Bible Study Series: Made Ready For Jesus, John 1:22-42

 

MADE READY FOR JESUS

John 1:22-42

WHO ARE YOU, WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE?

V: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.'"

Don’t let anyone define you. You are defined by God

Be ready in season and out of season to tell who you are and who’s you are.

You are a child of the King

Every believer is the voice of God

We live in a desert of sin

The purpose of the desert is to get us prepared to proclaim the Gospel

MY BUSINESS ON EARTH IS TO PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL

Our testimony gets people prepared to come to Jesus

Our teaching puts others on the straight path to Jesus

V: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?"

WHY? Because you were chosen by Christ and called to the ministry

THE RIGHT ATTITUDE, HUMBLE YOURSELF

V: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."

We are not worthy of the Grace

We are not worth for His mercy

We are lower than dirt

But we were called to serve

The baptism with water cleanse the outside The proclamation the Gospel gets

us ready to believe the Gospel

WHERE WE SERVE

V:28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

We serve in the community we live in

We serve on the Job

We serve in the shopping center

We serve when we meet with our friends and family

WHO IS JESUS TO YOU? THE LAMB OF GOD

V: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."

We first hear about a sacrificial lamb when God made a covenant with Abraham in

Genesis 22. God commanded Abraham to take his son Isaac to the mountain as a

sacrifice to Him, as a test of his faith. Abraham was about to kill Isaac when God

provided the lamb. Abraham having past the test was labeled the father of faith.

The night before Israel was released from Egypt (Exodus 12), God commanded each of the families of Israel to kill a one-year-old lamb and place blood on the doorpost. This became known as the Passover lamb. The first-born son of every Egyptian died that

night. Jesus is the first-born son of the Church (Romans 8:29) His death is our Passover

Jesus is our Passover lamb for the atonement of the sins of the world.

THE BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

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."

Matthew 3:11

"I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”

We must recognize that we have no power to save. Its not our job.

Our job is to tell someone about the one who has the power to save.

The water baptism get others ready for the spiritual baptism .

Repentance, recognizing your sin is the first step to spiritual baptism

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit connects us with Christ in His death and resurrection

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit makes us sons of God Romans 8:14

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit makes us priests of God Hebrews 7:1

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit makes light of the Word Matthew 5:14

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit makes workers of God 2 Cor 6:1

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit empowers the disciples of Jesus Acts 13:52

THE BAPTISM WITH FIRE

Refines the believer

Purifies the believer

Perfects the Believer

Strengthen our faith 2 Corinthians 5:10

Fire consumes us, consumed into Jesus Christ

A NEW CONTROL

Notice that John 1:32 says the Spirit (The Holy Spirit) came down on Christ. It does

not in dwell Christ as it does in the believer

The Spirit of God, The Spirit of the Son, and the Holy Spirit are different but closely related.

Romans 8:9-11

9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.

We are baptized in Christ's death. That is immersed in Christ's Death. We are baptized

by the Holy Spirit.

There is a change in control of you. From Satan's control to Spirit Control

From alive with Satan, to dead to Satan

From dead to Christ, to alive with Christ

From empty to Christ to full with Christ

From dead to righteousness to alive to righteousness,

The new creation in you is dead to sin. That is sin is atoned for or not counted against

you

RECEIVING YOUR SIGHT

V:35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"

We change from being blind to receiving spiritual sight

The Spiritual sight enables you to see the Lamb of God.

The Spiritual sight enables you to share the Lamb of God with others

FOLLOWING JESUS

V:37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?"

They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "Where are you staying?"

39 "Come," he replied, "and you will see."

So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.

The next step in our growth is the desire to be in the presence of Jesus

Where ever Jesus is, is the place where BELIEVERS need to be

When you study and meditate on the Word of God, you are in His presence

MAKING DISCIPLES

V:40 Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.

Spiritual maturity is living the Gospel and proclaiming Christ to others.

This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "Joshua's Farewell Address To Israel, Joshua 24

 Joshua's Farewell Address, Israel's Promise to God

Joshua 24

It is important to know your history. Your history gives you a sense of family.

When you know your history, you know whose shoulders you are standing on

You can see what God did with your ancestors to bring you to the present.

Israel has a rich history directed by God. They are blessed to have God

guiding their past to their presence. Tracing your past, you can see your

ancestors shaping who you are. Our past is full of trials, mistakes, joys,

and successes. Most of all our past shows the goodness of God and how

He planned our lives.

Joshua 24:1-2

Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned the elders, leaders, judges, and officials of Israel, and they presented themselves before God.

