So my church (Newspring church in Anderson, SC) is really set on helping people take their next steps in their walk with Christ.
Yes, I'm a Christian. Nondenominational, so don't ask.
Anyway, At the end of Sundays sermon, our pastor Perry Noble told us about the Bible Reading Plans, which we'd received before the service, and how he wanted us to take some time out of our day to sit down and read it.
I kept telling myself 'Ah, I'll do it tomorrow'. And I said that the next day. So tomorrow.. didn't come.
Today, and Fuse (our youth ministry), part of the sermon was about how we like to use the excuse 'tomorrow', and then tomorrow, we just say 'tomorrow' again. I realized that I was doing this when it came to reading my Bible.
So I've decided that every night, I'll read my chapter and post what I've learned from it in here, along with the notes and helpful hints in the little booklet we've received.
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(Note - the pages have the chapter that you read, then you are supposed to read said chapter, and after that you read everything else on the page)
Intro
/These devotions were written by a group of volunteers and staff to guide you through the book of John. Read one chapter each day and spend time with God using the devotions and questions provided./
/"Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have a life in his name" - John 20:30-31/
Page1
John 1
What I got from it : Let's start from the beginning. When I began reading, I saw that Jesus (the Word, the Son) always existed. All was made through Him, and even darkness cannot take Him and His light away. Already, there is this huge impact. These words seem so meek and small, and you'd skip right past them. But they're huge, they're so important. It's saying Jesus didn't come to exist on Christmas, and that is when He began. He always existed, as 'the Word'. There was always Jesus.
So God sends this man, John the Baptist, to spread the word of the light. John doesn't know who this light is, what it's supposed to mean, but his faithfulness in God has lead him to believe in Gods word, and spread the Word as God asked. This is a faithfulness that all Christians need to have. Don't question God's intentions.. if He leads you to it, follow him with your faith and your heart. He won't disappoint.
Something that really touches me if verse 13. 'They are reborn - not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.' - John 1:13. Normal birth happens all the time. Every day. But a rebirth through God is a rebirth that cleanses your soul, allows Jesus into your heart. When you are reborn through Christ, the angels sing and dance in Heaven, praising God and singing your name. It's a big deal, it's wonderful, and it's a true miracle.
Then John speaks about how the Word became human - or Jesus. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness - let me unpack that one. This man. This sinless, perfect, Holy, God-sent man. The only son of God was born of unfailing love. Not just for the Father, but for us. God's children. No matter what we do, the sins we commit - his love is absolutely unfailing, and eternal. Whoa.
Throughout the next bit, we see John boldly proclaiming who Jesus is, despite that the people he speaks with don't really believe him. They question him - but he doesn't give up or shrivel up. He continued to proudly and boldly profess Jesus - which is my responsibility as a Christian, and any other Christians responsibility. Profess Jesus boldly, proudly, and with glory for Him.
We see John continue to profess Jesus, right in front of Jesus himself. You see him profess that he knows Jesus must be the Messiah, for God told him that the Messiah would be the one who he saw the Holy Spirit touch down on. Without doubt, without any sort of proof, John boldly and gladly proclaims that Jesus is the Messiah. And once, when John proclaimed Jesus, the Messiah, his friends followed Jesus.
This is really, really huge.
One of our churches values is 'Found people find people'. Since John was unfailing in his faith, more people got the opportunity to meet Jesus. If he hadn't boldly proclaimed, his friends wouldn't have known who Jesus was. Found people find people. As a Christian, it's my responsibility to boldly proclaim Jesus' name so other people can hear and meet him as well. You cannot say you have a relationship with Christ and not care for those he cares for - the lost, the unsaved. It's a spiritual impossibility.
So Jesus welcomes them, and it continues to spread until Phillip. We see him go to Nathanael in verse 45, claiming they had found the Son of God. But Nathanael is skeptical, disbelieving. We have friends, coworkers, peers like that. Those who, even if you profess Jesus, will only doubt you and in doing so, doubt Him. I've come to realize instead of bugging them and being crude to them, simply do what Phillip does. Simply say 'Come see for yourself.'. Let them find Him their own way, with your little push in the beginning. Or maybe a big push. Put simply, invite them to CHURCH. Tell them how great He's been for you and let them find out how great He can be for them. Don't get into religious arguments, just say simply 'come and see'. And if they say no, try again next week. Keep trying, don't give up, just don't suck as a missionary either. Pushing too hard too fast could end up pushing them away (as I've learned the hard way as an early Christian).
