Pointing the way

Derek Munn February 22, 2026 0 0

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John 1: 19-34 (NIV)

19 Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”

21 They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”

He said, “I am not.”

“Are you the Prophet?”

He answered, “No.”

22 Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

24 Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

26 “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”

28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 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.’34 I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”

I don’t want to sound selfish, but it’s all about me! It’s so easy to get completely self- absorbed sometimes – I know I do. It’s often the case that we want to tell all those we meet about our achievements or perhaps we’re bursting to tell everyone about the great event or holiday in our lives. As humans we also tend to want to look good in front of others and seek recognition for ourselves. Today’s passage asks us to take a breath.

John 1:19–34 invites a moment of honest self‑examination, because John the Baptist’s humility stands in sharp contrast to the human tendency to grasp for recognition. He knows exactly who he is — and who he is not — and that clarity frees him to point entirely toward Jesus. His refusal to claim titles, paired with his bold witness that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, challenges us to consider whether our own words and actions direct attention toward Christ or toward ourselves. The passage becomes a reminder that genuine spiritual maturity isn’t about elevating our identity but about recognising the presence of someone far greater, and allowing that recognition to shape how we live, speak, and serve.

Prayer:

God of truth and mercy,

shape my heart with the same humility John the Baptist showed, so that I never cling to titles or recognition but instead point others toward Jesus. Let my life echo his bold witness that Christ is the Lamb of God who brings forgiveness and hope. Teach me to step aside where I need to, to speak with courage when it matters, and to recognise Your presence at work around me. May my words and actions draw attention not to myself but to the One who transforms and restores.

Amen.