Roof Contribution Announcement

 Matthew 16:18 ESV

 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

New Bethel AME Church is asking for your assistance, as we continue to maintain our local assembly for a place of fellowship and worship.  We have a goal to obtain funding to replace our roof by the end of this calendar year.  We are asking you to partner with us in making a monthly or one-time donation.  There are multiple ways to make your contribution.  Please feel free to give online via New Bethel’s website (place website here), via the donate icon, Givelify, or mail your contribution to the address listed below. Please add the comment ‘roof donation’. We appreciate your continued efforts.

 New Bethel AM Church

3754 Old Charleston Hwy

John’s Island, SC 29455

843-212-5450

Rev. Spavarie Taylor

  

Sunday School Lesson

September 22

Lesson 4 (KJV)

Faithful Despite Unfaithfulness

 

Devotional Reading: Psalm 106:1–12, 48

Background Scripture: Numbers 13:1–14:10a

Numbers 13:1, 2, 17, 18, 25–28

 

1. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
2. Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.
3. And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain:
4. And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many.
5. And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.
6. And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.
7. And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.
8. Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.

Numbers 14:1, 2, 5–10a

1. And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.
2. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!
3. Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.
4. And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:
5. And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.
6. If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
7. Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not.

10a. But all the congregation bade stone them with stones.

 

Key Verse

If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.—Numbers 14:8

 

Lesson Aims

After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:

 

1. Relate the events surrounding the sending out of the spies into Canaan and the Israelites’ response.

 

2. Explain the consequences that could accompany taking a stand based on faith in the Lord in Moses’ day.

 

3. Evaluate personal and communal fears that make walking by faith especially challenging, and consider ways to address these fears.

 

HOW TO SAY IT

Anak	Ay-nak.
Anakims	An-a-kims.
Canaan	Kay-nun.
Hamath	Hay-muth.
Hebron	Hee-brun or Heb-run.
Jephunneh	Jih-fun-eh.
Kadeshbarnea	Kay-desh-bar-nee-uh.
Negev	Neg-ev.
Paran	Pair-un.
Sinai	Sigh-nye or Sigh-nay-eye.

Introduction

1. What Do You See?

Dale Carnegie (1888–1955) is probably best known for his self-help book entitled How to Win Friends and Influence People. Carnegie authored another book of the same style; its title is How to Stop Worrying and Start Living. In it he included this brief but thought-provoking illustration: “Two men looked out from prison bars / One saw the mud, the other saw the stars.” Two individuals can be in the same challenging, perhaps even desperate, situation and see it quite differently.

The children of Israel faced the challenge of conquering the promised land. Two outlooks emerged on whether this feat was possible. This was not a matter of mud vs. stars; it was a matter of unbelief vs. faith.

1. Lesson Context

The previous study covered an incident that occurred on the fifteenth day of the second month after the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt (Exodus 16:1; see lesson 3). On the first day of the third month, the Israelites entered the wilderness of Sinai (19:1). There they camped before the mountain where the Lord established His covenant with the Israelites and gave His Ten Commandments and other laws to them.

The Israelites stayed at Mount Sinai for a little less than a year (comparing Exodus 19:1 with Numbers 10:11), in what should have been a sacred time of dedicating themselves to be God’s covenant people. But the attitude of rebellion and discontent that we saw demonstrated in last week’s lesson (Exodus 16:2, 3) reappeared at the foot of the mountain. Sadly, while Moses was on the mountain receiving God’s laws, the people were breaking them (specifically the first two of the Ten Commandments) by building a golden calf and attributing God’s mighty act of deliverance from bondage to the gods the calf represented (32:1–4).

Thus, perhaps it should come as no surprise that as the people traveled from Mount Sinai toward the promised land, their grumbling and discontent were right by their side. Once the Lord sent a fire to burn among the people, which consumed the fringes of the camp. Moses interceded on the people’s behalf, and the fire died down (Numbers 11:1–3). Then the “mixt multitude” (11:4; likely comprised of non-Israelites who had chosen to journey with the Israelites; compare Exodus 12:38) initiated a complaint about growing tired of the manna provided by God. They claimed as they had done previously that living in Egypt was so much better than journeying through the desert (11:5).

