Anchored in Christ

Changing Water to Wine

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we recognize Your sovereignty and power. You have the power to control nature and change water into wine. We attribute all glory to You, in the name of Jesus. Amen. 

John 2: 6-7, Now there were six water pots of stone set there after the Jews’ way of purifying, containing twenty or thirty gallons a piece. Jesus said to them, Fill the water pots with water. So they filled them up to the brim.

Reflection

In ancient Israel during the first century, stone jars were not utilized to store drinking water. Stone jars were commonly employed for holding water for ceremonial and ritual purification. Jesus instructed the servants to fill up six of those stone jars with water. They filled the stone jars to the brim until they overflowed. This measure was implemented to prevent anyone from clandestinely adding wine to the water.

John 2: 8-10, He said to them, Now draw some out, and take it to the ruler of the feast. So, they took it. When the ruler of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and didn’t know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the ruler of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, Everyone serves the good wine first, and when the guests have drunk freely, then that which is worse. You have kept the good wine until now!

Reflection

The servants followed Jesus' command and carefully extracted water from one of the elegant stone jars. With utmost reverence, they promptly carried it over to the master of the banquet. The banquet host tasted the wine and was surprised by how good it was. He exclaimed that it was excellent. The master of the banquet did not know that this was water that had changed into wine. The host was praised for serving the best wine last. The wine made everyone at the feast very happy and prevented the host and his family from being embarrassed or made fun of. Wine is a symbol of joy. 

Psalm 104:15, wine that gladdens human hearts. 

John 2: 11-12, This beginning of his signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. After this, he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they stayed there a few days.

Reflection

Jesus' first miracle or sign was turning water into wine. The Gospel of John reveals seven signs and seven I AM declarations of Jesus that showed His divinity. Changing water to wine was a private sign. The miracle that occurred was known only to Jesus, his disciples, the wedding host, the family, and the servants present. Witnessing Jesus' glory, the disciples placed their trust in Him.

Application

Jesus miraculously transformed an immense quantity of water into a splendid vintage of wine. The host would be able to sell the wine and make some income after the wedding. This is an abundance of grace. Jesus is full of grace and truth. He gives us an exceedingly abundant measure of grace.

The concept of abundant grace is comparable to a continuous cascade of ocean waves. The grace of Jesus exceeds all of our needs.

The wine in the Holy Communion symbolized Jesus' sacred blood and the establishment of the New Covenant.

Wine also represents the joy of salvation in Christ.

    2 Corinthians 12:9, But, he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.

John 1:16, Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, Thank You for grace and truth. Thank you for your abundant grace, which provides more than enough for all our needs and exceeds our wildest expectations. In Jesus' name, amen.

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12. Wedding at Cana

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we come before You to be instructed in righteousness. Help us to walk with You and draw closer to You. Help us to mature in faith and walk worthy of our calling, in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

John 2:1 to 2, The third day, there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there. Jesus also was invited, with his disciples, to the wedding. 

    Reflection

    This was the 3rd day of Jesus’ public ministry, Jesus, Mary, His mother, and His disciples, John, Andrew, Peter, Philip, and Nathaniel, were invited to a wedding in Cana of Galilee, Nathaniel’s hometown. By now, Joseph, the earthly step-father of Jesus was believed to have died.

John 1:3 to 5, When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, They have no wine. Jesus said to her, Woman, what does that have to do with you and me? My hour has not yet come. His mother said to the servants, Whatever he says to you, do it.

Reflection

    The host of the wedding feast ran out of wine in the middle of the feast. In first-century Israel, a wedding celebration lasted for 7 days. To run out of wine in the middle of a wedding feast was considered very shameful. The host and his family members had to bear the embarrassment for the rest of their lives. Sensing that a disaster was about to happen, Mary requested her son to do a miracle. Jesus replied, Woman, why do you involve Me? My hour has not yet come. Addressing His mother as woman was not considered rude or disrespectful in the custom of first century Israel. The Greek word for hour means time. The time for Jesus to do a public miracle had not arrived. Mary told the servants to do whatever Jesus told them to do.

