Sunday Psalm

Psalm 100

 

 

Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before Him with joyful

singing.

Know that the LORD Himself is God;

It is He who has made us, and not

we ourselves;

We are His people and the sheep of

His pasture.

 

Enter His gates with thanksgiving

and His courts with praise.

Give thanks to Him, bless His name.

For the Lord is good;

His lovingkindness is everlasting

And His faithfulness to all

generations.

 

 

Worship Song: Grace and Peace

For a long time I have enjoyed listening to music put out by Sovereign Grace . Their music is gospel centered and Christ exalting. It is a blessing to hear deep theological and doctrinal truths while listening to music. One of their newest albums called Grace Has Come is a collection of songs put together that go through the book of Romans. I wanted to highlight one of there songs here today:

 

 

Grace and Peace

 

The song is based off of Romans 1:7 - "to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as

saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

 

 

Grace and peace, oh how can this be
For lawbreakers and thieves
For the worthless, the least
You have said, that our judgment is death
For all eternity
Without hope, without rest
Oh, what an amazing mystery
What an amazing mystery
That Your grace has come to me

Grace and peace, oh how can this be
The matchless King of all
Paid the blood price for me
Slaughtered lamb, what atonement You bring!
The vilest sinner's heart
Can be cleansed, can be free
Oh, what an amazing mystery
What an amazing mystery
That Your grace has come to me

Grace and peace, oh how can this be
Let songs of gratefulness
Ever rise, never cease
Loved by God and called as a saint
My heart is satisfied
In the riches of Christ
Oh, what an amazing mystery
What an amazing mystery
That Your grace has come to me

Oh, what an amazing love I see
What an amazing love I see
That Your grace has come to me
Oh, what an amazing love I see
What an amazing love I see
That Your grace has come to me

 

(Words and music by Joel Sczebel)

 

 

Blessings,

           Lucas C.

The Gospel of John: John 4:43-54

John 4:43-54

Title: The Miraculous Healing of the Officials Son

Analysis:

                Jesus, after spending two days in Samaria continues on his journey and arrives in Galilee. Unlike in Samaria, Jesus is not believed in by the people of His home town as exhibited in vs. 44 and vs. 48. At this time John records for us the second major sign that our Lord performed during His earthly ministry (vs. 54). Jesus is now in Cana of Galilee, the same place where he performed his first miracle of turning the water into wine.

                As he has arrived, news of his arrival and miracles had obviously spread throughout the area. A Royal officer hears that Jesus is in Cana and comes to the Lord asking Him to heal his son (vs. 47). He literally begs Jesus repeatedly in desperation for the condition of His son. Jesus knew that he believed that He could perform the miracle but did not completely believe in Him as Messiah. This is the reason for the Saviours response in vs. 48 which says, “Unless you people see signs and wonders you simply will not believe.” Jesus is referring to the Galileans as a whole group of people but also specifically to this man. The Samaritans believed Jesus not because of what the women said (vs. 42), but rather because they heard for themselves. The Galileans searched instead for signs from Christ and not His preached word. They saw Him as a great miracle worker but did not believe in Him as the chosen Messiah.

                After Jesus responds to the official we once again see Him beg the Saviour to heal his child. And without further need of prompting, our Lord is His infinite mercy says, “Go, your son lives.” (vs. 50) In spite of the lack of faith Jesus still meets the man’s needs. What mercy our Saviour shows!

                As the man continues back home, some servants meet with him and tell him that his sons fever left him at the seventh hour. The Officer remembers that this was the same time he spoke with Jesus. Upon realizing this, his partial unfaithfulness turned to complete faith in the Lord and not only he but also his entire household believed in Jesus Christ.

                In the end, the Lord was sovereignly testing the officer’s faith to see whether he would truly believe in Him as Messiah and not just a man who could work miracles. Amazingly the man and his entire household put their trust in the Saviour, as not only a God who heals but a God who saves resulting in belief.      

