REFLECT

Introduction: Awkward Family Moments
Have you ever been hanging out with a friends family, a young married couple, or even maybe with your good friend and his or her boy or girl friend and you guys laughing and having a great time and all of a sudden you stumble upon a topic of conversation that brings the evening to a halt and turns these two lovable people or this wonderful family into a horde of demons and wild banshees. For instance, you are hanging out with you good buddy who just got married and his wife and you are a having a great evening, great food, and great conversation when you turn and realize that your best buddy’s 72 inch HD Plasma TV is not in it usual place of worship. This is odd to you because you remember in college that your buddy went on a 90 day fast, worked 80 hours a week..on top of finishing his second semester of organic chemistry to buy the TV so you and your boys could watch the NCAA tournament. So you harmlessly mention it . Your buddy slams down the fork and storms out of the room, his wife begins to cry uncontrollably as she continues to eat burnt chicken casserole, and you sit there feeling like a utter jerk but you don’t know why.  Little did you know that on Monday, your buddy’s wife seeking to surprise him, bought a Blue Ray disc player and while trying to hook it up he flipped it over on the floor 6 hours before the biggest football game of the year. Needless to say you walked face first into a dormant family feud, the context of which really haven’t fully grasped.

Setting The Scene
The same is true with the scene we have before us today. We won’t fully grasp the significance of Jesus’ actions unless we understand the context of the family disagreement. Last week Ricky walked us through the  significance of Jesus’ miracle at the wedding in Cana of Galilee. He pointed out the fact that the miracle was to highlight the joy that Jesus would bring to his people through his death on the the cross. This week we see a drastic shift in the temperament of Jesus. On the surface it seems that Jesus is flipping out like a redneck during a WCW wrestling match. But when we understand that the motivation of Jesus’ actions are rooted in thousands of years of Jewish history, the scene makes more sense and the gospel hope Jesus offers meets us at our place of deepest need.

The Temple & The Mission of God (John 2:13-14)
Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business.

The Passover
The Passover was the most important Jewish feast, commemorating God’s dramatic deliverance of the Jews from Egypt on the night of the exodus, when the angel of death “passed over” the firstborn in the homes of those whose doorpost had been marked with blood (Exodus 12, esp. 12:14-16). Furthermore, the Passover linked with the exodus became the supreme image of God’s grace, mercy, and commitment to the covenant He made with Abraham–the father of the Jewish people. The Passover was one of the three annual feasts that all Jewish men were to celebrate in Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 16:16). This magnifies Jesus’ actions that take place during one of the most important and highly publicized time in the life of Israel. So Jesus heads to Jerusalem during the passover and enters the temple.

The Tabernacle
In Exodus 25-31, we learn that detailed instructions were given to Moses by God for the building of a sanctuary (miqdas, “holy place” 25:8), a tabernacle (miskan, “dwelling” 25:9), so that God himself could dwell among them (sakan). The divine presence of God was not to be linked to any image because they saw “no form of any kind” when God spoke to them at Hereb (Dt. 4:14). Exodus 25 then provides the specification for the ark that was to be kept in the tabernacle and details the items which were kept near the ark, namely the table for the “bread of the presence” and the lampstand. In the OT the tabernacle and its content were specifically the symbol of God’s continued presence with his people (Nu.10:33-36; 1 Sa. 4:3-9). Since the ark was a chest that containing the tablets of the covenant (10 Commandments), it clearly represented the words of God and by extension the rule of God over the people (Ex. 25:10-22; Dt. 10:1-5). Thus the tabernacle as a whole was supposed to provide a portable expression of God’s presence with the people, to be located at the very center of Israel’s camp so that worship would be the focus of their life as they traveled for Sinai to the promise land (Ex. 40:36-38; Nu. 2). The complex sacrificial system represents the idea that his people could not relate to God on their own terms, but rather God was a King and there was protocol to entering to His holy presence.

The Temple
Just as the tabernacle played a significant role in the early history of Israel, the temple became prominent during the time of David. When the Lord anointed David as king over Israel and blessed David’s attempt to bring the ark into Jerusalem, the implication was that He was adopting David’s city as his sanctuary- the new center of Israel’s life and worship (2 Sa. 6). The temple was finally built by Solomon, but it is easy to see that while the location of the temple was now fixed, the purpose and function of the temple remained. Keeping with the tradition of the exodus God dedicated His new temple much like he did the tabernacle before (1 Ki. 8:1-21). We read that,

“When the priest withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord. And the     priest could not perform their services because of the cloud, the the glory of the Lord filled the     temple.”

