Week 10 Day 1

The Daily Take 10

The Gospel of John

Week 10 Day 1

Introduction…this world is hungry for leadership and direction. People are desperate for help and are searching today as they were in the past for answers to life. In Jesus’ day people were looking for someone to lead and free them from Roman rule. Today we are looking for someone who can solve financial and economic issues that bring prosperity. God saw the primary need of mankind to be spiritual. The answer needed to be spiritual since the spirit of man was dead and in bondage to sin. Without a Savior all the people of this world, past, present and future would be judged and sent to an eternity without hope and without God. Enter Jesus, the real and true light, the Savior.

Read John 1:9 “He was the real light, who in his coming into the world, gives light to every man.”

Bible Study

• Jesus came into the world some 2000 years ago and was born in Israel, a Jew, but in all actuality and purpose…He was God who came into the world, for the world, that whosoever would believe would be saved. Matthew 1:21 says, “and you shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.”
• The word “true or real” that describes the light is the Greek word “alethinos” indicating real or genuine as opposed to fakes, deceivers, false, or unreal.
• There are many ways, religions and beliefs in the world. Someone had to be misled to then deceive other followers into the false hopes, wrong ways and dead works that lead to destruction. See Romans 1:18-25.
• The light of Jesus is directly from God, it will save us and it is God’s provision, not man’s inclination or cleverly disguised fables. See Titus 3:9-11, 1 Timothy 6:3-6 and 2 Timothy 2:23; 4:3-4.
• Until Jesus came and reflected God as the true light there were doubts about what God was like. With Jesus light has come. We saw God and what He is like.
• Until Jesus came there was despair upon mankind and the world. What would take away, pay for, eliminate our sin?
• Until Jesus there was darkness and death. Isaiah 9:1-2 prophesied 1000 years before Jesus, “the people who sat in darkness saw great light and to them…in the shadow of death, light is sprung up”. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, death became a doorway to eternal life to those that believe, instead of judgment.
• There is reflected light, for example the moon gives earth reflected light from the true light of the sun. Likewise the true light is Jesus and we at our best as disciples of Christ are to reflect Him, that perfect light. The meaning of Christians is “little Christs.”
• Jesus came for all people and for all times. All those before Christ that died with a faith in the true and living God looked to the Cross in hope of salvation. Those who came after Jesus died for our sins look back to that single act of God as the covering Creator God has a heart big enough to give light, knowledge, hope and forgiveness to whoever comes to Jesus, the light of the world.
• Philippians 2:9-11 declares, “God has highly exalted him and given him a name above every name. That at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow…and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father”. Some of us will accept Christ and bow now, but even those who reject Christ throughout their lifetime, someday will be faced with the reality of Him in judgment and bow acknowledging the truth although forfeiting His intended forgiveness.
• Until then let’s pray and work for God’s Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven and pray that the nations of this world will become the kingdoms of our God. Psalms 2:8 says, “ask of me and I shall give you the nations for your inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.”

Application

Consider the Song “The Stand” and make it your testimony.

You stood before creation.

Eternity in Your hand.

You spoke the earth into motion

My soul now to stand.
So what could I say, and what could I do?

But offer this heart O God, completely to You.

So I’ll walk upon salvation

Your Spirit alive in me

This life to declare Your promise

My soul now to stand.

So I’ll stand, with arms high and heart abandoned

In awe of the One who gave it all

I’ll stand, my soul, Lord, to you surrendered

All I am is Yours!

Tags: Take 10

Week 10 Day 2

The Daily Take 10

The Gospel of John

Week 10 Day 2

Introduction…if you are a parent, you may know the pain of bringing a child into the world and giving them all your love and the provisions needed for life, only then to be disregarded, disobeyed and not appreciated by that child. It is a situation beyond sad and is certainly heartbreaking to a loving parent. It is especially tragic when you have what your children need, but they refuse you. What a travesty and tragedy!
Read John 1:10-11 “He (Jesus) was in the world and although the world came into being through Him, the world did not recognize Him. It was into his own home that He came and His own people did not welcome Him.”