Response:

                Do you put your belief in the Son of God at all times? Was the question that came to my mind after reading this passage of scripture from John. For myself I know it is easy to trust in Jesus when times are free from trial or temptation. But it is ever so hard to trust when my heart is pulled by the sinful calls of this world. In this text, the Officer runs to Jesus but with the wrong motives. He wants Jesus to be a temporary solvent to his problems rather than a life-long Saviour who is always there. As a Christian it is imperative to realize that Christ is there for us and we must run to Him in trials and in joys. I know He will strengthen us and refresh us in trial, and he will be our guide and friend in joys. The Christian life is about commitment to Christ, full-time commitment as a slave serves his master so we serve our Lord. May God grant me the faith to be completely trusting that Jesus is the promised Messiah and can wash me new from all my filthy stains.   

Blessings,
           Lucas C.

The Gospel of John: John 4:27-42

John 4:27-42

Title: The Samaritans Believe in Christ.

Analysis:

                Not long after Christ witness to the women at the well, the disciples return and are amazed to see Him speaking with a woman (vs.27). The women was too shocked by what Jesus had claimed Himself to be so she leaves her water pot and rushes to the city telling all the people that Jesus could be their long awaited Messiah.

                The disciples, who were perplexed at this moment, offer Jesus some of the food they brought back, but he refuses saying in verse 32, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” Jesus was of course speaking of spiritual food or, the gospel. Just like the Samaritan women the disciples did not understand that He spoke of obeying His Father who was in Heaven.

                Jesus now enters into dialogue comparing His work on earth to a farmer who must harvest his crops. He uses the fields surrounding them as a picture of the harvest that is coming, while also comparing it to the harvest of man’s souls. At the time of vs. 35 the Lord points out the crowd coming from the town and compares them to the fields around them. They were ripe for harvest because Jesus knew their hearts and knew that they would believe in Him. The Lord calls His disciples to work with Him in evangelizing the people for then they will have eternal rewards because of their service to Him.

                The Samaritans were genuine believers and John uses them as an example to prove that Jesus was the Messiah and Son of God. First, the Lord’s interaction with the women at the well shows that His knowledge of mankind is omniscient, proving that He must be God. Secondly, the way that she reacted in verses 28-29 by telling the people of her town that Jesus is the Messiah. Subtly proving that she had believed in Him. And finally in Verses 41-42 showed that the work of their belief was not because of another person’s testimony but because of what they had seen and heard from Christ Himself.

                The people of Samaria were not superficial in their trust of the Saviour. Rather we read in verse 42, their confession of the Christ which says, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Saviour of the World.”        

Response:

                As I read verses 32-34, I was struck by the complete dependence that Jesus Christ had towards the Father while he was on earth. When Jesus spoke with the Samaritan women he was receiving more satisfaction and strength that any food could provide. He was also probably referring to Deut. 8:3 which states, “Man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.” Jesus’s obedience to His Father was food enough for Him to live upon. And as I think of our Lord's dependence I think that I too can be dependent upon God. How well do I put my complete trust in Him so that I have no need of anything else? Do I rest in His very Words, or do I run to something else to find my security? I know that I must run to Him and depend on Him at all times.  

 

Blessings,

           Lucas C.

The Gospel of John: John 4:1-26

John 4:1-26

Title: Jesus Witnesses to the Samaritan Women

Analysis:

                As Jesus continues His ministry on this earth, He begins to travel from Judea to Galilee. Most Jews, because of their hatred for the Samaritans as ‘Half-Jews’ would never travel through Samaria but rather take the longer route north along the seacoast. Jesus though chose to pass through Samaria. In His sovereign knowledge he knew he had a divine appointment with the women at the well.

