Who Do You Say Jesus Is? (John 1:19-51)
Two weeks ago, someone claiming to be a bank officer called me. She claimed that the bank had detected suspicious transactions in my account and asked for my personal information to verify. She sounded suspicious, and I wondered who she really was, so I refused to provide my details.
I hung up and checked my bank transactions; nothing was amiss.
A few days later, I read that the Malaysian and Singapore Police had jointly arrested a syndicate in Kuala Lumpur using the same mode of operation! In our current time, when scams and hoaxes are common, and some of us have fallen prey to them, establishing who someone is important.
When we know who someone is, we can then trust and follow their advice and instructions. We ask the question, "Who are you?" Many people ask the question: "Who are you?"
When directed towards yourself, it prompts self-discovery, which is thought to be a necessary part of a healthy sense of identity. Some people spend much of their lives seeking to discover who they are and to find their place in this world.
Christians also often struggle to understand their gifts and place in God's plan.
When "Who are you?" is directed at others, we seek to discover that person's trustworthiness. What credentials does he possess? What character does she demonstrate?
The religious establishment of Jesus' time also wondered who John the Baptist was. What does he say about himself? Can we trust him?
As the narrative in today's passage unfolds, we discover not only who John believes himself to be, but also who he and the disciples believe Jesus to be, establishing Jesus' identity and knowing who Jesus is, calls for our response,
Last week, Eugene preached the introduction passage of John's Gospel. The first 18 verses tell us that the glorious Word has come to reveal the glory of God. The passage closed with the apostle John telling us that the Word is Immanuel, God with us. If that introduction gave a 10,000-metre view, today, we see the Word becoming flesh and walking in our neighbourhood as we focus on the first week of Jesus' ministry and discover who Jesus is in person.
Follow Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God.
The big idea of today's passage is: Follow Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God.
The outline for the message is:
Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God (Jn 1:19-34); and
We believe and follow Him (Jn 1:35-51).
Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God (Jn 1:19-34)
Who is John the Baptist?
Who is Jesus?
Consider John 1:19-28 with me.
We enter the story when the Jewish religious leaders send a delegation of priests and Levites. John the Baptist's ministry is making an impact; many people are going to him, and the religious leaders in Jerusalem take note.
They ask John the Baptist: "Who are you" (Jn 1:19)?
John the Baptist makes three denials in response to the delegation's question. He denies that he is the Messiah, Elijah, or the prophet. John emphatically denies that he is the Messiah or the 'anointed one' (Jn 1:20). Messianic hope in first-century Judaism took a variety of shapes. Many Jews anticipated a Messianic figure in the pattern of King David, who would come and throw off the oppression of Roman rule.
Others expected a return of an end-times prophet like Moses (Deut 18:15–18). They respond to his denial that he is not the Christ by asking him if he is Elijah (Jn 1:21a). Many Jews looked for a grand last-day figure like Elijah to precede the coming of the Messiah. The Jews remembered that Elijah had not died (2 Kings 2:11) and believed that the same prophet would physically come back to earth to announce the end time (Mal 3:1; 4:5–6).
John denies that he is Elijah. When Jesus later said John the Baptist was Elijah in Matthew 11 and 17, He meant it in the sense that John fulfilled the prophecies concerning Elijah but not that he was the literal person of Elijah.
The delegation continued asking John if he was the “prophet” (Jn 1:21b). This refers to the Moses-like prophet spoken of in Deuteronomy 18 that is to come.
John denies that he is that prophet. Contrary to our contemporary age of self-promotion and image management, John the Baptist is humble and does not seek titles for himself.
I attended a meeting once where a leader was tasked to give a devotion. In that devotion, he talked more about himself than about Jesus. The humility of John the Baptist was not evident.
If we truly understand who we are, a sinner who desperately needs a promised Messiah to save us, we would be humble — pointing more to Jesus and less to ourselves.
If John is not one of these three figures of note, then who is he (Jn 1:22a)? His unwillingness to cooperate frustrates his inquirers. They are concerned about bringing back an answer to those who sent them (Jn 1:22b). John then refers to Isaiah 40:3 in John 1:23. Here, John the Baptist is clear on who he is. He is a messenger, herald or forerunner. 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."
In its original context, Isaiah refers to preparing the roads for the people of Israel to return home from Babylonian exile. John sees himself as one whose ministry is to give testimony, prepare the way for the Messiah to come, and bring Israel out of spiritual exile in a new exodus back to God, who will come to Zion.
The team sent by the Pharisees, who were part of the leadership that sent the delegation from Jerusalem, probe further about why he is baptizing. What authority does he have to baptize if he is not the Messiah, Elijah, or the prophet?
John baptizes for two reasons. Firstly, John calls the Jewish people to become God's people by summoning them to repentance and demonstrating that repentance through an act of baptism. Secondly, John's activity has an anticipatory function — to reveal the eternal Word. He points out that there is "one you do not know" among them (Jn 1:26). He is the supreme one, so much so that John the Baptist is not worthy to untie the strap of His sandals (Jn 1:27). The handling of footwear at that time was the slave's task and was not to be performed by someone's disciple. John's humility at this point is astonishing — he believes he is a slave. As well-regarded as he is by the crowds, he does not consider himself worthy of loosening the strap of the Messiah's sandals.
The main takeaway is that John the Baptist is not the Christ but gives humble witness to the Christ.
The next day, John the Baptist continued giving testimony to the one who stands among us. Turn with me to John 1:29-34.
We now hear John the Baptist's witness to Jesus. He made three denials to who he is; now, he gives three confessions about who Jesus is.
He proclaims Jesus to be "the Lamb of God" (Jn 1:29–31), "the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit" (Jn 1:32–33), and the "Son of God" (Jn 1:34). John identifies Jesus as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29).
What did John mean when he called Jesus “the Lamb of God”? Bible scholars and commentators have understood the reference in a variety of ways. Some relate it to the lamb provided by God for Abraham when he was ready to offer up his son of promise, Isaac, in obedience to God in Genesis 22. However, what Abraham was spared from doing at the last moment, God will actually do in the sacrifice of His Son.
Others point to the motif of the Passover Lamb in Exodus 12, where the animal was sacrificed to spare the death of the firstborn son. Yet others point to Leviticus 5, where a lamb was offered in our place as a sin offering to atone for our sins.
What is common in these Old Testament texts is the language of sacrifice. The thought of sacrifice is found in the words, "takes away the sin of the world." John's Gospel moves in this direction with the climax of Christ's sacrificial death on the cross near the end of the Gospel account.
Jesus Christ dies as a sacrifice in our place to take away the sins of the world to save us.
We should understand the "lamb of God" as a sacrificial motif —that Jesus Christ dies as a sacrifice in our place to take away the sins of the world to save us.
Beloved, John's description of Jesus as the Lamb of God has significant application for a world buried under the weight of the guilt of sin.
I speak to believers who struggle with the guilt of their sins. Your sins have been paid for through the death of the Lamb. Jesus Christ bore the sins of His people on the cross, and you should enjoy the freedom that comes with the knowledge that your sin has been forgiven when you put your faith in Jesus Christ. Remember that your sins have been paid for once and for all.
Beloved, I speak to those who are complacent. We will still struggle with sin until we meet Jesus face to face or when he comes back again. Continue to turn to Jesus, the lamb of God, and repent of your sins. There is no time that we do not need Jesus.
My friends, if you are a non-Christian, I welcome you. The news that Jesus is the Lamb of God is good news for you. Some of you might say that, but Christianity is so exclusive. Salvation is only through faith in Jesus Christ alone, but the offer is inclusive. Christ's atoning work is for the world: People of every nation and kind. No matter one's sin and no matter one's background, if you trust in Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. So trust in Jesus Christ as the lamb of God who takes away your sins. If you desire to believe in Jesus Christ, please speak to your Christian friend or the elders after this service. We will be glad to talk to you about receiving Jesus Christ.