(vv.8-11; cf. Ex. 40:35-34). Solomon took this as a sign that the Lord had meant to make the temple his special dwelling and there to reveal His glory as in the tabernacle.

The Failure of Israel
Although the temple was the meeting place of God and man and the symbol of the presence and rule of God for over the people, it was not and certain unconditional. The prophets warned the people that the gift of God with them was contingent on their obedience to the covenant God made with them. If they remained disobedient to the covenant and disregarded the right worship of God then judgment would come by the hand of the Lord Himself. 1 and 2 Kings shows how the function of the temple was corrupted and diminished first by the division of the kingdom and then progressively by the failure of the leaders. When Jerusalem and the temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BC and the Jews were taken captive (2 Ki. 25), this was seen by the prophets as the inevitable result of the rejection of God’s rule by his people. Ezekiel insists that the loss of the temple meant the departure of the glory of God and, with the loss of the presence of God, there was no longer blessing and protection from God on behalf of the people (Ezk. 9:3; 10:4-5; 11:23; 11:16).

Hope of a Better Temple
With the loss of the temple of God and with it the presence and provision of God their King, due to their sin failure Israel never realized or lived up to the purpose for which they were chosen by God. God’s covenant with Abraham carried with it His desire for his people to be a blessing to the nations, but instead the nation rather saw the failure of Israel and the judgment of God. Instead of being a place where the nations would be drawn to worship the one true God, Israel brought shame on God there King. Fast forwarding to the time of Jesus though the temple had been rebuilt by Nehemiah, Ezra, and was currently being rebuilt it never returned to the place it had as the place where God revealed His glory. There was great expectation that the Messiah would come establish a new temple where the presence of God would dwell and the nations would worship.

Failure & The Fornication of False Worship (John 2:15-17)
When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”

The Continued Failure of Israel
So Jesus enters the temple and thousands of years of jewish failure is on display before his eyes. At first glance, two groups are portrayed as the target of Jesus’ anger: the sellers of cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers. Those who are selling animals are driven out and those who are exchanging money have their tables flipped and their money scattered. It is true that the message is one of judgement: Jesus’ anger is unleashed against those who are defiling the pure worship of God. But it is not simply the existence of selling animals and the exchange of money that Jesus has beef with.

For instance, the sale of animals was a valuable service for those who traveled to the Passover from afar, allowing them to buy their sacrifices in Jerusalem rather than carrying them for a far distance. Likewise the money changers allowed the males coming to the temple to pay the temple tax in the proper currency. So the existence of the merchants and the money changers is not necessarily the focus of Jesus’ anger but rather the primary issue was that they were set up in,  and he faults the merchants and the money changers for disrupting Gentile worship in the only place that was open to them- the court of the Gentiles- which was par for the course for Israel who made a living defaming the name of God before the nations. This is what Paul is hitting at later in the book of Romans when after he describes the self-centeredness and hypocrisy of Israel, states: “You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?  For it is written, the name of the Lord is blasphemed because of you”  which is also the consensus  of the OT prophets like Ezekiel that reminded Israel that, “His holy name was blasphemed among the nations wherever you went.”

Our Continual Failures
But before you or I look down our noses at the failure of Israel to rightly worship God or the failure of Israel to bring God glory in the midst of those who are yet to know God through the way they live their lives, let’s look at ourselves. What are some ways we dishonor the name of Jesus among those who do not know him?

I see three specific failures that we exhibit that look a lot like the failure of Israel:

