Jesus, by Greg Olson
John 1:1-14, 16, 29-51
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made .
[That which has been made was life in him ]. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, [to his own things; that is, to his own domain, or to his own people ] and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
16 And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, [the only One, who is God; some manuscripts the only Son] who is at the Father's side, [in the bosom of the Father] he has made him known.
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. [4 p.m.] 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter [Cephas and Peter are from the word for rock in Aramaic and Greek, respectively]).
43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.”
51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
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."
It was not because you were more in number than any other people
The Lord set his love on you and chose you,
for you were the fewest of all peoples
Because the Lord loves you
and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers,
the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand
and redeemed you
from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
Know the Lord your God is God,
the faithful God
He keeps covenant and steadfast love
with those who love Him
and keep His commandments,
to a thousand generations
He chose us in Him
before the foundation of the world,
we should be holy and blameless
before Him
in Love
There are a lot of people in this world. We all wonder if we could have chosen our lives, our path and bodies if we would have chosen differently. We live God’s Plan and He chose for us. We are chosen, loved and special to Him.
Matthew 10:29-31
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.
Even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Psalm 8:3-6
3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet
How much does God love you?
“For God so loved you,
He gave his only Son,
that whoever believes in Him
should not perish
but have eternal life.
Hebrews 2:9
We see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
10 For it was fitting that he,
for whom and by whom all things exist,
in bringing many sons to glory,
should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.
11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source.
That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12 saying,
“I will tell of your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”
13 And again,
“I will put my trust in him.”
And again,
“Behold, I and the children God has given me.”
14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood,
he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.
20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope
21 that the creation itself will be set free
from its bondage to corruption and
obtain the freedom
of the glory of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation,
but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,
groan inwardly
as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
Father God loves you very much.
Abba, Father God,
You have called us to You.
In the stresses and glories of life, help us to remember You are the Eternal God our Father of Love.
Each day we put our hands out to You to pray,
help us to fill this day with the love, the care and the work you would have us do.
As we read the Scriptures, let us be filled with the knowledge that they were written for us, in Your love.
Let us Rejoice knowing the Children of God cover the Good Creation with prayer. Seeking more Heaven on earth and Your Good Will.
Let us Rejoice knowing we walk in God's Good Plan. Our Hope and our Future. Today.
Let us Rejoice knowing our Loved Ones are held by Jesus Christ, God's Son, our Jesus. Our friend Numbered with the Greatest.
Let us Rejoice knowing our Nation prays and trusts in Him.
Let us Rejoice Nations live looking to Him and His Brightness.
In the name of Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, Amen and Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †