Daily Devotionals

John 1.29

The phrase “the Lamb of God” has meant so much to generations of followers of Jesus, since John the Witness (Baptist) first said it when they met in the wilderness by the Jordon river. I wonder though how that phrase can be made meaningful to people not brought up in the Christian faith. To the crowds who went to hear John preach in the desert it would have readily been understood because it represents the culmination of Israel’s Old Testament history, prophesy and worship rituals as laid down in the Mosaic law. The bible makes clear that it is an eternal title for Jesus, a name by which Jesus is revered and worshipped in heaven. ^{Revelation 15.3} However that seems very remote from most of everyday modern life. There is no exact modern parallel to the meaning of the Lamb of God that I know of but a story of a prisoner in a second world war Japanese prisoner of war camp captures some of the meaning. The camp was on its daily parade following a breach of camp rules. It was made clear to the prisoners that a number of them would be executed unless the person who breached the rules stepped forward to own up and nobody did. When it became clear that the threat would be carried out immediately an innocent man took that step forward to take the punishment and at least temporarily save the lives of his fellow prisoners.

How is this similar to Jesus being the Lamb of God? An unblemished lamb was an offering that was made for the sin of the people on the eve of Passover. It also reminded the Jewish people of how God freed them from slavery in Egypt and the Angel of Death “passed over” their homes prior to their leaving for the promised land. The blood of the lamb was painted on their door posts and its presence protected them from God’s judgement. Jesus as the Lamb of God was to become the vicarious sacrifice for people’s sin. He took the judgement and punishment of God for others voluntarily. The brave prisoner of war was not a completely innocent man in the same way that no human is, however he was innocent of whatever misdemeanour the Japanese guards deemed had taken place. He chose to be a vicarious sacrifice for the sake of others. It was an act of extreme bravery. It came from love for others. Whether knowingly or not he was obedient to Jesus’ own command to his disciples, ‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.’ ^{John 15.12,13}

How is the story not similar to Jesus being the Lamb of God? Firstly Jesus’ death whilst being unjust and the work of an evil corrupt set of religious and political leaders, was at the same time Jesus taking upon himself the just and fair judgement of God the Father for the sins of all who trust in him. Jesus was not only innocent of the “crimes” the authorities accused him of, he was also innocent of any sin. Jesus was not only an innocent man he is also the Son of God, creator of all things and therefore taking such a punishment was an act of supreme humility. Jesus’ sacrifice not only benefited his “friends” temporarily it opened the door to eternal life.

It took the Holy Spirit to reveal to John that Jesus was the Lamb of God even though John would have known Jesus his whole life as he was his cousin. ‘John bore witness: I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me (God, John 1.6) to baptize with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.’ ^v32-34 Similarly it takes the intervention of the Holy Spirit for every individual who understands and believes that Jesus is the Lamb of God.

Are we praying that the Holy Spirit reveals the true Jesus to our friends?

Have we taken on board Jesus command to love one another as he has loved us?

How would you explain the phrase, the Lamb of God, to someone who had no knowledge of the bible?

Lamb of God – Twila Paris

John 1

Our legal system, at least in part, is based on establishing the balance of probability. Above the Old Bailey in London is a statue commonly called the Scales of Justice but is more accurately named Lady Justice. She holds in her left hand a balance scale denoting fairness. In her right hand she holds a sword symbolizing authority. Her imagery comes from the mythical Greek god Themis, goddess of divine law. She is often depicted standing on a snake representing evil. Law in the UK has different levels of proof or probability required depending on the area being judged, the highest level is beyond reasonable doubt. To establish this, evidence needs to be provided through witnesses. Some might have specialist knowledge others have first hand experience through their senses.

