Based on today’s reading, what areas of my life do I need to put into Christ’s hands because I trust him?
Verses 19-21 encourage us to come out of the darkness of our hiding places and into the light of Christ’s love. This is what saves us from the condemnation we have brought on ourselves. Living in the light of Christ means living with honesty and authenticity. It’s so easy to hide our true selves, not only from each other but from God as well. It seems that religious people like Nicodemus can sometimes be the best at hiding our true selves from the God we claim to worship. Today, I’m going to trust God by refusing to hide even my darker side from him. He sees it all anyway. If I can live an “honest to God” sort of life because I trust the light of his love, then perhaps I can live a completely honest and open life before others as well. God wants to help us overcome the false self and bring out the true self in each one of us.
Based on today’s reading, how can I lovingly submit to Christ by obeying his commands?
John the Baptist’s perspective is so refreshing (see vv. 22-35). John had a pretty significant ministry going. People were coming to hear him preach and get baptized by him. Many were wanting to be his disciples. It would be easy for John to get puffed up and become egotistical, arrogant, and proud. But, remarkably enough, he doesn’t. When Jesus comes on the scene, people begin to leave John and go to Jesus. Jesus becomes more popular it seems and John’s ministry begins to fade out a bit. Yet, in the face of this, John says about Jesus, “he must become greater; I must become less” (v. 30). God, through John the Baptist’s example, is calling me to have the heart of John so that my main concern is not my ministry but the ministry of Jesus through me and through others. I will obey God by making sure the in my heart, my life, my home, my ministry…Jesus is becoming more prominent than me.
6 comments:
I just experienced an epiphany while doing household chores and reflecting on John 3 . . . I've often wondered why the people of Jesus' day only believed the truth He spoke if His words were accompanied by miraculous signs. Then, it hit me--a two-by-four knocking me over the head--if someone in my community started spouting off "truths" as if he/she were divinely anointed, I'd be highly skeptical--not unlike how I view most politicians on the campaign trail. Jesus asked/hoped for spiritual understanding without powerful physical demonstrations--but He rarely found it--not with His disciples, nor Nicodemus and even John a short time later asks, "Are you the One?" What a lonely place this world must have often been for the Creator/Redeemer of this world who loved with such selfless totality. Once again, a heartfelt cry, "Lord I believe, help . . . my unbelief."
I just experienced an epiphany while doing household chores and reflecting on John 3 . . . I've often wondered why the people of Jesus' day only believed the truth He spoke if His words were accompanied by miraculous signs. Then, it hit me--a two-by-four knocking me over the head--if someone in my community started spouting off "truths" as if he/she were divinely anointed, I'd be highly skeptical--not unlike how I view most politicians on the campaign trail. Jesus asked/hoped for spiritual understanding without powerful physical demonstrations--but He rarely found it--not with His disciples, nor Nicodemus and even John a short time later asks, "Are you the One?" What a lonely place this world must have often been for the Creator/Redeemer of this world who loved with such selfless totality. Once again, a heartfelt cry, "Lord I believe, help . . . my unbelief."
I can't seem to get my mind off of the verses where John's disciples came to him to tell him that Jesus was baptizing also and that (v. 26and 27) "He is baptizing and all are coming to Him." and John responds with, " A man can recieve nothing unless it has been given him from heaven." What strikes me is that Jesus was receiving people. The thought I have is this, what if I were to look at the people in my life that I am in regular contact with, as sent from heaven...whether it be sent from heaven to help me draw closer in my walk with the Lord, or sent from heaven for me to love and care for? This thought challenges me to be more patient with people and not to see my time as my own.
In verses19-21 Its interesting to me that condemnation is from men who loved darkness rather than the light because of their deeds that were evil and how people who practice evil hates the light and doesn't come to the light, because than their deeds would be exposed. In 21 where people who do the truth come to the light that their deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God. What is interesting about these verses to me is that what we do for God is clearly seen but what we do in the dark is in the dark. I'm glad that God sees whatever we do for him in his light not what the world sees as light. As in 1 John 1:7 When you walk in the light as he is in the light you have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. I'm so glad that because Jesus is my Lord and Savior I walk in his light, and I have fellowship with one another ( great fellowship at SWC with some pretty special brothers and sisters in Christ) Today I want to walk in his light and his truth and when I am tempted I'll know I can go to him and he is there to give me the light and direction I need and I don't have to remain in the darkness.
I am totally thankful that God sent Jesus from His freedom in Heaven to this painful world as flesh. Due to His amazing sacrifice, I can now live in the light with the Spirit dwelling in me. For many years, I lived in a dark or dimly lit world. Now I’m trying to be open, honest and transparent with God and others.
The statement "He must become greater and I must become less" is really a motto or standard to live by isn't it? For John it meant he would have to die to make room for Jesus' ministry - so there would be no divided loyalties from the people towards the two of them. Applying that to me today, I must die to myself says the scripture in order that Christ can use me the way he wants to. I guess that is what the Christian life is about-learning to die to what I want and the way I want it and when I want it. There always seems to be more to learn about that in my life and more to give up.
Post a Comment