                While travelling Jesus and His disciples came to Jacob’s well in the evening time and it is here that we see a glimpse of our Lord’s humanity. Only a little while ago, we heard John the Baptist proclaim in 3:36, -“He who believes in the Son has eternal life…” Here John claims that Jesus is the only way to God which affirms His complete deity. But now we see in 4:6, “So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well…” Even the Lord has physical limitations while on this earth; they were necessary as he had to be fully God and fully man to be the right substitute.

                It was now 6:00 in the evening and the disciples had gone into the town to purchase food. As Jesus waits by the well side a Samaritan women comes to draw water from the well (vs. 7) Our Lord then speaks to her, asking her for a drink of water, something that any Jewish man would never have done as it resulted in a breach of the social animosity the two people groups held for each other. The women then answers Jesus according to the culture wondering why he would even speak to her, as she was a Samaritan women (vs. 9). Jesus replies and tells the lady that if she knew who He was, she would have asked Him for life giving water (vs. 10). The women, not understanding that Jesus spoke of spiritual life says in verse 15, “Sir Give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw.” Because of her misunderstanding Jesus asked the women to, “go call her husband” pointing to the direct spiritual need that she had.

                As we know the lady responds saying, I have no husband , to which Jesus acknowledges is right, because she has been married five times before (vs. 17-18). The Lord in this moment exposes his supernatural knowledge of this women’s life and she immediately recognizes it. Jesus then explains to her that it does not matter what location you worship God at, for both places would soon be destroyed. Instead the Lord reveals to her that you must worship the Father both in spirit and in truth (vs.24-25).

                In verse 25 the Samaritan lady now understands that the Lord was speaking about spiritual life and she acknowledges that the Messiah is coming, and he will make all things known to them. And to answer her claim that the Messiah will come, Jesus, in an amazing revelation of who He was says to her plainly, “I am He!” Declaring that the Messiah they were waiting for had come and was the one who was speaking with her face to face.         

Response:

                This passage shows to me the pleasure that our Lord has in making Himself known to all mankind. Jesus had come to this earth to seek and save the lost, and He was prepared to declare who he was so that mankind would believe in His name. Our Lord even travelled to places where the religious men would never go and speak to people who would never have the opportunity to hear the gospel. I am convicted by His readiness to share with this women about who He is. I know that I need to have this same sort of love that reaches out to everyone, sharing with them the blessed truth that Jesus was and is the Messiah.

 

Blessings,

           Lucas C.

The Gospel of John: John 3:22-36

John 3:22-36

Title: John bears witness of Jesus Christ.

Analysis:

                As we conclude chapter three of the Gospel of John we come to the beginning of the end of John the Baptists ministry. As John himself knew, the time had come for the ministry of Jesus Christ to take center stage in the world. John himself was the herald, and now that the King had made Himself known, John stepped aside.
                In the text we see that John is still, “…baptizing in Aenon near Salim…” John’s ministry was still active at this time, but as the verse 24 states, “…for John had not yet been thrown into prison.” It would not be too much longer until John is imprisoned and eventually killed by Herod.
                While John was baptizing, we see that there was a discussion between some men as they wondered why people were going to Jesus instead of John for baptism. It seems as though these men are concerned that Jesus was baptizing more men than John and are asking John if Jesus was in competition with him.
                John the Baptist understands this, and wastes no time in getting to the heart of their questions. In the subsequent verses (vs. 28 – 36) John explains to them saying, “…I am not the Christ….” (vs. 28), “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (vs. 30), and “He who comes from above is above all…” (vs. 31)John clearly explains to these men that there is no competition between himself and Christ, rather John points to Christ and rejoices when men choose to follow after Him.

                After explaining that the Lord must increase, John now commits the rest of his dialogue to explain that Jesus is from God, He is first in this world, and that all who believe in Him will have eternal life. John says that Jesus is from above, but man would not receive His testimony. God gave the Son a seal so that man would know he is true, while also giving Him the, “Spirit without measure.” The Father loves his Son and sent Him into this world for a very specific purpose. This purpose is clearly explained in verse 36. It says, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

                Jesus has come so that He may increase and be glorified before His Father who is in heaven. One way that Christ can increase is through the salvation of lost sinners, who will enter heaven and forever worship Him. John the Baptist testifies strongly that Jesus is the Christ and that all who believe in Him will have eternal life, while all those who do not believe will be under God’s wrath forever.       