John continues his testimony to Jesus by acknowledging Jesus' supremacy because of His preexistence (Jn 1:30): Jesus existed before anyone, a truth brought out in the prologue (c.f. Jn 1:15). John's baptismal ministry reveals the Messiah to us (Jn 1:31b).
John continues by testifying that Jesus is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. He describes the Spirit coming on Jesus at His baptism (Jn 1:32). It appears that until he baptized Jesus, John did not know that Jesus was the Messiah. While John the Baptist and Jesus were cousins, it is clear that John did not fully understand Jesus' true identity (Jn 1:31a).
God told John by what sign he could identify the Messiah (Jn 1:33). While the Spirit would often come on people temporarily for specific tasks in Old Testament times, the Holy Spirit would remain on Jesus (c.f. Jn 1:32, 33) — Jesus is the Spirit-filled servant of the Lord (c.f. Isa 42:1-9) who ushers in a new age of the Spirit. The baptism with the Holy Spirit points toward Pentecost and beyond. While Jesus' early followers were baptized with the Spirit on Pentecost, every believer is baptized in the Spirit at the moment of conversion (1 Cor 12:13).
Finally, John confesses Jesus to be the Son of God. Jesus is the one of whom God said in 2 Samuel 7:14, "I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son" (c.f. Ps 2:7). Jesus is the kingly descendant of the Davidic King, the true and better "Son of God" on whom the hopes of God's people rest.
What I am trying to say is that Jesus is the long-expected promised one, the Son of God, the Spirit-filled Servant of the Lord, the lamb of God who takes away the "sin of the world."
God is faithful.
He has kept His promises made.
There are several important applications here.
Firstly, John the Baptist clearly understands who he is and who Jesus is. He is a messenger, and his task is to point people to Jesus. It is easy to become confused about what God has called us to do. God has called us to point people to Jesus, not to ourselves. In our interactions with others, we pursue humility. We do not claim credit but deflect glory to Jesus Christ for any good we do. We give others in the church permission to call us out when we become glory thieves. We often pray to God, declaring our dependence on Jesus Christ and not our efforts, thus pointing to Jesus. We pray in our small groups and gather at church to pray at our members' meetings and prayer meetings. As a church, we hold to Jesus' teachings, i.e. the Bible, and do not depend on our innovative business strategies or long-held traditions. We seek to shape our church based on the Word, pointing to Jesus and His gospel, thus showing the Bible's sufficiency and bringing glory to Jesus. We strive to leave a legacy of faithfulness to the Bible for Jesus' glory rather than pursue human legacy.
Secondly, once we understand the sinner that we are and the saviour that Jesus is, humility will be the posture of our hearts. John's humility is a striking challenge to the pride that resides in our hearts. Something within our fallen nature clamours for attention and recognition. Success is the breeding ground for pride. Large crowds have a way of making us forget who we are and where we come from. Beloved, we are thankful that God gave us growth and fruit in the last five years. Remember, it was all of God and nothing of us.
Much of the growth started during the COVID-19 pandemic when we were so limited in what we could do, so we tried to faithfully keep to the few basics prescribed by scripture, and God gave us the growth. Give praise and let glory reflect back to Jesus Christ. John the Baptist never forgot he was just a voice. He refused all flattering titles and saw himself as unworthy of untying the Lord's sandals. Beloved, let us not forget to pursue humility, be thankful and steward God's grace of growth.
We believe and follow Him (Jn 1:35-51)
In response to the testimony of John the Baptist, what are we to do? Knowing who Jesus is, what is our response?
In John 1:35-51, we see the disciples' response and their journey from curiosity to faith. Take a look at John 1:5-42, do you see it?
In this section, we hear the testimony of some of Jesus' earliest followers and the five who followed in faith. John the Apostle continues recounting the opening days of Jesus' ministry — “the next day” (Jn 1:35a). Two of John's disciples are standing with him as Jesus passes by (Jn 1:35a).
