December 5, 2024
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Reading along with us in our Lenten readings from “The Life of Jesus”? Here’s today’s reading:
Advent 2024 – Day 5 in the Book: “The Life of Jesus“
The Beginning of Jesus’ Public Life
Read Sections 2.5 through 2.9 (pages 21-24)
This book is an account of Jesus’ life and teachings told through in chronological order from the four Gospels to create one continuous story.
*If you do not have a copy of the book please contact the church at (401)667-0775 and we can get you a copy.
John calls Jesus the lamb of God. John knew exactly what that meant. That Jesus would be sacrificed to take the wrongdoings of the world upon himself. Andrew immediately believes who Jesus is and runs to tell others. Nathaniel. Jesus points out. I know you!!! Jesus knows everything about every one of us. A little unnerving but loving it
Jesus’ existence was supported by many things – prophecies, miracles, extraordinary events and the scriptures. Jesus is real and miracles can still happen to this day..
Advent Day 5
You can feel the excitement and emotion in John’s words when he talks about Jesus the Messiah. His words almost jump off the pages! Do we express the same emotion and fervency when we talk about Jesus to others? It definitely gives me something to strive for as I know I fall well short of this. Let us all have John’s passion!
Imagine he knew each one of these men before they came to Him. He knew all about them because He loved each of them as He loves each of us. He cares about our lives and knows everything about us. He knows our doubts and our worries, funny how often we feel like we are keeping things together on our own when we could just cast those burdens down because He already knows them and is already present to help once we acknowledge Him.
The temple situation always brings me back to those sections of the OT when God does somethingkind of shock and awe to get the attention of those who are disobedient. A reminder that yes, He is a God of love, mercy, and grace, but He is also all powerful and a God that will correct when necessary.
Advent 2024 Day 5
The Life of Jesus 1.10-2.9
“Come and see”
With all the studies I’ve done regarding Apologetics (using philosophy to prove the existence of God and the truth of scripture) it baffles me how simple one’s witness can be. At the end of the day we don’t have to be deeply knowledgeable in order to witness to those who don’t know Christ, we need only extend the invitation to them to get to know Him.
What a fitting title for Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Even at the beginning of His ministry, it was declared the great work that He would do for the sake of His Father and for the whole world. And I suppose John answers my question from yesterday, he didn’t know who Jesus was but was given a sign by God to identify Him. And once John identifies who Jesus is, those following John would now follow Jesus. And the ripple effect happens as brothers and friends are told of Jesus as well. How natural it should be for us to share the good news of what we have found in Jesus. And the ability of Jesus to do miracles is revealed first at a wedding and changing water to wine. And the natural result of the miraculous is to draw people to faith. And this is exactly what happens. But Jesus is not beholden to man or their opinion of Him, what matters to Him is who God is and what His Father wants Him to do. This is seen in Him driving out the money changers. Now this act is commonly associated with the end of Jesus’ ministry. But John shares in His gospel that He did it at the beginning. Theologians wonder if they are talking about the same event and associating it with a different time. But my thought, along with others, is that Jesus did this twice. What these sellers and money changers were doing was inconsistent with the nature and purpose of the temple, which was to worship and revere God. And it is amazing to think that they didn’t get the point and at least 3 years later were back doing the same thing. We all certainly need God’s correction and to be set right in what we think, say and do. May we embrace this correction and follow its course rather than letting harmful patterns establish themselves in our lives.
Advent day 5
It is interesting that John points to Jesus with such certainty in John 1. Later when he is in prison, he seeks assurance. I wonder if he was confused about how God would fulfill His plan. I might wonder too, as I sat in prison, soon to be beheaded.
”John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.” The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.” And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 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.’ And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”“
John 1:26-27, 29-34 NKJV
”And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”“
Matthew 11:2-6 NKJV