Bible Study

• Initially and in the very beginning, God was in the world creating it. The world and all that is in it. God created by His Word, ‘Logos’ …the case for God can recognized by considering the amazing world He created with design and order. Then  mankind – the apex of creation was breathed into by God making us a living soul and giving us superior ability to think, choose and love like God. Psalms 19: 1-3 says, “the heavens declare the glory of God…day by day they utter speech…and show knowledge…there is no speech…where their voice is not heard.”
• The visible things of this world were so designed by God to lead men’s thoughts to the Creator that loves them and wants relationship and fellowship with them. See Genesis 3:8-9 where God comes to Adam and Eve seeking and calling to them.
• When we look outward we see the world God created. When we look upward we note such infinite ability as the heavens declare the glory of God. When we look inward, we sense God, know right from wrong and have an innate desire to be connected to our Creator. When we look backward into history we can see that people who denied God and His ways failed and their civilizations crumbled.
• So God was clearly revealed through nature. He was also revealed through the Bible and then ultimately through Jesus.
• Jesus came to Israel, to the Holy Land, to the Jewish nation, to God’s people that were set apart since Abraham, to further reveal to them and the world…the Creator, the Living God.
• Jesus was rejected by His own people, God’s chosen people. Still today Jesus stands at the door of people’s hearts and knocks…do we let Him into our lives? See Revelation 3:20 says, “Behold I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and will dine with him and him with me.” That is a picture of Divine fellowship.

Application

• The Westminster Confession of Faith begins by saying: “the lights of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom and power of God as to leave men inexcusable.”

Note the words of the song “One Day”

One day when heaven was filled with His praises

One day when sin was as black as can be

Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin

Dwelt among men like you and me

Living He loved me

Dying He saved me

Buried He carried my sins far away

Rising He justified freely forever

One day He’s coming oh glorious day!

Tags: Take 10

Week 10 Day 3

The Daily Take 10

The Gospel of John

Week 10 Day 3

Introduction…Much like it is today, many people rejected Jesus while alive on earth, although some were drawn to Him and loved Him. Those accepting Christ opened themselves to persecution, ridicule and rejection from peers and by leadership in their world. As disciples of Jesus Christ they decided to follow Jesus whatever the cost and would rather have Jesus than the comforts or acceptance of this world.

Read John 1: 12-13 “To all those who did receive him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become the children of God. These were born not of blood, nor of any human impulse, nor of any man’s will, but their birth was of God.”

Bible Study

• God has given to this world all He has to offer. First to mankind God has given physical life and an environment in this world that supports life.
• God gave spiritual and eternal life only to those who believe and receive God’s person, Jesus Christ, with His plan of forgiveness, salvation and sonship…to those only did God give the power and right to become the children of God. “We received the Spirit of adoption.” See Romans 8:15
• When we become children of God, we become joint heirs with Jesus Christ our elder brother. See Romans 8:16-19
• Sonship with God the Father includes a relationship with Him and fellowship that offers intimacy and depth. This was God’s plan for us in Creation.
• Just because you are a relative of Abraham or your earthly parents raised you to go to church does not make us children of God. Note…we are not born of blood, or human impulse, or our determined will to become sons of God.
• The Word declares that no one comes to God but the Father draws them (See John 6:44) and no one comes to the Father except through Christ Jesus.
• Just like we cannot determine to be friends with some earthly king and become friends, so it is dependent upon the king’s terms and desires.
  • We can only enter into friendship and sonship with God by His undeserving grace toward us.
  • God offers us the right to become His sons, but it is our choice to accept and live in that right relationship.
• The Biblical meaning of ‘knowing or believing in His (Jesus’) name’ referred to those who knew God’s character, nature, what He is like…those who would be ready and willing to trust Him.
  • Psalms 9:10 says, “those who know your name put their trust in you.”
  • Psalms 20:7 says, “some boast of chariots and some of horses, but we boast of the name of the Lord our God.”
• Knowing the name of Jesus is recognizing He is God. He shows us what God is like. He is our Savior. See Acts 4:12, “There is salvation in no other name.” Because of Jesus, the only mediator between God and man, we can know God and be with Him someday in heaven for eternity. See Hebrews 9:15

