Tag: Jesus

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Living by Faith: Lessons from John the Baptist (John 1:31)

On By Ben JenningsIn Devotional1 Comment

[31] And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. 

Explanation

John knew Jesus as His cousin. John also knew that his mission was to make manifest the Messiah to Israel. This was the reason that he had a preaching ministry that was leading people to repentance pictured in baptism. They were being prepared to meet the Messiah. They were being prepared by being repentant.

This is the moment where John realizes that the Messiah was Jesus. He prophetically understood in this moment that the person he was preparing people for was here. Think about how incredible that must have been. The messiah is here, and it is his cousin. Amazing!

Application

When God calls us to a ministry, He rarely gives us all of the information that we will eventually have in the doing of that ministry. We learn as we go. We see the providence of God far more clearly in hindsight than in foresight. God has a plan, and we do not always know it from the beginning. By faith in Christ, we act on what we do know and what God has told us through His Word. As we act in faith, God uses us and allows us to see more clearly. One songwriter said, “I’ll walk with grace my feet, and faith my eyes.” I like that sentiment. We need God’s daily grace, and we walk by faith and not by sight.

Response

  1. Where do you need to live by faith today?
  2. Who do you need to point to Jesus today?
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The Significance of Lamb Imagery in the Bible (John 1:29-30)

On By Ben JenningsIn Devotional1 Comment

(29) The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (30) This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. John 1:29-30

Explain:

He had just been questioned by people sent to him by the pharisees.  The next day Jesus shows up.  He makes two statements in these verses. The first is a bold illusion to a Biblical truth.

Behold the Lamb of God…

Lamb imagery is an important them throughout the Bible.  One of the first references to a lamb in the Old Testament happens in Genesis 22.  A father, Abraham, takes his only son to offer him up for a sacrifice.  

[7] And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? [8] And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. (Genesis 22:7-8)

When Abraham is about to sacrifice his son, God the Father stops him and provides a substitute lamb.

[12] And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. [13] And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. (Genesis 22:12-13)

This idea of a substitute lamb is continued in the story of the Exodus.  The children of Israel, at the passover, were to kill a lamb without spot or blemish, and paint its blood on the doorposts of their house.  When the death angel would pass by their homes, they would look to the blood of lamb and pass over.  The oldest son would not die.  In a very real sense, the lamb was sacrificed in place of the son.

A lamb was killed daily for the sins of Israel as part of the daily sacrifices required by God.

Isaiah says that the suffering servant would be like a lamb lead to the slaughter.  This is offering and atonement language foretelling the substitutionary atonement that Jesus would ultimately fulfill.

John was pointing to an important truth about Jesus from the start.  Jesus was going to be that lamb of God.  Why?

which taketh away the sin of the world. 

As the lamb sacrificed would be a sufficient substitute for the sin of the nation of Israel, Jesus sacrifice would be a sufficient substitute for the sin of the whole world.

John makes a second statement in the presence of Jesus.  He alludes to what he had said recorded in the verses just beforehand.

(30) This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.

What does “before me” mean?

It speaks to Jesus’ priority.  Jesus is greater than John.  Jesus is the Christ, and John prepares His way.  John knew that he was to prepare the way of the messiah.  It was the point of His whole life and ministry.

It speaks to Jesus’ pre-existence.  Jesus, being God, is eternal.  He didn’t begin at His conception.  He became incarnate as His conception.  Again, this is something that John now knew.  In this moment, he gets to declare it in the presence of Jesus Christ Himself. 

Apply:

A few points of application.

  1. I need a substitute. I cannot pay for my sin myself. Thanks be to God for giving us His Son. He did not spare him, but gave him up freely for us all. 
  2. I need to acknowledge Christ’s priority. He’s in charge. He’s the focus. He’s number 1. If I point to Him I have simply done my duty. This ought to be the focus of my life.