The whole of John’s gospel is John presenting the case for Christ bringing evidence from a series of carefully chosen witnesses including Jesus’ own testimony. We saw in John 1.3 that creation itself testifies to the existence of and goodness of God. Paul in Romans confirms this, ‘For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.’ ^{Romans 1.20} However early in his gospel John introduces a human witness, John. Known elsewhere as John the Baptist but more appropriately known in John’s gospel as John the Witness. John self identifies as the one Isaiah prophesied, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord.’” ^v23 John was in a long line of witnesses to the coming Christ stretching back through the Old Testament. Each one, like John, sent from God. ^v6

Confusingly, the only John mentioned by name in John’s gospel is John the Witness (Baptist) and not the author. However, John, the gospel writer includes himself in the same line of God sent witnesses. In the penultimate verse of his gospel John makes clear he also is a first hand witness to Jesus’ words and life. ‘This is the disciple who testifies to these things, and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.’ ^{John 21.24} Jesus himself handed on the baton of being witnesses at his ascension. ‘You are witnesses of these things.’ ^{Luke 24.48}

The point of being a witness is that others might believe that Jesus is the Christ or as John is terming Jesus at this point, the light. ^v7 When being a witness, that is speaking about one’s experience of God through Jesus, it easy for oneself to become central to the narrative. This detracts from the evidence and the reason for the evidence. John the Witness provides a clear example of how to be a witness. I do not mean, go all native and dress in odd clothes, eating uncooked scavenged food. He is repeatedly clear that the message he had to give was not about him, it was about the coming Christ. ^v8 When questioned by the priests and Levites sent from Jerusalem he said, I am not the Messiah ^v20 then when pressed again he repeated the statement. ^v21

John was eager to give his testimony regarding the coming Christ. ‘He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely’. ^v20 This is a real challenge for us all. John gained his confidence and passion from being filled with the Holy Spirit. The angel of the Lord spoke to Zechariah, his father and prophesied that John would be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he was born. ^{Luke 1.15} Have we prayed that God would fill us with the Holy Spirit so that our lives are a witness to Christ?

John also had a clarity to his message. He knew what he knew, he did not over elaborate. He understood that Jesus is the embodiment of the grace of God. God had up to this point revealed himself through his creation, the prophets and his chosen people Israel. Now in the coming of Jesus God has fully revealed his grace and truth. ^v17 Jesus is the perfect revelation of God. As John writes, ‘No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.’ ^v18

Do we see the church as being in the line of succession of witnesses to Jesus as the Christ?

What can we learn about being a witness from John the Witness?

I Will Stand as a Witness of Christ

John 1.1-5

A guest speaker at a morning breakfast to a prestigious award ceremony is usually introduced by the Chair of the organization with a short biography that gives a personal insight into the speaker’s personality, career and qualifications so that the audience eagerly anticipates the forthcoming talk. John does a similar thing in his prologue as the first 18 verses of the gospel are known. In particular verses 1 -5 open with the dramatic statement that Jesus was the Word (In the beginning was the Word) ^v1 and that he is the source of all things. The implication and consequences of the truth of that statement was and is mind blowing. It would hugely out do an introduction at a writers’ conference that went, ‘Ladies and Gentlemen put your hands together please, fresh from the grave, William Shakespeare!’ John is saying that the person I am introducing you to outranks every person, thing or event that you could possibly think of including creation itself. Hang on tight because what I am going to tell you will blow your mind.

When John wrote the last of the gospels he took a completely different approach to the other gospel writers who essentially took a traditional approach to biography writing of largely keeping to a time line. John divides his account into two main sections his public and private ministry. To build his case for Jesus being the Word and the Christ, the son of God ^v20.31 he selects three series of sevens whilst recognizes that there are many more proofs that could have been recorded. He alternates in the first section (1.19 – 12.50) seven signs or miracles with seven extended teachings (discourses) that elaborate on the signs. He also includes seven statements of Jesus known as the ‘I am’ statements. These build to John’s own self-declared reason for writing the gospel, ‘that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name’. ^v20.31

The Word pre-existed time and creation and John makes the dramatic statement that the Word became human and this person is Jesus. ‘And the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth). ^{v 1.14} John is identifying himself as one of the eye witnesses to the events recorded in the gospel and it is therefore a first hand account.

John is identifying the Word as fully God. A literal translation of the last phrase of verse 1 is, ‘and God was the Word’. John is also connecting Jesus with the opening of Genesis and the creation of the universe. ‘In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth ^Genesis 1.1 … And God said …’ ^{Gen 1.3} Jesus is the eternal creating Word of God. ‘All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.’ ^v3

More that the physical creation of the universe Jesus is the source of life and John refers to Jesus’ life as ‘the light of men’. There are various nuances to the term light of men. There is a sense in which the light of Jesus reveals God and his salvation. This is further developed in the gospel. There is also the way in which the light of Jesus penetrates darkness, symbolic of sin, and reveals it for what it is. In verse 5, ‘The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it’ John is pointing forward to Jesus’ victory over sin and death through his crucifixion and resurrection.

