“In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him. In him was life, and the life was the light of all people.” Before there was anything at all, the whole world was an idea in God’s mind. But you can’t see an idea. You can’t feel it or touch it or taste it or hear it. It is invisible. No one can know an idea in your head until you tell them about it. Your words make your idea something they can understand. And so God said, “Let there be light!” And there was light. God spoke, and God’s word made an invisible idea something we can see. Jesus is God’s word. He is all the goodness and power of the invisible God. The creator of the universe came to earth in a way we can see and feel and hear and touch.  Now, there was a man sent by God. His name was John. Today we call him John the Baptist. God sent John to be a witness. Suppose one day you went to school, and no one knew who you were. What could you do? You could have your best friend be your witness. Your best friend could tell everyone who you were. That’s what God sent John to do. God sent John to tell everyone who Jesus was. And so one day, John was out in the wilderness telling everyone about God and his kingdom. When he saw Jesus walking along, John said, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!” What did he mean by that?! Remember the Passover? God’s people sacrificed a lamb and marked their doors with its blood. That night, the angel of death passed over every house that was marked by the blood of the lamb. The Passover lamb gave its life so God’s people could live. God sent Jesus to give his life for us, so that everyone who believes in Jesus can live with him in heaven forever. God sent Jesus to be OUR Passover lamb. Some time later, John was baptizing his followers in the Jordan River. He told them to admit their sins and ask God’s forgiveness. Baptism was a sign that they were leaving their sins behind and beginning a new life with God. And so Jesus came to John to be baptized. It wasn’t that Jesus had any sins that needed to be forgiven - Jesus never sinned. But he was about to leave his old life behind, and begin the work that God sent him to do. John said to Jesus, “But you should be baptizing me!” But Jesus insisted that John baptize him. It was what God wanted, and Jesus did everything that God wanted. When Jesus stepped out of the water, the spirit of God appeared over him like a dove, and a deep voice said, “This is my beloved Son, of whom I am well pleased.” And so Jesus began his work to save us.  4/07/01 |
