Read John 1:6-8 and 19-28

Read John 1:6-8 and 19-28

6 God sent his messenger, a man named John, ⁷who came to tell people about the light, so that all should hear the message and believe. ⁸He himself was not the light; he came to tell about the light.

19 The Jewish authorities in Jerusalem sent some priests and Levites to John, to ask him, “Who are you?”

20 John did not refuse to answer, but spoke out openly and clearly, saying: “I am not the Messiah.”

21 “Who are you, then?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?”

“No, I am not,” John answered.

“Are you the Prophet?”^b they asked.

“No,” he replied.

22 “Then tell us who you are,” they said. “We have to take an answer back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

23 John answered by quoting the prophet Isaiah:

“I am ‘the voice of someone shouting in the desert:

Make a straight path for the Lord to travel!’ ”

24 The messengers, who had been sent by the Pharisees, ²⁵then^c asked John, “If you are not the Messiah nor Elijah nor the Prophet, why do you baptize?”

26 John answered, “I baptize with water, but among you stands the one you do not know. ²⁷He is coming after me, but I am not good enough even to untie his sandals.”

28 All this happened in Bethany on the east side of the River Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Think

He was not the light - he came to tell about the light.

Light reveals the truth.  In 1 Corinthians 13 Paul says that Love does not delight in evil, but delights in the truth. Some of the truth about us is not so good - but the light that comes in Christ shows that light up and cleanses us.

Pray

Lord.

Shine your light into the darkest places of my heart.

And clear the way.

Cleanse me.

Renew me.

Restore me.

Amen

---

6  1.6: Mt 3:1; Mk 1:4; Lk 3:1, 2

21  1.21 a: Ml 4:5
1.21 b: Dt 18:15, 18

^b the prophet: The one who was expected to appear and announce the coming of the Messiah.

23  1.23: Is 40:3 (LXX)

^c The messengers, who had been sent by the Pharisees, then; or Those who had been sent were Pharisees; they.