John the Baptist Proclaims Jesus as the Messiah
John Identifies Jesus as the Messiah
John 1:29–34
29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30This is the One I told you about: ‘After me comes a man who has surpassed me, because He existed before me.’ 31I didn’t know Him, but I came baptizing with water so He might be revealed to Israel.”
32And John testified, “I watched the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He rested upon Him. 33I didn’t know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The One on whom you see the Spirit descending and resting—He is the One baptizing in the Holy Spirit.’ 34I have seen and testified that He is the Son of God!”[1]
[1] Knight, G. W. (2001). A simplified harmony of the Gospels (pp. 31–32). Holman Bible Publishers.
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- What did it mean to the original reader or original audience?
- Harmony of the Gospels on Founder's Passion
- Parallel Gospels = Luke's Explanation of His Own Research
- Harmony of the Four Gospels on Step Bible (After going to the site, click on resources on the top menu. Then click on Harmony of the Gospels to locate the section you want.
- Harmony of the Gospels on BlueLetterBible.org
Summarize the main story: Describe the events of the scriptural story in your own words.
Review and retell the story.
(JOHN 1:19-51)
John the writer describes the ministry of John the Baptist and others.
Facts Concerning the Incarnate Christ (1:6–51)
A. The men (1:6–9, 15–51)
1. Christ’s faithful forerunner (1:6–9, 15–34)
a. John the Baptist and the Crowds (1:6–9, 15–18): John makes three key statements to the people.
b. John the Baptist and the Christ (1:29–34)
(1) He introduces the Savior (1:29–31).
(2) He baptizes the Savior (1:32–34).
Every morning and evening, a lamb was sacrificed in the Temple for the sins of the people (Exodus 29:38-42). Isaiah 53:7 prophesied that the Messiah, God's servant, would be led to the slaughter like a lamb. To pay the penalty for sin, a life had to be given—and God chose to provide the sacrifice himself. The sins of the world were removed when Jesus died as the perfect sacrifice. This is the way our sins are forgiven (1 Corinthians 5:7). The "world's sin" means everyone's sin, the sin of each individual. Jesus paid the price of your sin by his death. You can receive forgiveness by confessing your sin to him and asking for his forgiveness.
John the Baptist's baptism with water was preparatory, because it was for repentance and symbolized the washing away of sins. Jesus, by contrast, would baptize with the Holy Spirit. He would send the Holy Spirit upon all believers, empowering them to live and to teach the message of salvation. This outpouring of the Spirit came after Jesus had risen from the dead and ascended into heaven (see 20:22; Acts 2).
- God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
- We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
- How does John finally answer their question about his baptism (John 1:30-31)? What does he mean by calling Jesus the "Lamb of God" (John 1:29; see Exodus 12:1-13; Isaiah 53:7) and the "Son of God" (John 1:34)? What proof supports these claims (Psalm 2:7)?
- How could you incorporate the submissive, sacrificial lifestyle of the Lamb of God into your own life? Which of the titles for Jesus given so far (the Word, the Light, the Christ, the Lamb of God, the Son of God) means the most to you? Why?
- What does baptism mean to you? What about baptism with the Holy Spirit?
- I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
- What transformative move needs to be made?
- You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.
Take Away Challenges
What has the Holy Spirit revealed to you in this passage? How will you apply it to your life this week?
Whom do you know who needs to hear this?
What is God bringing to your attention in this discussion? What beliefs, thoughts, or actions need to be addressed or changed?
PRAYER: In the Name of Jesus.
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A FIRM FOUNDATION
Dr. Joe Pettigrew
“The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is 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 ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.” John 1:29-34
One thing I always notice when reading about great peacemakers, like Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, is that no matter how people praised them for the work they were doing, they dismissed the compliments and instead exuded a passion for working for the greater good. Their works were never about themselves but about emerging revolutions to raise awareness. What’s more, they knew their work was just the beginning. It was the forefront of great work that would come centuries after them.
The same was true for John the Baptist. In this passage, we find how praise and joy easily surrounded his presence, as many thought he was the savior at hand. However, John knew someone greater would follow—Christ.
John brought hope to those he baptized with water, but Jesus welcomed the Holy Spirit into his ministry, offering zeal, passion, and wisdom.
How do we like John find joy in that humility? We are so small in this amazing life journey. But this humility we can attain, this meekness we should embrace. Humility is not easy, especially when our personal goals, accomplishments, struggles, and ongoing growth often consume our every thought. Let us look to John, and our modern-day prophets, for embracing the humility and meekness with which we honor Christ and his works.
Thought of the Day: Accept yourself for what you are. You are a speck of sand and a mere glimpse in all God’s creation. Ask God to allow you to prepare those after you for Christ’s great works, rather than focusing on your own needs or achievements.
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