Who is St. John the Baptist? Three "I Am" Phrases from St. John the Baptist

I. I am not the Christ
a. John was respected for his lineage, not his ministry. (Zechariah)
b. Empty Chair of the Elijah
c. Expectations of the Sadducees & Pharisees

II. I am the voice
a. Spurgeon: "Not 'I am the Word,' but 'I am the voice.'
b. Isaiah 40:3 – "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God."
c. Thunder in the desert

III. I am not worthy
a. "…who coming after me is preferred before me…" (v. 30)
b. NT Wright: "When we begin to glimpse the reality of God, the natural reaction is to worship him. Not to have that reaction is a fairly sure sign that we haven't yet really understood who he is or what he's done."
c. "they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy." (Rev. 3:4)