 Okay, here we go. We're in John chapter 1. We're going to be looking at verses 19 through 34 and I'll begin reading at verse 19 and I'll read to verse 24 and we'll get into our study. The Gospel of John chapter 1 beginning at verse 19 reading to verse 24. 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'm not the Christ and they asked him what then? Are you Elijah? He said, I'm not. Are you the prophet? 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'm the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord as a prophet Isaiah said. And so we've been introduced to the person and the ministry of a man by the name that we know him as John the Baptist. And the apostle John has already stated that John the Baptist had been sent from God. He said as a witness and he was to bear witness of the true light that all might through him believe in Jesus Christ. Now when we looked at verse 8, verse 8 made it clear as it says, he was not that light but was sent to bear witness of that light. It had made it clear that he wasn't the light, he was sent, simply sent to bear witness. And so now as we move on into chapter 1, John returns to that subject. It says in verse 15 that John bore witness of him and cried out saying, this was he of whom I said. And so he's beginning to share now some things related to him and all that he is. You see, in all humility he had made it clear that Jesus is preferred before him because Jesus was before him. So John is giving a more detailed account of this great man's ministry. And so as he's doing so, we pick up at verse 19 when he says this is the testimony of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, who are you? So let's look at this very slowly. We'll build it for you, give you some background, give you some information and help you understand what's taking place in this conversation. Notice in verse 19 how it says the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, who are you? Well, the Jews, when it uses the term the Jews, the Jews is speaking of, in this context, is speaking of the authorities, is speaking really literally of the Pharisees. And these Jews, these Pharisees have sent a deputation from Jerusalem in order to interrogate him. Now in general, the word Jews in the Gospel of John is used around 63 times. It's often used to identify the religious authorities. And so when he speaks concerning the Jews, when it says this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent, it's speaking concerning normally the nation of Israel, it could be used concerning that, but it also speaks of the authorities, the Jewish authorities. And these Jewish authorities are spoken of in the same verse when it speaks of the priests and the Levites from Jerusalem. And so priests and Levites, the Levites very often, we look at the word Levites, you see the word Levite quite often in scripture, but very often the Levite, the term Levite is speaking of a scribe, it's speaking of a legal expert, somebody who knows the law of Moses. And so priests and Levites informs us that the interrogation is religious in nature. And they're more than likely members of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish High Council. Now John the Baptist was attracting a growing number of followers. When you look in the Gospel of Matthew in chapter three verses five and six, it says there that Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan, speaking of the Jordan River, went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. He had said Jerusalem, all Judea, and the region around Jordan, that speaks of a large amount of people who are being influenced by the ministry of John. So his ministry is far reaching. And in the general population, the ministry of John the Baptist was respected greatly. Now to give you a context, at this time there was a general expectancy in Israel for the revelation of Messiah. And so John, the Baptist, seemed to fit into their expectations. Some were beginning to think that he was actually the Messiah himself. In Luke's Gospel chapter three verse 15, it says the people were in expectation and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not. And so the ministry John had was attracting a lot of attention. A lot of people were beginning to speak concerning him. And amongst those who were speaking of him were those who said, I wonder if John is the Messiah. And so that's why in verse 19, the priests and Levites come and ask this question. Undoubtedly, the question has been given to them so that they go and ask him. And the question is simple. Who are you? People are wondering if you're a Messiah. So what do you have to say about yourself? Now this was important for them to do. Asking questions concerning somebody that has a religious veneer is an important thing to do. It's a wise thing to do because in the questioning there's a safeguard to keep them from being deceived. So when you read your Bible and it speaks concerning a delegation coming and asking who are you, that's not all bad. Because in the Old Testament the Bible gives to us information related to false prophets. And we've been commanded by God to test the Spirit to see whether it's from God. And 1400 years earlier God had given directions to Israel concerning religious deception. In