*Question of the day – Do you sometimes feel like life fails you?
Read John 1:6-9
6 God sent a man, John the Baptist, 7 to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. 8 John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. 9 The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
*Who was John the Baptist, what do we know about him? Jesus’ cousin. Born about 6 months before Jesus. When John the Baptist was in the womb in the gospel of Luke it says he leapt for joy when Mary came to visit with Jesus in her womb. Ate locust and wild honey, camel hair clothing.
*Why did Jesus need someone like John the Baptist? Clear the way for the Lord
He is predicted:
- Isaiah 40:3, “A voice is calling, ‘Clear the way for the Lord [YHWH] 1 in the wilderness; make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.”
- Mal. 3:1, “Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord [adonai], whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the Lord [YHWH] of hosts.”
*How is John the Baptist like Elijah? Elijah came before Elisha, Elisha exceeded Elijah’s ministry. Elijah lived simple like John the Baptist. Elijah called people to repent like John the Baptist. Jezebel wanted to kill Elijah, Herod’s wife wanted to kill John the Baptist.
Read John 1:10-11
10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him.11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.
*Why did the world not recognize Jesus? We are not of this world. Jesus came to be a savior not king of the World.
*Who are Jesus’ people? Jews, God’s chosen people.
*What makes the Jews God’s chosen people? God designed it that way. He promised Abraham that he would be a Father of many nations
*Why did the Jews reject Jesus? God made them stubborn people
Exodus 32:9
And the LORD said to Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiff necked people:
Acts 7:51
You stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do you.
Read John 1:12-13
12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
*How do we become children of God? Believe in Jesus, become born again spiritually
*What right do we get? Children of God
*What do we get as Children of God? Promise of Heaven, family rights, discipline family, family takes care of family
*How are we reborn? God’s spirit
*Do you decide when you are born and who are your parents? Do you think it is the same with being reborn?
Read John 1:14
14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
*Why did Jesus become human? To show us how to live as a human
*Why not just worship Jesus in Heaven? Jesus is God and man, He wants is to have a personal relationship with us.
*Can you have a relationship with someone who you cannot relate to?
*Full and unfailing in what? Jesus loves us so much.
We do not understand how much He loves us, we cannot love in the same way He does.
We usually love with conditions. You do this for me, and I will love you.
God/Jesus, loves you even more than anyone else. His love is full and unfailing.
*What are examples of Jesus’ glory?
*Is there anyone else like Jesus in this World? No, Jesus came and totally changed the World. No one else can claim that. There are religious leaders, but none that calls you friend and accepts you into his family.
Questions:
*How did you feel when you became born again?
*Do people sometimes fail you?
*Does Jesus ever fail you?
The closest we come to understanding God’s love is how a parent loves their child. Parents love before the baby is even born. They will do anything for that child, even die for them. Not all parents are like this, but this is the way God designed a good parent to be.
*How is God’s love better than a parent’s love? Better than a spouse’s love?