Application

The song that has been sung for years by disciples of Jesus Christ as a prayer of dedication has been:

I have decided to follow Jesus

I have decided to follow Jesus

I have decided to follow Jesus

No turning back, no turning back.

Though none go with me

Still I will follow

Though none go with me

Still I will follow

Though none go with me

Still I will follow

No turning back, no turning back.

The Cross before me the world behind me

The Cross before me the world behind me

The Cross before me the world behind me

No turning back, no turning back.

Tags: Take 10

Week 10 Day 4

The Daily Take 10

The Gospel of John

Week 10 Day 4

Introduction…some people hear better with their eyes before they ever listen with their ears. God has spoken to us in various ways over the centuries, through the world that He created, nature, the heavens, through prophets, the Jewish people and nation of Israel, through a voice within us and on occasion to some audibly, but the capstone of all the efforts of God speaking to us is through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Read John 1:14 “So the Word of God became a person and took up his abode in our being, full of grace and truth, and we looked with our own eyes upon his glory, glory like the glory which an only son receives from a father.”

Bible Study

• This verse of Scripture in John 1:14 states the purpose of John, who was inspired by the Holy Spirit as he wrote this Gospel. Note the underlined phrases of this verse…
• The Word of God…the powerful, creative, dynamic agent of creation, that guides controls and directs the universe and made us a living soul to be one with God.
• Became a person…John actually saw, knew and experienced Jesus and declared this is what the Creator God is like…all the words that express God were put to life in a person.
  • The amazing truth of God coming to earth, the Incarnation, is that Jesus was fully God and fully man. Jesus was so much God, he was called the Son of God. So much man, he was called Son of man…both being true and truly God’s plan.
  • 1 John 4:2-3 says, “By this you know the Spirit of God. Every spirit which confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God and every spirit which does not confess Jesus is not of God. This is the spirit of Antichrist.”
• Full of grace and truth…Jesus showed us the nature of God…His thoughts and intentions toward us:
  • Grace reflects God’s love and kindness towards us since forgiveness and favor with God is His provision through Christ. God is all power, judgment, but is also all love.
  • Truth describes Jesus in His completeness. He came to show us God. He came to communicate to us clearly God. He remains with us through the ever present Spirit. He sets us free by liberating us from the bondage of sin. He modeled the way and it does not vary or change. He provided consistency and stability as He showed us how to live life at its best, to live like God lives.
• Glory reflects the powerful presence of God that was manifested wherever Jesus went and in whatever He did. Miracles, healings, wisdom, kindness, helpfulness, compassion were all expressed through Jesus like no other. The aura of His presence and closeness of His abundant life can be experienced by us and it is His desire that we, His disciples, live like Him.
  • “Shechinah” is the Hebrew word used to describe the visible presence of God among us. It means that which dwells. Jesus dwelt among us. His Spirit, the Holy Spirit dwells in us as believers, disciples of Christ.

Application

• Hebrews 1:1-3 is a wonderful complimentary and further enlightening passage of Scripture on this theme:
  • I have outlined for understanding and emphasis these first 3 verses…
  • “God who at various times and in diverse manners spoke in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, who He appointed
    • Heir of all things
    • By whom also He made the worlds
    • Who being the brightness of His glory
    • And the express image of His person
    • And upholding all things by the word of His power
    • When He had by himself purged our sins
    • Sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
• Hebrews 1:8-11 further emphasizes this great truth regarding Jesus, Son of God
  • “But unto the Son, he (God the Father) said, Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated iniquity. Therefore God, even your God has anointed you with the oil of gladness above all others. And you, Lord, in the beginning has laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the works of your hands. They will perish, but you remain.”

