Today we’ll look at John 1:19-28:

¹⁹ This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” ²⁰ He confessed and did not deny it, but he confessed, “I am not the Messiah.”²¹ And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.” ²² Then they said to him, “Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” ²³ He said,

“I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,
‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ ”
as the prophet Isaiah said.

²⁴ Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. ²⁵ They asked him, “Why, then, are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” ²⁶ John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, ²⁷ the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandal.” ²⁸ This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.

John the Baptist is a person in scripture who so many people like and admire. I am among that number. There are many things that scripture show us about John that we can admire.  We can admire his passion to preaching. We can admire his courage for speaking truth.  We can admire his unbending nature for doing what he believes is the right thing. 

Let me tell you, though, one of the main things I love about John.  I admire how comfortable he is in his own skin. John knows who he is, and he knows who he is not. I really like that about him. 

John knows he is not the savior of the world.  He knows he is not the Messiah.  He knows and is totally secure in all of that.  John knows what he is there to do. 

Not save the world, but to point to the one who would save the world. I so admire that comfort that he had in who he was and who God had called him to be.  He knew who he was in Jesus.  That was all he needed to know. That gave him the freedom to truly be who he was.  

Today, know where your identity comes from.  Above all else, it is found in Jesus. Not in your job, or your family, or your friends, or your house, or your hobbies, or anything else.  Your identity, your worth, your all in all, it is found in Jesus.  

John knew that.  He comfortable in who he was because of that.  

Today, may we have that same knowledge and that same comfort. May we know who we are in Jesus.  

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