Thought for Friday 11 February

John 1:32,34 (NIV)

Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."

We all know what is happening in the world. Even if we don’t watch or listen to news programs often, we hear people talking about things that they have heard about. We know what is happening anywhere in the world, storms, wildfires, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions wars etc. The stories we hear are believable because there are a lot of people talking about them, we already believe because of this. Many people know someone who lives in the country involved and passes on the news to friends, who pass it to other friends and so on.

If we do happen to see or hear a news broadcast, we can see for ourselves what is going on and we can hear eye witness reports.

Even though there was no TV during the time that Jesus lived, eyewitness reports were still very important. One day John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him. There is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one I told you about. I didn't know he was the Messiah, but when I baptized him, I saw the Holy Spirit coming down from the heavens like a dove. It came down and landed right on his shoulder. I saw it with my own two eyes and I tell you, this is the Son of God." When the people heard John's eyewitness report, it helped them understand and believe that Jesus was truly the Son of God.

The problem was that not everyone believed, even though there were hundreds who witnessed the works and miracles Jesus performed. Then the Pharisees and scholars convinced most of their followers it was all a lie and riled them up to the idea of crucifixion.

Even today people don’t believe the eye witnesses accounts of Jesus life. So many believe the lies spouted by folk that have proved they cannot be trusted. However, they find it easy to dismiss the truth that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who came to die on a cross in order that our sins could be forgiven. We only need to accept this fact to receive eternal life. Jesus death and resurrection made us worthy of a place in heaven if we can accept that the Son of God was willing to die for our souls.

 

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for sending Your Son to give us redemption. Help us be witnesses so that others will come to know Your love as we do. Give us the words to say when we talk about Your son and help us to live in a way that shows that we are Your children, In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.