Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” (vs19-22)

Who are you? John the Baptist is not the Christ. He is not the Subject of the message, the One worthy of worship, and he is not the One to be our devotion. But who is he, and who are you? He says, “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,”’ as the prophet Isaiah said” (vs23). He is one sent to bear witness, and it is not enough to say who we are not. We must declare who we are. We are God’s servants, sent to glorify the Son in our homes, jobs, and everywhere else by pointing others to Him in holy conduct and sound doctrine. We are people that have seen His glory, and we are not ashamed to confess Him. One of the saints in Oakland works a night job where he must interact with sinners, often in drunken stupors and excessive behavior. I asked him how it went, and he responded, “Oh, you know; it was crazy. But, I got to confess Christ to a couple of people afterwards.” Yes, he is not the Christ, but like us, he bears witness because he is making way for Christ to save sinners. He is not worthy to speak of the Son, but his life declares that Jesus is the Son of God and only Savior.

Don’t be satisfied with, “I’m not worthy”. Let your nothingness lead you to grace and God’s free blessings. Let FORGIVENESS springboard you into confessing who He is.

Secondly, let us be found doing God’s will, and like John the Baptist, people will ask about us (John 1:24-28). We read, “And they asked him, saying, ‘Why then do you baptize if you are not he Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet…These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing”. Let us be about our Master’s business, sanctifying Him in our hearts and holding Him in the highest place of obedience, and others will ask, “What are you doing”. Then, we’ll have a chance to declare the scriptures, bear record of His authority and saving power, and He will use our good works to open the door to someone else. Peter quotes from Isaiah and says, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a answer to everyone who asks you a reason for he hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” (1 Pet 3:15). Do not be ashamed. You are serving God on His terms, and when they ask, when your actions reveal that you are different, let them know the hope you have in Christ. They’d know what you were doing, if they knew Him. Witness of His glory, and use your own obedience to save others.

Finally, we must see Christ for ourselves, if we’ll declare Him unto others (John 1:29-34). We read, “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world… And John bore witness, saying, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God”. We cannot speak what we do not know, lest we be found, like Balaam, to be hypocrites who loved sin while preaching righteousness (2 Pet 2:15). The Spirit must reveal Him in the scriptures, and then we’ll have peace, power, and a changed the life. We’ll be free of head knowledge.