Call to Gather, Pray and Worship God
1 Peter 5:10-11
The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
Do you ever wonder about this type of blessing for yourself – a post-suffering blessing? Who springs to mind that you would want to receive a blessing of strength, firmness and steadfastness? Restore us O God!
Proverbs for the Week
Proverbs 9:8
Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you;
rebuke the wise and they will love you.
Scripture Story for the Week
Our Scripture story focuses on John the Baptist as God’s witness to the light. Jesus is the Light and of course the central focus of Scripture – and He should be central to our lives. John's role, as he understood it, was pointing people to Jesus.
As for himself and personal honor that came as a result of his ministry, he realized that it was necessary that he become lesser and Jesus become greater. This can be a great if not necessary lesson for all of us – regardless of where our ministry takes place. Whether in the home or work place, the church or the neighborhood place, the goal is that God is glorified and honored in all that we do – and that any self-glory that comes our way is appropriately turned toward God.
John 1:1-28
John the Baptist Introduces Jesus
The Word Became Flesh
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 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.
John the Baptist Denies Being the Messiah
19 Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”
21 They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
22 Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”
24 Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
26 “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
Prayer
God Father God, remind me that You have been just as intentional at making me as You did in making John the Baptist and in sending Your Son Jesus. Remind me that You don't do things accidentally in life, nor in my life specifically. Help me to live out my calling as Your child and to graciously treat others well in Your name and to Your glory. So I pray in the name of Jesus my Lord and Savior. Amen.