Shechem was an ideal place for Joshua to give his farewell address to the nation

of Israel. It was at Shechem that God promised the land to Abraham over 430 years

earlier. God called their father Abraham from among heathen nations not because

he was good, but because of God's grace. God allowed Israel to grow into a

great nation in Egypt starting with Jacob and his 12 sons.

Starting with Abraham, Joshua reviewed the history of Israel with the leaders

so they would know they were chosen by God to exhibit His righteousness to ‘

the world. Israel was the only nation God chose at that time to give His

written Word.

God delivered the nation of Israel from slavery in Egypt and built a

Tabernacle for worship in the desert. He established the office of priests to offer

sacrifices to Himself for their sins. He gave directions to build the

The Tabernacle and the Arch of the Covenant represent His presence.

Israel had a promise of success in the promised land if they followed

God’s commands and worshiped Him only.

Having grown as a nation in Egypt, Israel became accustomed to the worship

of idol gods. They brought with them their idols into the promised land.

The inhabitants of the promised land were all idol god worshipers.

Their failure to drive out the inhabitants of the land as commanded by God

was their desire to worship the idol gods of the land. They had a history of

failure and control by the nations of the land because of their disobedience.

In Joshua's farewell address, he urged Israel to put away their idol

gods and serve the Lord only. After Joshua reviewed the history of

God's protection, provisions, and destruction of the enemy before them,

they realized it was God on their side that gave them salvation.

They vowed to put away their idol gods and serve God only.

Joshua warned Israel if they served idol gods it would be a disaster

for them.

As a good faithful leader, Joshua set an example. As for me and my house

we will serve the Lord.

Israel served the Lord until Joshua died, and soon returned to their worship

of idols.

There is but one message in this lesson. Successful living is guaranteed with

our praise and worship of the Lord.

The lesson we learn from Israel is turning from God is a turn to disaster.

Trusting God is the road to His blessing and success.

PRAISE GOD FOR CHOOSING YOU AND ME

Bible Study Series: Lifting Up Jesus: John 1:1-14

                                 LIFTING UP JESUS

                                                 John 1:1-6

The study of Christ is called Christology. The branch of Christian

Theology, relating to the person, nature, and the role of Christ.

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. 

(1) What beginning is the verse referring to?  

The Greek word for beginning is arche which is translated “ High Priest,  He above all others was honored, Jesus Christ”

The word beginning means creative power. When something

first begins.  Christ is the beginning of the Church.

The Beginning is not talking about time but the first High Priest

Christ is before time as we know it. 

Therefore in the first High Priest was the Word

The Word is the logos, the divine expression

All wisdom and all knowledge is Jesus Christ. 

THE FIRST HIGH PRIEST IS THE DIVINE EXPRESSION

THE WORD AND CREATION

(2) The Word was with God

The Greek word for God is Theos 

 The word with is “pros” in harmony with  God

The Logos is in harmony with the Theos

The Logos has a special relationship with Theos

John 1:2.  He (Jesus) was with God in the beginning

Jesus was High Priest with God first

John 1:3-6

V:3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 

Jesus is a co-creator with God the Father, 

Look at Genesis 1:1 

Genesis 1:1

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth

The word beginning means first in time, place, or rank

Jesus, the logos, the divine expression, the co-creator, 

The High Priest is first.

I don’t know about you, but I want to be with the first place

Holder. 

To deal with Satan is to deal with the Loser

THE WORD INTERPRETS ITSELF

The Word confirms itself 

Jesus is consistent in His testimony    Colossians 1:16

Jesus existed before time     Colossians 1:17

Jesus was not created, He was before the creation

JESUS IS THE LIFE OF THE WORLD

V: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. 

Everything that was made was made with the life of Jesus. 

We are walking lives of Jesus. The Birds, the plants,

The fish in the water, and all mankind live because of

Jesus 

There are two meanings, for life. There is the natural life

And there is eternal life. 

We were born into natural life. We are chosen for eternal

Life. Natural life has a beginning and an end. Eternal 

Life has no beginning and no ending. 

Jesus is the source of natural life and is eternal life.

The natural life in you was imparted to you at conception. 

When the egg from your mamma met the sperm of your 

Daddy, Jesus created life in you.  

Life is the energy, the force, and power of being. 

THE LIGHT OF MEN 

Jesus is the light of men

There are two types of light. There is physical light

And there is spiritual light.

Light illuminates the darkness. There can be light in the midst of

Darkness. For example, a flashlight, a physical light lights up

A small area, 

Sunlight shines all the time. It is the rotation of the earth away

From the sun that gives us darkness. 

The focus in John is spiritual light. 

