John 1:19-28
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 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?” 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.”
(Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
"Who are you?", asked those sent by the Pharisees of this man sent from God. The two would meet in the wilderness. This is where God has met us, the place where we wander without His grace.
John's mission was to cry out in our wilderness to prepare us for the coming of The Lord. Through the water of repentance, the way is opened to the salvation of The Lord. There are no trumpets sounded to announce the King of Kings, but a voice lifted up to speak of the coming Word.
Prepare and repent.
The baptism with water represented the cleansing that is made possible through repentance and points the way to Christ Who would forgive all sins. Jesus would baptize us as only He can do: with the Holy Spirit.
Loosening a sandal strap was considered too menial of a task for a disciple to perform for his teacher. John says that he is unworthy to even perform that deed for the coming one.
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