John

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

Jesus existed before He came as a babe in the manger. Jesus was in the beginning with God and was part of God. They are one in unity and are not separate as far as purpose and mindset.

In Proverbs we see a brief referral to Him.

Proverbs 30:4 Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if if thou canst tell?

(Joh 1:2) The same was in the beginning with God.

Its important to our salvation to take note of this fact. Jesus was in the beginning and His existence did not start when He was born as a baby to His mother, Mary.

It is important that we see Jesus as the Son of God and not just a man. Yet it is important that we see that Jesus allowed Himself to be born as a human being so that He could live among us and do so without committing sin. That is the only way the promise to redeem mankind back to God could be accomplished. The seed of the woman must come to bruise the head of the serpent or Satan. A mere man could not do this because sooner or later he would have sinned and defiled the perfect sacrifice that was to be paid for sin. Yet God could not fulfill this prophecy if He did not come as a human that could fail if possible. Only the seed of the woman and only the sinless Son of God could make the sacrifice to redeem the lost mankind back to God.

(Joh 1:3) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

We see that Jesus was there at the creation. Although we didn't know Him by the name of Jesus, He was with God. Notice in Genesis God says:
1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:.....

(Joh 1:4) In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

We see that without Jesus Christ there is no life both physical and spiritual. He is necessary for the salvation of all mankind. He is God who came into the flesh.

(Joh 1:5) And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Do not think it strange that the world around us do not understand the light of the gospel. They will think us crazy if we speak of it. They will not understand until the spirit of God draws them and brings them into the way of truth.

(Joh 1:6) There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
(Joh 1:7) The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way. He was a forerunner to announce the coming of the Messiah. He preached the necessary message of repentance. Repentance means to not only be sorry, but be sorry for our sins to the point that we are willing to make a change. He told of the one that was coming to take away our sins.

(Joh 1:8) He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

John could have been famous and popular. He could have claimed to be the Messiah but He did not. He knew that once Jesus came on the scene, he would have to decrease.

(Joh 1:9) That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
(Joh 1:10) He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

The promise of the Messiah was to come through Abraham, Isaac, Israel, Judah...... but when He came, the Jews did not know Him and the majority rejected Him when the jealous Pharisees stirred up the people against Christ. Just as the world then did not know Jesus, the world now does not know Him. They will think us strange if we speak of Him and acknowledge the bible as the word of God.

(Joh 1:11) He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

Again, Christ was rejected by the ones chosen to bring forth the Messiah or Christ.

(Joh 1:12) 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:

There is always a remnant who will receive truth. Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life and few find it. Broad is the way that leads to destruction and many go into that way. Following a crowd could lead to the lose of one's eternal soul. Even in a backslidden apostate church, there is usually one or two who still hold onto the truth in the word of God. God always has someone who still believes. There was 7000 who had not bowed their knees to Baal and there are those now who are faithful. Are we one of those faithful ones or do we want to please those around us?

To those who believe on the name of Jesus, they become the sons of God.  This includes women.  For there is no difference after we come to Christ. 

Galathians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

(Joh 1:13) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Those that believe in His name are born of God by the will of God. They are born again by the spirit of God. These are those that believe to the point of turning from sin and turning to Christ recognizing His death, burial and resurrection was accomplished for the purpose of saving all who believe from sin and giving them the Holy Spirit to abide with them continually. It is a complete spiritual change that cannot always be seen by the natural eye. Water baptism should follow but the ritual of baptism, sacraments and other things done outwardly cannot save, it is the spirit of God which saves the soul and changes the life of the receiver.

(Joh 1:14) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Jesus was the actual word of God made flesh. That is He came to us by being born of a woman and becoming flesh and blood like we are. He came like we came by being born into the world but He did not do any sin or disobey God like we did and like Adam did before Him. That is why Jesus Christ can reverse the curse Adam brought upon us. All we have to do is accept this and believe in Him. Remember believing is more than just believing in His existence. It means to receive, accept, and  acknowledge Him in all our ways.

(Joh 1:15) John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
(Joh 1:16) And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.

The covenant was changed. Mercy and grace is given in place of condemnation for sins. Spiritual blessings upon blessings is given to those that believe.

(Joh 1:17) For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

The law condemned us to eternal death. The wages of sin is death. Jesus came that those who believe can be freed from the condemnation of the law.  See how important faith is. Not believing in Jesus will result in the eternal soul being lost.