At this point, Moses became extremely frustrated with the people’s behavior and voiced his frustration to the Lord. The Lord provided 70 men from among the elders of Israel to assist Moses with leading the people for a time (Numbers 11:25). The Lord also responded to the people’s complaint with a provision of quail (11:31, 32), similar to what He had done in the wilderness of Sin (Exodus 16:1, 12, 13).

Still, the grumbling did not end. Moses’ brother Aaron and sister Miriam lodged their own protests against Moses, expressing an envy of Moses’ position of authority (Numbers 12:2). The Lord responded by afflicting Miriam with leprosy. She was quarantined for seven days, during which time the people paused their travels. When their journey resumed, they reached the wilderness of Paran (12:16) and specifically Kadeshbarnea (Deuteronomy 1:19), where today’s lesson text begins.

1. Responsibility

(Numbers 13:1, 2, 17, 18)

1. The Lord’s Command (vv. 1, 2)

1, 2a. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel.

 

The Israelites are on the verge of a great turning point in their history. The time has come for preparing to enter the land of Canaan, which God had promised centuries before to give to Abraham’s descendants (Genesis 13:14–17; 15:18–21). The land as a gift from God is emphasized throughout the history of God’s dealings with the Israelites (Exodus 6:4, 8; Leviticus 23:9, 10; 25:38; Numbers 10:29; Deuteronomy 6:23; 28:11; etc.). The people themselves have certainly done nothing to earn such a gift, but the Lord is committed to fulfilling His promise to Abraham. As with any gift, the giver sets the terms of how and when it will be given. In this case, the Lord determines how and when His people will receive the inheritance of land He has promised to give them.

 

2b. Of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.

 

The Lord tells Moses to send … men, one for each of the 12 tribes, who will search out the land of Canaan prior to the nation’s entry. Each man is to be someone who is trusted and respected by his tribe. When Moses refers to this process later while speaking to the second generation of Israelites, he says that the Israelites came to him and suggested sending men to spy out the land (Deuteronomy 1:22). But this should not be seen as a contradiction of the account in Numbers. Most likely the people offer their proposal, then the Lord gives His approval to what they have suggested. Numbers 13:3–16, not in the printed text, lists the 12 men who are chosen for this task.

1. Moses’ Counsel (vv. 17, 18)
2. And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain.

 

When one examines a map of this territory, it would seem that the command to go southward will lead the spies in the opposite direction from the promised land. The term southward, however, designates the territory known as the Negev, which is south of the territory that eventually will make up the land possessed by Israel. While the Negev is situated south of the land allotted to the tribe of Judah, it is actually north of Kadeshbarnea, where the people are currently camped.

Moses also instructs the 12 men to go up into the mountain. In some cases the Hebrew word translated mountain describes what is more accurately “hill country” or “hills.” The word is rendered “hills” in Deuteronomy 8:7; Joshua 9:1; and Joshua 10:40. That is likely the sense that is intended here. The instruction to explore southward and into the mountain will result in the spies’ exploring the entire land.

 

18. And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many.

 

Moses specifies what the 12 men are to look for as they carry out their mission. They are to examine what the terrain is like. Then they are to observe the people that dwelleth therein. Are they strong or weak, few or many? Though God has allowed their proposed espionage mission (see commentary on Numbers 13:2b), 20/20 hindsight indicates that it would be better for the people to trust God to give them the land without their scouting it out, given the fear their mission ultimately causes (see commentary on Numbers 13:28; 14:1, 2, 9, 10).

Numbers 13:19, 20 (not in our printed text) record additional instructions to the spies, concluding with the exhortation, “And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land” (Numbers 13:20). Verses 21–24 record the itinerary of the group, noting that they gathered some of the fruit of the land (grapes, pomegranates, and figs). Their travels took them as far north as Hamath (13:21), which eventually became the northern boundary of the promised land (34:8).

 

What Do You Think? What factors should we consider before setting out to fulfill something we sense God has called us to do? Why?   Digging Deeper What evidence should we require when reevaluating work we think God called us to do? How is this process different from secular models of decision-making?

1. Report

(Numbers 13:25–28)

1. Produce of the Land (vv. 25–27)
2. And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.

 

Moses has not specified how long the spies’ journey is take. He is probably more concerned that the land be searched carefully and thoroughly than he is with a specific timeline. Given the territory the spies have covered (from Kadeshbarnea north to Hamath is approximately 250 miles), a time of forty days is reasonable.

