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Love Lesson
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Lesson four: by turtle
John 1:29-36 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. 30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. 31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. 32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending 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, 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. 34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. 35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; 36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
Who does John say who Jesus is? Who does John says bares witness to him about who Christ is? What purpose did Christ come into the world?
John declares that Jesus is the Lamb of God. John declares the Holy Spirit bares witness of who Jesus is. In other words John saw the Holy Spirit descend upon Jesus like a dove. God made it clear to John who the Messiah was. I doubt if John understood before this though he perhaps had heard the prophecy from his father and mother about Jesus his cousin. And if this was true then he couldn’t speak who Jesus was til God gave the sign to him. If you think about it, the Holy Spirit testifies to our hearts that Jesus is the Messiah as well.
Matthew 16:16-17 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Simple fact Peter in the verse above realize who Christ was not because man told him but because God told him. Not because Jesus in the flesh told him but God our heavenly Father told him. Take a look at this next verse.
1 John 5:20 20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
Given us understand so we might know Him. God is the one the gives us the understanding that we might be able to understand that Jesus is the Messiah. This is a good example that God is in control. Simple fact is God is reveals himself to us. But we have a tendency to ignore him.
Romans 1:17-20 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
God shows who he is through is wrath and as will as through his creation. But people decided they didn’t want to believe there was a creator they turned away from him. This is from the beginning of time and is still this way today. People deny that there is a God or choose to worship the creation instead of God. They made God in the image they desire to have a God in. With attitudes they wanted instead of excepting who God was.
Romans 1:21-23 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
God sent Jesus to show us who He was. To show he was a God of love and not just wrath. That He cared for us and did not like us to be separated from us. For a time God let us go our own way.
Romans 1:24-32 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
For a time the world God allowed man to turn from him but He then began to put in action by sending first the Jewish nation to show his love and then sending His Son to die for the world and for us as Christians to spread thw good news of who Jesus is. God never truly gave up on man or anyone who would seek him. But He designed a way for all men to know who he was first through His creation and wrath and then by sending witness Jews into the word to show light. And then Jesus and then us who believe. God desired us to be reconciled to Him. Take a look at this verse.
2 Corinthians 5:18-21 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Simple fact we need to be a light to the rest of the world if we are Christians. We need to reconcile others to Christ once we know who He is. God loves all mankind. We need to pray that those we witness to will see Christ as the Messiah ( Savior ) to the whole world. We need to pray that when we speak the Holy Spirit will speak to those that are listening. Remember it isn’t’ what you will say but what God reveals to them about who He is that will save them from an eternity in hell our job is just to yield and to speak what God lays on our hearts.
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