So Nathanael gives in, and he goes to see Jesus, but he is still skeptical until Jesus proves himself. He says 'I could see you under the fig tree before Phillip found you'. This is important - Jesus always sees us, even if we aren't Christians, even if we aren't saved, even if we're Christians going through a tough time. He can see you, He knows you're there, He knows you.
Immediately, Nathanael realizes that what Phillip said was true. Jesus showed himself, proved himself, and Nathanael knew. He WILL show Himself in your life when you truly want him too, or need him too. He's always there, but until you're willing to see Him, you won't. Perhaps it'll be that Church sermon someone bugged you to go to that touched your heart completely on accident, and that's when you see Him. Perhaps it's when you see Him touch someone elses heart, and you want what they've got.
But one of my definite favorites is verse 50. 'Jesus asked him, "Do you believe this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this." - John 1:50. Jesus ALWAYS has better things. In fact, one of our worship songs' lyrics are 'Greater things have yet to come, Greater things are still to be done...'
Jesus is NEVER done. There is always something more wonderful waiting for you in his presence. That's not saying you'll never go through some tough days, some hard times, some heart break.. but it's saying never give up, because He has something great waiting for you and all you have to do is believe in Him and strive to be close to Him through everything.
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The Books Text : John starts his account of Jesus life at the beginning. He we would expect to see a star, a manger, cattle lowing, angels singing, wise men and the like. But in the sweeping introductions to his account, John doesn't tell of Jesus' beginning, but ours.
Somehow, some way, Jesus is the initiator of everything. The universe, the earth, our lives, our salvation, all conceived of and created by Jesus Christ. As if that wasn't enough, in the most surprising move of all, John says Jesus entered INTO His creation, becoming a living, breathing human - walking among us. Don't miss this : Jesus became flesh and moved into the neighborhood He created. He played ball down the street with someone's kids. He went to school and got hungry. He scratched up his knees and cried for His mother. He grew up and got a job. He had a real-life, human experience.
Why would he do such a thing? John sets out to answer this questions for us. At a wedding, in a late-night debate, beside the drinking fountain, at the local hospital, with a disparaged woman, at the funeral of a friend, and in other situations, John shows us who God is. All along, Jesus risks us misunderstanding Him in order that He might initiate a relationship with us. He doesn't initiate a relationship with us because we are worth it - He initiated a relationship with us to give us a life worth living. In light of all that He has done, how should we live in response?
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Page2 (Questions)
1. What can you learn from Jesus in this chapter?
He is everywhere, He has always been, He always will be. He is merciful and wonderful and worth it. He gave up his life in Heaven to become flesh, to live as a human, to labor as a human, and for what? For us. Not because we're worth it - we aren't. We're dirty, unclean sinners. He did it because he loves us despite it all.
2. Why is it important that Jesus lived as a man among us?
How is it not? He communicated with real people, showed himself to skeptical people, spoke with us. He lived as one of us, became not only our Saviour but our close friend, one of us. He gave up his life above for a life down here. He showed himself, and as a man, He died on a cross. What isn't important?
3. What next step has God asked you to take? What keeps you from stepping forward.
I feel like I need to begin volunteering again, and I need to begin reading my Bible and being bold. Tomorrow needs to become today in my life, and today needs to be God's day every day. I feel like my natural desire to procrastinate is truly holding me back, along with my Fear of Man that keeps me from being bold about Jesus.
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I know it seems silly and useless to post this to some people, and that it's long and many won't read it. But for those of you who do, or just skipped to the end..
You never know who something like this might touch. Who might be reached or touched on a deep level at some point because they saw my journal on some random website and decided to read it. Reading the Bible really is a spiritual journey for all people, if you take it to heart. Everything can be taken so many ways, applied to so many situations.
If I miss a day, I'll post it the next. I really hope I'm able to drop my habit of 'tomorrow' and begin reading every day.
Until tomorrow/today-ish.
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Check out my church at Newspring.cc
Watch online services at 9:15, 11:15, 4:00, and 6:00 Eastern Coastal Time (or whatever it's called.)
Also, you can contact staff with questions/comments and watch previous sermons dating back to (I believe) 2006 or 2008. One of the two.
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