Whoever receives Me. JOHN 3:28

28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.
JOHN 3:28 ESV

28 αὐτοὶ ὑμεῖς μοι μαρτυρεῖτε ὅτι εἶπον· Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐγὼ ὁ χριστός, ἀλλʼ ὅτι Ἀπεσταλμένος εἰμὶ ἔμπροσθεν ἐκείνου.
JOHN 3:28 SBLGNT

Now the application of the general principle. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.

The Baptist meant and still means what he said on the occasion when the delegation from the Sanhedrin questioned him, 1:19 – 19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” etc. His entire conduct has borne that out, and his disciples must give him this testimony today. He here briefly states what has not been given to him and, over against that, what has. On that other occasion, he did not use the wording, “I am one commissioned before him,” but it certainly sums up what he said in 1:23 – 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.” This is cited from Isa 40:3 – 3 A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” and 26- 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, and 27 – 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”. He may even have spoken these words on that occasion or on another, our Evangelist merely not recording them.

D.A Carson writes, “But, John the Baptist, unlike some of his followers, is not perturbed by news of Jesus’rising popularity. He had always made clear to his followers that he was not the Christ (1:20), but that he was sent as his herald (1:26–34). Unlike many preachers for whom humility is little more than an affectation, John meant what he said. Both John and Jesus were given their roles by heaven (v. 27), and John was entirely content with his. Small wonder that the assessment of John provided by both Jesus,” and in Mt. 11:7–11- 7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written,
“ ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.’ 11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
and the fourth Evangelist and in Matt10:40–42 – 40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. 41 The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” is so positive.

What is the Baptist saying to us? It was not just to those around him but to us today as he stood witness to the coming Messiah. The one who would take the sins away from the world. How are we to view this as Christian today? I have looked at scripture and sought to find where the last prophet revealed himself. I believe John the Baptist stood witness to pave the way for the coming Messiah. He was the last prophet foretelling.

People today proclaim themselves as prophets, which I find extraordinarily deceiving and blasphemous. How these people falsely declare themselves, but they proclaim nothing but ideologies that people want to hear.

The reality of the Gospel is that it proclaims how far short we are from being pleasing in the eyes of God, but these false prophets act to offer words that soothe the eye and ears of broken people but never convicting them of their sins. How can you be saved if you do not submit to the will and guidance of God. Not man but God.

That is the nature of Jesus’s ministry on earth. People did not want to hear what he had to say. Today, Christians bask in the false belief that faith is all required for their salvation. There is no doubt that Christ on the cross was the salvation accorded to all humanity, but that does not provide forgiveness of your continuous sins.

The battle only begins with faith and then follows submission to his word. It is the Word of God that binds us and it is the Holy Spirit that enables us.

Beware false preachers and others who outwardly act in a manner that is pleasing in your eyes but ask yourself if their actions personify God or themselves.

GOD BLESS

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