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Monday, August 9, 2010

Bible Study on John 1:19-34 The Testimony of Baptist John

As we study John 1:19-34, here are the questions that we want to find the answers to.
  1. Who investigated John? What did it imply?
  2. Who is John the Baptist? What did he do?  What is his mission?
  3. What did John the Baptist say about Jesus?
  4. What about you? What is your calling or purpose in life?
Q1 Who investigated John? What did it imply?
The investigation team was sent from the HQ in Jerusalem by the Pharisees. John 1:19-24   
The team of investigators was highly qualified people - priests and Levites from Jerusalem. They were not any lay people from some unknown towns.
This means it was an important affair. It was done not by one person but by many qualified domain experts. It was a finding that should be taken seriously. They did not consider John the Baptist as a lunatic to be ignored but as a prophet to be listened to. They were there to investigate and report back. Hence, what John said was to be believed.

Q2 Who is John the Baptist? What did he do?  What is his mission?
John was clear in declaring his mission in life. He started with who he was not to clarify the various rumors about him.
  1. “I am not the Christ.” 1:20
  2. “I am not Elijah.” 1:21
  3. "I am No Prophet" 1:21
He is the one who witnessed and proclaimed Jesus to the world.
  1. “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 
  2. ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” 1:23
  3. “I baptize with water to attract Jesus to him and all to Jesus 1:26,33 John created a following and point the following to Jesus.
  4. that he might be revealed to Israel.” 1:31
His testimony:
  1. I did not know Him 1:26,31,33
  2. I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 1:32
  3. He who sent me  said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 1:33 
  4. (Who is the He that tells John? Did not the Investigation Team question this? They did and did consider John as a prophet.)
Q3 What did John the Baptist say about Jesus?
  1. the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 1:29
  2. the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie. 1:27
  3. the man who ranks before me, because he was before me 1:30
  4. He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. 1:33
  5. this is the Son of God. 1:34
Q4 What about you? What is your calling or purpose in life?
    What you are? What you are not?

A created being does not know his purpose in life. He must ask his Creator, what he is created for. Jesus comes to reveal the purpose and calling of man. His purpose and our calling in life are the same things. Our purpose in life is to know Jesus, the Son of God, and to have an eternal relationship with Him. Simply put, to know our Creator and live with Him. That is the starting point, knowing Jesus as our God who loves us and who has created us for a unique purpose. It takes us an earthly life to find out our journey and destination in life. God will reveal step by step in detail. Experience the love of God and trust in Him to lead and provide for you. Christ saved us for good work. You are wonderfully created and loved and are a glorious witness for Him as did John the Baptist. Not in a worldly sense and worldly value, but precious and valuable from His sight. ref Eph 2:8-10. Not forget about the v10, We are His masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them. We are no accident but intentionally created a masterpiece. Find out what you are called to be...


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