[Anglican Communion 24 June 2020] Topic: Who Are You?
TOPIC: Who Are You?
READ: John 1:19-28 (NKJV)
Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”
And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”
Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”
He said: “I [am] ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the LORD,” ‘ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees.
And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.
“It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”
These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
THE MESSAGE:
John the Baptist was faced with the great question: Who are you? He was not given a pre-information about the interview. The examination was impromptu, thus there was no room for pretence. He was only required to declare the true picture he had of himself in his mind. Surprisingly, John said and I paraphrase: “I am not Jesus, not the Saviour, not a prophet but the voice of one crying in the wilderness… calling men unto salvation.”
John teaches us humility and right ministerial heart. He did not need any office or title to be attached to his name because he was only a voice. He refused to take Jesus’ glory as he was of no significance in the issue of the salvation of men. Contrary to this, every Christian today is a prophet, pastor, evangelist or apostle. If you dare address them without such attachments, you are in trouble! Many take the glory that is meant for Jesus. This is expressed in statements like “I converted this person”, “I delivered her from demonic oppression”, “I healed his sickness”, etc. By these, we assume the position of the master instead of a servant. I think we need to imitate Brother John.
PRAYER: Lord, teach us humility and grant us right a heart for the ministry.
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