Tags: Take 10

Week 10 Day 5

The Daily Take 10

The Gospel of John

Week 10 Day 5

Introduction…no one has ever seen God. Some are fascinated and driven in search of God. Others are frustrated by the notion and have given up trying. In all truth, none of us by our own efforts can reach God or know Him without His determined efforts to reveal Himself to us and make our responses rewarded. See Hebrews 11:6 where it says, “they that come to God must believe that He is and He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him.”

Read John 1:15-18 “John was his witness and his statement still sounds out: “This is he of whom I said to you he who comes after me has been advanced before me because he was before me.” On his fullness we all of us have drawn and from him we have received grace upon grace, for it was the law which was given by Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is the unique one, he who is God, he who is in the bosom of the Father, who has told us all about God.”

Bible Study

• John the Baptist was the most powerful prophet of His time. Multitudes came to see and hear his message. But when Jesus came on the scene, John, rightfully stepped aside and said…this is the Messiah, the one who I have been talking about following. He was before me and is greater than I, for He is God the Son.
• Everyone speaking and living for God before Jesus came to earth were forgiven, saved and redeemed by the work of Jesus that came later and everyone since Jesus came points backward towards the Cross and the hope He brings as the doorway, the mediator, and the savior, bringing God to us.
• People come and go in this life. People watch and follow someone in their lives, but even leaders, like John the Baptist, must point them to the way, truth and life. Let’s point them to Jesus.
• There are 3 great things about Jesus we see in this Scripture…
  • Fullness. “Pleroma” in Greek meaning the sum total of all of what God is. We have drawn from Jesus so much of God. Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) bodily. See Colossians 1:19; 2:9
  • Grace upon grace. One wonder leading to yet another. Grace was imparted toward us in forgiveness for our sins. “he that is forgiven much, loves much.” Oh how we love Jesus! And also after forgiveness more grace was bestowed upon us to strengthen us through it all to live for Him.
  • Grace and truth. Through the Law we were commanded to obey and not break them. There was fear. But through Jesus we no longer obey as slaves, but as sons, joint heirs. His love constrains, motivates, inspires us to live for Him. God the law giver and judge, became our Father that loves us.
• Although no one has seen God, it is comforting to know that Jesus fully revealed to us is what God is like. How is that and why is that?
  • Jesus is the only begotten of the Father. Totally unique as the Son of God that is come to earth to save us from our sins. This is God’s plan since the foundation of the world. Jesus, God the Son would come to earth. “There is no other name given whereby man may be saved.” Acts 4:12
  • To see and know Jesus, we can know God. “if you have seen me you have seen the Father.” John 14:9
  • Jesus in the bosom of the Father expresses the deepest intimacy possible in human life. In Jesus Christ the distant, unknowable, invisible, unreachable God has come to men and now God will never be a stranger again.

Application

• Michelangelo’s painting on the Sistine Chapel of God’s finger nearly touching the outstretched arms of man is a beautiful picture, but as I now interpret that scene I see God determining to reach and connect with us and He does through Jesus.
• What is impossible with man is possible with God.
• See Romans 10: 4-9 “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes. For Moses describes the righteousness which is of the law, that the person who does those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaks saying, say not in your heart, who shall ascend into heaven? (that is to bring Christ down from above). Or who shall descend into the deep? (that is to bring up Christ again from the dead). But the word is near you, even in your mouth and in your heart. That is the word of faith…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Tags: Take 10

December 14, 2009 – The Divine, Part 3

We have looked at Joseph and Mary and today we look at the wise men.  Matthew is the only gospel that talks of the place the wise men had in the nativity story.  What can we rediscover about this amazing scene and what can it give us as insight into our God.