Response:

                As I studied this passage, it is very evident that John the Baptist was a man of great humility. He points even His own disciples to the Lord and acknowledges that only Jesus is worthy of praise and glory. Verse 30 sums up the entire passage as it reads, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John understood who Jesus was, and that he had a purpose to come into this world. All who believed in Him would have eternal life, so it was natural for John to show people the man who could save their souls. I realise also that I need to be a man of humility. I must point my life towards Christ in the way I live, speak, and act so that His name will be glorified and others will come to believe in Him. 

Blessings,
           Lucas C.

The Gospel of John: John 3:1-21

John 3:1-21

Title: Jesus Witnesses to Nicodemus.

Analysis:

                This passage of God’s Word contains some of the most amazing truths about salvation, Jesus, and the reason that Christ came into the word. John begins our passage by setting our scene for the dialogue that follows. Nicodemus was a Pharisees, and a prominent ruler in this party. He came to Christ by night most likely because he was worried of the implications of associating with Jesus. When they begin their conversation Nicodemus says that they (the Pharisees) know that Jesus is from God (vs. 2) because the signs that Christ performed were proof. This shows that although they desired to kill Jesus, the Pharisees knew without a doubt that He was indeed the Son of God.
                Jesus replies by saying, “unless one is born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” The conversation continues as both Jesus and Nicodemus talk of salvation. Jesus explains that one must be cleansed on the inside and pure from sin to be born again. Only those who are born of the spirit can be saved because they will have the Spirit of God living inside them. Just as the wind blows and cannot be controlled, the Spirit of God saves whomever He chooses.
                Nicodemus, amazed at this teaching responds to Jesus saying, “How can these things be?” Our Lord replies to Nicodemus now explaining that the reason man does not believe is because they are ignorant of the Scriptures. We know that the Scripture spoke extensively of Christ in the Old Testament, and yet the religious leaders were blind to who Jesus was. Jesus even refers to how Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, just as Christ will be lifted up on the cross. This healing will not be temporal, like Moses’ but rather spiritual and eternal.
                John now gives us the most common of our Lord’s words in verse 16 which say, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” These words and the words in verse 17 summarise the reason that Christ came into this World, and in effect summarise the bottom line of John’s Gospel. Jesus then continues by explaining that He is the light and that men hated the light because their deeds were evil. Only those who practice truth will be able to come to God and will be shown as a child of God.       

 

Response:

                It says in verse 16 that God the Father sent His Son Jesus Christ to this earth so that we may be saved through Him. This act of the Father that was pre-determined before the beginning of time which is an amazing thought! I think of how hard it would have been for the Father to eventually turn His back on His Son for the sake of us. It then makes me think of the amazing love that God must have for me, even while I was still His enemy. These verses remind me that I should think often of the marvelous work of God in my life so I can be continually praising Him. The Gospel truly is:

Holy God in love became

Perfect Man to Bear my Blame

On the Cross He took my sin

By His death I live again

Blessings,

           Lucas C.

The Gospel of John: John 2:12-25

John 2:12-25

Title: Christ Cleanses the Temple.

 

Analysis:

                In this passage of God’s Word, we read about one of the most amazing miracles of Jesus’s ministry here on earth. As he and his disciples continue on from the wedding; they stay in Capernaum for a few days and then travel to Jerusalem for Passover. We are quickly introduced by John as to what Jesus sees. There were many men, using this time of celebration to gather in the temple to sell various animals that were used for sacrifices. Also, the money changers were seated at their tables (vs.15).

