“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14
There is only one way to heaven, and that is to repent of our sinful and rebellious ways and trust in Jesus and His cross for pardon and forgiveness; all other ways lead to eternal death and destruction. Sadly, most try to enter God’s kingdom in other ways – by church membership, following certain man-made rites and traditions, doing charitable works, etc. – but the end is condemnation because only in Christ and His cross is there forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
Grant that I repent of my evil ways, O Lord, and look to You for mercy for the sake of Your blood, shed on the cross to atone for my sins and the sins of the world. Amen.
“And John bore witness, saying, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.’” John 1:32-34
When Jesus was baptized, John saw the Holy Spirit descend from heaven like a dove and remain on Jesus. And God had told John, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” John baptized with water and pointed people to Messiah Jesus, the Son of God. When we, according to Jesus’ word and command (Matt. 28:19), are baptized with water, Christ Jesus baptizes us with the Holy Spirit and washes away our sins in His shed blood (cf. Acts 2:38-39).
Dear Lord Jesus, Son of God, we thank You for washing away our sins in Your shed blood and raising us from spiritual darkness and death to new life in You through the gracious working of the Holy Spirit in our baptism. Amen.
“The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’” John 1:29
John pointed his hearers to Jesus, saying that Jesus was that long-promised Messiah who would give His life as a sacrifice for the sins of all people in this world. Faithful ministers today still point people to Jesus and His atoning sacrifice for the sins of all and say, “Look to Jesus in faith; He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world; He is the only Savior!”
O merciful God, grant that we place our faith in Jesus for pardon, forgiveness, and eternal life. Amen.
“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.
