Who Are You?
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Audio Recording
Sermon Outline
Speaker: Rev. Scott Strickman
Sermon Series: John 1-12: Come, See, Live!
John 1:19-34 (ESV)
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.
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
Sermon Outline
How we answer the question “who is Jesus?” changes how we answer the question “who are you?” (v19)
1. Come and See
v23 “I am the voice of one crying out… make straight the way of the Lord”
v31, 33 “I myself did not know him…” “that he might be revealed” “he who sent me said…”
v34 “I have seen… the Son of God”
v27 “the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie”
2. Live
v29 “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
v32 “I saw the Spirit descend…”
v26 “I baptize with water…”, v33 “this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit”
Prayer of Confession
Our great God, we are not worthy to untie the straps on the sandals of Jesus, yet you sent him to take away our sins. We admit our sin and our need of forgiveness. With pride we have looked down on others and have failed to truly worship you. With hard hearts, we have not recognized what you have revealed, but have believed what is false. We have not walked in your Spirit, but are guilty of misdeeds rooted in our corrupt desires. We look to Jesus, the lamb, who laid down his life for our forgiveness. May he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit breathe new life into us. Amen.
Questions for Reflection
Why have videos with famous people disguising themselves as ordinary people (and doing what they are famous for) become so popular? What are people resonating with?
What are some of the consequences of human pride, and in particular the tendency we have to exaggerate our greatness and minimize our flaws?
Why were preparations needed before Jesus arrived and began his ministry?
Do you find John the Baptist a compelling figure? Why or why not? What role does he play in what is recorded for us in this Gospel? How does John the Baptist advance the goals of John’s Gospel?
What is the significance of Jesus coming to take away our sins? Why is this particularly important?
Do you believe you have forgiveness from God? How does your answer to that question reveal some of the dynamics of how you relate to God?
When John points to Jesus as the one who baptizes with the Spirit, what unique claims are being made about Jesus? How is the contrast of baptizing with water and baptizing with the Holy Spirit significant?
What kinds of things happen in a person when the Holy Spirit is at work in them? What should a person expect if God is at work within them?
How do you answer the question “who are you?” How can you better answer it if you understand your identity in light of who Jesus is and what your connection to him is?