He is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’ I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.” (John 1:30-31)…
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29) Read: Job 1:1-4:21 Relate: The phrase “Lamb of God” seems so common in church culture and literature that I normally tend to breeze right by it. “Lamb of God.” Yup, right.…
John told them, “I baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognize. Though his ministry follows mine, I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal.” This encounter took place in Bethany, an area east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing. (John…
Read: Genesis 45:16-47:27 Now the Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” (John 1:24-25) Relate: React: The Pharisees ask why John is baptizing and in the gospel of John gives a shortened version. In John’s response to this question in the…
John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah: “I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Clear the way for the Lord’s coming!’” (John 1:23) Read: Genesis 42:1-45:15 Relate: As I was chewing over this verse, the image kept coming back to me of a man with a trumpet who would blare it in the center…
“Well then, who are you?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?” “No,” he replied. “Are you the Prophet we are expecting?” “No.” “Then who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?” (John 1:21-22) Read: Genesis 40:1-41:57 Relate: Jewish scholars at the time of Christ believed that…
This was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John, “Who are you?” He came right out and said, “I am not the Messiah.” (John 1:19-20) Read: Genesis 37:1-39:23, 1 Chronicles 2:3-8 Relate: I recently finished reading a very dry, academic work called Christian Missions and the Enlightenment. For some…
For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17) Read: Genesis 32:1-35:27 Relate: I tend to have this irresistible urge to make a lot of laws for myself. I’ll read about praying Hyde and decide I need to get back to praying for three hours a day, every…
From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. (John 1:16) Read: Genesis 30:25-31:55 Relate: I had a professor in college who would have made the perfect spy. He could blend in at a black tie dinner and he could blend in at an auction. He just had a way about him that…
THE RIVER WALK 