These men were truth seekers and the prophesies in the Old Testament moved them to journey to see the child.  In their minds could this Jewish tradition really happen, could the scriptures be true, could what the Old Testament says about God coming down to mankind really be happening right now?  They understood things about the birth of Jesus that many during that event did not except what was revealed to them by angels.  That is what is so great about the magi.  Men in wonder about the event, seeking out the notion that God so loved this world that He would send His Son to die for mankind.  That was their understanding as they went on this journey

What is most telling about the wise men and the truth that they were seeking was what was in their hands at their arrival – the gifts.  Gift are appropriate at Christmas time and here is the thing about gifts – gifts tell a lot about the people giving them.  Do they understand or know the recipient well?  Do they grasp the timing, the occasion of giving the gift?  Many understand the trouble of finding that perfect gift around Christmas time and you know the people in your life who are great gift givers.  Someone who knows you well, is thoughtful and creative and consistently delivers a gift to you of something you didn’t even know you wanted or needed but its perfect.  Gifts are significant in that way.

So what is the significance of the gifts these wise men gave as each gift spoke to who they were, what they understood the occasion to be and who the recipient was.  Revealing to us even today some 2,000 years later who is Jesus (Matt. 2:11).

Gold – the most precious of metals of their time as it is today.  Usually preserved for 1 person – kings.  They were making this statement – they knew this was a king and not just a king but the King of kings (Num. 24:17).  Just listen to their explanation of who they thought they were seeking in vs. 2, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews?”

Frankincense – derived from amber that when burned would leave a sweet smell in the air.  Frankincense meant something very special to the Jewish people (Ex. 30:34-38).  It was special and it was holy.  It was the fragrance used in the place where God met man in the Tabernacle.  These magi were declaring in their gift giving that they understood this child was not only the King of kings but also God himself made flesh here to meet us.

Myrrh- myrrh was a spice also used for fragrance.  It could be burned to make the house smell nice or even put on as perfume but in ancient times myrrh was most often used not for the living but for the dead.  A sacred spice used in burial as an embalming agent.  It was often packed in the linens of a dead person to stifle the smell of decay.  A fairly strange gift to bring a child as their birthday present unless you understand that the child’s purpose was actually to come and die.  These wise men had this revelation.  He was not just King, or God in the flesh, but our sacrifice/our savior.

This too is part of the Christmas story that these wise men knew.  They may have understood many things about who they were visiting that day but what they may not have understood was what Jesus’ kingdom was really about - Paul explains in Phil. 2:6-11.  That Jesus did not come to rule with an iron fist, to be a ruthless king like history so often chronicles kings to be - He is the King of kings, He is God made flesh but He came and took the humble position of a slave, obedient unto death on a cross as a sacrifice.

Do you know how much someone loves you – how thoughtful they are – how well they know what you need – how much they understand the occasion – by the gift  - this is the message of Christmas.  This is the truth that the wise men pursued and at least hoped to discover on their journey.  They had the book knowledge of what all of this could mean – a King of kings, God made flesh, a sacrifice for our sins and their gifts reflected just that.  But the story of Christmas shouts of the love God has for mankind and we see that in the gift He gave us that holy night – the divine gift.

Nothing says I love you more than a gift given face to face – God came here as Jesus, as a gift,

Jonathan

Tags: Jonathan Spuler

Week 9 Day 1

The Daily Take 10

The Gospel of John

Week 9 Day 1

Introduction…John, the writer of the Gospel of John, was one of the original 12 disciples called by Jesus to come follow Him. John was part of the inner circle of closest to Jesus disciples along with Peter and James. John, the last of the 4 Gospel’s, was written circa 90AD. In the book of the Revelation, the 4 Gospel writers are represented in symbol by the 4 beasts that are around the throne of God. See Revelation 4:7. The lion stands for Matthew, who in the first Gospel, saw Jesus as the Messiah, the Lion of the tribe of Judah. The man represented Mark, the most human and straight forward of the Gospels. The ox, the animal of service and sacrifice, stands for Luke, who saw Jesus as the great servant of God and mankind, the sacrifice for sin that whosoever will may come. The eagle, represents John, the writer of the 4^th Gospel, because like eagles who can look steady into the sun, so John had the most penetrating gaze into the eternal mysteries and truths of God as we will see in the study of the Gospel of John.

