Page Title

                                                                   Seeing the Light

John 1

In this Chapter we are told of the introduction of Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God by John the Baptist as
well as the start of the gathering of Christ's Disciples.

God had sent John out to witness about the upcoming arrival of Jesus and to teach about what He is to
man and what He is going to be in the future. John was preaching and baptizing in Bethabara beyond
Jordan. The Jews had sent Priests and Levites out to question John about if he was the coming Messiah,
The prophet Elijah, or some other Prophet. When John told them he was not they wanted to know why he
was baptizing if he was not one of these people. John told them "I am a voice shouting in the wasteland.
Make straight the way of the Lord, as the Prophet Isaiah said." [Isaiah 40:13]

The Pharisees then ask that if he wasn't Christ, Elijah or another prophet, why then was he baptizing?
John told them "I baptize in water but there is one among you, whom you absolutely do not know. He it is
who comes after me, who has been before me, of whom I am absolutely not worthy that I should unloose
the strap of his shoe." [John 1:26-27]

In John 1:29-34, John identifies Jesus as the Lamb of God. The only Redeemer of man from the sins of the
world. He is proclaiming this because of the miracle he witnessed when he baptized Jesus. How the Spirit
of God came down and proclaimed that Jesus was indeed the Son of God.

So, in the first 34 verses of John 1 we have been told of the coming of Messiah and what he is. Jesus
Christ as described was the Word of God. He was with Him in the beginning. Through Him all things were
caused to happen. In Him was Life and Life was the Light of man. He was the Light that shines in the
darkness, that darkness can not seize. In other words, the Light that is Jesus Christ is in fact God in the
form of man to be with and save man from the sins of the world.

THE DISCIPLES

In verses 35-51 we see the start of Jesus choosing his disciples. Andrew one of the two of John disciples
who decided to follow Christ. Andrew goes and tells his brother Simon Peter that they have found the
Messiah and brings him to Jesus who recognizes him as the son of Jonah and renamed him Cephas,
meaning a stone. Then Jesus finds Philip and asks him to come with him. Philip then goes and finds
Nathanael and tells him,"We have found Him of whom Moses wrote in the Law and the Prophets, Jesus of
Nazareth, the son of Joseph.   And Nathanael said to him, Can there be any good thing come out of
Nazareth? Philip said to him, Come and see." [John 1:45,46] When Christ met him he said,"
Behold a true Israelite in whom there is no guile. (or baited entrapment) Nathanael asked Jesus how he
knew him and Jesus told him of seeing him under the fig tree. That seemed to convince Nathanael that
this was Jesus the Messiah because of the possible fact that nobody could have seen Nathanael sitting
under the fig tree or knew he was there.

Jesus then told Nathanael "Because you believe you will gaze upon things greater than these. From now
on you will gaze at Heaven opened and the heavenly messengers of God ascending and descending upon
the Son of Man. [John 1: 50,51]

In conclusion in John 1 we have seen the beginning of the ministry of Jesus Christ on earth. We are told
by John the Baptist about what Christ is and what he will do. We also see how Jesus was a convincing
influence upon people. If we are willing to be forgiving, not judgmental, compassionate of those who are in
worse shape than we are, and willing to admit that we sin and want to be forgiven of our sins. We can also
see that Jesus is the Messiah and he wants us to join him.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, Thank you for giving us your Son Jesus Christ as a Light in our lives and the
Word in which we live by. Let us always be able to proclaim you love for us by the gift of you
Son and in His death on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. Amen

Copyright 2005 by RK Press