How to Know that You Know

John the Baptist testified one day that Jesus was the Lamb of God, “who takes away the sins of the world.” Then he said something curious: “I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” Certainly, John knew his cousin! He had grown up knowing Jesus. They may have played the ancient version of soccer or baseball together. But John had no idea that his cousin had come down from heaven and was the Son of God.  
 
I didn’t put this together until recently as I preach this passage that I had read before an untold number of times. John the Baptist said it was at Jesus’ baptism that he finally saw his cousin with new eyes. He said, “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.” This was a clue. The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament would come upon people, but He would also leave. But He remained on Jesus. Then John said that God sent him to baptize with water but that the One upon whom the Spirit remained would baptize with the Holy Spirit. In other words, as John gave witness, this One would be the Son of God, the promised Messiah. When did John get this information from God, these clues to look for? Luke tells us: “During the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”  
 
John was told by God to preach repentance and to baptize. And I believe he was told more than that. I believe the preaching and the baptisms of John had a two-fold purpose. First, he was sent to prepare people for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which they would need to be saved. But second, and most important, John was tasked with “finding” the One whom God had sent to save us. John did not know who the Messiah was, not until Jesus entered the Jordan and was baptized. When Jesus was baptized by John, and he came out of the water, Mark’s gospel says, “immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” As we put all of this together, we see that John the Baptist finally understood who his cousin really was. He was and is the Christ. 
 
How about the people around us? Or maybe someone reading this column? Do we know who Jesus is? Millions, if not billions of people on the planet today may know about Jesus. But most of them cannot say with John, “I have seen and I know, I am a witness, that Jesus is the Son of God.” What about those who used to know, or said they knew, but now they don’t believe? We all know someone like that. Do you remember what John the Baptist asked when he was in prison, facing execution? He sent word to Jesus to ask him, “Are you the ‘one who is come,’ or shall we look for another?’” Maybe it was his suffering that caused John to doubt. Maybe it was, like many of the disciples, he believed Christ had come to drive out Rome and liberate Israel. And when all he heard from prison was Jesus going about preaching, he was confused. Some might say he was on the verge of deconstructing his faith. Jesus sent back the messenger to John, saying, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard; the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” Hey, cousin John. I have come to reverse the curse, even the curse of death itself. Do not lose heart. You were right when you said of me, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”  
 
As for those we know who used to believe, let’s pray for them, and if there is opportunity, let’s say to them, “You were right the first time. Jesus is the hope of our salvation. Go back to what you once believed, and help others return as well. Be like John in prison. Ask Jesus yourself if He is truly the only Savior. And listen carefully to what He says about himself in the Word.” 
 
We can know what we know.