Read John 1:1-2 “When the world had its beginning, the Word was already there and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The Word was in the beginning with God.”

Bible Study

• John, who recognizes himself as a servant of the Most High God, never mentions his name as the writer of this gospel. Instead he mentions himself as ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved’ 4 times, see John 13: 23; 19:26; 20:2 and 21:20. He also describes himself as the witness, see John 19:35; and 21:24.
• John describes Jesus as the Word, ‘Logos’ in Greek, meaning word and reason.
  • The Word of God and the Reason of God is expressed through God the Son, Jesus.
    • God the Son is the creative, life giving and light giving Word of God to the world
    • God the Son is the power of God which created and sustains the world.
    • Love is the reason God the Father, sent God the Son to this world in human bodily form of Jesus to die for our sins
    • Jesus, God the Son was and is the image of God and the expression of love that God has for us.
  • The Jews were God’s chosen people, who for centuries were responsible to bring us light. Jesus, God the Son, came to earth, born of a virgin in Israel and grew up as a Jew. However, according to Scripture, Jesus came into the world for all mankind of the world, so that whosover will come to Him might be forgiven their sins, set free and given new life.
  • In the person of Jesus, God expressed His love and purposes to the world while revealing His nature.
• God the Son, the Eternal Word of God, was there at the very beginning.
  • In the beginning, before Creation, the Eternal God the Son was and is .
  • Since the beginning of time, God has always wanted relationship, fellowship and communion with us. From Garden of Eden and ongoing until today, God has desired and ordained communion with us.
  • God has been and is the same yesterday, today and forever. What has changed is man’s understanding and knowledge of Him. See Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever.”
  • Revelation 13:8 speaks of Jesus, God the Son as ‘the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.’
  • That relationship with God starts at salvation when we are forgiven and begin our fellowship with God.
• God the Son, the Word of God, was and is with God.
  • God the Son was there as a part of the Godhead (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) Trinity, but there has been the closest connection between them.
  • God the Son, is so intimate with God the Father, since he has been with Him for eternity past.
  • Jesus is the 1 person in the universe that can and does reveal to us what God is like and shows us the love God feels toward us.
• God the Son, the Word of God, was and is God
  • The very same character and quality and essence and being as God
  • When we see Jesus, we see what God is like.
  • It is Jesus who shows us who God is and like a window into the very nature of God, we see God is full of love and compassion.

Application

• Jesus, was so much man, He was called Son of Man. Yet at the same time, He was so much God, He was called, Son of God. No one ever lived like Him. From His virgin birth, his miracles, no one ever spoke like him, and no one ever died and rose again from the grave.
• Through Jesus, God and His purposes are revealed.
• Through the created world God is also revealed. See Psalms 19. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows forth His handiwork. Day after day it speaks and night after night is shows knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world…”

Questions or comments?

Tags: Take 10

Week 9 Day 2

The Daily Take 10

The Gospel of John

Week 9 Day 2

Introduction…In the first few sentences of the Bible we learn several key truths. Genesis 1:1, 2, 26 says “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters…And God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”

Read John 1:3 “He was the agent through whom all things were made and there is not a single thing which exists in this world which came into being without him.”