Spiritual lights illuminate the darkness of one’s soul.

Spiritual light refers to knowledge of God

1 John 1:5-6

 God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 

 

Light in the text refers to divine knowledge, the truth

1 John 1:6-7

If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 

 John 8:12

 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." 

DARKNESS IS NATURAL

V: 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. 

Jesus is the fountain of intellectual light and spiritual understanding

Jesus saves us from ignorance and sin which is darkness.  

It is easy to live in darkness. You don’t have to do anything to be

In spiritual darkness. We were born in spiritual darkness.

We were born in sin and shaped in iniquity. 

The good news is Spiritual Light is present and available to everyone.

The proclamation of Jesus is all around us. The only way to miss

Jesus, the light of the world, is to tune any mention of Him out of

Your mind.

If you use any media source you will bump into Jesus.

Those in the Light were chosen to be in the Light.  Ephesians 1:4

Some in darkness will stay in darkness even though light is

All around them.   John 14:17

THE WITNESS,  YOUR JOB

John 1:6-9

V: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. 

There came you sent from God, your name is___________

You are commanded to be a witness of the light  Matthew 28:19

You are not the light, but a witness that draws others to the true

Light. 

John 6:44

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day. 

You are the servant that God uses to bring light to the world

Matthew 5:14-15

14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.

Don’t turn your light off. 

Anytime you refuse to proclaim Jesus, your light is off. 

You may say I live a good life for people to see. People may not

See, if they are not looking.

THE WORLD WAS NOT DESIGNED TO RECEIVE CHRIST

John 1:10-11

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. 

We serve a good God. He is a merciful God, He is a forgiving God.

He can do no evil. He is a Sovereign God. Yet He did choose 

Everyone to receive the light. 

Jesus the co-creator of the world was rejected by His own people

Most of the world will be left condemned,

CHOSEN BY GOD 

V: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

You were chosen before the foundation of the world. Ephesians 4:1

God’s mercy was present for you before you were born

THE COMPASSION OF JESUS

BECAME YOUR SALVATION

V: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. 

Before the foundation of the earth, the mercy of Jesus was planned

For you. Before the foundation of the earth, you were favored by Jesus

IN SUMMARY, THIS IS WHAT JESUS DID FOR YOU

He submitted Himself to the will of the Father

Philippians 2:6-7

6 Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 

7 but made himself nothing,

taking the very nature of a servant,

Took off His robe of Glory, stepped down from His throne

Took on Human flesh

Established the Church

Died on the cross, raised on the third day

Received all power over heaven and earth

Seated at the right hand of the Father making intercessions

This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "Saul Selected As King". 1 Samuel 9 and 10

 REJECTING GOD’S RULE FOR AN EARTHLY KING

1 SAMUEL 9:1-2. 10:17-25

BACKGROUND

Samuel held multiple roles for the Nation of Israel. He was a priest, judge, prophet,

and military leader. When he became old, he made his two sons judges over Israel.

Samuel’s sons took bribes and perverted justice. Israel rebelled and asked for a

King to rule over them to be like the surrounding ungodly nations.

Samuel became upset and took the people's request to God. Samuel was reminded that

the people were not rejecting him but God. Their request was granted but the nation

was informed that they would soon regret their decision.

God chose Saul a tall, strong, good-looking man to be their King. According to the

Clark commentary great respect was paid to the appearance of a King. Saul was from the

tribe of Benjamin the youngest son of Jacob

SAUL’S GENEALOGY

1 Samuel 9:1-2

V:1 There was a Benjamite, a man of standing, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. 2 He had a son named Saul, an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites — a head taller than any of the others.

Saul’s genealogy is traced back to Jacob. Benjamin was the last son of Jacob and Rachel.

Rachel, Jacobs's first love, died during the birth of Benjamin. Benjamin was the smallest tribe

of Israel.

GOD USES WHAT WE LOSE TO DRAW US TO HIM

V:3 Now the donkeys belonging to Saul's father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, "Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys." 4 So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and through the area around Shalisha, but they did not find them. They went on into the district of Shaalim, but the donkeys were not there. Then he passed through the territory of Benjamin, but they did not find them.

5 When they reached the district of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, "Come, let's go back, or my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying about us."

GOD PROVIDES AN OFFERING FOR US TO GIVE

V:6 But the servant replied, "Look, in this town, there is a man of God; he is highly respected, and everything he says comes true. Let's go there now. Perhaps he will tell us what way to take."

7 Saul said to his servant, "If we go, what can we give the man? The food in our sacks is gone. We have no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?"