    Application

If you are planning to host a wedding celebration or any other event, always invite Jesus as your guest of honor. Commit the event to Jesus and everything will go on smoothly. You will see the glory of God, and who knows you may even see a miracle. 

Seek God’s will, do what Jesus tells you to do, not what others tell you, and certainly not what the world tells you. Learn to listen to His still small voice, do whatever He says and discern His will for your life. 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help us to listen to Your still small voice. Help us to involve You in all our events. We claim the promise of John 15:7, If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Philip and Nathaniel

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help us to grow in the knowledge and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ through Your words, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

John 1: 43-46, On the next day, he was determined to go out into Galilee, and he found Philip. Jesus said to him, Follow me. Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote: Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. Nathanael said to him, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip said to him, Come and see.

Reflection

    This was the 2nd day of Jesus’ public ministry, He left Bethabara for Galilee, seventy miles away. Here, Jesus discovered Philip, who became the 3rd apostle. Philip found Nathaniel or Bartholomew of Cana, who became the 4th apostle, Philip told him that Jesus could be the prophet that Moses wrote about in Deuteronomy 18:15.

Philip was extremely skilled at mental arithmetic. In John 6:7, he calculated the cost of bread required to feed the multitude. Nathaniel was a skeptic. Philip's claim that Jesus of Nazareth could be the Messiah left him feeling skeptical.

John 6:7, Philip answered Him, Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.

John 1:47-51, Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said about him, Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit! Nathanael said to him, How do you know me? Jesus answered him,  Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you. Nathanael answered him, Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are King of Israel! Jesus answered him, Because I told you, I saw you underneath the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these! He said to him, Most certainly, I tell you all, hereafter you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.

 Reflection

Jesus praised Nathaniel as an honest Israelite without deceit, drawing a comparison to Jacob, an Israelite known for his deceitful ways. When Jesus said that He saw him under the fig tree, Nathaniel declared his great confession of faith, Rabbi, you are the Son of God! Jesus informed Nathaniel that he would witness angels of God moving up and down upon the Son of man, a reference to Jacob’s dream in Genesis 28:10-22. Jacob’s ladder was a foreshadow of Jesus Christ, the Son of Man. Jesus is the pathway to God, serving as the bridge and mediator between God and humanity.

John 14:6, Jesus answered, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’

    Genesis 28:12, He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.

    Application                                        

Today we meet Philip, the calculator, and Nathaniel, the skeptic. We should strive not to mimic Philip's calculating disposition or Nathaniel's skeptical nature. It is imperative that we have unwavering faith and wholeheartedly believe in Christ.

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Prayer

Heavenly Father, we acknowledged that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is Jacob's ladder, the One who connected us to You. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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10. Andrew and Peter:

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we pray that our words and thoughts are pleasing to You, in Jesus' name, Amen. 

John 1:35-39, again, the next day, John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, behold, the Lamb of God!. The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following, and said to them, what are you looking for? They said to him, Rabbi (which is to say, being interpreted, Teacher), where are you staying? He said to them, Come, and see. They came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about the tenth hour.

Reflection:

     It was the first day of Jesus’ public ministry. After hearing John the Baptist's testimony about Jesus being the Lamb of God, two of John's disciples, Andrew and his brother Simon, decided to follow Jesus. They inquired of Jesus about the place where He was staying. Jesus turned around and graciously invited them to His dwelling place. They dedicated the remainder of the day to being in His presence.

John 1:40-42, one of the two who heard John and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother, Simon, and said to him, we have found the Messiah! (which is, being interpreted, Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, you are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas (which is by interpretation, Peter):

Reflection:

 Jesus changed Peter's name from Simon, meaning, he has heard, to Peter, meaning, rock. Andrew and Peter, the first two disciples of Jesus, were fishermen from Bethsaida of Galilee. Andrew had a talent for connecting people. He connected his brother Peter to Jesus. As per John 6:1-9, Andrew introduced a young lad to Jesus who possessed 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes.. In John 12:21-22, it is mentioned that Andrew introduced certain Greek God-fearers to Jesus. Peter was an exceptional leader. The book of Acts confirms that Peter played a pivotal role as the foremost figure and spokesperson of the early Christian church.

John 6,:8-9, Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?

