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October 1st

The bible reading today is in Luke 1 and John 1:1-14.

These two gospel records begin with accounts about the births of John the Baptist and the Messiah, Jesus. What a tandem, the announcer of the King’s coming and the King Himself.

Luke was a physician who followed Jesus. He was probably a Gentile. He accompanied Paul on some of his missionary journeys. He wrote, inspired by the Holy Spirit, the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts. Being a doctor, he was full of academia and was a scholar no doubt. But when he wrote, he wrote for the “man on the street”...the common man...so that “everyone” could have the best opportunity to understand the gospel of Christ and believe.

Now the gospel of John was written by the Apostle John. He and his brother James were two of the first that Jesus invited to follow Him. John was identified as the “disciple whom Jesus loved.” God would use him to write the Gospel of John, 1,2,3 John, and the book of Revelation. No one had a closer relationship with Jesus than John. And remember at the cross? The dying Jesus placed his mother in John’s arms, saying.. ”Mother, here is your son”...speaking of John. Let’s remember that when we read John’s love letter/book about Jesus!

Several things in our reading today move my heart. First, Priest Zacharias, the baptizer’s father, was given a second chance to respond to God ”in faith” rather than unbelief.

When the angel told Zacharias that he and his wife would have a son that would prepare the way of the Messiah, Zacharias asked for proof...displaying his unbelief. Today’s reading shows Zacharias, publicly supporting his wife’s answer that “John” would be their son’s name. How gracious of God to bless this man with another chance to testify “in belief” of God’s word.

Oh, friends, that’s our Savior God. The same gracious One. May we repent of our unbelief and believe Him once again.

A second thing in our reading touches my heart. John the Baptist had a simple and yet very important assignment from God.

“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.”

‭‭John‬ ‭1:6-7‬

“He was sent by God to the Israelites to bear witness to Jesus.”

For John to be sent from God, he would have had to be in the presence of God. There have been many times when I have heard the testimony of others that God had given them an assignment particular to them. And upon hearing their testimony, I have wondered why God has not spoken such a God-sized assignment for me...for my life.

Now I see the answer again, one must practice the presence of God daily in order to hear and be “sent from Him” on missions particular...like John the Baptist.

Help us Lord Jesus. Give us hearts to desire You supremely. So much so that we would not miss the awareness of Your presence every hour...with faith anticipation of being used by You one more time.

And one more thing reaches my heart today from the reading...“In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

‭‭John‬ ‭1:1-5‬

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

‭‭John‬ ‭1:14‬

The Word became flesh. God did that, God the Son did that, God the Son the creator became flesh and blood. God the Son, Jesus, in whom was and is eternal life and light for those who believe Him. He, God very God became flesh. And He dwelt among mankind...yes.

Why? That man might see his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father...full of grace...enough of grace to save us from our sins...and truth...enough truth in the gospel to set us free to serve and worship him with all of our hearts.

Awesome. Thank You, Jesus.

Have a great day