My Daily Meditation
Today’s Reading
The Gospel According to John
Chapter 1:51
To the brethren and to all peoples, I bid you greetings in the name of our Redeemer Jesus Christ
Friends, during our readings and studies we have covered books from the OT, and just recently the NT. The constant theme, (for lack of a better word), has been that those that turn from God, suffer in the end. I am not going to sugar coat this friends. If God is not a part of your life, your life will not be a happy one and your afterlife even less so. But, I have good news, it does not have to remain that way, for God Himself has presented you with opportunity to be redeemed unto Him. The next set of studies will be from the tittle above, and one will read how God has given unto you a Savior, who willingly laid down His life for your sins, so that we may have life eternal with our heavenly Creator.
1 In the beginning was that Word, and that Word was with God, and that Word was God.
2 This same was in the beginning with God.
3 All [h]things were made by it, and without it was made nothing that was made.
4 In it [l]was life, and that life was the light of men.
5 [And that light shineth in the wilderness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 This same came for a witness, to bear witness of that light, that all men through him might believe.
8 He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light.
9 This was that true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him: and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them he gave prerogative to be the sons of God, even to them that believe in his Name,
13 Which are born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And that Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we saw the glory thereof, as the glory of the only begotten Son of the Father) full of grace and truth.
15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I said, He that cometh [after me, was before me: for he was better than I.
16 And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.
17 For the Law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. (a)
18 No man hath seen God at any time: that only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
19 Then this is the record of John, when the Jews sent Priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
20 And he confessed and denied not, and said plainly, I am not that Christ.
21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he said, I am not. Art thou that Prophet? And he answered, No.
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?
23 He said, I am the voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the Prophet Isaiah.
24 Now they which were sent, were of the Pharisees.
25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, neither Elijah, nor that Prophet?
26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there is one among you, whom ye know not.
27 He it is that cometh after me, which was before me, whose shoe latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John did baptize.
29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold that Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man, which was before me: for he was better than I.
31 And I knew him not: but because he should be declared to Israel, therefore am I come, baptizing with water.
32 So John bare record, saying, I beheld, that Spirit come down from heaven, like a dove, and it abode upon him,
33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, he said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see that Spirit come down, and tarry still on him, that is he which baptizeth with the holy Ghost.
34 And I saw, and bare record that this is that Son of God.
35 The next day, John stood again, and two of his disciples.
36 And he beheld Jesus walking by, and said, Behold that Lamb of God.
37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and followed Jesus.
38 Then Jesus turned about, and saw them follow, and said unto them, What seek ye? And they said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say by interpretation, Master) where dwellest thou?
39 He said 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.
40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two which had heard it of John, and that followed him.
41 The same found his brother Simon first, and said unto him, We have found that Messiah which is by interpretation, that Christ.
42 And he brought him to Jesus. And Jesus beheld him, and said, Thou art Simon the son of Jonah: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation a stone.
43 The day following, Jesus would go into Galilee, and found Philip, and said unto him, Follow me.
44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
45 Philip found Nathanael, and said unto him, We have found him of whom Moses did write in the Law, and the Prophets, Jesus that Son of Joseph, that was of Nazareth.
46 Then Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip said to him, Come, and see.
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said of him, Behold indeed an Israelite, in whom is no guile.
48 Nathanael said unto him, Whence knewest thou me? Jesus answered, and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
49 Nathanael answered, and said unto him, Rabbi, thou art that Son of God: thou art that King of Israel.
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.
51 And he said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see heaven open, and the Angels of God ascending, and descending upon that Son of man.
(a) Editor’s thought - Grace is the gift of redemption freely given unto us by God Himself. We can do nothing, I repeat nothing in our lives to qualify for redemption. Only by accepting, believing and confessing, Christ as Risen Savior, and that He has died for our sins, can we receive this grace from God. Understand friends that grace, as defined by Webster’s Dictionary Editions 1913 and 1828 is:
“the exercise of love, kindness, mercy, favor; disposition to benefit or serve another, and even more appropriately, the free unmerited love and favor of God, the spring and source of all the benefits men receive from him”
The key word in that definition is unmerited, as we have done nothing to deserve this gift. In fact quite the opposite is true, for as is written in the scriptures, we are sinners, and the wages of sin is death. Therefore friends I ask of you to consider your personal situations and if you’re finding that you’re not right with God, then do so. As I had mentioned above in the preface of this study, I cannot nor will not sugar coat it, your eternity depends on it.
Friends there is so much more I wish I could speak upon, I urge you all to read this chapter slowly, thoughtfully, and reflect on all it’s verses.
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