John 12:21-22, They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. Sir, they said, we would like to see Jesus. Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

Application:

In today's lesson, we meet Andrew and Peter. Andrew's role was to connect individuals with Jesus, serving as a mediator between them. Could you offer assistance to individuals in their pursuit of a more profound bond with Jesus? Would you consider inviting someone to witness the remarkable things that the Lord has accomplished in your life? Peter was a leader of the first century church. Are you a leader in your local church?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, help us to imitate Andrew by connecting people to Jesus. Help us to be soul winners. Help us to imitate Peter’s leadership qualities, in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

9. John the Baptist’s Testimony:

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we come before You to sit at Your feet. We pray that Your word will speak to each one of us individually, in Jesus name, Amen. 

John 1:19 to 23: 

This is John’s testimony, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He declared, and didn’t deny, but he declared, “I am not the Christ.” They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.”

Reflection:

    When priests and Levites questioned John the Baptist regarding his identity, he confessed readily that he was not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet of Deuteronomy 18:15.

    According to Mathhew 11:3 and Luke 16:16, John the Baptist was the last prophet of the Old Testament even though he lived in the New Testament period. His appearance on to the scene ended 400 years of prophetic silence since prophet Malachi. He was an ascetic, living in the wilderness, clothed in camel hair, subsisting on locust and wild honey. He preached a message of repentance by water baptism and moved in the spirit of Elijah. According to Jesus In Mathhew 11:11, he was the greatest man ever to be born by a women. 

Matthew 11:13, “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.”

Luke 16:16, “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.”

Matthew 11:11, “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” 

Verses 22 to 23,  They said therefore to him, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ Isaiah 40:3 as Isaiah the prophet said.”

Reflection:

Quoting Isaiah 40:3, John the Baptist replied that he was the voice in the wilderness preparing the way for the Messiah. John was the voice, Jesus is the WORD. John was the messenger, Jesus is the MESSAGE. John was the way maker, Jesus is the WAY. 

Isaiah 40:3, “A voice of one calling in the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”

Matthew 11:9 to10, But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.’

John 14:6, Jesus answered, “ I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

Application:

John the Baptist testified about Jesus Christ so that through him others might believe in Him. He pointed his disciples and others to follow Jesus Christ. Are you testifying about Jesus so that other may believe in Him? Are you pointing others to follow Jesus?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending John the Baptist to be a voice, a messenger, and a way maker for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Thank You for raising up such a great and faithful servant, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

8. John the Baptist’s Testimony:

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we come before You to sit at Your feet. We pray that Your word will speak to each one of us individually, in Jesus name, Amen. 

John 1:19 to 23: 

This is John’s testimony, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He declared, and didn’t deny, but he declared, “I am not the Christ.” They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.”

Reflection:

    When priests and Levites questioned John the Baptist regarding his identity, he confessed readily that he was not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet of Deuteronomy 18:15.

    According to Mathhew 11:3 and Luke 16:16, John the Baptist was the last prophet of the Old Testament even though he lived in the New Testament period. His appearance on to the scene ended 400 years of prophetic silence since prophet Malachi. He was an ascetic, living in the wilderness, clothed in camel hair, subsisting on locust and wild honey. He preached a message of repentance by water baptism and moved in the spirit of Elijah. According to Jesus In Mathhew 11:11, he was the greatest man ever to be born by a women. 

Matthew 11:13, “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.”

Luke 16:16, “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.”

Matthew 11:11, “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” 

Verses 22 to 23,  They said therefore to him, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ Isaiah 40:3 as Isaiah the prophet said.”

Reflection:

Quoting Isaiah 40:3, John the Baptist replied that he was the voice in the wilderness preparing the way for the Messiah. John was the voice, Jesus is the WORD. John was the messenger, Jesus is the MESSAGE. John was the way maker, Jesus is the WAY. 

Isaiah 40:3, “A voice of one calling in the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”

Matthew 11:9 to10, But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.’

