¹⁹ This was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John, “Who are you?” ²⁰ He came right out and said, “I am not the Messiah.”

²¹ “Well then, who are you?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?”

“No,” he replied.

“Are you the Prophet we are expecting?”

“No.”

²² “Then who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?”

²³ John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah:

“I am a voice shouting in the wilderness,
    ‘Clear the way for the Lord’s coming!’”

²⁴ Then the Pharisees who had been sent ²⁵ asked him, “If you aren’t the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?”

²⁶ John told them, “I baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognize. ²⁷ Though his ministry follows mine, I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal.”

²⁸ This encounter took place in Bethany, an area east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.

John 1:19-28

Dear God, the thing that struck me this morning as I read this passage is that John denies being Elijah when Jesus says John is Elijah (Matthew 11:14). Is this false modesty? Is this him not being willing to claim something for himself and feeling like someone else (namely Jesus) needs to be the one to bestow that label on him? Is he still trying to figure out exactly who he is in your plan? He knows he’s the voice crying in the wilderness. He knows Jesus is the Messiah. But how much more does he know.

One thing that also stands out to me this morning is that he had a great responsibility to speak your words to the crowds. He had an important message for the people. For all of the people, including the Pharisees. My wife and I are going to be starting some premarital…I don’t want to call it counseling because we aren’t counselors. Let’s call it curriculum. We are going to be taking an engaged couple through a pre-marital curriculum that will give them a lot of things to think about, talk about, and work through as they prepare to get married. It intimidates me to have such an important responsibility, and I don’t think I’ve spent enough time in prayer, preparing my heart for our time with them or even praying for them and their hearts. I’ve prayed a little, but not enough.

Father, I’m no Elijah. I’m not a voice crying in the wilderness. But you have put people in my path, and you have messages for them through me as well as having messages for me through them. Give me ears to hear, eyes to see, a heart to discern, and wise words to share. And prepare my wife’s heart in the same way. Help her to have an insightful heart as we go through this process. And help them couple to come in with hearts that are open to hearing from you. Let your Holy Spirit be in the room with us today. Guide the four of us through this process. Give us all breakthroughs in our lives and use this process to draw each of us closer to yourself as individuals as well as closer to you as couples.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen