knew it was the Lamb of God
    • John exclaims this knowing full well the power and authority of Jesus
  • This is he who baptises with the Holy Spirit (v33)
    • A dove did not merely descend on Jesus but it also remained on him, a sign of his divine anointing
    • Jesus is full of the spirit at ALL times
    • John does not know Jesus is the messiah until this sign of the dove
    • However, once he has seen it, he knows that this is Son of God, the second person of the Trinity with an eternal sonship with the Father
Key points:
  1. John’s humility in witnessing Jesus and living for Christ despite the fame and attention he was receiving -> his willingness to step aside for Jesus despite having not seen him yet
  2. Jesus is full in spirit ALL the time -> we should behold and be awestruck of this daily, giving thanks that he is indeed the Son of God, sent to atone for out sins

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