Day 4

Scripture to Read: John 1:24–26

God shows us that those who had been sent to question John the Baptist had been sent by the Pharisees. We read in John 1:24–26, “Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25 They asked him, and said to him, ‘Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?’ 26 John answered them saying, ‘I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know.’” John the Baptist clarified that he was baptizing everyone in water. This was so important because in John the Baptist’s day, the only ones who were usually baptized were Gentiles who were converting to Judaism, but John the Baptist was baptizing Jews. So, for Jews to be baptized was incredibly humbling for them, but it was also a sign of their true repentance. Knowing this about baptism gives us a clear picture of why the Pharisees had such a problem with John the Baptist baptizing Jews. The Pharisees considered John the Baptist as one with no authority, which is why they wanted to know why he was baptizing. But God had called John the Baptist (as we see recorded in Luke 1:76–77), as John the Baptist’s father, Zacharias, prophesied about his son, saying, “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways; 77 To give to His people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins.” God anointed John the Baptist as Christ’s forerunner; therefore, John the Baptist needed no one else’s approval.

Challenge & Application

• What qualifies us, as Christians, to share the Gospel of Christ with those around us? • How are you guarding against seeking the approval of men (Galatians 1:10) and resting in God’s call (Ephesians 2:10)?

Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!

Devotionals from this week

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Day 1

If you’ve ever been asked the question, “Who are you?” you immediately might have several things running through your mind. You might think to yourself any of the following questions: “Do they want to just know my name,” “Do they want to know what I do,” “Are they asking me what I like and don’t like,” and “Do they want to know what my backgr...

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Day 2

So, the questioning of John the Baptist continues because those questioning him were not satisfied with his answer that he was not the Christ. We read in John 1:21–22, “They asked him, ‘What then? Are you Elijah?’ And he *said, ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you the Prophet?’ And he answered, ‘No.’ 22 Then they said to him, ‘Who are you, so that we may giv...

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Day 3

We saw yesterday, in John 1:22, that those who were questioning John the Baptist continued to push in, wanting to know exactly who John the Baptist was. John the Baptist gives them this answer in 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.’” Though John t...

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Day 4

God shows us that those who had been sent to question John the Baptist had been sent by the Pharisees. We read in John 1:24–26, “Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25 They asked him, and said to him, ‘Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?’ 26 John answered them saying, ‘I baptize in water,...

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Day 5

John the Baptist was not intimidated, nor did he cower at those questioning him and his authority. John the Baptist was also not arrogant or prideful about what God had called him to do. John the Baptist’s humility was genuine as he proclaimed Christ. We read in John 1:26b–28, “…but among you stands One whom you do not know. 27 It is He who c...

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Day 6

We read in John 1:29, “The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him and *said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’” Here, we read that Christ showed up and when He did, John the Baptist immediately testified of Who Christ was (and, of course, still is). Christ is the Holy Lamb of God as spoken of in Isaiah 53:7, “He was...

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Day 7

We read in John 1:30, “This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’” John the Baptist reminded everyone that Christ is above all and has always existed. He proclaimed Jesus as God in the flesh. Then, John recorded what John the Baptist said in John 1:31, “I did not recogni...

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