the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy in chapter 13, listen to this, verses one through three. Moses had written in the law, if there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams and he gives you a sign or a wonder and the sign or wonder comes to pass of which he spoke to you saying, let us go after other gods which you have not known. Let us serve them. You shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. But the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. If a prophet comes, even if the things he's saying and the things that are being done seem to give evidence that he is a prophet. If what he's saying to you draws you away from God, that one is a false prophet. So all the way in the Old Testament into the new there were commands given to the people of God to test the Spirit to see whether it's of God. They'll listen to the message to see who the message points to and to see whether that person that that message is pointing to is legit. And if they're not, you'd have nothing to do with them. The church needs to wake up by the way to that today because there are many people who are following after false teachers simply because these people speak, speak smoothly and look good when they're doing so. And sometimes the things that they're saying are so outlandish and yet the people give them every benefit of the doubt because they think love believes all things. But love is not foolish. Love is not naive. Love tests all things. And when somebody is speaking to you concerning God, it's going to affect your soul. It's going to affect the way that you live. It's going to affect the way that you think. It's going to affect everything about you. You need to safeguard your heart and your mind. You need to safeguard the things of the Lord within you. And so when they came and spoke and said, who are you? We want to know. Well, there's an expectation in Israel of Messiah. John seems to fit the picture. Perhaps he is. Perhaps he's not. But we need to test this to see whether this is true. And thus they go. They're a delegation sent from the Pharisees and they're asking him, tell us about yourself. You see, this is a good question. It reveals a concern to test John to see if he's genuine. And his answers would be determined based on their understanding of God's word. So as they speak, they're going to test those things as they're hearing him. Again, I mentioned this. This needs to be done today. You see, if John was a false Messiah, he was to be rejected. And so they say, who are you? And in verse 20, he confessed and didn't deny. He confessed, I'm not the Christ. Now had John claimed to be Messiah, there would have been many prepared to accept him, but he immediately made it clear. I'm not the Christ. He anticipated the heart of the question. He answered what they did not ask. Somebody wrote, his example shows that all Christians, and especially all Christian ministers, however much they may be honored and blessed, should be willing to lay all their honors at the feet of Jesus to keep themselves back and to hold up before the world only the Son of God. So instead of taking any of their credit, any, you know, filling in any of their expectations, he immediately said, I am not the Messiah. I am not the Christ. Well, as he says that, verse 20, they ask him, well, what then? Are you Elijah? He said, I'm not. Are you the prophet? And he said, shut up. No. Are you the prophet? And he answered, no. Well, if you're not Messiah, perhaps you're some other great figure. How about Elijah? Are you Elijah? Now, why would they ask him, are you Elijah? Well, one, when you read concerning Elijah and you read concerning John, you might find this interesting. He actually dressed like Elijah. He dressed like him. He dressed in the garb of a prophet. And when you look in 2 Kings chapter 1, verse 8, Elijah is described there. He's a hairy man. He wore a leather belt around his waist. And when the description of him was spoken, the person who was asking about him said, this is Elijah, the tishbite. So he wore a leather belt. He was a hairy man. Well, in Matthew chapter 3, verse 4, it says John himself was clothed in camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. A second thing about him that would make them wonder is he had a similar message to the nation of Israel. The message John spoke to Israel was a similar message that Elijah had preached. You see, Elijah preached to a king by the name of Ahab. And this was during the time that the nation was pursuing idolatry. And he was preaching repentance. Well, John preached to Herod and to a nation in need of national repentance. Again, in Matthew in chapter 3, verses 1 and 2, Matthew said, in those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea saying, repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. So one, he dressed like Elijah. Two, his message was similar to Elijah. And then three, the Jews were anticipating Elijah's appearance. You see, the Old Testament had promised that Elijah would appear on the scene again. In Malachi 4, verse 5, it reads, Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. So are you Elijah? Well, he said, No. I'm not physically Elijah the prophet who lived in King Ahab's time. You see, John had Elijah's mantle, but he was not the Elijah of the Old