Who Was John the Baptist?

N.T. #688  "Who Was John the Baptist?"

Dec. 5, 2025 

John 1-Part 6 

LET IT GLOW

Who was John the Baptist? In chapter 1, this seemed to have been an important thing to know. 

What do we know about John the Baptist?

• We know his father was a priest, Zechariah, and mother Elisabeth whose lineage was of Aaron.
• We know he was a miracle child born to older parents.
• Angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah while praying with the good news of their having a son and to name him John. (Luke 1:6)
• John's purpose was to prepare the way for the Lord and to turn Israel back to their God.
• Zechariah's doubt was a punishment and a sign-speechless for 9 months until it was time to name the baby John.
• John was raised according to the Nazarite vow. 
• John was a cousin of the Lord Jesus. 
• There were no less than 16 quoted from the Old Testament prophesying the coming Messiah and His forerunner found in Luke. 
• John dressed in camel's hair and a leather girdle, similar to Elija's clothing. (2Kings 1:8 and Matthew 3:4) His food was locusts and wild honey, which was eaten by very poor people. He lived in the wilderness.
• People confessed their sins and were baptized by John.
• John was humble, telling of One to come who was greater than he was, whose sandals he was unworthy to unlatch, and who would baptize the people with the Holy Ghost and fire. (Matt. 3:11)

John must have created quite a stir among the Jewish people. He was on a mission from God and people were responding. John was baptizing repentant people in the Jordan River. 

LET IT GROW

The Sanhedrin sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem into the wilderness to find out who John the Baptist was. (John 1:19) Probably jealousy had them curious about such a popular man., wondering what his credentials were. Was John a false prophet? Actually, those guys were asking John who he thought he was.

• Was John the Christ? 
• Was John an incarnate of Elijah, who was taken up in a fiery chariot? 
• Was John a prophet? 
• John was not the Christ Messiah, not Elijah back from the dead, nor was he a prophet.
• I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said of the prophet Elijah. (Isaiah 40:3)
• John thought of himself not as important, not a prophet, not a remarkable worthy man of God, not even a man to be noticed. Yet he was all of those things. (Swindoll)

John was preparing them to recognize who Jesus was. The Messiah was present in their time.

The important thing to know is not who John was, but who Jesus is. Is He your Savior, your King, your Messiah?

LET IT GO

Help us stand for the truth, be uncompromising, live for Jesus, and point others to the Savior.

Grace

N.T.#687  "Grace"

Dec. 4, 2025 

John 1-Part 5 

LET IT GLOW

We all need grace. How do we obtain it? Read on, my friend.

In the rest of the chapter, Christ is proclaimed as the Messiah by several-John the Baptist, Andrew, Simon Peter, Philip, and Nathanael. We read about John the Baptist's ministry, which came before Jesus' ministry. Although, Jesus existed before John in eternity. (verse 15)

As believers, we receive grace for grace of Jesus. (verse 16) 

What does that mean?

• It is super abundance of grace toward us by God for mankind. 
• Salvation is the greatest gift and man's greatest need. 
• Grace is what God does for man, not what man does for God or himself.
• For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
• The Law was given by Moses, which reveals our sinful condition. However, the Law could not give us grace and truth. The Law could not transform the sinful heart.
• Grace and truth are not provided by the Law, but by Jesus Christ. 
• Grace was to forgive and pardon the sinner. 
• Truth was that which the sacrifices pointed to. These are only found in Jesus.

What amazing grace! When we receive the substitutionary atoning death of Christ on the cross, our sins are forgiven and eternal life is imparted. What we can't do for ourselves, God's grace supplies.

It is like waves crashing on the seashore. God's grace is inexhaustible supply of His goodness that continuously brings His favor to His people. 

[Resources: Liberty Bible Commentary; The Tony Evans Bible Commentary]

LET IT GROW

No man has seen God at any time; the Only Begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him. (verse 18)

What does this mean?

• God is a Spirit and cannot be seen by man. (1 Tim. 6:16)
• Christ revealed God to man. 
• Moses saw only the backside of God's glory.  No one can see God's face on this side of eternity and live. (Ex. 33:18-23)
• Jesus' life expressed the divine nature of God. Since Jesus is fully God, to know Jesus is to know God. 
• The only way to God is through the Son. (14:6)

Want to know God? Then come to Jesus.