The number 40 often indicates the significance of a period of time (see Genesis 7:4, 12, 17; 8:6; Jonah 3:4; Matthew 4:1, 2; Acts 1:3; etc.). The story of the exodus contains three good examples. Moses’ life is broken into 40-year increments (Exodus 7:7; Deuteronomy 34:7), and he fasts for 40 days (Exodus 24:18; 34:28; Deuteronomy 9:9, 18). Including the years before the spy mission, the people wander for 40 years, the time given for a generation to pass away (Numbers 14:34; 32:13).

 

26. And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.

 

The 12 display their sample of the fruit of the land, including a single cluster of grapes so large that it requires two people to carry it on a staff (Numbers 13:23). The initial reaction of the people must have been one of wide-eyed amazement and anticipation, especially after all the time spent in wilderness country, where comparatively little grew.

 

27. And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.

 

Most likely the him refers to Moses, since he had given the spies their instructions. Moses had told the spies to report on essentially two items: the land and the people.

The phrase floweth with milk and honey signifies an abundance of good things. When the Lord first called Moses to lead the Israelites out of bondage, He told him that the land was “flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 3:8). Moses gave that same description to the people as they departed from Egypt (13:3–5). The people can see for themselves, judging from the fruit before them, that the words are no exaggeration.

1. People of the Land (v. 28)
2. Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.

 

While the land offers much to be desired, the people there are another matter altogether. They are strong, and their cities are large and well-defended. The children of Anak—called Anakims—are a people group known for being exceptionally “great and tall” (Deuteronomy 9:2). The spies who do not believe the land can be taken will refer to them as “giants” (Numbers 13:33). These are the very people whom courageous Caleb, one of the 12 spies, will drive out of Hebron 40 years later so that he can possess that portion of the promised land (Joshua 15:13). In fact, the three sons of Anak named in Numbers 13:22 are the ones Caleb will defeat (Joshua 15:14)!

In Numbers 13:30 (not covered in today’s text), Caleb responds to the claims about the formidable inhabitants of Canaan. He remains confident that the Lord will defeat these foes. But Caleb quickly finds himself in a minority; out of the 12 spies, only he and Joshua (not noted as part of the minority until Numbers 14:6, below) believe that the Lord will keep his promise. Their faithful voices are outweighed by the other 10 spies, who are intimidated rather than inspired (13:31–33).

 

What Do You Think? How should we prepare for opportunities and obstacles as we set out to fulfill God’s calling to complete a task?   Digging Deeper Considering especially Proverbs 3:5, 6; 15:22; Matthew 6:25–34; and Luke 14:28–33, how do we know at what point a fact-finding mission is really just a failure to trust?

 

Bitcoin

As the end of 2017 neared, investors were asking two questions: “Should I invest in Bitcoin?” and “What is Bitcoin?” As the name suggests, Bitcoin is a type of currency. Unlike others, this worldwide currency works without a central bank or single administrator. Instead, it operates through computer coding that verifies transactions and prevents counterfeiting.

The value of Bitcoin fluctuates wildly. In 2011, the value of one Bitcoin rose from about $0.30 to $32, then fell to $2. On December 12, 2017, a single Bitcoin was valued at $17,749 before plummeting again. The volatility of Bitcoin can cause an speculator to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in a very short time.

All investors struggle to balance risk and reward. The Israelites on the way to Canaan didn’t know whether to risk an investment in Canaan. But Joshua and Caleb knew that, unlike Bitcoin, the promise of God came with a guarantee.

—J. E.

III. Response

(Numbers 14:1, 2, 5–10a)

1. Cries of Anguish (vv. 1, 2)
2. And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.

 

It does not take long at all for the negative outlook of the 10 spies to dampen the enthusiasm of the entire congregation. Cries of despair are heard that very night throughout the Israelite camp.

 

2. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!

 

As they did in last week’s study, the people begin to murmur against Moses and against Aaron (compare Exodus 16:1, 2). They also voice their wish that God had taken their lives, either in the land of Egypt or in this wilderness (compare Exodus 16:3; Numbers 14:22–24). It is sobering to consider how the nation has managed to push out of their collective memory the mighty works that God has done for them in their own experience, going back to the 10 plagues in Egypt. To claim that the Lord has brought them into the promised land to die is utter blasphemy.