Testament. So they asked again, are you the prophet? And he answered, No. So there was a belief in what we call a second Moses who would come at the end of the age. In Deuteronomy chapter 18, verse 15, it reads, The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear. Moses is the one who said that. He said, The Lord is going to raise up a prophet like me. And that prophet came to be known as the prophet. In Deuteronomy 18, 18, I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brethren and will put my words in his mouth. And he shall speak to them all that I command him. Are you this prophet that Moses had spoken about? Well, as he's saying, No, no, and no, and all of that, verse 22, they said to him, Who are you? That we may give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself? And he said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord. As a prophet, Isaiah said, Who are you? I know exactly who I am. I'm the voice of Juan. No, I'm the voice of one. I always think that this time I said it. He said, I am the voice of one crying. That word crying is a strong Greek word that means shouting literally. He says I'm the voice of one shouting in the wilderness. The wilderness is not simply a desert. It's also a picture of a man or a woman's life without God. It's the wilderness of sin. He says the voice of God is being revealed through me. And this wilderness, as God is crying out to you, this wilderness that you're living in. Well, this wilderness is all you'll ever have when you don't know God. You see, when you read your Bible, Bible makes it very clear that without God we're nothing and without God we have nothing. Our life is empty and fruitless. As the Psalmist would say, we're in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. There's no places of refreshing for us. But when the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want, the scripture tells me. And he makes me lie down in green pastures and he leads me beside still waters. When my relationship with the Lord is solid, I no longer live in a wilderness. I never, I no longer live in dry and thirsty places where there's no water. I end up living in a place where God is and God is blessing my life. You see concerning Jesus in 2 Corinthians 1 20, Paul said all the promises of God in him are yes and in him amen to the glory of God through us. And so he's saying I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness. I'm God's voice speaking to people who are living in dry and thirsty places. I'm the voice of God crying out to people in a need. People who've got are aimless in their life. People who've got nothing going for them. People who are are lonely and lost. People who feel deserted and abandoned. People who have no love and people who are living in bitterness and and a fruitless life. I'm the voice of one crying to you in the wilderness of your despair. I'm the one who's crying to you. And this is a message. He's the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Make straight the way of the Lord. And so as he's speaking concerning that, make straight the way of the Lord. He's saying literally clear out the debris and level the road for the Lord to enter in. You've gone out to places where you've got a road that's rough. It's got rocks and debris and things in it. Well this is a picture. What he's speaking of is clearing out the things that obstruct God's entrance into your life. When a king would come into a city they would have construction type crews that would go outside of the gates of that city and they would clear the path for them. If there were holes in the dirt road they would fill them. If there were bumps in it they would level them. If there were rocks in them they would clear them out. If there was debris they would straighten it out so that the road was straight. So when the king was coming into that city there was nothing obstructing him. There was nothing keeping him from coming in. And so when John is speaking here and he's saying make straight the way of the Lord. He's saying you need to confess your sin and make it possible for God to enter in. Because sin in our life obstructs him from entering in. There are people who run around saying I don't know why God is not moving in my life. Well we have we have built things in front of his entrance and he's not going to enter in. It has to be cleared out and the way that that is done is through penance. It's done through confession. It's done when we say God be merciful to me. I'm a sinner. Lord I ask for forgiveness. Lord you know what I do and I've confessed my sins one by one to him. The ones that I'm aware of. But there are other sins that I might have that I don't even think our sins. And so what I'll do is say Lord you know this about me and you know that about me. And these are things that I don't like. God in Jesus name help me with them. And Lord there are unseen things. Things that I think are okay that are not okay. Help me with those too. Some of you know what I'm talking about. There have been when I got saved. I'll give you an example. When I got saved I had people speaking to be saying you know it's okay for you to still do this and it's okay for you to still do that. And they were trying to clarify for me what kind of life I as a believer was supposed to live. And there were things that I thought might be still okay. So I wasn't really convicted by them because I thought they were permissible. And over time I began to learn as I read the Bible oh you aren't you aren't good with me doing this anymore. And you're not good with me talking like that anymore. And you're not good with me having relations like this anymore. And I started clearing more debris and more debris. I had cleared enough through confession for him to enter in. But I wanted him to have a continuous path into me. And I began to learn what confession meant and repentance meant. And sometimes people think oh you only confess once and repent once. No it's a life lifelong thing of confession and repentance. God help me a sinner. And again I've mentioned this many times that's a daily thing in my life. God help me a sinner. So he says oh you're no longer a sinner. You're right with God. I understand that I've got the righteousness of Christ imputed to me. I understand that when I stand before God that he sees Christ's righteousness I'm robe I'm wearing the robe of righteousness. Yes I understand that. But I also understand the process of sanctification where God is cleansing my life of sins that really are still blocking his full movement in my life. I want those out too because I want as much of the Lord as I can in my life. And so Lord if this is not pleasing to you remove it. Clear out the debris because there are things that can block his entrance. Clear these things out through repentance. The voice of one crying in the wilderness as the prophet Isaiah said. Now verse 24 those who were sent were from the Pharisees. And they asked him saying why then do you baptize if you're not the Christ or Elijah nor the prophet. His baptism confused him because Jews were not baptized. Converts were. Jews would not receive this form of baptism. They had what is called the mikva. They had ritual washings. But the Gentile if he wanted to become a full convert to Judaism had to do certain things if there were going to be a full convert. The Gentile male was circumcised and then he'd be washed in what is called living water and then he would offer certain sacrifices. Now all of us have heard the term living water right. Living water. Jesus said I'll give you living water. You know what living water is? It's interesting. And you'll say oh yeah and we can get very spiritual about it if you'd like. I'll let you. It's drinkable water. That's what it is. All of us know the difference between living water and polluted water and polluted water is not drinkable. Living water in the mikva is normally going to be either water that's flowing from a river or it's going to be rain water and it's unpolluted water. That's what it is. So when a Gentile would be baptized he'd enter into what is called the mikva. It was baptized in that living water that drinkable water that clean water if you will and in doing so he would afterwards he would offer some sacrifice. So baptism was intended to communicate the washing way of certain ceremonial impurities and the pollution that they had contracted in the Gentile world and that's why the Gentile would be water baptized but you have John here baptizing and the Jews were not used to the idea that a Jewish person would be baptized and that's why they're asking why do you baptize if you're not the Christ nor Elijah nor the prophet. John verse 26 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 sandals strap I am not worthy to lose. Now these things were done in Beth Abara beyond the Jordan where John was baptizing. So he says in verse 26 I baptize with water. I baptize with water that's all that I can do but you need to understand that my baptism is a baptism of repentance. In Matthew 311 he said I baptize you with water for repentance but he went on to say but after me comes one who is more powerful than I whose sandals I'm not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. John is saying my calling is to direct you to Jesus Christ not to me. That's why he says in verse 27 it is he who coming after me is preferred before me whose sandals strap I am not worthy to lose. The one who is already amongst you is the one that I've pointed you to. I'm pointing you to Jesus Christ and as he's speaking concerning this and will develop this a little bit more in a moment John in verse 28 tells us where this is taking place. It's in a place called Beth Abara beyond the Jordan where John was baptizing. Now when we go to Israel there is a place there that they say may be the spot or the area where Jesus himself was baptized because John will see baptized Jesus. It's called Kasar I forget how to say it Kasar al-Yahud and you'll go there and some of the people one of the guys who was helping to put together this recent trip set up the baptism to Kasar al-Yahud and wanted us to baptize in front of me one of the guys in our church who thought he was helping me and he said yeah we can have the baptism in this place called Kasar al-Yahud and I said no and he says why not I said because it's mud are you kidding me now if you go with us next year and you want to get baptized there I told this guy his name is Mike I said Mike you can go in there and you can baptize them in the mud if you'd like I'm going to take them to a place called Yard in it which is a lot cleaner and a lot nicer but we actually go to the traditional site that is being spoken of here in verse 28 and it's today it's it's referred to as Kasar al-Yahud and you'll go there and you'll see it and sometimes we we normally stop there and we'll have a maybe a reading of scripture and then we move on and get washed in cleaner water later on so here's your picture here we go verse 29 and there are some things I'm going to begin to share in a very practical way right about now the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and he said behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world this is he of whom I said after me comes a man who is preferred before me for he was before me I didn't know him but that he should be revealed to Israel therefore I came baptizing with water John bore witness saying I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and he remained upon him I didn't know him but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining on him this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God I'm going to develop this with you now look at this a little closer when it says in verse 29 the next day this is the day after John was just speaking it's the next day this took place by the way after John had baptized Jesus as this is taking place John saw Jesus coming toward him notice what he says behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world so he points them out that's what his job was that's what his calling was that's what his ministry is is to point out Jesus and he's saying behold the one who will be offered up as a sacrifice for the sin of the world in Isaiah 53 it says he was oppressed and afflicted he didn't open his mouth he was led like a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before it shears his silent so he did not open his mouth the Lamb of God when he points Jesus out he's pointing out sacrifice when you read your Old Testament there are various places in that in the Old Testament concerning lambs as well as offerings you'll see in Exodus chapter 12 the Passover Lamb you see in Isaiah 53 as I just read the Lamb that was led to slaughter in Genesis chapter 22 verse 8 you see Abraham's ram remember God and Isaac had traveled rather Abraham and Isaac had traveled together to a place that was appointed to them by the Lord and as Abraham and Isaac traveled together Abraham was there to offer his son Isaac up as a sacrifice and when they arrived at that particular place Isaac being a young teen says to his father Abraham I see the wood and and the other things that are necessary but where is the offering and this old man who's looking at Isaac his son and remember the story of Abraham and Isaac so we can get some context of this remember how that God had spoken to Abraham in Genesis 12 and it said to him that he was going to bless him but years past and Abraham had no son he had no heir and he began to complain to the Lord about that in the meantime Abraham's wife Sarah had a servant servant woman who worked for for her and Sarah told Abraham go into my handmaiden and beget a child through her and that child will be reckoned as mine and so Abraham had intercourse with Hagar and she gave birth now when she gave birth to the son she became despised in the eyes of Sarah and so Sarah didn't want anything to do with her anymore and banished her and so off she went she eventually was cared for by the Lord God took care of her and all of that she had a son named Ishmael but Abraham had thought that this son that he had had through Hagar was going to be the son that was promised and God once again breaks into his life and begins to speak to him and Abraham says you know you know may he live before you and the Lord says that's not your son that wasn't the son of promise now later on in the book of Galatians Paul speaks concerning the son of the flesh which was Ishmael and the son of promise and the son of promise is Isaac and so God is speaking to Abraham and he says to him this time next year your wife Sarah is going to give to you a child well we all know the story she was 90 years old that's kind of hard to believe a 90 year old woman and the man was 99 almost 100 years old give me a break but God said this is going to happen you're going to have a child and remember how that that Sarah was in the tent listening to the conversation no woman ever listens into the conversations of her husband I realized but thousands of years ago they did and as he says your wife is going to have a baby you remember how she laughs within herself shall I have pleasure in my old age you have to be kidding me and God says Abraham that's um that's a listen to us as husbands by the way he said to Abraham why did Sarah laugh and Sarah who's not listening to the conversation answers and she says I didn't laugh oh but you did laugh and so that you may know that nothing shall be impossible with me you will have a son and by the way you know what his name is going to be Isaac and what does Isaac mean laughter and every time you call laughter you will remember your laugh of unbelief every time you call that little one to yourself this was Abrams heart Isaac the son of promise a man 99 years old the writer of Hebrew says a man who was as good as dead the age of 99 and Sarah's