1. Fashioning For Ourselves False Gods. During the exodus while Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the words of God the children of Israel are seeking to confine God to something they could see and control build for themselves a false God in the form of a golden calf. I believe the underlining sin here was that the people desire to have a God that would give them license to do what ever they wish. The would rather God would bow to them than they bow to God. So they essentially wanted to be their own God. The same is true with us. Some deny the authority of God outright by refusing to accept the God the bible. We affirm the love, mercy and forgiveness of God, while denying God’s ability exercise judgement on our sin, wrath on rebellion, or His ability to condemn or sinful actions. Still others deny the authority of God subtly. We are willing to submit to the rule of God in our lives as long as it does not interfere with the way we want to live our lives. We go to church, nod our heads, say amen but outright deny the rule of in the way we manage our homes, the way we utilize our fiances and possessions, or our willingness to participate in the mission of God to reach our neighbors and friends for the sake of the gospel.
2. The Habitual Trading of God For Other Gods. The book of Judges chronicles Israel cycle of apostasy or the falling away from God. Israel, rather than worship God, would turn to other gods that would meet their temporal needs. God would send other nations to judge Israel. They would then cry out to God. God, in his mercy, would raise up a deliverer to save them, but immediately they would turn back to the other Gods. So they essentially used God. The same is true with us. We would rather have a substitute for God, little functional saviors that can meet our temporal needs. We really only run to God when the bottom drops out of our world. Relationships serve as our savior until the other person leaves for no apparent reason. Our career is our savior until one day we walk into the office, get called into the boss’ office and he cans us. Academic success serves as our savior until we don’t get into the grad school we want. When these false Gods and functional saviors don’t deliver we immediately run to God to get what we want, though what we want is anything but God.
3. Religious Arrogance & The Exploitation of Grace. Throughout the history of Israel we see that that the nation quickly forgot that their status as the people of God was not based on their own ability, greatness, or prominence, but rather the sovereign grace and mercy of God. Thus they readily use their status as the chosen people of God to exclude those who were far from God. They continually forgot that they were meant to be a blessing to the world. So they essentially disregarded the grace of God. The same is true with us. We are recipients of grace. We were all dead and rebellious toward God and for no reason God saved us. But we so quickly forget. Our friends that we use to run with we now ridicule. Our family members that we used to love we now disregard because they just don’t get it. We seek to hold people to standards we don’t keep ourselves. The worst of all we call it Christianity. This is not Christianity, it is religion. Why? Because the Christian remembers the reason that he can see the beauty of Christ is because of grace, the reason he no longer wants the same things from life is because of grace, and the reason that he can enter in to the presence of God though he is a failure is because of grace. Thus the true Christian does not look down his nose at others, but rather just as he was pursued  by grace, he pursues his friends, family, and neighbors with grace.

Jesus Seeks to Restore Right Worship
So Jesus regulates the defaming of the worship of God in the temple. Jesus’ actions could be seen as a fulfillment of the prophet Zechariah’s prophecy that “on that day there will no longer be merchants in the house of the Lord Almighty.” (14:21)  Or it calls into remembrance the words of Malachi that on the coming day of judgment, “suddenly the Lord will…come to his temple” so that the people may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the Lord. (3:1-3)
Jesus’ actions also stir the disciples’ memory of how the “righteous suffer” of Ps. 69:9, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.” Jesus’ actions reflect the same “zeal” the Lord himself had for His own Holy name.” (Is. 59:17; Ezek. 39:25)

The True Temple & The Cultivation of a People (John 2:18-22)
So the Jews answered and said to Him, “What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking of the temple of His body. Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.

The Blindness of the Jews
We see quickly the contrast between the disciples who saw Jesus’ actions as a sign or fulfillment of Jesus’ role as the Messiah who would return the right worship of God to Israel and the Jews who blindly missed the significance of the event. The Jews had every right to demand a sign of authority from Jesus as the disciples just show that the proverbial proof was in the pudding. In this case Jesus proceeds to elaborate on the significance of the act he just performed. Jesus says, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

The Tabernacle & John
This statement highlights the significance John places on the concept of worship in relation to the temple in his gospel.  His point is that the divine presence of God is no longer bound to certain building or geographic location. But as we learn in John 1, “the Word who was in the beginning with God and was God…became flesh” and took up temporary residence among us. This terminology is very similar to the language of the “tabernacle” in the OT.   John goes on to say, that we have seen his glory, glory as the one and only Son who has come from the Father, full of grace and truth. So John’s point is that in Jesus the glory of God has returned to the people of God. Ezekiel’s vision of the glory of God filling the restored temple is fulfilled in Jesus. God has pitched His ultimate tabernacle in the flesh of Jesus.

The Temple & John
So as we come to chapter 2 John makes it more clear that Jesus is the replacement of the temple. He is the house of prayer for all nations by nature of his death and resurrection. Jesus is the ultimate expression of the presence of God who is actually dwelling among his people. In the body of Jesus the ultimate passover sacrifice is displayed. No longer is the temple the place where the sacrificial offering for sin is made because through the death of Jesus the ultimate sacrifice was paid. What hope! What joy! What forgiveness! In one sense Jesus’ actions in the temple confront our failure to rightly worship God but in the same breath he provides the only way for us to rightly worship God. Just like the OT failures of Israel caused the destruction of the physical temple, all our sin failures caused the destruction of the true temple Jesus. Unlike the physical temple that took 40 years to build Jesus was raised in 3 days. The physical temple was destined to be destroyed again but the true temple Jesus will never be destroyed, and we have life through him.

Jesus Was Jesus Centered
One of the most interesting things about Jesus’ teachings is that he constantly talked about Himself. It is true that he talked about other things like the fatherhood of God and the kingdom of God. But, he added that he was the Father’s, “Son” and he had come to bring God’s kingdom to earth and entry into that kingdom depended on men’s response to Him. He even did not hesitate to call the kingdom of God, “My kingdom.” The self-centeredness of the teaching of Jesus immediately sets him apart from all the other religious teachers of the world. When other leaders pointed people away from themselves saying, “that is the truth,” Jesus pointed people to himself saying, “I am the truth.” You can not read the gospel and not be smacked in the face by Jesus’ use of personal pronouns. For example:

• And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. John 6:35
• Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12
• Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26
• Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6
• Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me…” Matthew 11:28-29

Jesus frequently asked his followers the question, “Who do they say that I am?” He readily affirmed that Abraham (The Father of the Jewish Nation) rejoiced to see his day, and  that the great jewish prophet Moses wrote about him. In Mark 8:29, he stated that the three fold division of the OT- the law, prophets, and writings bore witness that they were “things concerning himself.” The gospel of Luke, describes the dramatic scene when Jesus visited the synagogue in his home town of Nazareth and he was given a scroll from the OT to read and he found the place in the book of Isaiah where it was written:

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,
Because the LORD has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn…” Isaiah 61:1-2

After he was finished he returned the scroll to the attendant and sat down. All the eyes of the congregation were on him, and he broke the silence with the amazing words, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”  In other words he was saying, Isaiah wrote this about me.

With such a high opinion of himself, it is not surprising that he called people to himself. Jesus did more than offer invitations, he issued commands–“come to me,” “follow me.” He promised to those who came that he would lift their burdens, satisfy their hunger, and quench the thirst of their dry souls (Matt.11:28-30; Jn. 6:35; 7:37). His followers were to believe in him and confess him before men. What is interesting is that these men recognized the right of Jesus to make such steep demands and claims. In the letters of Paul, Peter, James, and Jude they delight to call themselves his slaves. Jesus made himself the object of their faith and love. When most would say “believe in God”, Jesus said “believe in me.”  “This is the work of God,” he declared “that you believe in him who he has sent” (John 6). The first and greatest commandment was to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind. Yet Jesus made the outrageous claim that men should supremely love him. Luke 14:26. In one more flash of egocentricity, Jesus predicted: “I, when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men to myself.” Jesus saw his death and trusted in his death as a magnet and door way that would draw people in.

Jesus’ Direct Claims Of Deity
Jesus clearly believed himself to be the Messiah the OT predicted. He had come to establish the kingdom of God that the prophets had promised for hundreds of years. He assumed the title “Son of Man” which was a recognized Messianic title derived originally from the visions of the prophet Daniel and also the accepted descriptions as the “Son of God”  a messianic tittle taken from Ps. 2:7. He also interpreted his mission on earth as that of the suffering servant described later in Isaiah, who would bear the weight of the sins of people and ultimately usher in the “new heavens and earth.” Matthew 13:16  records the event of Peter confessing faith in Jesus as the Christ. Peter came to recognize that Jesus was not merely just another prophet that was pointing to something greater, but rather Jesus was the one all the prophets were pointing to. In other words, Jesus was not just another sign post but rather he was the destination all the signs were pointing to. These claims are not just in reference to Jesus’ messiahship but his deity. For example his claim to be the Son of God, described the unique and eternal relationship that with God. We see this first, in the close association with God as his Father. Even as a boy he astonished his human parents by his uncompromising desire to be about his Father’s business. And then he made such statements as the following:

• “But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.” John  5:17
• “I and My Father are one.” John 10:30
• “Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father..” John 14:9

“Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.” John 14 :10, 11
We see the implication of this concept of Jesus being the Son of God in the anger of the Jewish leadership  in John 19:7,  “He made himself the Son of God.”  So close was his identification with God that it was natural to equate what people think of him with their attitude toward God. Thus:

1. To know him was to know God (John 8:19)
2. To see him was to see God (John 14:7)
3. To believe in him was to believe in God (John 12:45)
4. To receive him is to receive God (14:9)
5. To hate him is to hate God (John 12:44)
6. To honour him was to honour God (John 14:1)

There are some general claims which he made to a unique relationship to God, and also he made two direct claims. The first is in the eighth chapter of John. In a controversy with the Jews, He said; “Truly truly I say to you whoever keeps my words he will never taste death.” This was too much for his critics. “Abraham died”, they exploded, “as did the prophets;…Are you greater than our Father Abraham…? Who do you claim to be?” “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day,” Jesus replied. The Jews were confused. “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus replies with one of the most amazing statements in the NT, “Truly truly I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” Then they picked up a stone to kill him. In the Law of Moses, stoning was the penalty for blasphemy. Why were Jesus’ words so controversial? First the “I am” claim was one of eternal existence. Secondly,  “I am was the divine name of God, revealed to Moses at the burning bush. Thus the tittle here was taken by Jesus himself. In fact, there are 17 “I am” statements in the book of John (5 direct and 12 metaphorical). The second example of a direct claim of deity took place after the resurrection of Jesus, when Thomas went to see Jesus before he would believe that Jesus was alive. Jesus showed up and told Thomas to touch him. Thomas preceded to fall at the feet of Jesus and worship him and cry our “my Lord my God.” Jesus accepted the designation. He rebuked Thomas for unbelief, not for worshiping him.

Jesus Indirect Claims of Deity
Jesus’ claims to deity does not stop at the direct claims but also the indirect claims build a lofty case for Jesus being God. On many occasions Jesus exercised function properly reserved for God. Of these I will mention four:

1. The first was the claim that he had the ability to forgive sins. On two separate occasions Jesus forgave a sinner (Mark 2:1-12; Luke 7:36-50). The first time a paralytic was brought to Jesus by his friend through the roof of a house. Jesus saw that his greatest need was spiritual and surprised the crowd by saying to him, “My son your sins are forgiven.” The second instance was a women who was known to be immoral. Jesus was eating a meal in a Pharisee’s house when she came up to him as he reclined at the table, and washed his feet with her tears and dried them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with oil. And Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” On both cases the bystanders commented, “Who is this? What type of blasphemy is this? Who can forgive sin but God only?”
2. The second claim was that he was the source of life. He described himself as the “bread of life”, “the life”, and the “resurrection and the life.” He described the dependance of his followers on him as sustenance that a vine provides to the branches. He offered “living water” to the Samaritan women and eternal life to the rich young ruler if he would follow him. He called himself the good shepherd that not only lays down his life for his sheep but gives them life. He told the people that God had given him authority over all flesh that he should give life. “The Son gives life to whom He wills.” (John 6:35; 14:6; 11:25; 15:4,5; 4:10-15; Mark 10:17, 21; John 10:28; 17:2; 5:21).
3. The third claim was that he taught the truth. It was not so much the truth he taught as it was the manner and authority in which he taught them. The people who heard him were impressed with his wisdom. Jesus’ authority was not like a scribe or even the normal prophet. Scribes never taught without quoting their authority. Prophets spoke with the authority of God. But Jesus claimed an authority of His own. His formula was not “Thus says the Lord.”, but “Truly truly I say to you.”  He did acknowledge His Father as the source but he spoke with great assurance. He never hesitated or apologized.
4. The fourth claim was that he would judge the world. This was probably one of the most fantastic statements of Jesus. Several of his parables (stories that have a deeper spiritual meaning) implied that the end of world would wait for him to return and judge. He will sit on the throne of his glory and the  judgement will be committed to him by his Father. Some will be invited to inherit the kingdom and others will hear, “Depart from me you are cursed into the eternal fire” (Matt. 25:31-46). Not only will Jesus be the judge, but criterion for judgment will be how you responded to Jesus.”He who believes in him will have life but those who do not believe are condemned already.” (John 3:16-19).