(Joh 1:18) No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

Jesus totally represented God, the word of God and the will of God. By looking at Jesus and what Jesus taught and lived, we can see who God was, what God was like and the true picture of God.
We see God as one who prefers to save rather than bring judgment. That doesn't mean that He will not bring judgment but we see that God prefers to save, heal, forgive and give us spiritual blessings upon blessings.

(Joh 1:19) And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?

Religious leaders always feel a little threatened by those that bring in some different religion. They feel in danger of losing their jobs.

(Joh 1:20) And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.

Some knew that the promised Messiah was to come one day. They believed though that the Messiah would come to deliver them from the Roman authorities. They were not looking for a Messiah that would save from sin. Some may have thought John the Baptist was that deliverer.

(Joh 1:21) And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that Prophet? And he answered, No.

This shows that they believed the promise in Malachi that Elijah would return.

Malachi 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

(Joh 1:22) Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

(Joh 1:23) He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaiah.

The voice of one crying in the wilderness is foretold in
Isaiah 40:3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

(Joh 1:24) And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.
(Joh 1:25) And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elijah, neither that prophet?
(Joh 1:26) John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;

Water baptism is an outward sign that we have repented of sins and have believed in the one who paid the price for our sins, Jesus Christ. The water we are baptized in has no saving power. It is the washing of the water of the word that cleanses and the spirit of God entering into our lives that saves our souls. Anything man does on the outside cannot change a person. The spirit of God does the converting and changing.

(Joh 1:27) He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

All of us are unworthy of Jesus Christ. We all need His forgiveness and cleansing.

(Joh 1:28) These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
(Joh 1:29) The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

This is the necessary thing that brings us salvation. Jesus came to take away the sin of the world. This is done now individually but will be fulfilled permanently at His second coming. We are not to wait for the return of Christ for Him to take away our sins for we may die first. If we die in sin, we will be lost forever. We can have the kingdom of God within us now by faith in Jesus Christ and turning from sin and recognizing Jesus as our savior from our sins.

(Joh 1:30) This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
(Joh 1:31) And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

John baptized with water of repentance showing that we need to repent of sin and trust in the one that was to come. John the Baptist was related to Jesus so he may have known who Jesus was naturally as the son of Joseph and Mary but did not know Him as the Son of God who came to take away sins until this appointed time. It could be also that even though they were related they might have lost contact with each other until this time when it was revealed to John that Jesus was the Messiah.

(Joh 1:32) And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

At the baptism of Jesus, John saw the spirit of God descend upon Him and knew He was the Messiah, the chosen one and God that came in the flesh.

(Joh 1:33) And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

Jesus came with a better baptism. We still are to be baptized in water to show obedience to the word of God and follow the example Christ set, but Jesus came to baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire.

(Joh 1:34) And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

We have to believe Jesus is the Son of God in order to obtain salvation and eternal life.

(Joh 1:35) Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
(Joh 1:36) And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

As a lamb was slaughtered to atone for the sins of man, Jesus was called the lamb of God because He came for the purpose of being slain for the sins of mankind.

(Joh 1:37) And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
(Joh 1:38) Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?
(Joh 1:39) He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.

Some disciples of John began to follow Jesus immediately knowing that He was the one John spoke to them about and the one the scriptures foretold that was to come.

(Joh 1:40) One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.
(Joh 1:41) He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

Andrew may have been the first soul winner in that he led his brother to Jesus.

(Joh 1:42) And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

Peter's name meant stone not rock. He was one of the stones which build the church not the head stone. The head of the corner or cornerstone is Jesus Himself.

(Joh 1:43) The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.
(Joh 1:44) Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
(Joh 1:45) Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

This is important to note that these disciples were not blindly following someone who did miracles but they followed someone who John showed them from the Old Testament writings of Moses that Jesus was the prophet that Moses spoke of.

(Joh 1:46) And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

Instead of arguing with Nathanael, he simply said, come and see.

(Joh 1:47) Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
(Joh 1:48) Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
(Joh 1:49) Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
(Joh 1:50) Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.

They witnessed many miracles and signs but the most significant fact was that they knew Jesus was the Christ because of the scriptures.

There are many but I will show one in Deuteronomy
Deu 18:15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

(Joh 1:51) And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

Noticed that many believed the word first and then later saw the miracles.
 

Chapter 2
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