womb which was as good as dead a miraculous child Isaac can you imagine as he grew up how how abram would look at this this little boy and he would think upon you rest all the promises that God made to me and the joy that he would have in his heart as he was raising laughter as he was raising the son of promise and then one day the Lord says Abrams saddle up your donkey take your son Isaac to the place that I have appointed and offer him up to me think about that for a moment and offer him up to me abram would never have been able to offer up Isaac to him on that mountain if he had not already offered him up to the Lord prior to that mountain and he had dedicated the son now the writer of Hebrews tells us that he knew that God who had given to him this child when he couldn't have had a child was able also to raise this child from the dead should he desired it and so off he goes and you can almost think of the three days or so of the journey that they took that they finally got to this place I see the wood I see the fire of course the offering Isaac says to daddy now somebody said we don't know how old Isaac was there are those who think that Isaac was 30 years of age I have a friend of mine who thinks he was a teenager because it would have been easier to kill him I don't know that's a possibility where's the offering many many many years ago I gave a message called offering up your Isaac there are times that we that we release the promises God gave to us into the hands of the one who gave the promise and sometimes our promises we've received from him are held to more tightly than the trust we have in him to fulfill it in a way different than we think he might so in the case of Abram and Isaac there's no hesitation scripture speaks concerning him binding him there's no fight the son is giving no fight to an old man which he could have done he didn't fight his father trusted his father to the end he pulls back his hand with his knife and it's about to fulfill there's no hesitation there's no screaming no no there's just obedience and then his hand is stayed and then God says I've seen your obedience there was a a ram that was caught in the thicket and he and he said I have prepared a lamp a ram for myself use that that'll be the offering and he replaced him with that ram that ram became a picture for us of the one who gave up his life for us Jesus Christ where God held the hand back of Abram from killing his son of promise God gave to us a promise through his son he didn't withhold his hand from doing that which his servant Abram had been commanded to do all of this is pointing to the cross of Jesus Christ and that's why Jesus is referred to as the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world this is a picture of sacrifice here you had them already foretold to us through Abraham's ram and the Passover lamb and the prophecy in Isaiah 53 of the lamb that was led to slaughter but this is all pointing to Jesus's sacrifice it is it is important to note that even this week we're celebrating the reality of the lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world and two days from now on Good Friday we'll celebrate that together see John is telling us that Jesus is the one who removes sin from the world and Jesus is the one who removes sin from the one who formerly was bearing it in Hebrews 9 27 and 28 it's appointed for men to die once but after this the judgment so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many to those who eagerly wait for him he will appear a second time apart from sin for salvation he was offered once to bear the sin in first John 1 7 if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanses us from some of our sin no from all sin because there are numbers of people who think that he only cleansed us from some of it he cleansed us from all of it and that's something we need to understand today because a lot of people who still live as if they're going to be penalized for what they've done in the past no the blood of his son Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin even as it says in first John 1 7 it says in verse 29 the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world this is the one prophesied this is the one who will bear the sins of mankind in first John 3 5 you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins in him is no sin and his his sacrifice will cover the sin of the world his sacrifice covers the sin of the Jew and the Gentile like the whole world and he goes on in verse 31 and he says I didn't know him but that he should be revealed to Israel therefore I came baptizing with water I didn't know that Jesus is Messiah it's interesting because they were related though I came calling people to repentance my purpose is to reveal Messiah now here's a practical application for us my purpose is to point him out all ministry all ministry that is God honoring is intended to bring people to Jesus Christ and bring glory to him when we get to chapter 3 verse 30 in about two years when we get there John says concerning Jesus and there's a problem that his men are having his disciples remember John began his ministry before Jesus made his entrance in his ministry remember that and he was going forth and he was preaching repentance and people were lining up and being baptized