Jesus’ Dramatized Claims of Deity
Finally we have Jesus’ miracles which have been described as his dramatized claims. We will not argue the purpose and possibility of miracles. But, it is safe to say that the value of Christ’s miracles lies less in their supernatural power and more in spiritual reality. They function as parables of the acts of Jesus. This means that the sign or miracle, like a parable points to a deeper spirituality and reveals facets of the person of Jesus.

John saw this clearly when he constructed his gospel which is constructed around 7 signs that point to who Jesus is in order that you might believe in him. The first sign was the changing of the water to wine at the wedding feast in John 2. The purpose was that we would see the contrast of the dead religion of the Jews with the joy that Jesus was able to create as the Messiah. Similarly the feeding of the 5,000 illustrated his ability to meet the deepest hunger of the human heart. A little later he opened the eyes of a blind man after previously saying, “I am the light of the world.” Finally he brought a man back to life named Lazarus who had been dead for four days and claimed he was “the resurrection and the life.”

Jesus God? So What?
As think through my life and the stages that brought me to where I am at today three profound things in relation to Jesus claim of deity stand out:

• If Jesus is God then I have a tangible expression of God that meets my empirical need to know God.

When I was younger I was a skeptic and to a certain extent I still am today. I needed tangible evidence for my friends claim of God. I want to see God. So for me the notion that Jesus is God was amazing. Now I can see through the scriptures that God was one who love relentlessly, sympathizes immediately, and cares fully for all my needs. He is the God who entered into time and space and proved Himself through His life, death, and resurrection.

• If Jesus is God then I finally have someone to worship that is worthy of all my affections.

Prior to knowing Jesus I was a huge hedonist. I wanted to experience the full extent of pleasure, so I sought to fill my life with sex, drugs, and extreme things. I know now that I really was seeking to fill this deep desire to worship. I needed something that could fill my ravenous soul. The problem was everything I tried fell short and left me empty. But when I was found by Jesus, I for the first time had someone who was worthy of my deep affections. It was precisely because Jesus was God that my infinite desire to express worship was fill in Christ.

• If Jesus is God then I finally have someone that can erase my guilt and failure.

It was not to long before I relieved that I was a failure and a hypocrite. I held people to standard I could not meet myself. I sinned constantly against myself and others. I hurt people. I was selfish. I belittled the standard of God with my life. But if Jesus is God then he is big enough to bear and erase my failure through his death on the cross. He is my only hope to meet God because he is the God who met me in my deepest need.

Jesus is God… Believe by HIS grace!

Introduction
If you remember in John 1:6-7, John the Baptist was briefly introduced as one who was sent by God to bear witness to this great “Light” that was a personification of Jesus and his work.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

John 1:19-51 marks a shift from the prologue that describes in detail, Jesus who was the Word that was with God and was God, the ultimate expression and revealer of the grace and truth of God. Now we see more fully the ministry of John the Baptist and unique role He played in introducing the Son of God, Jesus, to the world.

“Madam Speaker, The President of the United States”
Last Wednesday, the President gave his “Sate Of The Union Address.” No matter what your political bend, the “State of the Union Address” is a reminder of the beauty of the American Democratic process, in which our elected leader is called to stand and address the state of our country before the people who vested him with power. My favorite part is when the President is introduced to the Speaker of the House by what they call the House of Representatives’ Sergeant-at-Arms. Imagine the honor it would be to introduced to the governmental leaders, people of the United States, and the watching world as the President of the United States.

The ministry of John the Baptist was much like that of the “Sergeant-at-Arms.” He was given the honor of introducing King Jesus to his people. Additionally, like the “Sergeant-at- Arms” after the introduction is made, he quick pointed others to Jesus and moved off the scene. So, today we are going to take look at the ministry of John the Baptist. As we do this, I want you see that like John the Baptist, we have been sent by God to give  witness to the greatness of Jesus and direct others to follow Him.

