John the Baptist saw

Speaker: Dr. Tang

Scripture: John 1:19-42

The core of the sermon

This sermon focuses on the testimony of John the Baptist and explores a central question: In a world where reason is limited, how can people know and testify to the "Word" that became flesh, Jesus Christ? The sermon clarified that John the Baptist's testimony did not come from his personal wisdom or insight, but from direct revelation from God the Father. His ministry provides Christians today with valuable lessons about testifying, especially in trusting in the Holy Spirit, being faithful to the gospel, and maintaining humility.

1. How can people know the divine Word?

Although Jesus in the flesh appeared in human form like us, His essence is divine and the Creator. However, after the fall, human reason is infiltrated and distorted by sin, and they often misuse reason to satisfy their selfish desires, and even misinterpret the Bible. Even Christians may distort the God witnessed by the Bible to satisfy their own desires. In such a dark world that does not know or receive "light" (the word), how can people recognize by themselves that Jesus of Nazareth is the Word who was with God in the beginning, the Son of God?

• Example story: The speaker mentioned that Jesus came from Nazareth, which was a place with a bad reputation at the time, because its inhabitants intermarried with Gentiles and were very mixed in faith and culture. The speaker compared it to Hong Kong's former Mong Kok or Tin Shui Wai depicted in movies, which is full of darkness and problems in the eyes of many people. For godly Jews, the Messiah could never have come from such a place. This highlights that it is impossible to recognize the true identity of Jesus based on human vision and judgment alone.

2. The revelation of God the Father and the testimony of John

Although John the Baptist was also a created man, he was able to testify of Jesus that He was "the Lamb of God, who took away the sin of the world," and that the key was not in himself.

• Key Verses and Key Points:

  • John 1:33 "I did not know him before, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Whoever you see the Holy Spirit descending and dwelling on is baptized with the Holy Spirit.' 」

  • John was able to recognize Jesus not because of his perfect reason or superb religious intuition, but entirely because of the opening made by God the Father, who sent him to testify. God gave him a clear sign: when he baptized Jesus, he saw the Holy Spirit descending from heaven like a duck and staying on Jesus.

  • This revelation from God convinced John that the Jesus in front of him was the Son of God who would baptize people with the Holy Spirit and truly change people's lives.

  • Thus, John's role is a "indicator" and a "witness." The purpose of his baptism with water was to show the world the Messiah who was going to baptize with the Holy Spirit. God the Father did not open this to other Jewish leaders, which is why they sent people to inquire about John's identity.

3. The humility and faithfulness of the witnesses

When the religious leaders in Jerusalem sent someone to inquire about his identity, John the Baptist's answer showed a clear understanding of his role and humility.

• Key Verses and Key Points:

  • He explicitly denied that he was Christ, Elijah, or the prophet.

  • He quotes Isaiah 40:3 to define his mission: "I am the voice that cried out in the wilderness, 'Make the way of the Lord straight.'" He is just a "voice", a servant who prepares the way for the "Tao".

  • Instead of exalting himself for the following, he willingly led people to Jesus. He did not misjudge his identity and role, which showed his great fear of God's send.

  • John 3:30 is the best portrayal of his mentality: " He will prosper, and I will decline. He knew that he was not the main character, only Jesus. John's witnessing was not self-given, but was given by God the Father (John 3:27).

  • Example story: The speaker contrasts John's obedience with Ruadam's disobedience. Ruadam did not believe in God's command and chose to betray; John, on the other hand, completely obeyed the command of God the Father and faithfully fulfilled his mission of witnessing without crossing the line. His faithful testimony eventually led his disciples to follow Jesus and opened the prelude to the establishment of the church.

Our learning and application

From the ministry of John the Baptist, we can learn three important lessons about testimony:

1. Rely on the Holy Ghost as a testimony

John the Baptist testified of Jesus not based on what he saw himself, but on what God the Father had shown him. We can recognize Jesus as Lord, which is the work of the Holy Spirit. As Paul said, no one can call Jesus Lord without the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit guides us into the truth, Jesus, and to have deep communion with Him and know Him in its entirety. Similarly, if we are to testify that touches hearts, not just conveys messages, we must rely on the inspiration and help of the Holy Ghost. We need to pray continuously, asking the Holy Spirit to open our hearts and eyes, so that we can continue to see Jesus as the Christ, so that our testimony is a life experience.

Modern Examples: If evangelism is just about delivering information, then in today's era, AI (artificial intelligence) can do it too. But the testimony of life cannot be replaced by AI.

2. Be faithful to the gospel, neither add nor subtract

Bearing witness to Jesus is one of the "Great Commissions" given by Jesus. John the Baptist truthfully gave the testimony revealed to him by God the Father, neither more nor less. As we testify of Jesus, we must also be faithful to the content of the gospel. Sometimes we add or subtract gospel content in order to attract more unbelievers to join the church.

• Examples of "addition": In order to attract people, we may add things that the Bible does not promise, such as the past "Believe in Jesus and get a buffalo", or the modern version of "Believe in Jesus and rise to success", "Believe in Jesus and be immune to all diseases", "Believe in Jesus and the sky is always blue", etc., all of which distort the essence of the gospel.

• Examples of "deletion": Salvation is reduced to mere mental belief and ignores repentance and following in life. This leads to becoming a "weekend Christian," or a "part-time Christian," or a Christian only in knowledge rather than in life and deeds. but acting like an atheist, this also distorts Jesus' call to his disciples to "follow him with his whole life."

3. Humble Attitude: We Are Just "Street Signs"

John the Baptist knew that "he will prosper, and I will decline." We who testify are just "signs" or "indicators" to lead people to Jesus, not to put ourselves in the spotlight.

• Example story: The speaker takes himself as an example, and the person standing on the podium can easily become the focus of everyone's attention. But if the congregation listens to the sermon and remembers only the preacher's jokes or stories, but not Jesus Christ and the Word of God, then the sermon is a failure. Applause should go to Jesus, not to the witnesses. Just like mobile phone navigation, it guides us to our destination, but we don't hold it back after arriving. The same is true for witnesses, who should not be the protagonists, because it is Jesus who saves people, not witnesses. The apostle Paul also said that he would rather preach the "foolish" doctrine of the cross in "foolish" language, lest his eloquence and wisdom obscure the power of the cross of Christ. Our focus should always be Jesus Christ.