and the nation was being impacted they're wondering is this the Messiah and he has to say no I'm not and so John had a tremendous impact was very well known very popular and he had disciples some of Jesus's original apostles were actually first followers of John we'll see that later on and so his disciples John's disciples approach him and I'm paraphrasing and said you know the one you baptize he's now baptizing and people are coming to him and they were upset and in essence when John responds to that he's basically saying are you jealous on my behalf listen I told you that I've come to prepare the way for him that was my ministry and he goes on to speak to them concerning what it means to to actually to follow Christ who is the Messiah who is that Lamb of God but he says something in in chapter 3 verse 30 that you might want to remember he must increase I must decrease if you want to be in ministry that's a that's a scripture to memorize John 3 verse 30 he must increase I must decrease we select churches and ministries based on the eloquence of the speaker the buildings that they have the bands that they use the personality and every promise they're making and if they're they're likable and humorous and handsome God forbid that they be ugly we pick our ministers based on what we get from them and that isn't the way to do it is it if we go to a bible study and we don't come out loving Jesus more than I have failed my task of encouraging to love him because there are many churches today some of the largest works that people can speak of that when you say something concerning the ministry they don't refer to Christ being there they speak concerning the greatness of the speaker and I was sharing with my staff just yesterday that the key to being used by the Lord and to have a a relationship with God that is blessed by him is humility it is humility and what made John the Baptist such a great man many things but including that one thing I am not he I am not he I'm not even worthy to untie his shoe and hold his dirty sandal in my hands this is the one that I've come to point you to to Jesus the Lamb of God because John could say I can't take away the sin of the world but I'm presenting you to the one who can Jesus himself that's ministry that's what true Christianity is I think it's a good thing for us to to love one another of course and it's a good thing for for for me I loved my pastor and it's a good thing if people consider me their pastor and they love me I love that too I love them they love me that's a wonderful thing that's all good but we are together we are two together love Jesus Christ that's the key because man will let you down but Jesus never will and the wisest thing I can as a minister ever do is point you to the one who never fails that's Jesus Christ because I do fail people perhaps I failed some in this room I failed people but he has never failed me and he never fails you and that's why one of the reasons why John is saying oh this is the Lamb of God he's the one who takes away the sin of the world he's the one who does the work he said I I didn't I didn't really know him but I knew that he was to be revealed to Israel I too didn't know him like many of you didn't he had already spoken in verse 26 and he had said there stands one among you whom you do not know I too was like that until he was revealed to me I didn't know him either I didn't know who Jesus was specifically when he came to be baptized you see Jesus again was an ordinary carpenter he came out of a very small village when when you're in Israel and you go past the city of Nazareth there are estimates concerning the size of the village during the time of Christ and the majority of those who give you an estimate concerning its size will tell you that had less than it had less than a hundred and maybe only a few dozen people living in the village of Nazareth so Jesus came out of an inconsequential place he didn't come out of some you know huge city like Rome or something spectacular he came out of a of a village and he was an ordinary man he was a carpenter when you look at the word carpenter and you see Jesus he worked with his his hands he would go into the forest and cut down a tree and with his hands he would shape it into whatever he desired but he was also a master stone mason so he was somebody who worked with his hand in other words he was a construction worker and his father Joseph was also a construction worker so when you're starting to look at the qualifications of the messiah you're probably not going to say well yeah let's get a construction worker and somebody who comes from a a podunk kind of place you know armpit Oklahoma and he can be you know messiah because that's kind of how it was and so he was a he was an ordinary person and nothing about him he didn't glow in the dark he didn't float when he walked nothing about him would have gotten John's attention so when he came walking up to John to be baptized amongst all these others there was something about him that stood out as John is baptizing in Matthew 3 verses 13 through 15 Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him John tried to prevent him saying I need to be baptized by you and you're coming to me but Jesus answered and said to him permit it to be so now