John 1 – The Listening Plan

Devotional

“I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ “And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

– John 1:33-34

John 1 is so full, it almost feels wrong to not comment on anything other than these 2 verses. I highly encourage you to spend some time thinking about the first 14 verses, especially.

Be that as it may, I (for many years) have been intrigued by the words of John the Baptist in the above verses. Just prior to this the religious leaders asked John, “Why do you baptize” (v. 25). To which he here reveals that the primary purpose of his baptismal ministry was revelatory. John’s primary task was to point people to the Messiah. Incidentally that was the same purpose of the law and prophets too. This happens to be the task to which we were called as well.

John was given explicit instructions from God. “Baptize people… and when you see the Spirit descended from heaven and continue upon one of them, that’s the Messiah! Point people to Him!”