Bible Study

• In the beginning…there was God! What an incredible and unfathomable reality.
• In Genesis 1:1 “God said, let us make…” To whom is God speaking before anyone was created?
  • It refers to God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Trinity were speaking to each other and were all involved in Creation.
  • The word God used here in the Hebrew is Elohim. It is the first name of Deity. It is a plural noun in form but singular in meaning when it refers to the true and living God.
• The Trinity is a mystery that we can only attempt to grasp. Like H2O/water that can be in the form of vapor, liquid or solid, the 3 persons of the Trinity, God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit act in complete unity as 1.
• Deuteronomy 6:4 says, “The Lord our God is one Lord.” Yet there are 3 distinct persons and roles of each. Some additional Scriptures revealing the Trinity are…
  • At the Incarnation, Jesus, God the Son was conceived by the Holy Spirit in his mother Mary as she was overshadowed by the Almighty Father. See Luke 1:35
  • At the baptism of Jesus, God the Son is standing in the water, a voice from God the Father in heaven says this is my beloved son and the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus. See Matthew 3:16-17
  • Before Jesus was crucified and ascended back into heaven, to comfort his disciples about his departure, Jesus said, I will pray to the Father and He will send the Holy Spirit, another Comforter. See John 14:16
• God created all things out of nothing. The world He created was perfect. Behind everything that was created there is God and God alone.
  • Jesus, God the Son, created all things. Colossians 1:16 says, “For in Him (Jesus) all things were created, in heaven and on earth…all things were created through him and for him.”
  • In Hebrews 1:2 speaks of God the Son, Jesus, “through whom also God created the world.”
• This world is God’s creation. We and all that is in it were created for His pleasure. He was and still is intimately involved in it and lives in us His people.
  • Sin entered the world through man’s sin, which has injured the world, but God has redeemed the world through Christ Jesus.
  • Jesus, the Lamb of God, according to God’s plan and purpose, had to come to earth to triumph over sin and death, forgive and redeem us, and this was all done for the purpose of restoring our relationship and bringing us back into fellowship with God.

Application

“God of Wonders”

Verse 1

Lord of all creation

Of water, earth and sky

Heavens are your tabernacle

Glory to the Lord on high

Verse 2

Early in the morning

I will celebrate the light

When I stumble in the darkness

Will call your name by night

Chorus

God of wonders beyond our galaxy

You are holy, holy

The universe declares your majesty

You are holy, holy

Lord of heaven and earth

Lord of heaven and earth

Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth

Questions or comments?

Tags: Take 10

Week 9 Day 3

The Daily Take 10

The Gospel of John

Week 9 Day 3

Introduction…The Bible teaches us that Jesus came into this world at precisely the right time according to God’s plan. See Galatians 4:4 where it says Jesus came in the “fullness of time”. No one ever had nor will anyone ever have the impact on the world that Jesus had. Because of this great God event, history is forever divided B.C., before Christ and A.D. after his death. The plan, content and purpose of His life is what changed the course of history. God stepped into our world and it will never be the same.

Read John 1:4 “In Him was life and the life was the light of men.”

Bible Study

• Life and light is what Jesus, God the Son, the Word, came to earth to bring to us.
• The Gospel of John begins and ends with the life.
  • Here in John 1 we read Jesus was life and at the very end we read John’s purpose in writing the Gospel was that people everywhere might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that through believing, you might have life in his name. See John 20:31
  • The Greek word for life is “zoe”. It occurs more than 35 times in the Gospel so this is a key concept to understand.
• The word Life used here is the opposite of destruction, condemnation and death, which appears to be the way of this world without Christ.
• God the Father sent Jesus, God the Son, so that people, whosoever will, may come and have true life and not merely survive/exist/live while on this earth.
• The life God offers us through Jesus Christ is eternal (the word “aionios” in Greek, which was the language the New Testament was written in). Eternal life is not merely life that lasts forever, but includes the quality of life that our Eternal God lives. We enter God’s life and way of living in eternal life.
• How is this accomplished? By believing in Jesus Christ.
• What does it mean ‘to believe’, the word in Greek is “pisteuein”. This is a critical understanding as this word is used over 70 times in the Gospel. To believe is…
  • A conviction of the mind that is certain that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, Savior of the world.
  • A trust of the heart, a commitment that what Jesus says is true and we live by honoring and taking Him at His Word.
• Jesus is the light of men. Mentioned in this Gospel 21 times. Once again we must grasp the significance to this word.
  • His light removes darkness and ends fear. Darkness flees and fear is gone when His light comes upon us and our chaos.
  • His light reveals, exposes and brings truth to disguises, hidden motives and actions and allows us to see ourselves as we truly are before God.
  • His light guides us showing us how to live and what to do. Doubt is gone as clarity and direction come to our lives.