John The Baptist Prepares The Way For Jesus (John 1:19-27)
“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.” …”

A Portrait Of A Servant Of Jesus

• Servants of Jesus Have A Right Understanding of Identity

John the Baptist’s ministry takes place during a time of great expectation as many Jews were waiting for a greater Son of David to come. This messianic hope was widespread in 1st century Palestine. However the people were not necessarily united in their expectation, nor were these necessarily in keeping with the biblical prediction. The current text reveals some of the things the religious leaders and people of that time expected in reference to the messiah. We are told in John 1:19 that, “the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”  John tells them clearly who He is not! He states emphatically that he is not the promised Messiah, which was interesting during his day because most religiously leaders who began to have a following usually played the Messiah card. At his denial of being the Christ, the priest asks him, “Are you Elijah?.”  This is appropriate in that John had the demeanor of a prophet , and even resembled Elijah in his rugged lifestyle. Jesus himself, affirms in the Synoptic Gospels that John was Elijah. Still here, John denies literally being Elijah. John does this possibly to discount some of the unbiblical expectations surrounding the expectation of Elijah in the last days. Finally, they ask him if He is “The Prophet.” The Jews had an expectation of a “greater Prophet” than Moses that would come. This was rooted in Moses’ words in Deuteronomy 18:15.

Application
John’s ability to discern who he was not established for him a clear understanding of who he was in relation to Jesus and the mission given to him by God. This principle that Servants of Jesus Have A Right Understanding of Identity is invaluable as we navigate our lives as followers of Jesus. Too many of us root our identity in areas that ultimately veil, sidetrack, or harm our true identify in Jesus. For example, some of you are seeking to root your identity in the opposite sex. You think that if you could only find someone to love or be attracted to you then you would be happy. Still, others of root their identity in their place in society. You think if you could only get your degree, get into grade school, or get the right job then you would have value in the eyes of others. Ultimately, these pursuits are empty idols that bring no lasting joy. You were created for one purpose alone–to worship, serve, and root your identity in the person and work of Jesus. So this question, “Who are you?” raised to John by the Jews is relevant to us. And the way we answer it will effect every aspect of the way we live our lives.

• Servants of Jesus Orient Their Lives For The Mission

Following John’s declaration of who he is not, then he affirms who he is. Quoting the prophet Isaiah he states, “I am ‘ The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “ Make straight the way of the LORD,”’  In other words, John sees himself as one who is testifying to a new exodus, announcing that God Himself would rescue his people who are in captivity, like in the days of Moses. Keeping with the OT context, John sees preparing the way for God to come and exiles to return from their place of captivity as central to his mission. This “making straight” like in the book of Isaiah involved the people of God repenting of their sins and idolatry. Later in Isaiah, we see that this repentance would usher in a “Servant” (Is. 52-42) that would bring a greater deliverance and ultimately a “new heaven and earth” (Is. 65-66). This message of repentance is seen in his ministry of baptism. When John reveals his identity as the one who prepares the way for God Himself to come rescue the people of God, the group representing the Pharisees asks him why he is baptizing if he is not Christ, Elijah, or the Prophet. John defends his ministry of baptism as a symbol of a repentant heart, then he roots his authority in Jesus who will come and baptize with the Spirit, renewing the hearts of men.

Application
John was committed to the mission he had been given by God, to prepare the way for the salvation of God. Like John, there is a sense where we have this same ministry. God has placed us in the wilderness of culture to “cry out” and call to our friends, family, co-workers and classmates to repent and receive the salvation that God offers in Jesus. The question is are you “crying out?? Where is your wilderness? Are you standing in the face of opposition? Servants of Jesus Orient Their Lives For The Mission.

• Servants of Jesus Find Significance In Obscurity

John’s affirmation of His mission stops short of claiming fame for himself. Instead He states, “It is He who is coming after me that is preferred before me, whose sandal straps I am not worthy to loose.” In Jewish culture, the loosing of sandal straps was a task for slaves. Though a rabbi was meant to be honored in every way by his disciple, the loosing of sandal straps was not included in his task. For example, Rabbi Joshua (250 a.d.) taught,  “All manners of service a slave renders his master, the pupil renders to his teacher, except the taking off of his shoes.” However, John saw himself as unworthy to loose Jesus’ sandal– a task too menial for even slaves. John believed that his significance was established in his slave-like service to the coming Messiah.

Application
For the most part, our culture teaches that significance comes through making a name for yourself. John found worth in making the name of Jesus great. Thus, Servants of Jesus Find Significance In Obscurity. How do you respond when you are overlooked? Does it bring you joy to elevate Christ over your own natural desire to be seen and regarded?

John The Baptist Proclaims The Identity Of Jesus (John 1:28-34)
“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and 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 did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.” And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not 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.”

The Prophet Moses Promises
The next day John reveals the identity of Jesus as the Messiah, the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.”  The “Lamb” was an image rich in OT meaning that pointed to the fulfillment of God’s promise, forgiveness of sins,  and deliverance from exile.

