God's Daytimer | Online Bible Studies

John 1:19-34

As we continue to look on God’s Daytimer at the gospel of John, we are going to be introduced to some very interesting people in the first four chapters. These four people are John the Baptist, Nathanael, Nicodemus, and the Samaratin woman. Each one has a unique encounter with Jesus. Up first is John the Baptist.

John 1:19-34 (NIV)
19 Now this was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Christ.” 21 They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” 22 Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’” 24 Now some Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” 28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing. 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.”

John the Baptist had some strong preconceived ideas about the Messiah, he often spoke of the stern judgments that Messiah would execute, and yet he realizes (thanks to the dove and the voice of God) that the Messiah is actually his gentle cousin, Jesus.

John 1:1-18

People often ask me where they should start when they are first going to read the Bible. My answer is almost always the Book of John. With that in mind, I thought that we would take some time here on God’s Daytimer to look at the gospel of John together. The gospel of John is different from Matthew, Mark, and Luke in a number of ways. John speaks more clearly than any other of the deity of Christ. It was the last of the gospels to be written, almost 40 years after the end of Jesus life on earth. Where Matthew, Mark, and Luke were all written to specific cultural groups, (like Mark to the Romans) John was written as more of a universal Gospel, to all people of all times.

John 1:1-18 (NIV)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. 6 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God– 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’” 16 From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.

Jesus is the Word. This title, “the Word,” teaches that Jesus is now, and always has been, the One through whom God expresses Himself. In the verses we looked at today we see that He expreseses Himself in creation (v3), in life (v4) and in light (v5). The light represents holiness, righteousness, and good and stands in contrast to darkness.

And we also see that the Word became flesh. (v14) The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus has come into the world and He has made a way through the cross for us to have life. This is how He demonstrates His fullness of “grace and truth”.

1 Peter 3:18-22

We are continuing to look at 1 Peter here on God’s Daytimer. We have been looking at different verses in light of Peter’s challenge to us to live good lives. Lives that not only please God and satisfy us, but also lives that make a difference for the Kingdom of God. Today’s verse is very interesting:

1 Peter 3:18-22
18For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, 19through whom[d] also he went and preached to the spirits in prison 20who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge[e] of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

I believe this verse talks about Jesus (pre-incarnate), through the Holy Spirit, being with Noah before the flood. The message of how to be saved was being demonstrated all during the building of the ark and yet through all of that, ultimately only eight people were saved. I think we are to remember that Jesus, who is also with us through the Holy Spirit, wants us to continue to share with people the way of salvation, and just like in the days of Noah, the final results are on God. We are to live our lives in such a way that people can see and feel the love of God that they might also be saved. I would encourage you to keep thinking about different ways that you can “share your hope” in Jesus so that people will have an opportunity to get in the “ark” before the Lord returns.

Be blessed and kept!