1
The Gospel of John
Posted by
RuthAnn Nicholls
,
20 November 2010
·
932 views
I have always wanted to study John. I've studied his Epistles and learned so much about the Lord. And John the Gospel has always been so daunting to me. But I have started it. Let's see what God has for me in John.
John 1 is important in establishing that Jesus pre existed his birth, is the Word of God. He is the God creator. There was a prophetic announcement of his coming. And the Word became a man and lived among us for a time so that men could become sons of God if they believed on him.
John 1:18 No one has ever seen God. But his only Son, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart; he has told us about him.
This is where I saw that God the Father tore out his own heart and sent him to earth to die for us. What love is this? Certainly not human love.
The rest of chapter 1 tells about the first disciples, and the witness of John the Baptist.
Now, that part, about John the Baptist, was what God showed me anew when I was preparing, actually just praying for the street evangelism in our Jewish community here in PIttsburgh with Abraham.
John came to prepare the way for the Lord!!! Isn't that amazing in itself? He preached repentance and baptized people and even baptized our Lord!
As I began praying every Tuesday for this mission of evangelism, and reading John each day, I saw that these missionaries were going into the community and preparing the way for the Lord. For even though we witness about salvation, the Great Gospel of Jesus, none will hear, no seed will grow, unless Jesus makes it so. In effect the missionaries were like John the Baptist, bringing the good news about the Savior here to take away sin.
This was when God spoke to my soul and heart about joining the missionaries on this campaign. And I knew that God was using us to prepare the way for Jesus. If not a single person was saved during that 10 days, I knew God was going to use us for his purposes for his people and that somehow, someway, there would be people saved through this campaign.
So, I now see the church as a kind of John the Baptist. The church should be preparing the way for the Spirit to speak to mankind. That's the WOW I got out of John chapter 1.
EDIT:
Of course you know who the church is...
ME!
YOU!
John 1 is important in establishing that Jesus pre existed his birth, is the Word of God. He is the God creator. There was a prophetic announcement of his coming. And the Word became a man and lived among us for a time so that men could become sons of God if they believed on him.
John 1:18 No one has ever seen God. But his only Son, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart; he has told us about him.
This is where I saw that God the Father tore out his own heart and sent him to earth to die for us. What love is this? Certainly not human love.
The rest of chapter 1 tells about the first disciples, and the witness of John the Baptist.
Now, that part, about John the Baptist, was what God showed me anew when I was preparing, actually just praying for the street evangelism in our Jewish community here in PIttsburgh with Abraham.
John came to prepare the way for the Lord!!! Isn't that amazing in itself? He preached repentance and baptized people and even baptized our Lord!
As I began praying every Tuesday for this mission of evangelism, and reading John each day, I saw that these missionaries were going into the community and preparing the way for the Lord. For even though we witness about salvation, the Great Gospel of Jesus, none will hear, no seed will grow, unless Jesus makes it so. In effect the missionaries were like John the Baptist, bringing the good news about the Savior here to take away sin.
This was when God spoke to my soul and heart about joining the missionaries on this campaign. And I knew that God was using us to prepare the way for Jesus. If not a single person was saved during that 10 days, I knew God was going to use us for his purposes for his people and that somehow, someway, there would be people saved through this campaign.
So, I now see the church as a kind of John the Baptist. The church should be preparing the way for the Spirit to speak to mankind. That's the WOW I got out of John chapter 1.
EDIT:
Of course you know who the church is...
ME!
YOU!