John 14:6, Jesus answered, “ I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

Application:

John the Baptist testified about Jesus Christ so that through him others might believe in Him. He pointed his disciples and others to follow Jesus Christ. Are you testifying about Jesus so that other may believe in Him? Are you pointing others to follow Jesus?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending John the Baptist to be a voice, a messenger, and a way maker for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Thank You for raising up such a great and faithful servant, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

7. Grace and Truth:

Prayer:

Dear God, please help us feel and understand Your presence in our lives, Amen.

 John 1:16 to18:

verse 16, From his fullness we all received grace upon grace:

Reflection:

Out of the fullness of Jesus Christ, we have received grace upon grace. The Greek term for grace conveys the concept of receiving something that we have not earned. It is a gift that we don't need to work for. In Hebrew, the word for grace is synonymous with unfailing love. The Greek phrase "grace in place of grace" conveys the concept of superabundant grace. Jesus has given us the amazing gift of salvation, despite the fact that we don't deserve it, because He loves us unconditionally.

2 Corinthians 12:9, But he said to me, ‘’My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”. 

verse 17, For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ:

Reflection:

This comparison between law and grace, Moses and Jesus, provides valuable insight into their respective roles and significance. Moses was the recipient of the Mosaic law. Jesus Christ was the direct source of Grace and Truth. In Hebrew, the phrase "Grace and Truth" beautifully encapsulates the concepts of unfailing love and faithfulness. Jesus surpasses Moses in greatness. The greatness of Grace and Truth surpasses that of the Mosaic law. Moses was a mere mortal, while Jesus is the divine Creator.

John 14:6, Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

 John 8:32, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 1:3, “through Him all things were made, without him nothing was made that has been made.” 

verse 18, No one has seen God at any time. The one and only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has declared him:

Reflection:

   No human being has ever laid eyes on God. Jesus, being God himself, has revealed the nature of God to us. Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God. Reading the Gospel of John allows us to see Jesus through the eyes of faith. Jesus is the perfect and unparalleled embodiment of God's image, serving as a radiant source of His divine glory. We can connect with God by reading, studying, meditating on, and applying the teachings from the Bible. In Greek, the phrase "one and only" translates to "unique." The Greek term "has declared him" can be translated as exegesis. Jesus is the exegesis of God. 

    Colossians 1:15, “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” 

Hebrews 1:3, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.”

Application:

Jesus embodies the essence of God's unfailing love and faithfulness, representing both Grace and Truth. 2000 years ago, Jesus came down from Heaven to Earth to show us the way to God and to make known God's identity. He is the manifestation of God's Word, bringing a message from God to humanity. He provides us with a revelation of God. Nowadays, you can find knowledge of God by exploring the pages of the Bible, particularly the Gospel of John.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we are grateful for Your endless love and steadfast commitment to us. Your word of truth is greatly appreciated. Jesus Christ is the perfect embodiment of grace and truth. He is not only the way and the life, but also the liberating truth that sets us free. Help us to worship You with genuine sincerity and true spiritual devotion, Jesus’ name, Amen. 

6. Incarnation:

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we come before You with reverence and awe. We pray for quiet, soft, receptive, and teachable hearts. Speak to us as we listen to You, in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

John 1:14:

 The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Reflection:

     The Word became flesh:

When we speak of the Word becoming flesh, we are referring to the miraculous event of His incarnation. Jesus is the embodiment of God in human flesh. Jesus of Nazareth stepped out of time from eternity past into human history 2000 years ago. Even our calendar is divided by His birth into BC and AD.

1 John 1:1, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at, and our hands have touched, this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.” 

and lived  among us:

The Greek word for ‘’dwelling’’ is “tabernacle.’’ The tabernacle and later the temple were the earthly dwelling place of God. The tabernacle or temple is a foreshadow of Jesus Christ. Our body is the temple of The Holy Spirit. When we are born again, the Holy Spirit dwelled in our body. King Solomon in 1 Kings 8:27, questioned whether God will really dwell on earth. One thousand years later, God answered this question when He came to dwell on earth!

King Solomon said in 1 Kings 8:27, “But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!’’

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:19, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?”

John 14:23, Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.”

    We saw his glory:

The Greek word for glory is “doxa” which means splendor. John and the other apostles saw, heard, and even touched Jesus. They saw the glory, grace, and truth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Apostle John was a trustworthy witness who had firsthand knowledge of the events surrounding Jesus. John was a cousin of Jesus. John's mother Salome and Jesus’ mother Mary were sisters. It's easy to picture them playing together when they were kids.

