January 3
JOHN 1
19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to 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, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. – John 1:19-28
JOHN 1 MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
John the Baptist was born to prepare the way of the Lord
He was to be a prophet to speak about God among man
He baptized with water to cleanse people from sin
Though he was a great prophet, he didn’t boast about it
When his disciples edified and placed him on a pedestal
He denied he was great since Christ is greater than him.
Isaiah 40:3-4 prophesies about John the Baptist when he said a voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. That prophecy came to pass in these following verses.
At that time, people were expecting that John the Baptist may be the Christ but John denied this and instead pointed out to them that even though he baptizes with water, the one greater than him will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire (Luke 3:15-16). He humbly declares that he isn’t even worthy to strap the Messiah’s sandals.
REFLECTION
• What did John mean when he said “Make straight the way of the Lord?”
