What was your major takeaway from John 1-5?
The Sacrifice Christ Made in Taking on Humanity
Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. (Jn. 4:6)
Despite the knowledge of what is to come, that is Christ’s ultimate sacrifice on the cross. I still find it challenging to wrap my head around the idea that he became “wearied.” Here we have God in the flesh, who existed before time began, through whom all things were made, the Alpha and the Omega, and he laid it all aside. He put on flesh and submitted himself to all the same pains, and frustrations, and temptations and experiences each of us face every day.
And why?
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (Jn. 3:16)
For Love……
The Faith and Humility of John the Baptist
I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” (Jn. 1:31)
The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.” (Jn. 3:29-30)
John the Baptist had no idea who Christ was or when he was coming. Yet he spoke about him with boldness and certainty. He never failed to point to him at every turn. And he did so with great humility and joy. While the life of Christ is the ultimate example of how we should shepherd God’s people, the life and story of John the Baptist is a beautiful picture of what this could look like for a broken man such as me.
What do you not understand in John 1-5?
I struggle just a bit with John 1:13.
who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (Jn 1:13)
I think I understand this where it counts. That is to say that I know what John was trying to say. That is that our salvation comes not from anything that is of ourselves, but that it is a gift from God given only by His mercy and grace. But I found myself asking this week what exactly is “of blood”? What exactly are the will “of the flesh” and the “will of man.” More specifically, the latter two are where I got hung up. I read several commentaries that seemed to conflict with one another. I’m not sure this is something to get hung up on. Nonetheless, this is the question that kept coming back to me this week.