John directed his disciples' attention to Jesus as indicated by the word “Behold”. The result of John's witness to Jesus is that the two men "followed Jesus" (Jn 1:37). The language of "follow" in John's gospel has the idea of following as disciples and not just a curious tagging along.
Jesus catches them off guard when He asks them, "What do you seek?" They fumble, and the best they can come up with is to ask Him where He is staying (Jn 1:38). They address Him as "Rabbi", which means Teacher — a term given to a respected teacher. Jesus invites them to spend the evening with Him since it is already late in the day. Jesus' invitation is also much more significant than it appears. The invitation to "come and see" is a summons to salvation.
Philip uses similar language in his conversation with Nathaniel (Jn 1:46). They are to follow Jesus and clearly see who he is — the lamb of God. Only Andrew is identified by name. The other may have been the apostle John. Not much is written about Andrew — he is called "Simon Peter's brother". But he appears to have been serious about following God. He likely had undergone John's baptism of repentance. Andrew demonstrates his faith by seeking out his brother Simon and confessing Jesus as the Messiah.
Andrew brings Simon to Jesus, Jesus gives Simon the name “Cephas”. Cephas was an Aramaic name; Peter was the Greek equivalent meaning 'rock'. When God changed someone's name in the Old Testament, it had significant implications for their future. In the four Gospels, Peter was anything but a rock. At best, he could be described as impulsive. In Acts, Peter became the leading figure in the early days of the Church. Jesus renamed him not because of who he was but because of who he would become through God's gracious work.
We respond to Jesus by believing and following Him and bringing others to Him
The point I'm making is that we respond to Jesus by believing and following Him and bringing others to Him. Beloved, keep on bringing others to Jesus. Sometimes, as believers, we separate following Jesus in discipleship from bringing people to Jesus. It is a both and. We make disciples by helping believers grow in Christlikeness — through Bible studies and 1-on-1 Bible reading, for example, and we make disciples by evangelism — through telling nonbelievers of the gospel and bringing them to Jesus.
Beloved, use GBC's free evangelistic resources to bring your relatives, friends, and colleagues to Jesus. Consider participating in our block visits to MacPherson and Bidadari estates during the Good Friday/Easter and Christmas seasons as we seek to invite them to come and hear the gospel.
Join us in our outreach to Gladiolus Place and our Basic English Class for our guest workers; we build relationships by meeting practical needs so that we can prayerfully, at some point, bring them to Jesus.
Join Thomas and Julie as we pray for unreached people groups in Singapore once a month.
Evangelise as a church. One may be gifted in hospitality. Another is good at connecting people. Another can present the gospel clearly. Bring people to Jesus as a team. Beloved, let us keep bringing others to Jesus. No one (except God) can foresee the possibilities in a person when they come to Christ. Andrew had no idea how bringing his brother to Jesus would change the world.
Finally, turn with me to John 1:43-51 as we look at the responses of two other disciples: Philip and Nathanael.
The day after His encounter with Peter, Jesus goes into Galilee and calls Philip to follow Him (Jn 1:43). Philip is not introduced, and the Apostle John expects his readers to know who he is. Jesus' command is simple and straightforward: "Follow me." Jesus takes the initiative.
We do not know much about Philip outside John's Gospel. He was from Bethsaida, Peter and Andrew's hometown (Jn 1:44). The text emphasizes that Philip follows Jesus by finding Nathanael (Jn 1:45a). Philip tells him that they have found the one of whom "Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."
The Old Testament predicts and points to Jesus Christ. Nathanael was from the village of Cana (Jn 21:2) and disdained Nazareth (Jn 1:46a). Nathanael expresses his scepticism: "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" It could be that he knew that the Messiah was to come from Bethlehem (c.f. Jn 7:41–42; Mic. 5:2), or that Nazareth was an insignificant village with a population of around 2,000 people at that time.
Philip challenges Nathanael to investigate for himself (1:46b). Likewise, my friends, rather than dismiss Jesus due to scepticism, I encourage you to investigate Jesus for yourself. Philip's words, "Come and see," are similar to what Jesus said to Andrew and his companion (c.f. Jn 1:39a).
