Found him

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

FOUND HIM

John 1:40-42

40 Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter).

NIV

 There are two stories within which should be told separately, one of finding him and bringing someone else to him and the other of having a new name. After Andrew discovered that he had actually found the Messiah, the long awaited Christ that had been prophesied about so many year ago, the very first thing he did was go find his brother and tell him all about finding Jesus. Remembering those first days after being saved, certainly we ran to our brothers and sisters, our children, our parents, our most best friends and told them we had found Jesus. But what about ten, twenty, thirty or more years later, are we still running to tell them about Jesus?  Sure Andrew was excited about finding him, his life was going to be changed, and things were going to be different. Andrew was living under Roman law and surely the prophesies told of the Jesus setting up a new kingdom, one in which Andrew would be a part of. He had not yet understood that Jesus was bringing the Kingdom of God, not overthrowing the earthly government, of course that fell on its own. But his first thought was of his brother, he had to get him and tell him to come and meet Jesus. So many of us believers think others will meet Jesus because of the way we live, or because we go out into the community and do good deeds, or because we say we love them, but the fact is we should be using our mouth, making words, that say, we have found Jesus, come and meet him. The second story here is about Jesus changing Andrew’s brothers name from Simon to Cephas. The scholars tell us that Cephas is Aramaic and the Greek word for Peter both mean rock. Some would say that when Jesus said, Upon this rock I will build my church, he was saying that Peter was the foundation of the church. How wrong can that be? Jesus is the cornerstone, he is the foundation. The Greek word Petros is Peters name, but Jesus used the word Petra which is a large rock, not a name of a man. That phrase is used metaphorically to mean the strength and firmness of a man’s soul. This is what Jesus will build his church on, the strength and firmness of our souls, not on any one man. But the other truth is Jesus gave Simon a new name, and he has given each and every one of us a new name as well. Yes, we will get a new name when we get to heaven, known only to us and Jesus. But for now we also have a new name, we no longer are children of the world, but we are children of the Most High God. We have been given the name after Christ, Christian. Our name is Christian. 

Believing is Seeing

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

BELIEVING IS SEEING

John 1:35-39

35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!" 37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?" 39 "Come," he replied, "and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.

NIV

Although we could focus on John’s words, “Look the Lamb of God!” it would be more beneficial to focus on the few words of Jesus. Of course it is also noteworthy that John was always pointing people to Jesus, as well as when pointed his disciples turned and followed after Jesus. Should we not also always be pointing people to Jesus? When these men were following Jesus he asked, “What do you want?” Is that not just like our Lord and Savior, always asking want we want? He told us that he did not come to be served, but to serve. Of course he was asking so they could voice their intentions of not just following, but staying with him, aboding with him. His answer was both for them at that moment and for all mankind for the rest of time. When Jesus calls out that word, “Come” not only did they see where he was staying, but when we response to his call to come, we too will see where he is staying. It is also true that when we response to his word “Come” to follow him, we will truly see. In the words of the songwriter, “Once I was blind, but now I can see, once I was lost but now I am found”, how amazing is the Grace of God, how amazing is Jesus, he gives sight to the blind. Without following Jesus people are wondering about life blind, not knowing where they are going, but Jesus will allow us to see. Instead of the phrase, seeing is believing, we experience believing is seeing. 

In The Spirit

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

IN THE SPIRIT

John 1:32-34

32 Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' 34 I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."

NIV

John already had told us he did not know Jesus, even though they were actually cousins. John had left at some time and spent his life in the great outdoors, being sort of a strange person, while Jesus grew up in a secluded lifestyle within the village. Yet from the time John was in his mother’s womb he knew Jesus, as he was inspired by the Spirit. He lived his entire life inspired and was waiting for this moment, the pinnacle defining moment of his life. John is the first human being to declare to the world the Jesus is the Son of God. The Apostle John does not record the fact the voice of God also made this testimony about Jesus at that same time, but nevertheless we know that all three of the persons of the Trinity were present at the same time. What a spectacular moment in time for John the Baptist and those who were at rivers edge. We are not told that the Spirit left Jesus. Some people, artists, depict the Spirit as a dove, but the scripture does not say the Spirit was a dove, but that he descended as a dove would and remained on Jesus. This is the same Spirit that Jesus sent to his followers, to us. For us to see the kingdom of God we must be born again, but we are also to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. So many denominations call this baptism of the Holy Spirit something else, which takes away from the truth of the scripture. As John immersed people in the water of baptism, which at least some denominations follow that example, being baptized in the Holy Spirit by Jesus we should be immersed in the Spirit, not just filled, but immersed, totally, completely soaked in the Spirit. Although we arise from the waters of baptism symbolic of being born again, we can never arise from the immersion of the Spirit.  We must live within the Spirit all our life. 

