John 1:19-28

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Scripture John 1:19-28

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. [1]


 Devotion

Here we get to deal with John the Baptist’s answer to the question; Who are you? The Jews and the priests were confused about John. Here he was the son of a priest who would be expected to be a priest too. And he was acting very differently from any priest they had ever encountered. Living in the desert. Not going to the temple for priestly duties. Having strange dress and diet. The Baptist made them feel uncomfortable. Why was he behaving so strangely? They asked him if he was the Christ, or Elijah, or a prophet. To all these he replied no I am not. The leaders pressed him who are you then? John then quoted from Isaiah 40 “            A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. “[2]

They then asked him why he was baptizing by what authority was he doing this. He answered only that there was one coming whom he was proclaiming. The strap of whose sandal he was not worthy to untie. (untying a sandal strap was the job of the lowliest slave.)

This devotion leaves us with the question who are you? Are you called to be a pastor, deacon, teacher or other worker in the kingdom? As for me, I am called to be an encourager and an evangelist My life verse has long been 2 Timothy 4:5 “As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry”


[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Jn 1:19–28.
[2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Is 40:3.

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