John 1:19-34
I like John the Baptist. He's down to earth and isn't afraid to just tell it like it is. In John 1:19-34 a number of people are really pressing him about religious matters--Is he the Christ? Is he Elijah? Is he the Prophet? John responds plainly and confidently with "'I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, "Make straight the way of the Lord"'" (vs. 23).
Then the next day, John sees Jesus in the distance and once again plainly and confidently talks about and proclaims Jesus. "'Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!'" (vs. 29).
We need to be prepared to respond to questions about Jesus from all angles--positive, negative, questioning, seeking, you name it. So the next time you have the opportunity to talk about Jesus, how might you respond? What can we do to be more like John--confident, assured and unwavering when it comes to Jesus and living for Him? Tami W.
Tami, I love this passage about John the Baptist. I know that for centuries, we've adopted John 3:16 as the heart of the gospel. We've focused upon,and preached and taught about, God's incomparable love! And His love IS incomparable and absolutely perfect.
However, I've wondered whether THIS passage ought to be the one adopted at the base of the gospel message. The passage so vividly describes John the Baptist, passionately and zealously, preaching the gospel...and,urgently, admonishing man to "make straight the way of the Lord"....
Today, in this world where "anything goes", it seems life is about man's self esteem and self awareness (self, self, and more self). How we need to remember and to remind everyone we see that GOD IS HOLY...HIS WAYS ARE HOLY...yes, He loves the world; Jesus died for us; but...HE LOVED US ENOUGH TO WARN US to "make straight the way of the Lord."
Man today does not want to acknowledge that the "way of the Lord" is a straight and a narrow way. Even with all the evangelization that is taking place in our world(and,not without sacrifice), the Bible says there will still be "few that find" this way.
There will never be a greater sacrifice than that made by our Lord Saviour Jesus Christ; and, yes, "God so loved the world..."(Susie loves this Scripture, too)! But, Dear Ones, He so loved the world that He warned us through the preaching of John the Baptist, and others, to "make straight the way of the Lord."
May God, through His incomparable mercies and love, and through His only Son Jesus, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, teach us and guide us daily HIS HOLY WAYS, so that we might, one day, hear Him say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant!"
Blessings to all at P4!
I too appreciate the way that John gives an unwavering answer about who Jesus Christ is. It is also interesting to me that John doesn't really try to "convert" those who are asking the question. We read where those who were sent were sent from the Pharisees so I doubt they were really looking to believe in Jesus anyway at that time. We come across people like that also. They aren't ready to repent and receive Jesus, they just want to know what we think He is. They want to see and hear that we are confident in our belief. John discerns their hearts and gives then an answer that is appropriate for their need at the time. We can and should do the same thing.
hi,John truly would of had and experience with God to do first what he said he was doing.i believe because in these days people cant truly stand and declare the word of God to the unsave or religious man is because they simply dont no HIM.We know about Him,there is no revelation of HIM to us so we waver when ask about our faith and hope in JESUS.The bible states only they that DO know Jesus will be strong and do exploits for HIM.So i want to encourage those who confesses to know him,get to know Jesus in a REAL,EXPERIENCIAL WAY,so that we can truly win the lost as we testify of JESUS BY HIS SPIRIT.God bless.
It is an honour, more than an honour to speak about God the Son, Jesus. The Lord saw how the people of Israel behaved by sinning constantly because they were not loyal to Him even thogh they knew Him and say all the wonders and miracles He did for them when He took them out of Egypt. All the things God told them not to do they did. I have never read about people with shorter memories than the Israelites of the OT. So because God loved the world so much, loved us so much, He sent Jesus to live on earth. Could it be also that He wanted to know what made humandkind so evil? Because God did and still does not want to lose any of us, Jesus lived on earth as man. Even though the heaven and the earth belongs to Him He came on earth as the most humbliest person, full of love and compassion and continued to do wonders. God does not force us to do anything. He makes His Word available for us to chose our path. He would like us to do the right and correct thing by accepting Jesus as the Christ who shed His blood and died on the cross for all our sins. All we have to do is to accept Him and be faithful to Him and obey what He teaches. All He teaches are good, pure and holy, but we do not care to trust Him or, we only trust Him when we are in trouble and then after He blesses us we continue with the old sinful ways.
My God is so awesome that He loves me so much that He is willing to forgive me more than 70 x 7. He is the ony Way, The only Truth and and the only Light. We cannot get to the Father unless we go through Him. So if we want eternal life then we must believe in and trust Him. There will be no other person like Him to save us because He is SALVATION. So if we truly love and believe Him then we must fervently seek Him. Give Him thanks and praise for His grace, mercy, compassion and forgiveness. No one else is coming but Him. Since we do not know the the day, the hour nor the night let us always be prepared and keep in his Word and be obedient,
The following comments are not mine but were taken from a website:
"Baptists believe in full submersion of the body like Jesus did when John the Baptist baptized him. I think they came up with the name to distinguish themselves from the other denominations who believed in sprinkling. Being baptized according to the Bible, doesn't save you, but many Non-Baptists sometimes will get the idea that Baptists believe baptism saves you. That is not what Baptists believe, they just believe that Baptism is more of an announcement to the world that you are a Christian and belong to God. It is an affirmation of your faith, but does not save you, only Jesus saves."
The reason I am bringing this up is the fact that I had been Catholic for most of my life. When we would hear the word "Baptists", we would think of "holy rollers" or people who belonged to a church that was a little weird.
Now that I know the truth (I have left the Catholic Church) and belong to a Church whose pastor preaches from the Bible. Now the word "Baptist" conjures up thoughts of John the Baptist...a man who asked people to repent. A man who wanted nothing for himself...no glory, no fame, no riches....he only wanted his message to be heard. He humbled himself before Our Lord. I regret the days when I "made fun" of Baptists. How ignorant I was!
Thank you John the Baptist for all you suffered and endured for foolish people like myself. I am thankful I have taken your message to heart and have repented. I hope to meet you some day face to face and apologize to you. I did not know what I was doing.
Thank you, Lord God, for your servant John the Baptist.