• Jesus: The One-Of-A-Kind Son

The gospel of John has already pointed to Jesus being the “One-of-a-kind Son” that is at the Father’s side (John 1:14).  In the mind of 1st century Jews this language harkens back to the book of Genesis and the account of Abraham and Isaac. The parallel is seen more fully in John 3 where the Father like Abraham offers up His Son Jesus. But unlike Abraham, the Father offered his only Son and unlike Isaac, Jesus suffered death for sin.

• Jesus: The Passover Lamb

Jesus is also pictured in the gospels as the “Passover Lamb.” Jesus Himself points to this typology in the Lord’s Supper, which was uniquely tied to the Passover meal, that commemorated the great rescue of the people of God during the exodus. It was also often viewed by many Jews as deliverance from the power of sin.

Jesus: The Suffering Servant
This language also is similar to that of Isaiah 53. The parallels in verse 7 (“like a lamb led to slaughter”  LXX amnos as in John) and verse 11 (“He shall bear their iniquities”) are particularly striking. John’s “take away” language corresponds with the Hebrew term translated “bear” in the NRSV. The gospel writer probably has in mind the setting aside of sin but the expiatory death of Jesus.

Application
I think is easy to see from the portrait of a servant of Jesus that we as followers of Jesus fail to live up to this standard. We are rebellious and sinful, treasonous to God, desiring to run our own live. But in John’s confession of the identity of Jesus, we so the solution to our sin failure. “Behold the Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world” As we behold Jesus we see that while we constantly fail, Jesus never fails to serve completely the Father, making Him the only one that can absorb the wrath we deserve for sin. What hope in exchange for our failure!

John The Baptist Points His Disciples To Jesus (John 1:35-51)
“Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour). One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother…”

John 1:35-51 chronicles the the decrease and transition of John’s disciples to Jesus. John’s witness of Jesus as the “lamb of God” causes His disciples to begin to follow Jesus. This statement effectively marks the end of John as the Baptist’s significance in redemptive history. Similarly to Moses, John the Baptist “brought salvation history to a boundary he himself could not cross (Matt. 11;11).” We can glean several principles about an effective witness of Jesus from the life of John and the call of Jesus.

Gospel Centered Evangelism

• Gospel Centered Evangelism: Jesus Is The Draw

The disciples are drawn to Jesus 1st by the right understanding of His person as testified by John. John rightly communicated Jesus as the “lamb of God”, the “Son of God”, who existed before the foundation of the world (‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ). Later they discerned for themselves that Jesus was the one “Moses in the Law and the prophets wrote about” that  believe that Jesus was the “Son of God, the King of Israel.” Thus as we give witness to Jesus we must remember to give a biblically faithful portrait of Jesus. Jesus in not a moral teacher, a sympathetic sissy, or a genie in the bottle waiting for us rub Him so He can grant our selfish wishes. He is the Son of God, the King of Israel.

• Gospel Centered Evangelism: Takes In Consideration The Person

It is interesting to note Jesus calls His disciples in several unique ways: 1. Jesus Gathers John  & Andrew Through Curiosity (John 1:35-40). John gives witness to Jesus as the Lamb of God.  John and Andrew begin to follow Him, then Jesus beckons Andrew and John to come and investigate more about Him. 2. Jesus Gathers Peter Through Witness (John 1:41-42). Peter hears about Jesus through the testimony of Andrew who appeals to his understanding of the Scripture to woo Peter to follow Jesus. 3. Jesus Gathers Philip Through Boldness (John 1:43). Jesus just says “Bring it” (obviously a euphemism for the sake of contextualization). 4. Jesus Gathers Nathanael Through Overcoming Doubt (1:44-50) Philip finds Nathanael and testifies of Jesus, but Nathanael doubts the validity of Jesus because of his Nazarene birth. Jesus then shows him His power in revealing his knowledge of His character.

• Gospel Centered Evangelism: Commands Commitment

It is impossible to read the Gospel of John and not find yourself captivated and drawn in by John’s arguments and presentation of the person of Jesus. One striking element John employs is the use of questions by the characters in the narrative to challenge the reader. One of the most powerful is heard in the narrative of Jesus’ call to the disciples. The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?”  This question jumps off the page, uncovering motives and challenging us to commit to the true identity of Jesus.