1. Concerned Leaders (v. 5)
2. Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.

 

In verse 4 (not in today’s printed text), the people propose that they mutiny against the leadership of Moses and Aaron and return to Egypt. Moses and Aaron sense the gravity of the people’s demand and fall on their faces. Perhaps this reflects a combination of emotions: fear of the Lord, alarm at the possible outpouring of his wrath against the people, and shock at such a brazen act of defiance.

1. Courageous Leaders (vv. 6–9)
2. And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes.

 

The two courageous, faith-inspired spies, Joshua and Caleb, express their anguish at what the people are doing: turning against Moses and Aaron and ultimately against the Lord.

 

7. And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.

 

The other 10 spies have caused the people’s attention to dwell on and be discouraged by the residents of Canaan and the size of their cities. Joshua and Caleb now remind the people of the exceeding good land that lies within their grasp.

 

What Do You Think? What can a church do to ensure that no one is denied having his or her voice heard while also ensuring that a spirit of divisiveness does not result (Titus 3:10)?   Digging Deeper How would the fact that divisiveness is coming from the biggest financial givers change the approach, if at all? Why?

8. If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.

 

Joshua and Caleb highlight the most important factor in taking the land: the Lord. He has not brought the Israelites this far to let them die (contrast Numbers 14:3). He takes delight in them; He has made a covenant with them; He has shown them His favor on repeated occasions (Exodus 12:1–13; 14:21–29; 16:4, 5; 17:5–7; etc.). He will bring them into this land and give it to them. The emphasis on the promised land as God’s gift to the people is clear (see commentary on Numbers 13:1, 2a). The giver will not desert His people or break His promise to them. Joshua and Caleb also remind the people again of the exceptional abundance of the land (see commentary on 13:27).

 

9. Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not.

Joshua and Caleb plead with the people not to rebel or fear. The people have grumbled, murmured, and rebelled against the Lord, testing His mercy and patience. Joshua and Caleb likely sense that judgment will follow if the people do not repent.

Joshua and Caleb describe the residents of the promised land as bread for us. The expression means that the Israelites can easily defeat them, or “have them for lunch.” Their size, the strength of their cities, and whatever weaponry or defenses they possess are non-factors. All of that is totally worthless when the Lord is with His people. If He is, and there is no question of that for Joshua and Caleb, then there is no need to fear the inhabitants of the land (compare Isaiah 8:12, 13).

 

What Do You Think? Under what circumstances, if any, is it appropriate to express concern publicly over the actions of leaders or members of the congregation?   Digging Deeper How do passages such Acts 18:12–16; 21:27–36; 1 Corinthians 6:1–4; and 14:40 help you answer this question in terms of issues within the church vs. violations of secular law?

1. Cries of Anger (v. 10a)

10a. But all the congregation bade stone them with stones.

 

One would hope that the Israelites would take heart from Joshua and Caleb’s challenging words. Their response, however, is the very opposite; they prepare to stone the two men. The nation’s contempt for the faithful men’s message is so great that they would rather silence the messengers than listen any longer. But the people’s real offense is committed against the Lord.

 

What Do You Think? When leaders within a congregation disagree, what are some productive ways to deal with extreme reactions by church members?   Digging Deeper Considering that Jesus, John the Baptist, Paul, and others could rightly be called extremists, under what conditions would extreme reactions be appropriate?

Mutiny!

In 1610, British navigator Henry Hudson and the crew of his ship Discovery ventured to modern-day Canada in search of a northwest passage from Europe to Asia. The voyagers succeeded in locating a large bay—later named Hudson Bay. Discovery became lodged in ice, forcing voyagers to spend winter ashore with very limited provisions. Many of the starving crew convinced themselves that Hudson was hoarding food.

By the time the ice had finally cleared, the men refused to continue searching for the passage. Instead they revolted, commandeered the ship, and abandoned Hudson, his son, and seven others. A later expedition looking for Hudson found a small shelter that they may have built. Their bodies were never recovered.

Some mutinies are justifiable, and that against Henry Hudson may have been one such. But mutinies in Christian contexts are especially fraught with danger, lest we discover too late that we are opposing God himself!

—J. E.

