ADULT STS LESSON 128 JOHN’S WITNESS CONCERNING CHRIST

MEMORY VERSE: “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

TEXT: John 1:1-34
Apostle John wrote this fourth and last gospel many years after Matthew, Mark and Luke to present the deity of Christ to the entire world. The first three gospels present Christ to different cultural groups while this one presents Him to all people of all times, and particularly to the Church. He begins his gospel, not with a statement of Christ’s birth, but with His pre- existence as the eternal Word and God, possessing divine nature, substance, essence, power and glory in the Godhead. John wrote to prove that Jesus is the eternal Christ (Acts 2:36; 9:5,20,22; 17:3; 18:28).

All the miracles, teachings and discourses selected and written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in this gospel have been done so that everyone “might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:30,31). In the text, the Apostle reveals Christ as the eternal ‘Word’ (verse 1); God (verse 1); Creator of all things (verse 2,3); the “Light” who illuminates (verse 9); Life, eternal life; the only Begotten of the Father (verse 14); the Lamb of God (verse 29); the eternal One (verse 30); and Baptizer in the Holy Ghost (verse 33). He was inspired to capture the witness of John the Baptist concerning Christ. As a true witness and forerunner, John the Baptist’s testimony of Christ was authoritative in presentation, incisive and instructive in content, powerful in its effect and impactful in its influence on his audience, who believed and received Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

1.CHRIST’S DIVINITY AND INCARNATION (John 1:1- 14; Hebrews 3:4; Colossians 1:16; John 8:12; 12:35; 1 John 4:3; 2 John 7,10,11; 1 John 2:6)
The gospel opens with the revelation of Jesus Christ as the “Word“. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (verse 1). This does not refer to a written or spoken word but to “the Word… made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (verse 14). Christ, as the Word, existed before all created things: “All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made” (John 1:3). Prior to Jesus’ incarnation, He had been with the Father from the dateless past. He came to reveal the Father’s love to sinful humanity and to reconcile us to the Father through His atonement.

Everyone who learns of this truth is expected to “believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God”, be justified and “have life through his name” (John 20:31). Christ is the creator of “all things”. This refers to His divinity because the Scripture says, “…he that built all things is God” (Hebrews 3:4). Paul also affirms that, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominion, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him” (Colossians 1:16).

Thus, the Word was with God, not only in the sense of being co-eternal with the Father, but also of participation in all divine operations from the beginning. He is the Source of life: “In him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4). Just as the moon cannot shine without the sun, so can no human have light without the life of the Son. He is the fountain of rational knowledge, understanding of the true God and is able to give eternal life to those who seek Him (John 10:10,28). Christ, the Word and Creator, is God. The Apostle also captures John’s witness of Christ, which reveals His divinity. The Baptist was a burning and a shining light that shone only in Israel. His life and ministry shone so brightly that he was mistaken for the expected Messiah. Neither John the Baptist nor any of the Old Testament prophets was that Light; they all served as messengers of the true Light. Jesus is the Light of the world. “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins” (Acts 10:43). John the Baptist came as a forerunner to announce the arrival of “the true Light” of both Jews and Gentiles (Luke 2:32).

Those who declare that they are the expected Christ delude themselves and others. Such are false Christ’s whom the Lord warns would arise to deceive many people in the last days. The lifestyle of sin and falsehood is a reflection of spiritual darkness Christ came to dispel with His light. As darkness is universal, so also is the effect of light. He says, “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness” (John 12:46). However, when He incarnated, people in the world did not know Him. Even the Jews who were foretold of His advent “received him not“. The spiritual ignorance and rejection of some people will not hinder God from saving those who believe and receive Christ. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12).

Christ gives power to those who turn away from their sins and receive Him by faith to become children of God. “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14; also, 1 John 4:3; 2 John 7,10,11; 1 John 2:6). Christ shed His eternal glory and essence and assumed the nature of man, not in the sense of sharing in our sinful nature but of being encompassed with our infirmities. In His incarnation (or taking up the human flesh), Christ literally took the form of a man and was subject to all the pains and miseries of the human nature. He came “in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin…”; yet, He was devoid of the sinful nature of man; He was “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens” (Romans 8:3; Hebrews 7:26). It was divine love that compelled Him who received the worship of holy angels to descend and dwell among fallen men.

It was needful that One who is without sin should atone for the sins of man (Hebrews 10:4). This truth debunks the falsehood that our Lord did not come in the flesh. The Scripture says that, “…every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God… and this is that spirit of antichrist…” (1 John 4:2,3). For the purpose of our redemption, Christ took on the natural human flesh; “we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth”. The testimony of early believers who were closest proved He was morally perfect, sinless, graceful and true. The implication of this is that He alone can atone for the sins of the world.

