19. John the Baptist declares his mission
– John 1:19-28
John 1:24-26 “Now some Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, ‘Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?’ ‘I baptize with water,’ John replied.”
In the Old Testament, it was customary to only baptize Gentiles (non-Jews) who were converting to the Jewish faith. The Pharisees could not believe that John was treating God’s chosen people as Gentiles. The baptism was a sign of purification. When John baptized people, he would baptize with merely water. The water wasn’t special holy water; it was just plain water. The actual baptism wouldn’t change someone. What the baptism represented would change someone. It represented someone willing to repent of their sins. It was an outward display of what is happening internally in their heart. John was preparing the way for the people to accept Jesus. He wanted the people to understand that they needed to repent and accept Jesus’ true cleansing to become pure.
John 1:26-27 “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
Luke 7:28 “I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John…”
Jesus noted John as the greatest prophet. Yet, John did not feel that he was worthy to even be a slave to Jesus. He did not feel worthy of untying Jesus’ sandals. Imagine how dirty someone’s sandals must have been during Jesus’ era. They did not have showers or pavement and the people walked everywhere. The sandals would be caked with dirt. Still, John did not feel worthy enough to touch the dirt that was on Jesus’ sandals. Unfastening someone’s shoes is one of the most humbling acts. If even John felt inadequate to be Jesus’ slave, how much more should we lay aside our pride to serve God? When we really understand who Christ is, our pride and self-importance melt away. Do you think more about how things affect you or how you can serve Christ? The fact that Jesus even lets us serve him is extraordinary. The creator of the universe would like you to help him build his kingdom here on earth. He chose you to do specific tasks. Serve God with all that you have. Give him the best that you can offer. It isn’t a right but a privilege that we can serve God.
