Lesson #04

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John

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January 13, 2010

Lesson #02

January 13, 2010

RETURN TO THE SYLLABUS

JOHN 1:19-34
Lesson #04
THE IDENTITY AND MESSAGE OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

• Memory verse: Joh 1:34

 

• • Read Joh 1:19-34
  • We find the beginning of the life of John the Baptist in the book of Luke. The other gospels give more details.
  • John begins his gospel with an important incident in the life of John the Baptist, his identity. The important thing about John the Baptist is his role in God’s plan.
  • The religious leaders wanted to know who John the Baptist was. Why?
    • Multitudes of people were following John the Baptist. Because he was drawing quite a crowd, the religious leaders became concerned. They were supposed to be the guardians of the faith. Therefore it was their responsibility to investigate any religious movement.
      • Probably many people thought John the Baptist was the Messiah for whom they had waited.
    • John the Baptist’s denials
      • John the Baptist denies that he is the Messiah. (20)
      • He denies that he is Elijah. (21)
        • Why did many people think that John the Baptist was Elijah?
          • Read Mal 3:1 and Mal 4:5-6
            • These are the last words that God said to the Jews. He promised he would send Elijah. Four hundred years later, John the Baptist appears.
          • Read Luk 1:17
            • Before John the Baptist was born, the prophecy was given to his father, Zacarias, that this child would have the spirit of Elijah who would prepare the way of the Lord.
      • He denies that he is the Prophet (21)
        • Read Deu 18:15-19
          • From the time of Moses, God promised a prophet greater than Moses who would speak for God. If a person did not obey that prophet, God would punish him.
          • John says he is not this prophet. Who is this prophet?
            • The promised prophet is Jesus Christ. Every human being will answer to God for his own decision concerning his openness to Jesus Christ.
    • John the Baptist’s identity: (23)
      • The voice crying in the wilderness:
        • Read Isa 40:3-11
          • John the Baptist tells the religious leaders that he is the voice prophesied in Isaiah. From this prophecy in Isaiah, the religious leaders knew exactly that the one to follow John the Baptist was the Messiah.
        • Remember that the author of this gospel showed us that Jesus is the Word. Now he tells us that John the Baptist is the voice of that Word.
          • John the Baptist announces that a very important person, Jesus Christ, is coming after him.
      • The one who is an unworthy servant:
        • John the Baptist is not even a disciple, for a disciple did not unloose his teacher’s shoes. That was the job of the lowliest slave or servant. But John the Baptist says that he is the lowest of servants and most unworthy to perform even this task.
    • The religious leaders wanted to know why John was baptizing people. (25)
      • John the Baptist did not invent baptism. The act of baptism was not new to the Jews.
        • If a gentile wanted to convert to Judaism, he was baptized into the faith as a means of identifying himself with Judaism. This was a baptism for gentiles.
        • However, no Jew had ever been baptized. This was new and caused concern among the Jewish leaders.
      • John the Baptist’s baptism was the baptism of repentance. It did not forgive sins for only the Lord Jesus Christ could forgive sin. This baptism prepared the hearts of the people to receive Jesus Christ when he came.

 

• • “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

(29)

