John 1:19-28

http://biblehub.com/parallelgospels/John_Witnesses_to_the_Committee_of_the_Sanhedrin.htm

The fear of man is something that all of us struggle to conquer.  We like to have the approval of others and are often willing to sacrifice our standards in order to gain it.  This fear can become even more prominent in our lives when we are dealing with authority figures.  The Jewish leaders became accustomed to wielding power.  John posed a threat to them because of the large number of people who were following him and being baptized by him.  John’s influence made them very uncomfortable and his lack of fear of them scared them.  John had already called the Scribes and Pharisees snakes when they had come out to him so now the leaders decide to send out a different group in the Priests and Levites.  It is ironic as well as emblematic that John causes the fear of man in the Jewish leaders so they try to intimidate John into fearing them.  If we are going to serve the Lord faithfully, others will fear us and will do all they can to get us to fear them.  Our ultimate goal is not to promote the idea that others fear us or that we fear others.  God wants us to fear Him and help others to understand that the fear of the Lord is the key to living life well. 

THE JEWS QUESTION JOHN’S IDENTITY: The Priests and Levites begin their interrogation of John by trying to get him to identify himself.  They ask him point blank if he is the Christ, Elijah or the Prophet.  The Old Testament predicted the coming of Messiah and the Jews were anxiously awaiting His coming as a means of gaining political independence from Rome.  They were expecting that Christ would come as King but John did not seem to fit that description.  They also believed from the Old Testament that Elijah would return as well as a special prophet that would come prior to the coming of Christ.  So they questioned John as to whether or not he was one of these.  John answers a resounding no to all three of these options.  In frustration they ask him who he might be so he answers by quoting Isaiah that he is a voice crying in the wilderness to make straight the way of the Lord.  John is not interested in promoting his own fame or claiming to be someone he is not.  He understood and accepted his role and he was not going to be intimidated by these powerful men.  The Jews had created expectations about the identity of Messiah because they had become very selective in their interpretation of Scripture.  The Old Testament clearly portrays the Messiah in two different manners.  He is presented as a suffering Savior as well as a reigning Ruler.  The first image was not one the interested them because they did not think that they were in need of a Savior.  They were far more interested in Jesus as King who would liberate them from Roman rule and, more importantly, promote them to even greater positions of power and influence.  John was not interested in their agenda but was there to promote the coming of Messiah to save men from sin so he called men to repent.  The Jewish leaders were not ready to even acknowledge their sin, much less repent of it.   

THE JEWS QUESTION JOHN’S ACTIVITY: Since John admitted that he was not Christ, Elijah or the Prophet the Levites and Priests turned to questioning his activity of baptizing.  John’s message was one of repentance and he baptized those who responded to that message with water.  This was the means by which he was preparing the hearts of the people for the arrival of Messiah.  Repentance in our hearts is the means by which we are prepared to receive Jesus by faith into our lives.  John was not out to make a big deal over what he was doing.  He makes it clear that the One coming after him was the One who was important.  Once again he states two things about Jesus.  First, he lets them know that Jesus is already amongst them but that they did not know Him.  Second, he lets them know that Jesus is far greater than he is; so much greater that he is not worthy of untying His sandals.  John was aware of his role in the coming of Messiah and had no desire to promote his own agenda in any way.  He was not about to back down from his position in order to appease the Jewish leaders.  He would not allow the fear of man to cause him to put himself up on a pedestal or to back down from that which God had called him to do.  We can learn much from this example.  As we participate in the mission that God is accomplishing on earth there will be times when we will be tempted to promote ourselves because of what God is doing through us.  We must not give in to this temptation.  There will be other times when people are offended by what we say and do and they will threaten us with harm or simply reject our message and ridicule us.  When this happens it is hard for us to stand firm on our convictions and continue pressing forward with what God has called to do no matter what the cost might be to us.  John was not distracted by self-promotion or disturbed by threats of persecution and we would do well to do the same.     

APPLICATION: Do not allow the desire for the praise of men to keep us from fulfilling the mission to which God has called us.  Recognize who God has called us to be and what He has called us to do and then move forward with confidence and resolve to point to the way of salvation through Jesus Christ.  Do not allow the fear of men and the sufferings that men may threaten to inflict intimidate us into neglecting God’s mission for us on earth.