Response:

  1. Do you know Christ as Savior? He can be your substitute. Trust in Him today!
  2. Do you know Christ as Lord? Once you know Him as Savior, you will know Him as Lord. He’s in charge. Are you submitting to Him today?
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How Christ Reveals the Father to Us (John 1:18)

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

John 1:18

Explanation:

The idea that “no man has seen God at any time” is pretty incredible.  Moses was one who knew this reality. At one time He asked God to see His glory.

[18] And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. [19] And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. [20] And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. [21] And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: [22] And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: [23] And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

Exodus 33:18-23

God’s own testimony is that mankind cannot handle seeing Him in all His glory.  Moses encountered God in the burning bush.  The children of Israel saw God’s presence manifested in a vailed way through the pillar of fire, the pillar of cloud.  They saw the shekinah glory of God as it filled the tabernacle.  Moses only saw the after effects, the back parts, of God’s presence in glory, and it changed him. Check out Exodus 34:

[29] And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. [30] And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him. [31] And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them. [32] And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him in mount Sinai. [33] And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face. [34] But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded. [35] And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

Exodus 34:29-35

This is just someone who saw the effects of God’s glory, and they had to cover his face.  God is so infinitely glorious and holy that mankind, after the fall, has no hope of standing in his presence and seeing his glory.

Yet this verse tells us that though we have not seen God, now Christ in His incarnation is revealing God to us.  He is vailed in flesh.  At the transfiguration His glory was revealed.  This was Peter’s testimony.

[16] For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. [17] For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. [18] And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. 2 Peter 1:16-18

This was also the testimony of Jesus Christ about Himself.  His claim was that He was the Son of God, equal with the Father.

“Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.” (John 14:8-11)

The text says that He was in the bosom of the Father.  This is an intimate reality for Jesus.  He enjoyed perfect fellowship with the Father and Spirit from eternity past as a coequal with them.  Jesus’ testimony here is that God the Father has revealed Himself to the world through the person of Jesus Christ.  

The word “declared” is the word exēgeomai , from which we get words like exegete.  The idea is to expose, to clarify, to proclaim or declare.  Exegetical or expositional preaching has as it’s aim to say what the text says in a way that is faithful to it.  We are walking through the text and considering what it means.  We’re exposing the text.  John’s statement here is that God the Father is exposing what He is like by sending His Son, Jesus Christ. 

Application:

I can have a relationship with God the Father by believing in Christ the Son and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit to indwell me once I am saved. This reality is so wonderful I ought to let it impact every part of my life. The God who created the Universe became one of us. He did it to save us. He did it to reveal Himself to us. 

His holiness and glory helps me to see who I really am next to who He really is. I need His grace, mercy, and forgiveness. 

Response:

  1. What is your response to this depiction of the glory of God?
  2. Take some time to thank God for sending Jesus to reveal Himself to us.
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Moses and Jesus Contrasted: A Biblical Perspective

On By Ben JenningsIn Devotional2 Comments

17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

John 1:17

Explanation

Here we have an interesting contrast.

We have two contrasting figures.

Moses gave the law. Jesus fulfilled the law.

Moses broke the law. Jesus kept the law on our behalf.

Paul tells us that the law had a specific purpose.

[22] But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. [23] But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. [24] Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. [25] But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. [26] For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:22-26

The law exposes our sin and helps us to understand our death sentence. 

Thankfully we do not need to stay subject to the law for salvation. Jesus kept the law and then took our penalty so that we can have life. Grace and truth, what Christ was full of, was given to us by Christ Himself.

[20] Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. [21] For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

2 Corinthians 5:20-21

The law came from God through Moses. It exposed our sin. Jesus Christ came and kept the law, took our sin, and gave us His righteousness.

Application

We need to acknowledge these realities to find life in Jesus Christ. We acknowledge that we have broken God’s law. We acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life, and that we can only come to the Father through Him.

Response

  1. Have you accepted Christ, repenting of your sin and turning to Him by faith for salvation?
  2. Have you thanked Him lately for your salvation if you are saved?
  3. We are not saved so that we can keep breaking God’s law. God wants to change us by giving us His Spirit. Is there a sin you need to forsake?