Conclusion

1. Words Printed in Yellow

Some Bibles print Jesus’ words in red so that they stand out to the reader. Perhaps today’s lesson text should be printed in yellow as a cautionary signal. The Israelites rebelled against God and His chosen leaders, refusing to trust that the Lord would lead them into the promised land. When Paul recounts the examples of the Israelites’ disobedience, he emphasizes that these incidents are not just ancient history: “All these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition” (1 Corinthians 10:11).

We can easily read an account like the one in today’s text, shake our heads, and wonder how the Israelites could have forgotten so quickly all that the Lord had done for them. Instead of becoming haughty, reading today’s account should humble us (see 1 Corinthians 10:12). We can learn much from the Israelites’ negative examples. We should not treat their failures lightly as we journey toward our own “promised land.”

1. Prayer

Father, examine, convict, and strengthen us so that we do not become guilty of faithlessness. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

1. Thought to Remember

In the midst of unfaithfulness, God remains faithful.

 

 

KID’S CORNER

Who Are John and Jesus?

Sunday, September 22, 2019

John 1:15-23

 

John 1:15-23

(John 1:15) John *testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’”

During the time John the Baptist preached in the wilderness, he did not know all that Jesus, the Word of God, would reveal about His nature, character, and purpose. Being filled with the Holy Spirit before he was born, the Holy Spirit inspired John to preach truthfully what people needed to know to prepare themselves for the coming of the Messiah (see Luke 1:15). The Holy Spirit also guided John when he needed to answer the questions of the authorities who came from Jerusalem to examine him and “inspect his credentials” for preaching and baptizing. The Holy Spirit inspired John to carefully declare that “the one who came after him,” without saying “the Messiah” (which would especially alert those who would become his and Jesus’ enemies), “ranks ahead of me.” John came to give the introduction speech for the Messiah, who did rank ahead of him. But most mysteriously of all, John openly declared that he ranked ahead of him “because he was before me.” John’s average listener would have assumed John meant that this person was born before John was, but that is not what John meant! The Holy Spirit moved John to say that Jesus existed before he was born. In the beginning, “the Word was with God, and the Word was God” before He was born in human flesh and became Jesus of Nazareth six months after John the Baptist was born.

(John 1:16) For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.

After referring to John the Baptist parenthetically, John returned to teaching about Jesus. The “we” refers to the apostles of Jesus Christ and “to all who received him, who believed in his name” (John 1:12). Jesus’ “fullness” may be interpreted to mean that in His nature and essence Jesus is fully God and fully man. “Grace” can be interpreted to mean “unmerited favor or goodwill” and “the power to live the Christian life.” As fully God and fully man, from Jesus’ fullness or completeness, all who have received Him as Lord and Savior have received the grace of the forgiveness of sins, the grace of cleansing from sin, the grace of freedom from slavery to sin, the grace of the power to live pleasing to God—the grace “to become children of God” (John 1:12). Every blessing that believers have received and continue to receive from Jesus daily are “grace upon grace.”

(John 1:17) For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.

The LORD (Yahweh) gave the Law of God to the Israelites through Moses. The Ten Commandments in the Law of God are universal laws for all people to obey—the Ten Commandments teach what is best for everyone to do based on our human nature as created in the image of God. The Law of God blessed the Hebrews because it taught these former slaves how to govern themselves as children of God. The Law of God gave them individual rights and responsibilities. The Law of God explained the blessings they would receive from their obedience and the punishments they would receive from disobedience. But the Law of God did not give them love for God, a heart to obey God, or the power to obey God. The Law of God convicted them of sin when they disobeyed God and showed them that they needed God’s forgiveness and a Savior. When Jesus Christ came, He did what the Law of God could not do. Jesus came as the Lamb of God. He offered grace to sinners, and by grace Jesus helped those who received Him and believed in Him to become children of God. The Law of God was an expression of truth from God, but when Jesus Christ came into the world, He was The Truth of God (which John will explain more about throughout his gospel).

(John 1:18) No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

No human being has ever seen God completely. Moses only saw the part of God that the LORD chose to reveal to him. How could any human being see completely the infinite personal God who is greater than the universe? “God the only Son,” Jesus, came into the world and made God known. During three years of ministry, Jesus could not make God completely known, but what Jesus revealed in word and deed truly revealed God, and the Bible truly reveals what Jesus did in word and deed. Jesus revealed enough truth and the Bible teaches enough truth for anyone with sound reason to receive Jesus and to believe in Jesus and become a child of God. Jesus “God the only Son” is close to God the Father’s heart because they love one another. Furthermore, as an expression of their grace, in John 3:16, John wrote: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”

(John 1:19) This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

In John 1:16-18, the Apostle John has told us why Jesus “ranks ahead” of John the Baptist. When the religious leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to examine John (to potentially condemn John as a false prophet or false Messiah), under the leading of the Holy Spirit John wisely did not tell them all he knew. At that time, John the Baptist did not know all that John has taught us in the previous verses. Primarily, those sent from Jerusalem wanted to know if John was the long-expected Messiah.