LET IT GO

Jesus Messiah, name above all names, blessed Redeemer, Emmanuel.

The Ransom for sinners.

All our hope is in You, Jesus, Light of the World.

 

Grace

N.T.#686 "Grace"

Dec. 3, 2025

John 1-Part 4 

LET IT GLOW

When we believed in Jesus, called on His name, and received Him as our Lord and Savior, we became a child of God.  (verse 12) Then we are reborn spiritually, not on the basis of lineage or Jewish heritage, not of because of a carnal desire (flesh), not of our will or human in its origin. We have a changed heart-new attitudes, desires, and motives. How? It is a supernaturally of God. (verse 13)

LET IT GROW

How does John describe Jesus in verse 14?

• The Word was made flesh. Jesus became human, taking on a body.
• Jesus dwelt among us. Dwelt means to encamp or reside. Jesus was a fully divine nature and a fully human nature. He faced hunger, pain, temptation, grief, hardship, and rejection. 
• Those who saw Jesus beheld His glory, the Father, because Jesus is the only Begotten Son of God. Peter, James, and Joh saw Jesus transfigured before their eyes. 
• Jesus is full of grace and truth. John probably had in mind when God displayed His glory to Moses in Exodus 33-34. 

The attributes of God are: merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth. (Exodus 33:18, 19; 34:5-7)

Aren't we believers to have those same attributes?

In the Greek language, grace means gracious (divine influence up the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude; favor, acceptable, thank, gift.

Do we show grace, God's grace, to others?

LET IT GO

Fill us with Your grace and truth, Lord.

May we have a grateful heart, full of grace.

Thank You Jesus for Your grace toward us.

God's grace is greater than all our sin.

Do You Have the Light?

 N.T.#685 "Do You Have the Light?"

Dec. 2, 2025

John 1-Part 3

LET IT GLOW

Who is Jesus to you? Do you have the Light of the world in you?

John makes a contrast of John the Baptist and Jesus. John was not the Logos/Word but was a human individual. John was sent from God, not God Himself. John was a witness to bear witness of the Light so people had a saving faith in the Light/Jesus. John was not the Light. (verses 6-8)

Jesus Christ was the true Light, genuine and real Light. He is the one who gives to every man the light of reason and conscience. The world rejected Jesus, did not acknowledge nor recognize Him as the son of God and the Messiah. The Jewish leaders would not receive Jesus as their King nor as the Messiah. (verses 9-11) (Liberty Bible Commentary)

Sin blinds people so that they do not know their own Creator. 

LET IT GROW

But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name. (verse 12)

Receive means to accept for one's self. 

Believe means to place one's trust in.

Power means the right or authority to become the sons of God. (Liberty Bible Commentary)

Dear friend, have you received Jesus Christ as your Savior? Have you placed your trust in Him?

To receive Christ is like welcoming a guest into your home. We believe in Jesus as The Savior, son of God, The One who took our place as punishment for our sins. We ask Jesus to forgive our sins and become our Savior. We become born again-spiritually. His free gift is eternal life.

Praise God for calling you to this life-giving faith!

LET IT GO

Jesus, help us let go of our sinful ways, lack of faith and trust, and a life that does not please You.

Lord, please save the lost who needs You today.

We owe You all.

Help us reflect The Light and point others to You, Jesus.

Show us the way along the path of faith with Your Light.

Life and Light

N.T. #684 "Life and Light"

Dec. 1, 2025 

John 1-Part 2 

LET IT GLOW

Who is the Word? Jesus is the Word. If you missed the last post, be sure and read it. Many things are explained there.

Not only was the Word with God, but also the Word was God. (1:1) The Son of God was with the Father God, but not two distinct gods. The Son shares the divine nature. The Father, Son, and Spirit are co-equal members of the Trinity. Our one God exists in three co-equal persons. (Tony Evans Bible Commentary)

Remember, the purpose in John writing this Gospel is wo we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. (20:31)

In this chapter, John tells us about the Word in creation, after the fall, and the true Light/

• Since Jesus is the Word, we know that Jesus made all things and apart from Him not a single thing that exists came into being.  (verse 3) (William Hendriksen)
• God was not created, for He has always existed.
• In Jesus was life (zoe) and light  (phos/foce) means to shine or make manifest.(verse 4)
• Life is not from Him, or though Him, or by Him, but life is in Him/Jesus. 
• Life spoken of is not life in a physical sense but rather in a spiritual sense. Joh uses life 54 times in his gospel. His is the first epistle to refer to the spiritual realm.
• Jesus continues to shine as the Light in darkness., but the darkness (unbelief and sin of mankind, does not grasp or comprehend it. the hostility of darkness is unable to put out the Light in the spiritual sense. (verse 5)

When I lived in the old farmhouse, it was easy for me to walk around inside in the dark. I grew up there and lived there for many of my married years. However, when we stay in a motel, I need a light on so I can see how to walk around. As a believer, I always need the light of Jesus in my life so I know which way to walk. 

Are you walking by faith and obedience in the Light today?

LET IT GROW

Jesus' life brings light to humankind. In His light, we see ourselves as we really are-sinners in need of a Savior. Jesus lights our path as believers so we can see how to live. 

Have we allowed the light of Christ to shine into our life?

When we let Jesus guide our life, we will never need to stumble in darkness. 

LET IT GO

Open our eyes so we can see our sins and turn from them. 

Be the light unto our path, Lord Jesus.

May we shine into a dark world so we honor You.

 

The Beginning and Not the Beginning

 N.T.#683 "The Beginning and Not the Beginning"

Nov. 28, 2025 

John 1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (verse 1)

LET IT GLOW

The main theme John uses in this book is-Jesus as the Son of God. John wrote his gospel so that we would know that the Son of Man is God in human flesh-completely human, yet no less God than when "in the beginning," He spoke the universe into existence. 

As we read through this book, we come to realize that John does not give us the genealogy nor childhood details of Jesus, no temptations of Jesus nor His transfiguration, no calling of His disciples after His resurrection and ascension from earth, and no parables. 

[Resource: Swindoll's New Testament Insights on John]

There are three key words John uses to substantiate his thesis:

• He uses 8 various signs/miracles to prove Jesus is deity.
• His desire is for us to believe/trust in Jesus as the Son of God. It is used some 98 times by John.
• As a result in believing in the person and work of Christ, John uses life so we may have everlasting and eternal life. (Liberty Bible Commentary)

John's purpose in writing this Gospel is that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name. (20:31)

Friend, do you believe this? Have you asked Jesus to be your Savior and Lord? (I ask this often because we have people reading these posts which are not believers.

LET IT GROW

Let's take a close look at the key verse above. What can we conclude from this verse?

• When time began, the Word already existed. 
• This unique name for Christ  (Word in the Greek language is logos.) (See 1:14 and Rev. 19:13)
• Only John the apostle uses it in this way 4 times.
• Christ as the Eternal Word is a revelation of God to man. (verse 1a)
• The Word (Christ) was face to face with God. (verse 1b)
• The Word was completely God. (verse 1c) It literally reads, "and God was the Word.

[Liberty Bible Commentary]

Summarizing this, we see that Jesus Christ is the Word, who was with God and who was God in the beginning of everything. The Father and son exist as one Supreme Being. The Word and God were together and they were the same being. 

It may take a while for all of this to sink into our minds because we live in time, space, and matter. Jesus and God do not. They have always been and always will be. We believe this by faith because humans have limitations.

LET IT GO

LORD, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.

Before the mountains were born

Or You gave birth to the earth and the world,

Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. 

Psalm 90:1-2)

Thanksgiving Day 2025

Thanksgiving Day 2025

 Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

I am so blessed to have you studying God's Word with me. I'm so thankful for so many things today-salvation is Jesus, our families, plus church family, a nation of freedom,  etc.

Bless the LORD, O my soul; 

And all that is within me, bless His holy name. (Ps. 103:1-2)

Tomorrow we will start chapter 1. Enjoy family and friends.

In His Name,

Linda