for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness and he allowed him John didn't immediately know who he was but he was this is an important thing but he was taken by the majesty and manner of the man who came before him John was a righteous man when Jesus initially came John as a righteous man had a man more righteous than him standing in front of him and he saw it and he sensed it I should be baptized by you and you're coming to be baptized by me because remember those who were coming to John for baptism came confessing their sins they were not confessing particularly to him but in coming they were saying we're sinners we need to be water baptized and John John excuse me is looking at Jesus you should baptize me you obviously have something about you that is greater that I have within me you obviously have a greater holiness than I do but at the baptism John realized that Jesus was Messiah again John's ministry was to prepare the people for Messiah and the way he would know Messiah was when the spirit anointed him in verse 31 he said I did not know him but that he should be revealed to Israel therefore I came baptizing with water so that's how we would know who Messiah was and then he says in verse 32 John bore witness saying I saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove and he remained upon him the spirit somebody said abode upon him for some time so long as that John had a full side of it and so was capable of giving a perfect account of it and bearing a certain and distinct testimony to it the Holy Spirit remained on him and he said in verse 33 I didn't know him he who sent me to baptize with water said to me upon whom you see the spirit descending remaining on him this is he who baptized the Holy Spirit I didn't know him but God told me when I see this this is he again in Matthew 3 it says in verses 16 and 17 when he had been baptized Jesus came up immediately from the water behold the heavens were open to him he saw the spirit of God descending like a dove alighting on him suddenly a voice came from heaven saying this is my beloved son in who I'm well pleased can you imagine that this is my beloved son in who I'm well pleased and John is there as he sees the Holy Spirit descending and remaining on Christ and the voice from heaven this is my son what an amazing moment and he says in verse 33 this is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit Jesus opens up heaven's resources through the power of his Holy Spirit John is not the Holy Ghost baptizer Jesus is Jesus in Acts 1.8 said it you shall receive power after that the Holy Spirit has come upon you you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem Judea Samaria unto the uttermost parts of the earth John was not the Holy Ghost baptizer Jesus himself is John was preaching a baptism of repentance but Jesus not only called us to repentance but he empowers us with his Holy Spirit so that we can live for him so that we can have a victorious life so that we can exercise the gifts that the scripture speaks about so many various places in the Bible so that we can walk in his fullness and so he said I baptize in one way but he baptizes with the Holy Spirit we were in Israel as you know recently and we are at a place called the southern steps and and while we were there I gave a study out of John 7 37 and 38 where it says on the last day that great day of the feast Jesus stood and cried out saying if anyone thirsts let him come to me and drink he believes in me as the scripture has said out of his heart will flow rivers of living water and while we were there and we also go to the upper room and while we were there and we go to those places that's I encourage all of us while we're there are you thirsty are you thirsty are you going through dry times in your life are you are you thirsty for more there are a lot of people who are believers in Christ who walk as if they have none of his power and they find themselves wrestling with with sins and temptations and and oftentimes unfortunately even losing the battle and and I've shared this many times and I'll say it right now as I'm about to close what the church needs an awakening in is a variety of things including the awareness of the need for the power of God's Holy Spirit in your life as a Christian I need his power and and daily I will I daily I will say God fill me with your presence fill me with your power fill me with your spirit because this world is a difficult place to live in it is filled with spiritual landmines I have to walk circumspectly have to walk very carefully because there are landmines everywhere and I can be wounded so I need you to fill me and so John is pointing Jesus out and he's saying this is the one the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world this is the one who baptizes with fire and the Holy Spirit this is the one whose fire purifies because fire burns and purifies but when he purifies he also empowers this is the one John I am not the Christ I am not the prophet I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness make straight paths for the Lord I have come preparing his way I declare him to you behold the Lamb of God who take away the sin of the world I can't save you but Jesus can and that's what he's saying in verse 34 I have seen and testified this is the Son of God