(John 1:20) And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”

John did not deny he was the Messiah in the sense of wanting to keep something secret about himself or unknown for the time being. A thief might deny being a thief. If his life were in danger, a Messianic pretender might deny he was the Messiah. Filled with the Holy Spirit, John never believed he was the Messiah; furthermore, he did not want anyone to mistake him for the Messiah. Rather, John confessed that he was not the Messiah. As a matter of legal testimony that these interrogators could take back to the council in Jerusalem, John declared that he was not the Messiah. Nor was he pretending to be the Messiah, as some had before him and as some would do after him. He told them that they would need to look for someone else.

(John 1:21) They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he *said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

These interrogators wanted to put a label on John so they could know what to expect from him and how to handle him: not to prepare themselves to welcome the Messiah. They probably wanted to prepare themselves to deal with John when they needed to stop him from drawing large crowds (as they later tended to Jesus). John was preaching east of the Jordan River in a wilderness area where Elijah was taken to heaven in a chariot and from where some expected he might return (see 2 Kings 2:11). In Malachi 4:5, we read this prophecy, which gave these Jews a reason to ask their question: “Lo, I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes.” Imagine the consequences if John had answered “Yes” to this question and how they would cross examine him! John did not deny that he was the person God inspired Malachi to speak about, but he did deny that he was the same person as the Elijah who rode the chariot to heaven. Though we do not know exactly who they meant by “the prophet,” these questioners might have been thinking of Moses who wrote in Deuteronomy 18:15, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you shall heed such a prophet.” Whoever they meant, John knew who he was, and he was not “Elijah” and he was not “the prophet,” though he was a prophet.

(John 1:22) Then they said to him, “Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”

The investigating committee demanded that John tell them who he was. They wanted to know why he thought he was authorized to preach and baptize as he was doing. Though John was a Levite, and could have served as a priest, they thought he was doing what the religious authorities had not officially sanctioned. If John could not give them a good reason for his behavior, the authorities in Jerusalem would make every effort to stop him.

(John 1:23) He said, “I am A VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, ‘MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”

John quoted from Isaiah 40:3. John was literally a voice “crying out” in the wilderness for people to hear, as an old-time crier might call out a headline to sell his papers on a street corner. Jesus was and is the Word of God who was soon to come publicly into the world as the long-expected Messiah. As the voice of God, John “cried out “this good news so people would prepare themselves for Jesus’ coming. The preparation John preached required repentance, a turning from the practice of sin and a preparing to receive and believe in Jesus the Messiah; for we read in Matthew 3:2-3, “‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’ This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, ‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”’”

 

 

Who Are John and Jesus?

Sunday, September 22, 2019

John 1:15-23

 

John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’” (John 1:15).

John the Baptist openly testified about the Messiah, but not always in ways that everyone could understand. Those with a teachable spirit who came to John repenting of their sins and seeking baptism to prepare for the coming of the Messiah would more easily have had all their questions answered by John in understandable ways. Though John answered everyone truthfully, the Holy Spirit sometimes moved him to answer more carefully. When some priests and Levites came to John, sent from official Jerusalem, they asked him questions that may or may not have been meant to entrap John, as they later tried to entrap Jesus. But the Holy Spirit who indwelt John knew their intentions and guided John’s responses to them. They asked John if he was the Messiah, No. Was he Elijah, No. Was he the prophet, No. Then who was he? John said he was a voice “crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord’” (John 1:23). That being so, who was the Messiah? John tells us that the Messiah ranked ahead of him because he was before him. The average religious leader sent to spy on John probably assumed John meant that the Messiah was older than he was, but in Luke 1:16, we learn that John was six months older than Jesus. The Holy Spirit said through John that Jesus ranked higher than John because Jesus had existed before John was born. He existed before John because He was and is the “Word of God” and “God the only Son” (John 1:1 & John 1:18). — LG Parkhurst Jr.