Jesus reveals His supernatural knowledge of Nathanael by identifying him "as an Israelite in whom there is no deceit" even though He has never met him prior (Jn 1:47). Jesus' point is that Nathanael is a God-fearing Israelite, not filled with hypocrisy. Nathanael is stunned that Jesus knows him and that he was sitting under a fig tree before meeting Jesus (Jn 1:48).
Jesus' comment should be understood as an example of His divine insight — His ability to know something about someone that no person could possibly know. Nathanael's response identifies him as another follower of Jesus (Jn 1:49). His identification of Jesus as the “Son of God” (c.f. 2 Sam. 7:14; Ps 2:7) and “King of Israel” (c.f. Jn 12:13; 18:33, 39; 19:3, 19, 21) should be understood as Nathanael confessing Jesus as the promised Messiah.
Jesus promises that Nathanael will see "greater things" because he believed Jesus, one of which he describes in John 1:51: "you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."
Jesus' identification of Himself as the 'Son of Man' has its background in Daniel 7:13–14. In Daniel 7, the Son of Man is pictured as a heavenly figure who, in the end times, is entrusted by God with authority, glory, and power. Jesus' statement in John 1:51 reminds us of Jacob's vision in Genesis 28:10–17, where there was a ladder (or stairway) extending from earth to heaven, with angels ascending and descending on it. Jesus' point is that He is the one who connects heaven and earth. The implication is that He is greater than Jacob as "the new Israel". Nathanael would witness Jesus' death on the cross and His resurrection, which opens the way to heaven through Jesus for all who believe.
Essentially, this passage intertwines who Jesus is, discipleship, and evangelism. The sight of Jesus' identity is magnificent and should prompt our worship In addition to helping us understand who Jesus is, this passage shows us the importance of knowing Jesus and following Him if you consider yourself Jesus' disciple. Disciples who followed Jesus recognized Him to be the long-awaited Messiah. There is a connection between following, seeing and telling others about Jesus.
My friends, the Christian faith is a faith that seeks understanding. You can only see Jesus clearly when you place your faith in Him. Following and seeing Jesus is a reiterative process. You trust and follow Jesus and learn of Him in the Bible, and you will increasingly have a clear sight of Him. And when you see Jesus better in all His glory, you will be motivated and empowered to follow after Him closely.
Finally, we see John the Baptist, Andrew, and Philip demonstrating that following Jesus involves telling others about Him.
Andrew and the unnamed disciple (John) follow Jesus because of John the Baptist's testimony (Jn 1:36), suggesting that those in our circle of influence are people with whom we should share our faith. Andrew introduces his brother Peter to Jesus, highlighting the importance of witnessing to our family members (Jn 1:41–42).
Finally, Philip exemplifies the opportunity of sharing one's faith with friends (Jn 1:46). Those who love Jesus want to introduce Him to others, and the best place to begin is with those with whom we already have a relationship. Evangelism is an essential mark of faithful discipleship. Beloved, who should you share the gospel with among your circle of influence? Share these things written in John's gospel so that they may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, they may have life in His name (c.f. Jn 20:31).
In summary, follow Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God, trust and follow Him, for by believing, we will have eternal life.
Let us close in prayer.
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Bibliography:
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008.
D. A. Carson, "The Gospels and Acts," in NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible, ed. D. A. Carson. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018.
William F. Cook III, "John," in The NIV Grace and Truth Study Bible, ed. R. Albert Mohler Jr. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2021.
William F. Cook, John: Jesus Christ Is God, Focus on the Bible Commentary. Ross-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus, 2016.
Edward W. Klink III, John, ed. Clinton E. Arnold, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016.
D. A. Carson, "The Gospel according to John, The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans, 1991.
James M. Hamilton Jr. and Brian J. Vickers, John–Acts, ed. Iain M. Duguid, James M. Hamilton Jr., and Jay Sklar, vol. IX, ESV Expository Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2019.