Who are You?
Who are You? Have you ever been asked such a question? How have you answered it or how would you answer it?
Chicken Licken Stopped our Game
When I was in the second grade my friends and I liked playing with a chubby boy called Ebrahim. He was in the third grade.
One day, one of his female friends from the third grade came and told him that Athi, a third grade student, brought Chicken Licken to school. Chicken Licken at the time was KFC’s major competitor in the Fried Chicken market in South Africa. After hearing that, Ebrahim left with the girl towards Athi, both singing, “Chicken Licken” *2.
After that day, we would jump up and down and sing “Chicken Licken” *2 every time we saw Ebrahim at school.
Unpleasant Reunion at a New School
Two years later, I went to another school and Ebrahim was also there. When I saw him, I got so excited as I thought back to the memories of our previous school. I said to him, “Chicken Licken”, and to my disappointment, his response was, “Do I know you?” In other words, he was saying; “Who are you?”
Who are you, John?
In John 1:19–21, we see that the Jewish leaders, the Pharisees, sent priests and Levites to John to ask who he was. His first response in verse19 is that he is not the Christ which could indicate that people thought he was Christ. When they asked if he was Elias (i.e. Elijah), he says he is not. After he denied being Elijah, they asked if he was that prophet and he denied being that prophet too.
Who John was not?
i. The Christ
He was not the Christ.
The Christ referred to Jesus Christ the Son of God. He came to deliver the people of this earth from the bondage of sin.
ii. Elijah
He was not Elijah.
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Elijah was a prophet who lived at the time when Ahab was the king of Israel. He is known for calling fire to come down from heaven. He didn’t die but was taken up to heaven in chariots of fire.
iii. That Prophet
He was not that prophet.
That prophet is first mentioned by Moses in Deuteronomy 18:15, 18. He was going to be an Israelite and was going to repeat the words of God to the Israelites. Moses said they should listen to that prophet. That prophet actually referred to Jesus Christ.
Who was John?
We have now dealt with who John was not. Let us now look at who he was, or rather what he said of himself?
John started off by declaring who or what he was not. People had their own ideas about who John was so he had to clear that confusion. He was not the Christ; he was not Elijah and he was not that prophet.
A Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness
In John 1:23, he declares who he is. He says he is the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord as said by the prophet Isaiah.
Isaiah said that in Isaiah40:3
How John Answered the Question
When John was asked who he was, he spoke about his mission on this earth, his reason for existence. His mission was to prepare people for the first advent/ first coming of Jesus Christ.
A Lesson for You
In this day and age, people will say a lot of things about you which may not always be true. You have to speak for yourself and say who you are.
So, if someone were to ask you today; “Who are you? What would you say? What is your purpose on this earth? What is your reason for existence?
Oh, by the way, Ebrahim and I were friends again later on in that year. The crew from the old school was reunited in the new school with much more exciting adventures. No Chicken Licken to stop any of the adventures.