                Immediately John transitions to the Lords response, making it very clear to us what His attitude towards these men was. Our Lord’s reaction is astonishing and amazing at the same time. Without delay Jesus makes a scourge of cords and in a miraculous way, drives out all these wicked men from the temple. To comprehend the scope of this miracle we must realise that the Temple area was a very large area, and the Lord drove out hundreds of people and all their animals from His holy place.

               In verses 16-17 John brings to our attention the reason why Jesus drove these men out. He said, “Stop making my Father’s house a place of business.” And His disciples remembered what was prophesied about Him saying, “Zeal for your house will consume Me.” The reason that the Lord drove these men out is that they were using the house of God to make money and profit by cheating and stealing from the people. They had not come to worship God but rather to worship themselves, seeking only their own good. Their religion was dead and self-serving and Jesus would have none of it!
           Although they had been driven out, the Jews still had the audacity to demand of Jesus to perform a sign showing that He had authority to do this. Christ immediately tells them that if they would destroy this temple, in three days he would rise again. The Jews eyes were blinded to this statement and believed he spoke of the temple so they mock His words by saying it had taken 46 years already to build the temple. They did not understand that He was speaking of His body.

                Even though the Jews did not believe, Christ’s disciples remembered His words after He rose again from the dead. Contrary to their belief the people at the Passover still chose not to worship Him as God. John continues to explain that Jesus performed many other signs during the feast (vs.23) but he would not entrust Himself to them. Jesus knew that although the people said they believed in Him, they did not worship Him as King or Lord in their lives. Rather their outward belief was an inward selfishness.

                Jesus knew this and would not entrust Himself to them for, “He knew all men…He Himself knew what was in man.” (Verse 24-25). It seems as though John adds this statement on to show us once again that Jesus must be God, for only God knows our hearts, just as Jesus did here.       

Response:

                What kind of religion am I offering to the Lord? Was a question that popped into my mind as I studied this section of scripture. Just as the men of Israel mocked God by committing sin while being in the house of God, I believe we are all capable of doing this. Jesus, as we see here, hates pretenders. He does not want us to look like were worshiping Him while at the same time living in sin. Not only does he not want us to do that, but for the Christian it is impossible to do this. You cannot half-heartedly entrust yourself to the Lord for He knows our hearts and will not accept that form of worship. Complete surrender to His will for your life is the only way that you can have pure religion and worship before Him.    

Blessings,
           Lucas C.

The Gospel of John: John 2:1-11

John 2:1-11

Title: Jesus performs His first miracle.

Analysis:

                In our text of scripture that we look at today, we see that Jesus has begun His public ministry.  Flowing right out of Christ words to Nathaniel at the end of chapter one (vs 50), Jesus performs His very first miracle. The setting is in Cana of Galilee, and the event is a wedding feast that Jesus, His mother, and also His disciples were invited too. At this particular time of the feast, the wine has run out Jesus’ mother makes Him aware stating in verse 3, “They have no wine.”
                 It is debated among scholars what this dialogue means. Was Mary expecting a miracle from Jesus, hence she tells Him they have no wine? Probably not, but she knew that He may have a solution to the problem that was presented. He had only ever had perfect solutions before, so perhaps she thought it would be wise to seek His counsel.

                As for the Lords response, he replies in a seemingly abrupt way that is somewhat perplexing saying, “Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.” Our Lord here seems to evade the miracle, but we know this is not true for he performs it a few moments later. What we can conclude is that Jesus is saying that he had come to this earth for a purpose, laying aside all earthy commitments and only doing things that would give glory to Him and His Father.

                Mary must have recognized in some way that he would provide more wine, although she knew not how. We know this because she tells the servants to listen to whatever Jesus says. And now we come to the performance of this miracle.

                Jesus commands the servants to fill six stone water jugs to the brim with water. They do and in an instant, the water becomes wine, a miracle showing the supreme deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. The headwaiter observes that the wine tastes excellent (Vs. 9-10) as do all the people. Finally verse 11 concludes this section by stating that this is the beginning of the signs that Jesus would perform. Not only was it a sign but it also manifested His glory, so that His disciples believed Him. They knew that Jesus had power and by His signs, the power must be from God.  

