Who Are You? - Study 3/6/13
Who Are You?
I have a confession to make. I had been struggling and negotiating with God and finding reasons not to write this blog after my sabbatical. Well, I was woken up by the death of my extended cousin last week. My cousin CY had been ill for some months but the call on Friday, March 1, 2013 saddened me and at the same time jolted me to action. You see, I did not have a chance to speak with my cousin in his last months and days. But he used to read my blog and will occasionally send emails to thank and encourage me. I am hoping that my cousin made peace with God and that I will see him at the resurrection. I am now writing in memory of him and for God’s glory who has given me a second chance to be obedient. I pray you will be delivered from your own procrastination if any.
There was another man who had a famous cousin. His name is John the Baptist. John was the cousin of Jesus (Luke 1:36). “19 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” (John 1:19-20). John knew exactly who he was and whose he was. He was not the Christ but pointed to the Christ. “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”! Who are you? Who are you and I pointing people to by our words and deeds? Has your sin and guilt been taken away by Christ for a relationship with God? We must be sure of salvation.
John 1: 22-42
21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the LORD,”’[g] as the prophet Isaiah said.” 24 Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
26 John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. 27 It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”
28 These things were done in Bethabara[h] beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing. 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ 31 I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.”
32 And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33 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.’ 34 And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”
35 Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. 36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour). 40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah.[i] You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone).
John knew who sent him, thus whose he was vs.33. He also said he was a voice in the wilderness. Are you and I a voice in the wilderness of our society where “tolerance” has replaced “Truth”? We must deliver God’s message of love and Truth to all without hate.
John also testified what Jesus would do for any who will believe in Christ. ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ Do you have the Holy Spirit of God in you? John was saying, water baptism and any other religious ordinance are not going to save you and grant you a relationship with the Almighty God. You need the Spirit of God to have a relationship with God (see John1:12-13) for God is Spirit.
Holy Spirit, please come into my heart today. Lord fill us again and continually with your Spirit. Help us to listen and obey your voice and empower us by your Spirit. Amen. Did you see Andrew bring his brother to Jesus? Let’s be an Andrew to someone today. Joy comes in knowing who we are in Christ and whose we are and doing only what He has sent us to do. Be yourself in Christ. Jesus said, “Come and see.” If we seek Jesus we will find Him. Would you seek Him today that He may cleanse you from all sin by His Holy Spirit?
I share with you what I last received from my cousin CY where he forwarded a presentation titled “That’s God”. May his soul rest in peace! Please pray God’s comfort for his wife and four children and for all of us. We will all have a last day here on earth. Don’t forget. Thank you.
I have a confession to make. I had been struggling and negotiating with God and finding reasons not to write this blog after my sabbatical. Well, I was woken up by the death of my extended cousin last week. My cousin CY had been ill for some months but the call on Friday, March 1, 2013 saddened me and at the same time jolted me to action. You see, I did not have a chance to speak with my cousin in his last months and days. But he used to read my blog and will occasionally send emails to thank and encourage me. I am hoping that my cousin made peace with God and that I will see him at the resurrection. I am now writing in memory of him and for God’s glory who has given me a second chance to be obedient. I pray you will be delivered from your own procrastination if any.
There was another man who had a famous cousin. His name is John the Baptist. John was the cousin of Jesus (Luke 1:36). “19 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” (John 1:19-20). John knew exactly who he was and whose he was. He was not the Christ but pointed to the Christ. “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”! Who are you? Who are you and I pointing people to by our words and deeds? Has your sin and guilt been taken away by Christ for a relationship with God? We must be sure of salvation.
John 1: 22-42
21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the LORD,”’[g] as the prophet Isaiah said.” 24 Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
26 John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. 27 It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”
28 These things were done in Bethabara[h] beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing. 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ 31 I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.”
32 And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33 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.’ 34 And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”
35 Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. 36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour). 40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah.[i] You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone).
John knew who sent him, thus whose he was vs.33. He also said he was a voice in the wilderness. Are you and I a voice in the wilderness of our society where “tolerance” has replaced “Truth”? We must deliver God’s message of love and Truth to all without hate.
John also testified what Jesus would do for any who will believe in Christ. ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ Do you have the Holy Spirit of God in you? John was saying, water baptism and any other religious ordinance are not going to save you and grant you a relationship with the Almighty God. You need the Spirit of God to have a relationship with God (see John1:12-13) for God is Spirit.
Holy Spirit, please come into my heart today. Lord fill us again and continually with your Spirit. Help us to listen and obey your voice and empower us by your Spirit. Amen. Did you see Andrew bring his brother to Jesus? Let’s be an Andrew to someone today. Joy comes in knowing who we are in Christ and whose we are and doing only what He has sent us to do. Be yourself in Christ. Jesus said, “Come and see.” If we seek Jesus we will find Him. Would you seek Him today that He may cleanse you from all sin by His Holy Spirit?
I share with you what I last received from my cousin CY where he forwarded a presentation titled “That’s God”. May his soul rest in peace! Please pray God’s comfort for his wife and four children and for all of us. We will all have a last day here on earth. Don’t forget. Thank you.
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