Application

The song “Who Am I” says it beautifully…

Verse 1

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth

Would care to know my name, would care to feel my hurt

Who am I, that the bright and morning star

Would choose to light the way, of my wondering heart

Not because of who I am, but because of what you’ve done

Not because of what I’ve done, but because of who you are.

Chorus

I am a flower quickly fading, here today and gone tomorrow

A wave tossed in the ocean, a candle in the wind,

Still you hear me when I’m calling

Lord, you catch me when I’m falling, and you told me who I am.

I am yours!

Verse 2

Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin

Would look on me with love, and watch me rise again

Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea

Would call out through the rain and calm the storm in me

Not because of who I am, but because of what you’ve done

Not because of what I’ve done, but because of who you are.

I am a flower quickly fading, here today and gone tomorrow

A wave tossed in the ocean, a candle in the wind,

Still you hear me when I’m calling

Lord, you catch me when I’m falling, and you told me who I am.

I am yours!

Questions or comments?

Tags: Take 10

Week 9 Day 4

The Daily Take 10

The Gospel of John

Week 9 Day 4

Introduction…In this world and in us specifically there is an ongoing battle of good and evil, light versus darkness. The good news is that God promises that good triumphs over evil and where sin abounds, grace does much more abound and we are more than conquers through Christ. Light conquers darkness…every time. Whenever and wherever light comes, darkness goes. In fact darkness can only exist in the absence of light. “God is light and there is no darkness in Him at all.” 1 John 1:5

Read John 1:5 “And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not put it out.”

Bible Study

• The word darkness (Greek skotos) refers to the reality and hostility of darkness, sin and godlessness that exists in this world.
• Sinful mankind lives in and chooses the darkness. The evil in the world hates the light. Why? The light reveals their deeds as evil and wrong. Before God there is no hiding.
• With Jesus coming into this world as God’s light and life, from His birth, evil brought on the fight to kill him, destroy his influence and extinguish that light.
• Jesus triumphed over powers and principalities of darkness (Colossians 2:15) and is our Banner of Victory over sin and death. “For this purpose was the Son of God manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:8
• Our relationship with God is one of light that conquers sin and death. “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk (live in) darkness, we lie, and do not have the truth. But if we walk (live in) the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1: 6-7
• Our relationship with God’s light influences and positively impacts our relationships with other people. “He that says he is in the light and hates a brother is in darkness… He that loves his brother abides in the light…but he that hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness and doesn’t know where he is going because darkness has blinded his eyes.” 1 John 2:9-11
• Our relationship with God’s light overcomes evil and the darkness of this world. “You are of God and have overcome because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.” 1 John 4:4. In fact we, as believers, should and are called to overcome evil with good. See Romans 12:21
• Our relationship with God’s light causes us to fear no evil for He is with us and no evil formed against us can prosper. See Psalms 23 and Isaiah 54:17
• Our relationship with God’s light overcomes the world. “Whatever is born of God overcomes the world and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. And who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God” 1 John 5:4-5

Application

• Ask yourself…
  • Are we aware when we are stepping into the light or darkness throughout the day?
  • Are we walking in the light as God is in the light and having fellowship with Him?
• “Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” Psalms 119:105

Questions or comments?

Tags: Take 10