Response:

                As a response, I must admit that it was a bit challenged to solve the dialogue between our Lord and His mother. But what I do know is that in His sovereign knowledge of all things, Christ worked out a fascinating miracle putting His full glory on display. It is very important to realize that as sovereign king of the universe I can go to the Lord whenever I need Him. Perhaps this is how even His mother felt when she knew there was no more wine. Not only can our Saviour help us in a time like show in the scriptures here, but He is also there for us when we need to call upon His name.

                At any time, our Lord is willing to listen to our struggles as we lift up our voices in praise and prayer to Him.   

Blessings,
           Lucas C.

The Gospel of John: John 1:35-51

John 1:35-51

Title: Christ calls His Disciples

Analysis:

                As John progresses in the writing of his Gospel, he comes to the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry which is marked by the calling of His disciples. Those whom Jesus called did not have any hesitation in following Him and did not doubt His authority. John and Andrew are first pointed to Christ by John the Baptist who calls Christ the, “Lamb of God!” The disciples immediately followed Jesus after hearing this statement and stayed with Him.

                Not only were Andrew and John immediately fixed to the Saviour, they also were ready to spread the news about Him. In vs. 40 we see Andrew who runs to find Simon his brother, and proclaim to him, “We have found the Messiah!” This statement is astounding that Andrew would so readily acknowledge Jesus as Messiah. Simon comes to Jesus, and his name is changed from Cephas (which meant reed) to Peter (meaning rock). This is foreshadowing what Jesus is preparing to change in Peter’s character so he will one day be a stalwart leader in the church.

                A John continues he says that Jesus and his few disciples came to Galilee and seeing Philip, Jesus said, “Follow me.” Of all the phrases that our Lord spoke, perhaps the words, ‘Follow Me’ are the most compelling. With these simple words the Lord commanded that these men leave all they had, and commit their lives to following Him. It is even more astounding that their obedience was immediate and not prolonged. As Philip states in vs. 45, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote – Jesus of Nazareth…” This statement is a partial summary of what John in this gospel is trying to convey; that Jesus is the Son of God and has now come into the world to save that which was lost.   

                Although the statement was wholly true, Nathaniel doubts Philip’s words thinking that nothing good can come from Nazareth. Regardless he follows Philip to Jesus. Christ then reveals that he knew Nathaniel’s thoughts about Him and also reveals his supernatural knowledge by speaking of things only Nathaniel knew. Because of this he responds humbly by saying, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.” His doubts were removed and he came to realize that Jesus was in fact the Messiah.

                Jesus says to his disciples that they would see greater things in His ministry than His knowledge of ones thoughts or activities. Just as Jacob experienced revelation from Heaven, (Gen 28:12) the disciples would experience miracles from Heaven. The greatest miracle being Jesus replacing the ‘ladder’ so to speak in Jacob’s dream and being the only way to the Father in Heaven (John 14:6).

Response:

For me, this passage was very impactful. One way that I can apply this to my own life is to realize the powerfulness of Christ’s call in a man’s life. Jesus simply said to his disciples, “Follow Me” and they left all they had and followed after Him. When Christ was on earth, there must have been something so compelling in his voice, or the way he looked at them, or perhaps the fact that he can make a sinful heart regenerate that only the words, ‘Follow Me’ would change a man’s entire life. Although Christ is not physically present with me, He is here with me in Spirit and He still wants me to follow Him. This call is just as radical today as it was 2,000 years ago. The call to follow Christ means I must deny everything, even my own self so that I can be His disciple. I pray that God would grant me a humble heart that is so dependent on Him; I need nothing else but to trust and obey.    

Blessings,
           Lucas C.

The Gospel of John: John 1:19-34

John 1:19-34

Title: The testimony of John and baptism of Jesus.

