Passage

John 1:6-8 NIV

There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

John 1:19-28 NIV

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.

INTRODUCTION

During COVID, the ONS (Office of National Statics UK) did a survey about the effects of the lockdown on normal life in the UK, specifically in March and April. They wanted to know how life had actually changed against the public presentation. The Times reported some of the findings, and the first line of that article summed it up perfectly: Life in the spring was ‘anti-social, lazy and marked by increased alcohol consumption,’ Against all the perceived appearance of everyone out getting fitter and worker harder from home it seems that as a nation we had lost some of our purpose.

When you dive down into the statistics, it appears even blunter. In March and April of this year, people slept for an average of 18 minutes more; they watched 2 hours and 54 minutes more TV, as well as 39 minutes of gardening a day (twice the daily average provided). Maybe you are sitting there thinking So what? What difference does it actually make? However, when I found myself sitting reading that article, it got me thinking about how Covid has affected us all in ways that perhaps we have not even realised. The ONS Survey and Times articles are not just revealing the pattern of life at the height of lockdown; they point to something far deeper, as what they show is the fruits of where we are as a nation.

Like the flick of a switch, Covid stopped many of us from working (as we were placed on leave), seeing friends and family, travelling, and so much more. Life was paused, and everywhere, our culture told us to find comfort and purpose, though cut off. Hence, we were forced to find comfort and purpose in what we had available as we watched more TV, ate and drank more food and gardened more to pass the time and give our lives meaning.

A SOVEREIGN PURPOSE (6-8)

Our reading on this third Sunday of Advent is a strange one with two parts, but the reasoning is simple. The first three verses introduce us as John the Gospel writers tell us who John the Baptist is and what his purpose is. Furthermore, these three verses remind us that God commissioned JTB. John was not some madman raving in the desert about some mythical figure to come after him; no, he was one appointed by God to be used by God in his context to make known the coming of God. John had a purpose from God, and he found great comfort in it, and there was nothing or no one who could take that purpose from him. John had a purpose, and there was nothing or context that could take that from him:

“He came as a witness to testify concerning that light” and “he came only as a witness to the light.”

Twice the author of this Gospel makes clear John the Baptist’s purpose in life, twice he tells us that John was a witness to the light, and as the passage unfolds, we learn that John was comfortable in his purpose and that there was nothing that could take his purpose from him. John was a witness to the light, and he witnessed so that people might come to see and believe in the light. Today, the things that we have found comfort and purpose in have disappeared in a moment, yet John the Baptist challenges all who are disciples of Jesus in this time of Darkness to be reminded about our call and purpose. Just as John was a witness to the light so that all might believe, if today we too follow Jesus, then we too are called to witness to the light so that the world around us might think. This purpose from God for God is one which no event or context can take from us. Thus, we are challenged by the example of John today in that how we witness might have changed, but regardless, we are people of light who find comfort in the light and make the light known in our lives. Like John the Baptist, we have a comfort and purpose the world cannot take from us.

JOHN KNOWS WHO HE IS (19-23)

A couple of years ago, I was travelling in England to a wedding; I had just landed at the airport and taken the metro into the city centre to go and sit in a coffee shop somewhere and wait for the friends I was hopefully meeting. You know that look you get from someone in the street who tells you they know you, and yet as you look at them, you have not got a clue. There was a couple in front of me in the street, and as they glared, I could tell they knew me; my hunch was proved right as they walked down the street with an increased urgency accompanied by waves and smiles finished in a bear grip hung when they got to me. “Are you over from Belfast?” The conversation started and went on for a few minutes. The longer the conversation went on, the more sure I was they did not know me! What finally blew the whole thing open was when they asked me about my girlfriend. At that point, I had to say: “Sorry, I don’t know who that is and Who you think I am…” Yet, they were not to be deterred! I was known for my sense of humour and practical jokes! Eventually, I convinced them I was not who they thought I was. I knew who I was, and I was pretty sure of my identity – I had been Andrew Irwin my whole life, never been in witness protection or worked undercover. I was sure of who I was!

John the Baptist was also confident in who he was; as our passage moves on to its main section, John has by now been ministering in the wilderness for some time, causing a stir as he cried out “He who comes after I have surpassed me because he was before me: “ Such is the stir that John is causing, the upset to the established religious order, the radical nature of his message, method and ministry that people want to know who he is. Hence, in verse 19, the religious leaders go to him and ask: Who are you? to which John is happy to answer: “I am not the messiah!” Even though, at that moment, all eyes were on him, John knew his place and purpose and found great comfort in it. He was happy to point to Jesus and make ready the way for him, and he was more content still to tell away from himself. He knew his place and role in the call of God and found great comfort in it. It was not about him, and yet he had a purpose to witness to the light so that others might believe. John was so sure in his role that even when people wanted to put the light on him, he pointed to Jesus.