• • The gospel of John does a superb job of giving us very picturesque titles for Jesus Christ. We have already seen one in this chapter, The Word.
  • This title, the Lamb of God, is filled with a wealth of information.
    • =1= The title immediately tells the audience that Jesus Christ is a substitutionary sacrifice.
      • All the Old Testament animal sacrifices were just types or prefigures of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.
      • The Passover lamb and the lamb offered for sin in the daily sacrifice were simply types pointing to Christ. (Exo 29:38-42 Lev 14:12, 21, 24 Num 6:12)
    • =2= The title tells the audience that He will die for the sins of His people, just as the Old Testament animals died to cover the sins of the Jews with animal’s blood.
    • =3= We also see in the title that he is the sacrifice for the whole world, not just for the Jews.
    • =4= John the Baptist says that this sacrifice is different. He will take away the sins of the whole world. (Isa 53:4-9 2Pet 2:24)
      • The Jews were used to hearing that their sins were covered by the blood of bulls and goats, but the sacrifice of this Lamb would be the final sacrifice that would take away sin.
    • =5= In this title we see a fulfillment of an old prophecy.
      • Read Gen 22:7-8
• Why does John the Baptist say that he did not know Jesus? (31, 33)
  • We know that Jesus and John the Baptist were related because Luke 1:36 tells us they were cousins.
  • Even though they grew up in different towns, John the Baptist certainly knew who his relative was. They may have even met from time to time while these two boys grew to manhood, though the Bible does not tells us whether they did or not.
  • While John the Baptist knew who Jesus was personally, he did not know who Jesus was spiritually. Verses 31 and 33 repeat the fact that John did not know his cousin was to be the Messiah until this sign of the descending dove that occurred at Jesus’ baptism.
• The baptism of Jesus: (32-36)
  • Why did Jesus choose to be baptized?
    • The principle behind baptism is one of identification of self.
      • When the believer in Jesus Christ is baptized with the baptism of repentance, he is identifying himself with God’s attitude toward sin.
      • When the believer in Jesus Christ is baptized in water, he identifies himself with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
      • When the believer in Jesus Christ is baptized in the Holy Spirit, he identifies himself with the working power of the Holy Spirit.
    • Jesus submitted to baptism to identify himself with man. He is the model. Because he was baptized, so should we be baptized.
  • The sign of the descent of the dove. (32-33)
    • According to Joh 1:32 and Mat 3:16 only Jesus and John the Baptist saw the descent of the dove.
      • The dove is one of the symbols for the Holy Spirit. Therefore, this sign revealed to John the Baptist that Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit of God and that John the Baptist should baptize Jesus.
        • John the Baptist gives the prophecy that Jesus Christ would baptize with the Holy Spirit.
  • The voice from heaven.
    • The other gospels tell us that God spoke from heaven. Mat 3:17 says, “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
    • While John the Baptist does not mention the voice from heaven, he testifies that Jesus is the Son of God.

• Summary:
  • We have discussed three forms of baptism mentioned in this chapter of John. The following chart gives us a clear representation of each one.

	BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE	BAPTISM IN WATER	BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
THE CANDIDATE:	THE NEW CONVERT	THE NEW BELIEVER	THE NEW BELIEVER
THE BAPTIZER:	THE HOLY SPIRIT	A PASTOR OR OTHER BELIEVER	JESUS CHRIST
THE MEDIUM INTO WHICH ONE IS IMMERSED:	INTO THE BODY OF CHRIST	INTO WATER	INTO THE HOLY SPIRIT
THE PURPOSE:	TO RECEIVE NEW LIFE IN CHRIST	TO TESTIFY OF A NEW LIFE IN CHRIST	TO RECEIVE POWER TO SERVE CHRIST

• Application:
  • John the Baptist was a witness for Jesus Christ. We are to be witnesses for Christ as well.

• • • • Discussion

: What does this passage teach us about witnessing for Christ?

 

 

• Discussion

: What does this passage teach us about humility?

 

• Discussion:

How can you tell when a person is sent by God for a specific purpose?

 

• In order to do our very best in giving our testimony for Christ, we must have the same attitude as John the Baptist, an attitude of humility.
• Jesus is the most important aspect of life. Therefore, our lifestyle, our words, our actions should be those that point other people to Christ, not turn them the other way.
• Only in an attitude of humility can the Holy Spirit use us effectively. Without the attitude of humility, people see us and not Christ.

HOMEWORK
John 1:35-51
This is a Self-Study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.

• Application of Joh 1:19-34
  • Have you taken the step of obedience to Christ and been baptized in water? Why or why not?

• • How can you be a better witness for Jesus Christ?

• Preparation for Joh 1:35-51
  • Read Joh 1:35-51
    • Read Mat 4:18-32
    • Read Mar 1:16-20
    • Read Luk 5:1-11
      • How do you explain the fact that John indicates an early call of Andrew, Peter, Philip, and Nathanel while the other gospels indicate a later calling of these men?

• • • What do you learn about witnessing?

• • • What do you learn about discipleship?
    • What do you learn about Jesus Christ?

• Memory Verse: John 1:51