TITLE: THE POWER OF YOUR TESTIMONY

TITLE: THE POWER OF YOUR TESTIMONY

SCRIPTURE:

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”  (John 1:29-34 NIV)

OBSERVATION:

         John the Baptist powerful testimony of who Christ is.  John had never met Jesus before.  He had never seen him before, but yet he knew exactly and identified who Christ is.  He said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  John has been ministering to the nation of Israel about the coming Christ, but for the first time he saw him and identified him. 

         Interesting statement John started out with saying: A man who comes after me has SURPASSED me because He was before me.  These are interesting words John gave to reveal who Christ is.  Jesus came after John, and surpassed him because he was before him. 

         John continued saying, I myself did not know him, BUT the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.  How did John identify the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, if he didn’t know him?  Three things I noticed;

§  He identified the Lamb of God

§  He knew the Lamb of God’s purpose of coming…to take away the sins of the world.

§  He has been talking about Jesus before he met him.

§  He knew that Jesus came after him and surpasses him because he was before him.

§  He did not know Jesus, but John knew his purpose is to revealed the Lamb of God, Jesus. 

The question I still ask, how did John identify Jesus, the Lamb of God who came to take away the sin of the world?  There are times when we are not clear about somethings in our calling.  We may learned and speak often of Christ.  We may know the purpose of Christ coming and still not sure about many things.   Of all the many souls that comes to the Jordan river to be baptized,  John identified the Lamb of God from all others. 

John’s testimony reveals how he was able to identify the Lamb of God.  “I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”

John said, I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me.  This is a great reminder for me of what I must do when I am in the dark of what my purpose and my assignments are.  Principles of knowing the assignment of God in our lives is through;

§  KNOWLEDGE and REVELATION.  John had a knowledge of who  Christ was, but knowledge is not enough.  John needed to rely on the one who sent him to reveal who Christ is. 

§  Look for the evidence of the Spirit who came down and REMAIN is the one who will be baptize with the Holy Spirit.  We must look for the work of the Spirit of God that comes and remain on people.  The Spirit of God does not come and go.  When the Holy Spirit comes he works and reveals what the Spirit of God want to accomplish. 

John was able to identify the Spirit of God, that rests on Jesus and he recognized the Lamb of God because it was revealed to him by the one who sent him.  When John notice the Spirit of God, he was convinced that this is the Chosen one.  The Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, and the Lamb of God are all working in revealing their purpose and that is sending of Christ to take away the sin of the world.

APPLICATION:

         It is important that when we are given and assigment and are in the dark of our purpose, we must go back and seek the face of the one who send us.  Things that I am reminded of today, is to seek the Holy Spirits knowledge and revelation.  I must always share the testimony of Christ so many may receive him. 

PRAYER:

         Heavenly Father, I ask that you continue to give me knowledge and revelation of how you are working in our lives.  Please help me to be sensitive to your leading as you reveal more of Jesus in my life.  I ask to help me when in the dark to seek you and receive from you the purpose of your calling and assignment in me.  In Jesus name. Amen!