Still, the questioners persisted; they were not satisfied with his answer, so they pressed him further. Their questioning shows us something of the time and fears of that context. God had been silent for more than half a century: the people of God had had no messenger from God, and thus, the whispers of John preaching in the wilderness with such vigour and authority would have sent shockwaves as word travelled. You can imagine the amplification of the whispers as the story passed from mouth to mouth as expectations grew. “The Silence is over! A prophet from the Lord is here.” Ripples of hope must have moved between towns and peoples, yet you can also imagine the upset such murmurs would have caused as, for the first time in living memory, the established religious authorities had their power base challenged and threatened. Hence, they push John further by asking him questions about such things! The questions identify concerns about John’s role in the nation of Israel. A messenger from the Lord has appeared, and those who claim to be the servants of the Lord are more concerned with earthly things; they want to know if John is some Eschatological Figure (end times) that is marking the beginning of the end, has he come to call the nation to Justice (Are you, Elijah?). Or, perhaps he is just one sent by God (a prophet) to alert the People of God for another movement of God; maybe he will intervene in the Roman occupation. The religious leaders want to know who John is, and their sincere questioning reveals nothing but earthly fears and a limited view of the work of God in the world. They are seeing through their eyes and concerns, and because of that, they cannot see the light shining over the distant hill, offering them hope beyond hope.

John the Baptist’s response is the same with each question: Nope! John repeatedly denies who they want him to be because he knows who he is. Furthermore, he knows who he is is not essential but who He is (Jesus). John’s identity, comfort and purpose come from his relationship with God, and it defines every aspect of his life. Thus, the religious leaders question him in a way that reveals the fears of their times. John the Baptist, in his repose, shows both a deep humility when they try to shine a light on him and boldness in how he responds. John is content that it is not about him, but the glory of his task goes to the one who comes after him. John models for discipleships of Jesus the fruit of following because we know Christ and, in that knowledge, know fully that it is all about him! John models for us both the humility of our discipleship and the purpose of our living, and he denies any importance related to him and points only to his role in the building of the Kingdom of Christ. In response to their probing and pointed questions and desperation for an answer to take back to religious authorities, he declares:

I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’

Notice what John does not say as much as what he does say. He does not say, “My name is John the Baptist! I am the voice of God in the wilderness…” There is nothing of himself; he seems to demote his role deliberately! He does not seize a moment to give himself a stature of importance; instead, he never identifies himself by his name but only as a tool in the hand of God being used to point to one greater coming over the horizon. As he teaches, John challenges us with his words and encourages us with his example to live in the same way. Even during COVID-19, we are the voice of one standing in a spiritual wilderness, straightening the way of the Lord and shining forth the light of hope in Christ.

JOHN WANTS YOU TO KNOW WHO HE IS (24-28)

John encapsulates the way of the Kingdom and the modus operandi of the Great Commission years before Jesus spoke. He knew what he was called to do and delighted in living out the mission of the Kingdom of God. He never sought more than that which God had allocated for him to do, and he remained faithful in trying to do it and, preaching a message of Repentance and preparing the group and people for the Coming of Jesus Christ.

John was both preaching and acting out his message. As he proclaimed the coming of the Messiah, he practised and lived in a way that conformed to his message. The calling was word and deed; they had questioned his identity related to the word and now wanted to know why he was acting as he did. Baptism was a practice generally reserved for converting Gentiles; they wanted to know why he was baptising Jews if he was not the Messiah, Elijah or a Prophet!

In this part of our journey through the Gospel of John, we’re drawn into the heart of John the Baptist’s mission. He wasn’t just a herald of words; he lived out his calling with every fibre of his being. His life was a testament to the coming Messiah, a vivid illustration of the Kingdom of God at work. John never strayed from the path God had set for him, dedicated to a mission of repentance and preparing hearts for Jesus.

What strikes me most about John is his unwavering commitment to his identity as God’s messenger. He was questioned about his unusual practice of baptising Jews – a ritual typically reserved for Gentile converts. But for John, this was more than a ritual; it was an act of obedience and proclamation. His response to the queries about his authority was as humble as it was profound: “He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” Here was a man who knew his place in God’s plan and rejoiced in it. He pointed beyond himself to Jesus, the genuine Light and Messiah.

John’s clarity about who he was about Jesus speaks deeply to me. It’s a reminder that our true identity and purpose are found in knowing Christ and making Him known. John’s life challenges us to ask ourselves if we truly understand who Jesus is and if our lives reflect that knowledge. As followers of Christ, our call is to be beacons of His light, guiding others to the hope and salvation found in Him. Just like John, our actions and words should align in a harmonious testimony to the love and truth of Jesus Christ.

CONCLUSION: DO YOU KNOW HIM AND HAVE YOU BEEN MAKING HIM KNOWN (29)

“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

-As we conclude our reflections on John the Baptist, the question that lingers in my heart is simple and profound: Do we truly know Jesus, and are we living in a way that makes Him known to others? John the Baptist didn’t just learn about Jesus; he knew Him intimately, believed in Him sincerely, and dedicated his life to making Him known. His declaration, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the world’s sin!” wasn’t just a statement of fact; it was the outpouring of a life wholly given to God’s purpose.

This is our calling, too. It’s not enough to know Jesus; our relationship with Him should be transformative, influencing every aspect of our lives. Our identity in Christ should be evident in our words, actions, and choices. Our lives should be luminous testimonies of Christ’s presence and power in a world often overshadowed by challenges like the pandemic.

We’re called to shine Christ’s light regardless of our circumstances. Whether through prayer, conversations, social media, our work, or even the books we read and share, we have unique opportunities to make Jesus known. Our mission remains the same in every season, whether in the joyous days or during the long nights of December and the ongoing challenges of Covid. Let us embrace this call with the same enthusiasm and commitment as John the Baptist, knowing that our purpose and comfort lie in Christ, the genuine Light. Let’s live so that others can’t help but see Him through us.