OUR FATHER WHO GAVE HIS SON COMPANIONS TO WALK WITH

The book of John chapter 1 verses 35 - 42 records the calling of the first disciples to Jesusˋ ministry.

The day after John had baptised Jesus, Jesus was in the area and again John declared the Jesus was the Lamb of God and two of Johnˋs disciples heard him and they left Johnˋs ministry and followed Jesus. One of these disciples was Andrew.

35 Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. 36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!”

37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?”

39 He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).

40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone).

Andrew, having heard John the baptist say that Jesus was the Lamb of God immediately followed Jesus and went to where He was staying and hung out with Him until about 4 in the afternoon. He then went to find his own brother whose name was Simon and Andrew told him that they had found the Messiah and brought him to where Jesus was.

Jesus, upon seeing Simon, changed his name to Peter which means ˋa stoneˋ.

Thus the group of disciples began to grow until it reached 12 core members.

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHO REVEALED HIS SON TO THE WORLD THROUGH JOHN THE BAPTIST

John chapter 1 verses 29 - 34 says this;

29 The next day John 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 [k]is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ 31 I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.”

32 And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

amen.

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 OUR FATHER WHO SENT A VOICE AHEAD TO PREPARE A WAY FOR OUR GOD

John chapter 1 verses 19 - 29 captures the confrontation between the religious leaders and John the Baptist.

John the Baptistˋs emergence confounded the religious class at the time because he was proclaiming spiritual rite of repentance through baptism and so they sent priests and Levites to him to find out who he was and get an explanaton for what he was doing.

They asked John the Baptist if he was the Messiah and he denied that. They then asked him if he was Elijah who had pre-figured baptism in the scriptures and John denied that as well. They asked him if he was 'the prophet' to which John said ˋNoˋ.

The prophet is this case is a reference from Deuteronomy chapter 18 verse - 18, which says, "I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers".

The identity of this prophet is Jesus who was called a prophet by the woman at the well in the book of John chapter 4 verse 19;

The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.

Our passage for today reads this way;

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 Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”

23 He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,” ’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

24 Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

26 John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. 27 It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”

28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Those who had aproached John the Baptist to question him exhausted the options that they had considered and so they asked him to tell them who he was and he told them that he was the one sent to prepare the way for the prophet (spoken of by Moses) and the Messiah (spoken of by the prophet  Isaiah and the other prophets). This role is captured in Isaiah chapter 40 verse which says;

The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God.

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHOSE SON WAS THE EXACT REPRESENTATION OF HIMSELF

The book of John chapter 1 verses 16 - 18 says this;

16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

This passage is easier to understand in the Amplified version;

16 For out of His fullness [the superabundance of His grace and truth] we have all received grace upon grace [spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, favor upon favor, and gift heaped upon gift]. 17 For the Law was given through Moses, but grace [the unearned, undeserved favor of God] and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God [His essence, His divine nature] at any time; the [One and] only begotten God [that is, the unique Son] who is in the intimate presence of the Father, He has explained Him [and interpreted and revealed the awesome wonder of the Father].

The Apostle John wrote of the experience that they had with the One of whom John the Baptist bore witness.

John describes being innundated with grace being poured upon grace out of the abundance of the Messiah Jesus Christ who, being in intimate connection with the  Father, was able to reveal the nature of God the Father to those listened to Him.

Whereas Moses brought the instrument of law by which favor was earned by obedience to it, the Messiah Jesus brought the instrument of grace and truth which made available the unearned and undeserved favor to us all.

Amen.

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