Analysis:

                After speaking of Jesus as the light, John now delves into his documentation of the life of Jesus. In these verses John begins to provide proof that Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God.  John the apostle starts by revealing who John the Baptist is to us in verses 19-28. At this time John was living in the wilderness baptizing those who would believe in the name of Christ. His primary ministry was to point those to the soon coming King of Kings.
                At this time the Pharisees, perhaps some of the Sanhedrin came to question John asking him if he was the Christ. John is very bold and denies this saying, “I am not the Christ.” These men then ask if he is Elijah, probably thinking of the prophecy from Malachi 5:4 which says Elijah will come before Messiah. John was not Elijah but rather a type of Elijah who did indeed herald the Messiah. John the Baptist doe answer their questions by quoting Isaiah 40:3 and applying it to himself, saying that he is a voice proclaiming that the Lord is on His way.
                The Pharisees then question John as to why he baptizes and how he received authority to baptize. The reason John baptized was because when Messiah would come there would be a time of physical and spiritual cleansing. The Jews as well as the Gentiles who were not saved needed cleansing and preparation for the arrival of Messiah.
                Although he baptized Christ, John did not regard himself as worthy for this position. He speaks of Christ being so glorious that he could not even untie the thong of His sandal. John constantly shifted the emphasis from himself to Christ, exemplifying extreme humility and acknowledgement of the complete Lordship Jesus possessed.
                John the apostle, now takes a shift in his focus between John and the Pharisees and turns to recall the events of the baptism of the Saviour. John gives a profound testimony when he sees Jesus, stating in vs. 29, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” This statement speaks of Jesus as a sacrificial lamb, who came in human form while still being fully God to take away the sins of mankind. John continues to explain that Jesus is higher than himself once again affirming His deity by saying in vs. 30, “…He existed before me…”
                Also seen in this passage is one of the greatest proofs of the Trinity, showing both the Spirit and the Son, at the baptism of Jesus. We also know the Father spoke from heaven affirming his Good pleasure (Luke 3:22). John the Baptist affirms this testimony by directly stating in verse 34, “I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.

Response:

As I read through this passage I was particularly struck by Verse 29b which states, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” I found it to be such a profoundly true statement that John made about Christ so near to the beginning of His ministry. It reminded me that Christ truly is our ‘sacrificial lamb’ who came and bore my own sin on the cross! As personal application I can’t think but how on earth could I not give everything I have to serve this Christ who would snatch a sinner like myself from the punishment I justly deserve in hell.

                This verse brought my thoughts to my salvation, and how it was so unmerited and so mercifully granted to me by God. Now, I have the privilege to be His slave and serve Him daily; no less have the freedom to study the very Words of God. What greater reason can compel one to serve the Lord, than to fully realize that God died so that you could live and bring glory to His name? But also, so that you could forever worship Him in Heaven, because he knows that that is the only thing that will bring us eternal joy.     

Blessings,
           Lucas C.

Beginning a New Chapter

This past year has been a busy one for me!

For Starters, I have successfully graduated from grade 12 with my Adult Dogwood Diploma. The journey of being homeschooled from the beginning has been exciting each and every day and truly a blessing from the Lord. As I am the youngest in my family my mom now is done teaching us kids and we are beginning a new chapter, specifically in my own life.

 

This summer I was able to work Full time as a Straw Boss at Klaassen Farms a local Blueberry Farm. It was an excellent experience that really grew me in ways that I couldn't imagine.                                                      

Now that the summer is over and farm work is done I have just recently begun taking courses on my way to serve the Lord in full time ministry in our local church. Ever since shortly after I was saved I have had a growing passion for the church. It is my desire and I believe it is Gods will that I work in full-time ministry in the church. Christ himself said in Matthew 16:18b - "...upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hades will not overpower it."

I firmly believe that this is true and I firmly believe that the Lord wants me to be a part of this work on earth, that is, building his church. Right now I am taking courses through the DEEP program and Masters Seminary Online.

