John 1:35-51

John 1:35-51 (HCSB) ³⁵ Again the next day, John was standing with two of his disciples. ³⁶ When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look! The Lamb of God!” ³⁷ The two disciples heard him say this and followed Jesus. ³⁸ When Jesus turned and noticed them following Him, He asked them, “What are you looking for?” They said to Him, “ Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are You staying?” ³⁹ “Come and you’ll see,” He replied. So they went and saw where He was staying, and they stayed with Him that day. It was about 10 in the morning. ⁴⁰ Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John and followed Him. ⁴¹ He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah!” (which means “Anointed One”), ⁴² and he brought [Simon] to Jesus. When Jesus saw him, He said, “You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which means “Rock”). ⁴³ The next day He decided to leave for Galilee. Jesus found Philip and told him, “Follow Me!” ⁴⁴ Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter. ⁴⁵ Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law (and so did the prophets): Jesus the son of Joseph, from Nazareth!” ⁴⁶ “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Nathanael asked him. “Come and see,” Philip answered. ⁴⁷ Then Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him and said about him, “Here is a true Israelite; no deceit is in him.” ⁴⁸ “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you,” Jesus answered. ⁴⁹ “Rabbi,” Nathanael replied, “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” ⁵⁰ Jesus responded to him, “Do you believe [only] because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” ⁵¹ Then He said, “ I assure you: You will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

I recently saw a movie depiction of this scene which showed Nathanael worshiping God under the tree. The picture was that the reason Jesus saw Him under the tree was that he was communing with God - thus indicating that he was “a true Israelite; no deceit is in him.” Whether this was the case or not, it was clear that God had revealed to Jesus who Nathanael was and where he was. This is another reminder that God knows us and knows where we are.

The cool thing here is that Jesus does not see that this insight is that amazing. He seems surprised that this little bit of knowledge is enough to convince Nathanael of His Messiah-ship. Jesus says “You ain’t seen nothing yet.”

John 1:29-34

John 1:29-34 (HCSB) ²⁹ The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰ This is the One I told you about: ‘After me comes a man who has surpassed me, because He existed before me.’ ³¹ I didn’t know Him, but I came baptizing with water so He might be revealed to Israel.” ³² And John testified, “I watched the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He rested on Him. ³³ I didn’t know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The One you see the Spirit descending and resting on—He is the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴ I have seen and testified that He is the Son of God!”

Here He is! Sometimes I think we think God has hidden from us. The Jews of this time were looking for the Messiah. John stands up and says – “here He is” and a handful of people follow Him. We should not be surprised when people do not come in droves. If Jesus in the flesh was not enough to convince them, well, I guess that’s why we must have the Holy Spirit draw them.

He is the Son of God! Follow Him not me.

John 1:19-28

John 1:19-28 (HCSB) ¹⁹ This is John’s testimony when the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?” ²⁰ He did not refuse to answer, but he declared: “I am not the Messiah.” ²¹ “What then?” they asked him. “Are you Elijah?” “I am not,” he said. “Are you the Prophet?” “No,” he answered. ²² “Who are you, then?” they asked. “We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What can you tell us about yourself?” ²³ He said, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord—just as Isaiah the prophet said.” ²⁴ Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. ²⁵ So they asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you aren’t the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?” ²⁶ “I baptize with water,” John answered them. “Someone stands among you, but you don’t know [Him]. ²⁷ He is the One coming after me, whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to untie.” ²⁸ All this happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

We do not have to go very far to discover who John was. He tells us right here that he is the one that was predicted to come to prepare the way for the Messiah – the anointed one.

In one sense, we are all like John. We are the ones He has sent to prepare the way of the Lord for someone. There are many someone’s that need to know.

How can we be John the Baptist in our world?

Okay, this hasn't worked out as well as I thought.

Sorry, i have not been diligent to continue my family devotions in John.
I will try to get something in next week.

John 1:14-18

John 1:14-18 (HCSB) ¹⁴ The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. ¹⁵ (John testified concerning Him and exclaimed, “This was the One of whom I said, ‘The One coming after me has surpassed me, because He existed before me.’ ”) ¹⁶ Indeed, we have all received grace after grace from His fullness, ¹⁷ for although the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has ever seen God. The One and Only Son— the One who is at the Father’s side— He has revealed Him.

The greatest declaration of the Bible. The Word became flesh.
Jesus is God and Jesus is man! Full of grace and truth! We know it is true - John testified.
We were given the law so we know the right things to do. Howeverm we could never keep the law. Jesus brought us grace so we could live in Him!
Jesus came to reveal God to us.

Teenagers:
1) Why do you think God had to become man?
2) How well do teenagers as a whole keep God’s laws?
3) How does Jesus coming help us?
4) What is grace?

Pray: Dear God, thank you for sending Jesus, full of grace and truth. Amen

For Children:

1) Jesus is God and man. This can be confusing. Can you think of things that are two things at once?

2) Jesus came to help us obey God’s rules. He gives us grace (helps us when we mess up). Have you ever messed up?

3) Have you asked Jesus to forgive your sins?

Pray: Thank you Jesus for coming to forgive my sins. Amen.

For Preschoolers:

Use Matthew 19:13-15 Jesus and the children.
Use the Bible Phrase “Jesus loves you.”

Tell preschoolers that Jesus loves them. Tell them the story of Jesus asking the little children to come to him so he could love them.

Pray with your children thanking God that Jesus loves us.