 

Thinking Further

Who Are John and Jesus?

Sunday, September 22, 2019

John 1:15-23

Name _______________________________

 

1. What did John the Baptist mean by “he was before me?”

 

 

2. Why is the law of God important?

 

 

3. What came through Jesus Christ? What does that mean to you?

 

 

4. What does “confess and did not deny it mean”?

 

 

5. What does the description “God the only Son” mean? Who is this?

 

 

 

Discussion and Thinking Further

1. What did John the Baptist mean by “he was before me?” The Holy Spirit led John to testify in a way many could not understand that Jesus existed before John was born, and thus outranked him by His office (He was the Messiah) and by His nature (He was the only Son of God). Jesus existed before He and the Father created the world.
2. Why is the law of God important? The Law of God reveals how God created us to live. People who love God and others as God intends do not disobey the Law of God. Consider what the Holy Spirit inspired Moses to write about the Law of God in Deuteronomy 4:5- 6, “See, just as the LORD my God has charged me, I now teach you statutes and ordinances for you to observe in the land that you are about to enter and occupy. You must observe them diligently, for this will show your wisdom and discernment to the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and discerning people!’” The Law of God also shows us that we need forgiveness, salvation from sin and slavery to sin, and the power to love and obey the Law of God, which our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ gives all who receive Him and believe in Him.
3. What came through Jesus Christ? What does that mean to you? Grace and truth. We do not deserve anything that Jesus has done and does for us, and we need the Holy Spirit to help us love God and obey the commands of Jesus. Jesus is the Truth and Jesus reveals the truth and Jesus will help those who receive Him and believe in Him live according to the truth.
4. What does “confess and did not deny it mean”? John did not just deny he was the Messiah; rather, he openly confessed to people that he was not the Messiah so there would be no doubt about him.
5. What does the description “God the only Son” mean? Who is this? Jesus is the only begotten Son of God the Father. In Jesus’ nature and essence, Jesus is God. John has taught that the Word is God and the Son is God, Jesus is the Word and the Son. We can worship Jesus as God without being guilty of idolatry.

 

Word Search

Who Are John and Jesus?

Sunday, September 22, 2019

John 1:15-23

Name _______________________________

 

V T W H L Z J Q L P F B T G B

O E Q I F K G O E C V P D R J

I S Y M T Z J F H W N K M Y A

C T G R A C E U A N T O U I V

E I D S U L S L T R G V S N P

R F Z H O H U S U Y J T X W M

V I G N A Y S T E O Q K F E Z

G E W I P J H C Y S I O N L Y

Y D A Q R S I T H K O C F D A

J S O K O Z V L S R F M B G V

I F J U P U J Z E A I L C Z T

G B C M H Z G E T J X S N B M

R Z G N E K L H S A V Y T U O

I D Q O T D E Y M U P W R J K

T J V K N R N P W L S V K M Z

John

Testified

Moses

Law

Jesus

Christ

Grace

Truth

Father

Only

Son

Elijah

Prophet

Voice

Isaiah

 

True and False test

Who Are John and Jesus?

Sunday, September 22, 2019

John 1:15-23

Name _______________________________

 

Circle the True or False answers. Correct the False statements by restating them.

1. Jesus ranked before John because He was six months older than John. True or False

 

2. The Law given through Moses had no value. True or False

 

3. Grace upon grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. True or False

 

4. God the only Son has made God known, and He is close to the Father’s heart. True or False

 

5. The religious officials in Jerusalem ignored John because he was only baptizing Gentiles. True or False

 

6. John confessed that he would like to be the Messiah. True or False

 

7. John declared that he was not the Messiah or Elijah; rather, he was

Isaiah, so he quoted Isaiah. True or False

 

8. Elijah went to heaven in a chariot, so some thought he would return

before the Messiah came. True or False

 

9. John said that the Jews should honor him because he was filled with the Holy Spirit. True or False

 

10. John was a voice crying out in the wilderness, “Make straight the way of the Lord.” True or False

 

 

True and False Test Answers

 

1. False
2. False
3. True
4. True
5. False
6. False
7. False
8. True
9. False

  10.True

 

Prayer

Father, examine, convict, and strengthen us so that we do not become guilty of faithlessness. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.