The Lamb of God

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

THE LAMB OF GOD

John 1:29-31

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."

NIV

The system of having a sacrificial lamb was a part of the life of every Israelite as they have offered them for the sin of Israel for many years. It is noteworthy that John did not say, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of Israel.” He said this Lamb God takes away the sin of the world, the whole world, which at that time would have meant the gentiles as well as Israel. Of course we, having the whole of scripture know all this and it is not new to us, at least us who believe, but they did not know as we do, and it may not have registered that he was the Messiah of the whole world. Now John also said, which may have lead those hearing him to think of Israel only, the reason he came was so the Jesus would be revealed to Israel. Just because Jesus was revealed to Israel certainly did not mean that he came only for Israel, but that he came for us. Jesus is the One and Only true sacrificial lamb, provided by God, to take away our sin. In the Old Testament this sacrificial lamb was representative of taking away the sin of Israel, but no longer is it representative, it is actual.  Jesus actually, literally takes away our sin. Our sin is gone, not by any action on our part, but solely because of Jesus, all we need to do is accept him as our Sacrificial Lamb of God. 

Not Worthy

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

NOT WORTHY

John 1:24-28

24 Now some Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?" 26 "I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie." 28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

NIV

Although John does not record the rest of what Luke records concerning the words of John the Baptist we still have enough to know John was warning them about Jesus. Luke tells us that John also told them that this one coming after him would baptize them with the Holy Spirit and Fire. But here our take away is the fact that John, as filled as he was with the power of God was still not worthy to untie the sandals of Jesus. We might think from time to time, if God demonstrates his power through us, that we are someone fairly spiritual and therefore somewhat special. We might be tempted to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to if we are able to gain some particular insight into the truths of God. We might be tempted to consider ourselves better than some others because God has used us in some special way. By what John said, we know without a doubt he had no illusions of being anything but a voice telling people to prepare for the One and Only who was coming and that it is all about the One and Only. John knew his position in the kingdom, in Christ, and it was to serve him, and that he was not worthy of doing so because he was not without sin. We should all know we are all unworthy of serving Jesus, although that is exactly what we should do, even in our unworthiness. 

Get Ready

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

GET READY

John 1:19-23

19 Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ." 21 They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No." 22 Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" 23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.'"  

NIV

John was sure not to take anything away from Jesus. His testimony was not about himself, but about Jesus. Yes he told them that he was the voice of one calling the in the desert. He did not say that he was the one who was calling in the desert, but that he was the voice of one. He could not be the voice of two, but just one who was telling people to get ready, to make their lives prepared because the Lord was coming. So often we thing that sharing our testimony should be all about us, what God did in our lives, how he blessed us, how he saved us, and from what we were saved. But John merely told the people to prepare their lives, Jesus was coming. He did not want any fame or fortune because he believed, he simple was warning the people, that the Lord is coming. We should learn a lesson about how we share our testimony. Maybe we should just tell people who are not saved that they need to prepare their lives because Jesus is coming, which indeed he is. Sure it might be a good thing to tell them all that God did in our lives, it could serve to demonstrate the power of God, which might convince them of their need to prepare their lives for Jesus, to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Some might try to love them into the kingdom, trying to show them the love of God by doing all sorts of good deeds. But it just might be the best thing telling them they need to prepare their lives because the Lord is coming. It might be the best just to tell them to get ready. 

Knowing God

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

KNOWING GOD

John 1:18

18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.

NIV

All those records of when Adam walked with God, and Moses spend with God in light of this truth might well have been walking and talking with the One and Only who is now at the Father’s side. We know, of course, the One and Only as our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God the Father. John makes sure we understand that Jesus is God, not just a creation of God. But John also makes sure we know that Jesus has plainly made God the Father known to us. If we have seen Jesus then we have seen the Father. Jesus has seen God, as we already saw, Jesus was with the Father all the time, from the very beginning of time, and that it was Jesus who did all the creating and now he is back where he was from the very beginning. It is so far out there, it is no wonder some people just cannot get past their human understanding. They are trapped by their own minds, unable to free themselves from their own minds, and simple accept all this with faith that it is true. Once receiving Jesus in faith, the intellectual facts are as plain as day. The record reveals so much that not only is faith needed but the ability to allow the Spirit to reveal all this truth and thus gain understanding beyond the human level. Sometimes people think that only those people some two thousand years ago were able to see Jesus while he walked among them, but any of us today can see Jesus if we look for him. True, maybe not in the physical sense since he is at the Fathers side, but we can still see Jesus and thus know God.