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Speaker: Jerry Cisar
Why does John the Baptist baptize? Why doesn’t he own up to being the Elijah to come? Why isn’t he worthy to untie the straps of Jesus’ sandals? What is John’s testimony about Jesus? Who is John, anyway?
Following what is traditionally called the prologue to his gospel, the apostle John starts his sketch of Jesus’ ministry with the testimony of John the Baptist concerning Jesus. Not only is the substance of these verses significant to our Christian faith (helping us see Jesus more clearly), we can also learn much about our own mission because John is a model witness to Jesus.
John calls us to behold Jesus. For him, it was as simple as that. Yet John had to answer to the power-brokers of his day. They had questions, and his answers provide us with a ministry model – a ministry model we have been practicing for years. The testimony of John the Baptist provides us with a snap shot of our vision and mission as a church.
John the Baptist is in some ways unique, and in some ways provides us with a model for how we can make sure that, whatever light we offer, it is shining on Jesus. What does it mean to be a witness… to testify about Jesus? What must we understand about ourselves? What is necessary for others to have faith?