I do hope to continue blogging this year, (and this time I mean it!) I have lots of homework that gets me studying the Word of God daily, (imagine that privilege!) so I will be posting what I have written or studied throughout the year. As you can already see I have put up my first post on the Gospel of John. I really hope these will be a blessing to someone, and I not, they are a blessing to me as I continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of my Saviour.  

 

Blessings,

     Lucas C.

 

 

   

The Gospel of John

For the Next Semester in School, now that I have started College, I will be doing a verse by verse analysis of the Gospel of John and Book of Acts. I have decided to share these here on the blog. Hope you enjoy reading them and learning more about the life and works of our great and Glorious Saviour!

 

John 1:1-18

 

Title: The Manifestation of Jesus Christ

 

                This is the passage that introduces the book of John and the main character of this book to us. This character is Jesus Christ; the Word became flesh, the Son of God. Verses 1-3 show us how both God and the Word work in harmony as the Word was, “…in the beginning with God, and was God.” There is a closeness that speaks to the Word and God being the same, and having the same nature.

Just as we know God created all things, “In the beginning…” (Gen 1:1) The Word was also a worker in the event of creation. The Word, and God himself have not only created all things but are the source of everything including life, and light. This life speaks both to a physical sense of life but also the spiritual and eternal life that is granted through Jesus Christ. The light that has come into the world is definitely the gospel, and all Biblical truth. This truth has not been understood by the darkness and the spiritually dark world we live in. Although it is not understood the light will continue to shine and will not be put out by the power darkness holds in this earth.

                John now takes a dramatic shift in his flow of thought and begins to speak of John the Baptist. John was a herald of Jesus Christ who came to proclaim that the light was coming into the world. John was sent by God to be this witness. He testified about this light not being the light himself but rather proclaiming that the light was going to come soon.

                Jesus, who is the true light, came physically into the world. Even while being the creator of this world, the world did not acknowledge Him as such. Even the Jewish nation, who were his chosen people did not believe in him or recognize him as the Messiah. Because of their unbelief they rejected Him. But even amongst the unbelievers, some came to receive Him and He granted them the right to be the children of God. These people were born again by God.

                We now come to one of the most bold and direct statements concerning the incarnation of Jesus Christ in vs. 14. It says, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us…” The supernatural second person of the God-head condescended to earth to take on mortal flesh. In this flesh we were given a glimpse of the greatness of the glory of God. While on earth, Christ’s glory was shown majestically in the transfiguration, resurrection, and ascension.     

                John spoke of Christ by literally calling out and proclaiming that Christ was higher than himself because He existed before him. This statement is astounding as John would have been born 6 months prior to Christ, so John confirms that Christ must be from God. This would explain how he could have existed before John.

                Because of the incarnation of Jesus, we have received abundant grace that was unmerited by our own efforts. For even if the Law of Moses convicts us of sin, Jesus Christ has made peace for us through God the Father. God the Father has been seen by no one but Jesus Christ the mediator between God and man; the one begotten by the Father, who has come to earth to explain who He is to us.

 

Personal Response:

                This entire passage speaks of Jesus Christ, the Son of God coming into this world. Verse 14 specifically says, “The world became flesh and dwelt among us…” John is saying that God himself, the creator of the universe came to this earth. As I think about what I know about God and why he came to this earth, I cannot help but realize that I must completely submit to his will in my life. Especially as a Christian, I must realize that Christ is not only my Saviour but also my Lord. He has supreme Lordship, and rule over me and I must obey what His word commands. I need to be submissive to all that Jesus teaches in his word allowing myself to be molded and shaped into His image. Even in areas that may not seem important, I must make Christ Lord over in my life. I have a responsibility to honour Him and also a desire. May I be completely submitted to His Lordship so that I will bring Him honour all the days of my life.     

 

Blessings,

Lucas C.