“Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, ‘I am not the Christ.’” John 1:19-20
John the Baptist made no claims to be the Messiah and Savior. He did not seek a following for himself but directed his hearers to Messiah Jesus, the true Savior of the world. No pastor and no church can lay claim to being the Messiah or the Savior. Rather, like John, pastors and churches are to point people to Jesus, who came into this world to redeem us from sin and death!
O merciful Savior, grant me the wisdom to trust in You and point all to You, the true God and the only Savior of fallen mankind. Amen.
“No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” John 1:18
Jesus is the Son of God — God Himself — come into this world to reveal and make known to us the Father. To know God the Father, one must know and trust in God the Son, Jesus Christ, and He is made known to us by the Holy Spirit through the reading and hearing of God’s Word, the Bible.
Thank You, dear Father, for making Yourself known to us in the Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
“And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” John 1:16-17
Through Moses, God gave us His law, revealing our utter sinfulness and unworthiness before God. In Christ Jesus, God’s grace and truth came to us, revealing the salvation He has lovingly provided us through Christ’s cross. For the sake of Christ and His atoning sacrifice on the cross, God reaches out to us with mercy and forgiveness, and we receive from God grace upon grace when we look to Jesus in faith.
Thank You, O gracious Savior, for continually granting me mercy and forgiveness for the sake of Your atoning sacrifice on the cross for the sins of all. Amen.
“John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, ‘This was He of whom I said, “He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.”’” John 1:15
Though John was born several months before Jesus and began his ministry before Jesus, John said Jesus was preferred before him and was before him because Jesus is the eternal Son of God who took on human flesh and blood and became true man that He might redeem fallen mankind.
Grant that I point people to You, O Lord, for You are the eternal Son of God and the only Savior of the world. Amen.
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:12-13
We receive the right and privilege to become children of God through faith in Christ Jesus (cf. Gal. 3:26ff.), but even that faith by which we receive and take hold of Christ and the blessings of forgiveness and life eternal He won for us on the cross is not of our will or choosing. It is a rebirth worked in us by God the Holy Spirit through hearing the Gospel message and being baptized in Jesus’ name.
Thank You, O gracious God, for making me Your child through faith in Jesus Christ, Your Son and my Savior. Amen.