Such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father:

The Greek word for one and only is “monogenes’’ which means unique. Jesus is, the unique Son of God who came from the Father. Jesus is the second person of the Holy Trinity.

John 1:1-2, “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” 

John 1:18, ‘’No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.”

Full of Grace and Truth:

Grace is receiving something that we do not deserve. Truth means something that is authentic. The words grace and truth in Hebrews mean unfailing love and faithfulness. Jesus has consistently embodied unwavering love and faithfulness.

John 1:14, New living translation, “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.” 

Ephesians 2:8, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” 

    John 14:6, Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

John 8:32, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Application:

Two millennia ago, Jesus Christ took on human form and dwelled among us. Jesus Christ is God in a human body. He wasn't just a good man, teacher, or prophet. He was, and still is, truly both God and man. To truly know Jesus is to truly know God. Seeing Jesus is equivalent to seeing God. The message of God is embodied in Jesus, who is the Word of God.

Episde 5

True Light:

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, guide us into all truth by Your glorious light. Open our eyes to see You, open our ears to hear the truth, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

John 1: 9 to 13:

 The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own, and those who were his own didn’t receive him. But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name: who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 

Reflection:

    Jesus of Nazareth is the true light and the giver of eternal life. Jesus of Nazareth stepped into human history 2000 years ago into the world that He created. Tragically, the world did not even recognize His arrival. The religious leaders of His own Jewish people did not even receive or believe in Him. However, to all who receive and believe in Him, He gave them the authority to become children of God. Believers are spiritually reborn by the Holy Spirit through the word of God, as mentioned in 1 Peter 1:23, rather than through physical birth. 

John 8:12, When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 1:14, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”

John 1:3, “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” 

1 Peter 1:23, “having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.”

John 3:3, “very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born Again.”

John 3:5, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.”

2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

    Application:

Jesus said in John 5:24, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed from death to life.” 

All who believe in Jesus will not face death and judgement because they have passed over from death to life. This is the good news of the gospel. Jesus came to give us abundant life, John 10:10.

John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank You for speaking to us through the Gospel of John. Thank You for the forgiveness of sin, salvation, justification, sanctification, and the gift of eternal life. We claim the promise that whoever receives and believes in Jesus will be born again by the Holy Spirit and be adopted as children of God, in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Enter John the Baptist:

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, may Your mercy and grace be upon us. We align our spiritual antennas to tune into the frequencies of Your Word. We pray for quiet hearts and listening ears, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

John 1: 6 to 8:

 There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. The same came as a witness, that he might testify about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but was sent that he might testify about the light. 

Reflection:

    This is John the Baptist and not John the apostle. John the Baptist was a prophet sent by God as a forerunner of Jesus.

    He was a cousin of Jesus of Nazareth. His mother, Elizabeth, and Jesus’ mother, Mary, were cousins. He was a witness who testified Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, and the Lamb of God. Christ means the anointed One. The Hebrew word for Christ is Messiah. The Greek word for Christ is Christos. John the Baptist was the one who proclaimed that Jesus Christ would come, as stated in Isaiah 40:3. John the Baptist was only a witness, voice, and messenger. Jesus Christ was the WORD, and MESSAGE of God. 

John 1:20, “I am not the Messiah.”         

Isaiah 40:3, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert, a highway for our God.”

John 1:23, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord”.

John 1:29, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

John 1:34, “I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God.” 

John 1:36, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!”

Application:

Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, the Son of God, the Lamb of God, who took away the sins of the world. Jesus of Nazareth is God who came to earth 2000 years ago by being born as a baby in Bethlehem. He grew up, lived a perfect life on earth and died a painful death on the cross to pay the penalty of our sins for us. Whoever believes in Him will receive forgiveness of sin, the gift of salvation and eternal life. 

    Prayer:

Thank you, God, for sending John the Baptist to tell everyone that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God. Thank You for the forgiveness of sin, the gift of salvation and eternal life, in Jesus’ name, Amen.