"[Jesus], not the Law of Moses, is the key to the meaning of life. Neither was He the first of God's creation, but is part of God Himself, eternal and uncreated. He is thus the true revelation of God, it is He who speaks God's words, and He is the source of life....The prologue has prepared us to see nothing less than the coming of the divine light, the Son of God, revealing the glory of God, full of grace and truth. The Son comes on the scene in the context of the ministry of John the Baptist."
-Darrell L. Bock, Jesus According to Scripture
The reading for today is John 1:19-34 (Read in your own Bible or the ESV translation below).
Read slowly and look for 1 or 2 things that really stand out from this text. Meditate on those truths.
19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 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?” 23 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.”
24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25 They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
What speaks to your heart in this passage of scripture?29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
I find it interesting how God uses such unassuming people to carry His message. In Matthew it describes John as eating locusts and honey and wearing a coat of camel's hair. I also find it interesting that John's mom and dad played an integral part in the "Christmas story." Elizabeth and Zacharias weren't supposed to have children ... Elizabeth was too old. Again, God brought about His purposes to fulfill what was prophesied beforehand. I also think it's really neat that Elizabeth and Mary (Jesus' mom) spent time together during both of their pregnancies. There was a connection there from the start.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely. It is awesome to think about those connections!
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