John

Check out all the previous John readings here.

John Reading Plan | Week 1, Day 3

Prayer

Pause for a moment of quiet and stillness. To center yourself fully, take a deep breath in and exhale slowly. Repeat this process three times. Ask God to open your eyes to the amazing truths in His word today.

Bible Reading: John 1:19-28

Read these verses three times slowly.

Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”

They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”

He said, “I am not.”

“Are you the Prophet?”

He answered, “No.”

Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

Now the Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

“I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”

This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Reflection & Questions

John the Baptist was a very important person in the gospels. He was sent to prepare the people of Israel for the Messiah, to “make straight the way for the Lord.” As we might expect, as the writer John starts to explain the ministry of Jesus, he starts with John the Baptist (JTB). And JTB was causing quite a stir. Enough that the Jewish religious leaders send people to (rightly) investigate what he is doing. The leaders would want to know if JTB is the Messiah, or Elijah (who was thought to have come to before the Messiah), or some kind of prophet. Investigating the truth is to be encouraged.

JTB’s answer to the investigators is simple. He is not Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet. He may be baptizing, but he is only the warm up act. There is One who is already on the scene who is far more worthy. So worthy, JTB says, that his “sandals I am not worthy to untie.” In other words, John is in effect saying, “You religious investigators, you shouldn’t be talking to me. You should be talking to the One.” In fact, John, in writing his gospel, wants us to do exactly that. He is writing this gospel, inviting us to investigate who Jesus is – to get to know this One full of grace and truth.

1. JTB is quite an important character, but he knows he is nothing compared to Jesus. What can you learn from him about humility? How does this apply to you today?
2. As we continue reading through John, ask God to reveal to you more about who Jesus is.

Prayer

Talk to God in response to today’s reading.

Worship Song

You might use this song today to worship Jesus today:

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Questions?