8 The servant answered him again. "Look," he said, "I have a quarter of a shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of God so that he will tell us what way to take." 9 (Formerly in Israel, if a man went to inquire of God, he would say, "Come, let us go to the seer," because the prophet of today used to be called a seer.)

It is apparent in the text (verses 3-8) that Saul was obedient to his father, but did not know

Israel's history or its worship of God. Saul did not know Samuel was a priest or the times he

worshiped the Lord. This points to the lack of teaching God’s commands and the lack of worship

of the nation.

The donkeys of Saul's father were lost, and Saul was sent on a mission to find them with one

of his father's servants. They searched for several days without any luck and were about to

return home when the servant suggested going to see the seer, which was Samuel. In the

evening some girls going to get water, directed them to Samuel.

GOD PREPARES US TO MEET HIM

God prepared Samuel to receive Saul whom he would anoint as King of Israel.

The servant knew the God of Israel and that you approach him with a gift. Saul

had no gift to offer the man of God, but the servant freely gave the money he

had brought on the trip.

You never know when your service to others becomes an opportunity to be blessed by

God. Samuel was blessed and Saul and his servant were blessed. God puts people

in our lives that can guide us on the highway of life.

Notice it was Saul's servant who knew of God and the worship procedures. We must be careful

not to take for granted the teaching of God’s Word to our children. It is our job as parents to

express God’s love to our children. We cannot be with them every second of the day

but it is important for them to know to call on God.

ISRAEL CHOSE THE WORLD OVER GOD

1 Samuel 10:17-27

V:17 Samuel summoned the people of Israel to the Lord at Mizpah 18 and said to them, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'I brought Israel up out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the power of Egypt and all the kingdoms that oppressed you.' 19 But you have now rejected your God, who saves you out of all your calamities and distresses. And you have said, 'No, set a king over us.' So now present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and clans."

Be careful what you ask the Lord for, you may get it with regrets.

It is good to review the history of what God has done for you. Before you complain

about your life, remember it is God who sustains you amid your troubles.

The Israelites forgot what God had done bringing them out of Egypt into

the promised land. They failed to realize that their disobedience to God’s commands

put the enemy at an advantage over them. They failed to consider that each time they

called out to God, He delivered them from their enemies and gave them rest.

They were so bent on looking like the world that they could not see the benefit of

God’s rule over their lives. The church today is no different. We are so focused on

building up the membership numbers that we preach a feel-good message rather than

a message of repentance and restoration. When obedience to God’s commands is

not first in the Gospel, Satan and His demons are.

SAUL INTRODUCED AS ISRAEL WORLDLY KING

V:20 When Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. 21 Then he brought forward the tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, and Matri's clan was chosen. Finally, Saul son of Kish was chosen. But when they looked for him, he was not to be found. 22 So they inquired further of the Lord, "Has the man come here yet?"

And the Lord said, "Yes, he has hidden himself among the baggage."

God chose a man who ran with donkeys and was too fearful to stand as king to be their

leader. Saul's heart had been changing and he became a new person, the spirit of

the Lord with power came upon him (Verse 10:5-9). Yet Saul did not embrace the

Spirit of the Lord with gratefulness. We do not find Saul in prayer before the Lord.

We do not find Saul asking for the wisdom to lead the nation.

God chose a king who looked good on the outside but not so good on the inside.

It is not said that Saul was a man after God’s heart. He had the power but was not

connected or controlled by the power

WHAT LOOK’S GOOD IS NOT ALWAYS GOOD

V:23 They ran and brought him out, and as he stood among the people he was a head taller than any of the others. 24 Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see the man the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people."

Then the people shouted, "Long live the king!"

25 Samuel explained to the people the regulations of the kingship. He wrote them down on a scroll and deposited them before the Lord. Then Samuel dismissed the people, each to his own home.

26 Saul also went to his home in Gibeah, accompanied by valiant men whose hearts God had touched. 27 But some troublemakers said, "How can this fellow save us?" They despised him and brought him no gifts. But Saul kept silent.

The nation of Israel was excited to have a good-looking man as their king who was unproven

with no experience of being a leader or warrior. God had guided, protected, and provided

for Israel for 300 years in the promised land. They rejected God's leadership for a man

with no skills to look like the enemy.

God gave Israel new rules to live by under their new king. They were free from God’s

control. They were on a collision course with self-destruction. They gave up a history

of assured success with God for uncertainty with an inexperienced man. They gave up

the infinite power of God for the finite power of man. They gave up the infinite wisdom

of God for the limited wisdom of man. They gave up the infinite resources of God for their

finite resources.

Choosing man over God is foolishness that shows up when trouble arises.