Through Jesus then we can understand who God is because he is God revealed to us. We can have confidence in his capability because he is the creator of all things. He also is the light that will reveal and overcome our personal darkness.

My son has a personal favourite exclamation, awesome. This Jesus certainly is.

Is it harder to grasp the all-powerful divinity of the Word of God or the humility of the Word to become human?

Are we prepared for God’s light to be in our lives or do we prefer darkness?

Word of God by Brenton Brown – Music begins 1.30 into video, great Ethiopian images

Psalm 72

Hope energizes, despondency sucks the energy from us. Hope or lack of it is a major issue in our time as certain global forces impact so many lives. A global pandemic, with no clear pathway through, impacts expectations on all continents. Global warming carries with it seismic threats to the well-being of the whole of nature as far into the future as we can see. It is apposite that it is the younger generations who are the most vocal regarding its consequences. We have not experienced a world war since the mid twentieth century but the impacts of regional wars are now felt globally. The human heart has not changed and secular advocates of human rights with a belief that rationality and ever-increasing knowledge will lead to less cruelty have not proved substantially true, although this could be argued at length.  Large scale events impact individuals at all levels from young adults feeling that career chances have slipped away following the economic contraction associated with the Coronavirus pandemic, to elderly in severe pain and unable to have any clear date as to when surgery to relieve their chronic pain can be undertaken. At such times a good and strong leader is wanted. People are desperate to believe in somebody who is trustworthy and honest. When a new leader comes to the fore there is often a surge of hope that this one will make a profound difference. There is no need to be entirely cynical. There have been many who have made significant differences to people’s lives and the well-being of their nation.

Psalm 72 is a prayer for such a king. It is only one of two attributed to Solomon but as to whether it was written by Solomon and was a prayer for his own kingship and future kings or a psalm of David for his son Solomon it is not known. The psalmist and for convenience we will call him Solomon is primarily concerned with his own immediate time and the kingship of Israel, prior to the division between north and south. This is a mortal king, ruling a physical geographical nation, loved by his people. ‘Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people pray for him and bless him all day long.’ ^v15 The best fit for the prosperity of the nation during his kingship, the geographical extent of his rule, the gifts and tributes brought to him and the wisdom and fairness of his judgements is Solomon’s reign. Sadly though, Solomon did not maintain this throughout his life and the long decline of Israel started in his life time as he was tempted to worship other gods influenced by his many wives and concubines.

However, Christians see this psalm as much more than that, it is prophetic, set within the whole thrust of the bible whose purpose is to reveal Christ. The aspirations of the psalm are beyond any one human. Themes within the psalm are continued in the New Testament and reach their culmination in Revelation. ‘May his name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. Then all nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed’. ^vv17

In this psalm, which provided a liturgy for an enthronement ceremony we see the nature of Jesus’ kingship. Hope has become not a thing, an idea or a process but a person, Jesus Christ. He alone is capable of providing eternal hope, kept safe and glorious, untouchable, to all who trust in him. ‘An inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you’. ^{1 Peter 1.4}

In this ‘royal son’ we see the righteousness of God. ‘Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness’. ^v1 God’s righteousness is a light that shines into darkness bringing  life. John introduces his biography of Jesus with these words, ‘In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.’ ^{John 1.4,5} The natural companions to righteousness are justice and judgement. Solomon prays, ‘May he judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice’.  The clear priority for this righteous king are the needy and afflicted. ^{vv 2,4,12} Read any of the gospels and Jesus’ concern for people and his active mercy accompanied by his anger about hypocritical oppression is abundantly apparent.

He is not only interested in opposing injustice and hardship, he is equally concerned to actively cause righteousness to flourish. This king came on an eternal mission at the heart of which was to overcome sin and death and to do that through his own sacrificial life. He is a king concerned not just for one people group but for all peoples. ‘May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him.’ ^v11 ‘Then all nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed’. ^{v 17}

He is our hope, he is our king and deserves the doxology that rounds off the second book of psalms.

Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel,

who alone does marvelous deeds.