2.THE CALL AND MINISTRY OF JOHN AS A WITNESS OF CHRIST (John 1:15,19-28; Matthew 3:1-17; Luke 1:13-17,76,77; 3:1-18; Mark 1:1-5; Matthew 28:18-20)
The Apostle here reports that, “John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace” (verses 15,16). A witness is someone who testifies to any fact or incidence from his own personal knowledge and experience. A witness is needed when there is controversy or doubt about something in dispute (Numbers 35:30; Deuteronomy 17:6,7).

The long passage of time between the first prediction of the advent of the Messiah in Genesis 3:15 and its subsequent reiteration by the prophets, especially Isaiah and Malachi, necessitated the coming of a forerunner or herald to prepare people’s heart for His coming. John the Baptist was the God-sent messenger to prepare the way and bear witness of Him (Malachi 3:1; Luke 1:76,77). Like John the Baptist, believers are called to be witnesses of Christ. It is when people hear about Christ’s love and sacrifice for their salvation that they will repent and He will come to dwell in their hearts.

John the Baptist lived a purpose-driven life. He had a clear understanding of his God-appointed ministry and its scope as the “voice of him that crieth in the wilderness” (Isaiah 40:3). This helped him stick to “preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” (Luke 3:3). He was sincere in character, conduct and ministry. His response to the Jewish leaders who sent emissaries to inquire if he was the Messiah was self-effacing. This inquiry stemmed from his success in stirring up a spiritual awakening among the Jews after over 400 years, which drew multitudes of publicans, Pharisees, Sadducees, soldiers and others to listen to his message. But he told them plainly that he was neither the Messiah nor Elias or any other prophet, but Christ’s forerunner (John 1:23).

At Bethabara, where John baptized people, he revealed that Christ who was by far superior to him was already among them but they did not recognise Him. As the Source of spiritual life, grace and truth, He is superior to John, angels, Moses, all the prophets of the Old Testament and founders of every religion.

3.THE CONTENT AND IMPACT OF JOHN’S WITNESS OF CHRIST (John 1:14,16,17,29-39;M 21:24- 26; Luke 1:76-80)
John the Baptist revealed that Christ is “full of grace and truth… And of his fullness have all we received, grace for grace…“; that “grace and truth came by Jesus Christ… the only begotten Son …the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world…”; and that “he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost… [is] the Son of God” (John 1:14,16,17,29,33,34).
Jesus is the Source of grace and truth.

Full of grace and truth, He gives to everyone who wholeheartedly seeks Him, saving grace (Ephesians 2:8);

Sanctifying grace; Spirit-empowered grace (Hebrews 10:29; Acts 1:8);

Serving grace (Hebrews 12:28);

Steadfast grace with strong conviction; supernatural grace; and sufficient grace for uphill tasks. He is the truth personified; the truth that sets free from bondage to sin and Satan. There is no error or falsehood in Him. All His promises are true. The content of John’s witness is centred on the ultimate purpose of Christ’s coming into the world. He is the “Lamb of God” who came to take away “the sin of the world“. Christ is the Passover or Paschal Lamb that delivers from sin and eternal destruction (1 Corinthians 5:7). Lambs in the old covenant were used for morning and evening sacrifices (Exodus 29:39).

But in the new covenant, Jesus is our everlasting Lamb for the atonement of our sins (Hebrews 9:26). John’s witness of Christ was effective as many believed in Him. Two disciples of John, one of whom was Andrew, heard him declare Jesus as the Lamb of God and they followed Him (John 1:35-40). Others testified that, “John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true”. As a result, many believed in Christ.

John was effective with his hearers because he received his ministry and message from God, separated from sinners, lived a righteous lifestyle, knew and preached the truth about the necessity of repentance and freedom from sin. Nothing dispels falsehood more than the truth. John was bold and courageous to stand for and declare the truth. John’s conduct reveals how to be an effective witness of Christ.

As a witness, he was faithful to declare the word to people of all status (Luke 3:8-10,12-14); fearless and uncompromising (Mark 6:17,18);

Flaming and fiery (John 5:33-35);

Forthright and was understood by the people (Matthew 3:7,8);

Fervent (Acts 18:25); faultless (Matthew 11:7-11);

Fulfilled as he ended his ministry successfully (Acts 13:25); and,

Futuristic (Matthew 3:9- 12). He talked about the time of judgment, hell and heaven. Like John, believers should ask the Lord to empower them to witness effectively for Him. And we must be humble, conscientious and diligent as heralds of the Light, as John was, with the sole aim of convincing and bringing them to conviction to “believe” that Jesus is Lord and Saviour.

Questions for review:
1. What is the implication of the statement, “All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made”?
2. Mention two instances in the Bible where Christ affirmed His divinity.
3. Mention other witnesses of Christ beside John.
4. Explain how a sinful man can become a child of God.
5. How can a believer become an effective witness of Christ?
6. Enumerate what John the Baptist testified concerning Christ.
7. List some virtues in John that made his witness effective.