Praise be to his glorious name forever;

May the whole earth be filled with his glory.    Amen and Amen.

Can you join in Paul’s prayer, ‘May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope’? ^{Romans 15.13}

Living Hope – Phil Wickham

Psalm 71

When as an older Christian do others see you as old? Is it when they stop asking you to be part of things and including you in decisions or think your thoughts are no longer relevant? Could it be that people no longer think you will be wrestling with temptation and the evil one or you cannot speak in a meaningful way about what God is doing today. Perhaps it is when people see bodily limitations and think the spirit is equally disempowered. One of the most hurtful ways to be perceived is as a caricature. There are several out there.  There is, now you are retired an assumption that passion and drive have retired as well. Alternatively, there can be the idea that life is now a constant holiday and you will not have plans beyond the next cruise or trip. Conversely if in later life one is financially poor then one is also negatively dependent in all aspects of life including spiritual understanding. Then there is a belief that from now on all of life’s adventures are lived vicariously through children and grandchildren. In truth some people in later life live up to caricatures like these.  Psalm 71 shows a multifaceted spiritual life of a believer who is now, ‘old and gray’. ^v18

The opening stanza contains familiar refrains of the Lord being the believer’s refuge but in verse 3, ‘Be my rock of refuge’ the Hebrew word chosen includes a subtle change. Here it would be more literally, ‘rock of habitations’. (BST, The message of Psalms 1-72, Michael Wilcock) The implication being that in times past he has sought God when in need of refuge, rescue and deliverance but now he has learnt to see the Lord as his home, a safe home. There is a greater stability about his relationship with the Lord as his saviour. That does not mean he is no longer under threat as he still prays, ‘Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel’. ^V4 Simply because one has become older it has not removed one from being as Peter puts it sojourners and exiles in a world that wages war against your soul’ ^{1 Peter 2.11} I wonder how many times we consider that in the spiritual lives of the elderly the battle for holiness is as urgent as ever it was in younger years.

The psalmist here is able to bring a perspective of God’s faithfulness over his life since his youth. ^v5 He understands that God’s hand has been upon him from his conception, well before he was able to make any conscious act of faith. The longer one can trace God’s goodness in one’s life the more it is liable to inducepraise for him. In this way the psalmist is fulfilling a principal purpose for his and the lives of others to give praise to God and bring him glory. ‘From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother’s womb. I will ever praise you’. ^V6 But more than this he is able to trace how his life has intersected with others and contributed to their encounter with God. This is a tremendous resource of experience to draw upon and when shared builds up the faith of the fellowship. Can you think back and name people who you know God has impacted upon their lives, in some small way, through you? If so then you can share at least in part with the psalmist when he says, ‘I have become a sign to many’ ^v7 and it ought to encourage one to continue to pray for occasions when it will be repeated.

A fear in older age is that one can become rejected. Not only by God but also by fellow Christians. At that point one becomes increasingly vulnerable. In the western world in particular there is a tendency for the elderly to be excluded and lonely. There are many reasons for that some of which are not intentional but never the less do happen. In the light of this a prayer written around 3000 years ago can be highly contemporary to a Christian incapable of getting to church. ‘Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone.’ ^v9 Feelings are as important and strong in old age as they have been throughout life.

The psalmist is not an elderly person who has given up. He always has hope ^v15 and he continues to see it as important to tell people about God’s righteous deeds and his saving acts. ^v15 For the modern Christian with our understanding of Jesus’ cross and resurrection and that we all will face God’s judgement, how much more important is it for elderly Christian to speak of these things. The psalmist is not prepared to let his own inadequacies prevent him from speaking, ‘Though I know not how to relate them all. I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign Lord.’ ^v16 He is not going to limit himself to speaking to people of his own age in some old people’s forum he sees his role cross generationally. ^v18

As an older person the psalmist understands his eternal hope is fixed upon the Lord, ‘you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up.’ ^v20 This is such an important message and needs to be communicated before it is time for the funeral. Our hope rests on Jesus’ resurrection and the reason for that hope should be declared by the church, old and young, repeatedly backed by the reliable evidences. It is what the apostles declared and it continues to the be churches’ calling.

Old age should be a time for praise, hopefully based on a lifetime of grateful celebration of the grace of God. ^{vv 22-24}

My Jesus My Saviour