Christ's First Sign

“J.S. Bach said, ‘All music should have no other end and aim than the glory of God and the soul's refreshment; where this is not remembered there is no real music but only a devilish hub-bub.’

“He headed his compositions: ‘J.J.’ ‘Jesus Juva’ which means ‘Jesus help me.’  He ended them ‘S.D.G.’ ‘Soli Dei gratia’ which means ‘To God alone the praise.’”  (Kingdom Conflict, J. Stowell, Victor, 1985, p. 77ff.)

As disciples of Christ we are called to give God glory in all things.  This means that every mundane, unexpected, and deeply changing event in the life of a disciple of Christ points in one direction, to His glory.  As we continue to study the Gospel of John we will begin to see how the actions and words of Jesus all point to His own glory.

John 2:1-12 is Christ’s first public sign that He is more than just a carpenter.  At a wedding He is attending the wine has run out and Jesus proceeds to turn water into wine.  What purpose does He have in beginning His public ministry in this way?  What does this passage teach us about being a disciple of Christ?  What can we learn from Jesus and the actions of His disciples and mother?  Where does God’s glory fit into this passage?

May we be prepared to encounter God this week as we study and strive to understand His Word.  And may that Word have a profound affect on our hearts, minds, and lives.

Striving to know Christ and make Him known,

Mark

The Calling of the First Disciples

“I was speaking at an open-air crusade in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Billy Graham was to speak the next night and had arrived a day early. He came incognito and sat on the grass at the rear of the crowd. Because he was wearing a hat and dark glasses, no one recognized him.

“Directly in front of him sat an elderly gentleman who seemed to be listening intently to my presentation. When I invited people to come forward as an open sign of commitment, Billy decided to do a little personal evangelism. He tapped the man on the shoulder and asked, ‘Would you like to accept Christ? I'll be glad to walk down with you if you want to.’ The old man looked him up and down, thought it over for a moment, and then said, ‘Naw, I think I'll just wait till the big gun comes tomorrow night.’ Billy and I have had several good chuckles over that incident. Unfortunately, it underlines how, in the minds of many people, evangelism is the task of the ‘Big Guns,’ not the ‘little shots.’" (Lieghton Ford, Good News is for Sharing, 1977, David C. Cook Publishing Co., p. 67.)

Who are the “big guns” and the “little shots” when it comes to disciples of Christ?  Who is most qualified to speak the truth of the Gospel message to others?  We may be tempted to think that only a select few (pastors, Sunday School teachers, Bible Study leaders, etc.) are really qualified to speak the Gospel message clearly, but the reality of life as a disciple of Christ is that every disciple is a “big gun.”  This makes each of us a missionary, called to speak the truth of the Gospel to those around us.

Join us this week as we dive into John 1:35-51 where we will learn about the call of the first disciples and what this means for disciples of Christ today.  May we bathe Sunday morning in prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to reveal Himself in a mighty way so that the Gospel of Christ is clearly understood by all.  For His glory!

Striving to know Christ and make Him known,

Pastor Mark

"Behold, the Lamb of God"

“A gathering of friends at an English estate nearly turned to tragedy when one of the children strayed into deep water. The gardener heard the cries for help, plunged in, and rescued the drowning child. That youngster's name was Winston Churchill. His grateful parents asked the gardener what they could do to reward him. He hesitated, then said, "I wish my son could go to college someday and become a doctor." "We'll see to it," Churchill's parents promised. 

“Years later, while Sir Winston was prime minister of England, he was stricken with pneumonia. The country's best physician was summoned. His name was Dr. Alexander Fleming, the man who discovered and developed penicillin. He was also the son of that gardener who had saved young Winston from drowning. Later Churchill remarked, "Rarely has one man owed his life twice to the same person." (Ron Hutchcraft, Wake Up Calls, Moody, 1990, p. 22.)

As Jesus approached him, John the Baptist declared in a voice for all to hear, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).  Jesus has redeemed the sinner.  He has taken away the sins of those who put their trust in Him, repent of their sins, and follow His commands.  To change the above words of Winston Churchill, “Never has one man owed his life for all eternity to the same person.”  And yet in Christ this truth is found.

Join us this week as we study John 1:29-34 in an attempt to understand the work of the Lamb of God in the lives of sinful humanity.  May the work of the Spirit be evident as we strive to understand our God and His call for our lives more deeply.

Striving to know Christ and make Him known!

Pointing to Christ

“When he was the pastor of the Methodist church in Scarborough, William Sangster had an eccentric member who tried to be a zealous Christian. Unfortunately, the man was mentally deficient and usually did the wrong thing. While working as a barber the man lathered up a customer for a shave, came at him with the poised razor, and asked, "Are you prepared to meet your God?"  The frightened man fled with the lather on his face!” 

(W. Wiersbe, Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching & Preachers,  p. 215.)

This is obviously an extreme case of witnessing for Christ gone wrong.  In an attempt to lead a man to Christ this gentleman inadvertently brought the focus upon himself.  Or at the least upon the razor in his hand.  Which leads us to the big question this week: What does our life point others towards?  In other words, what do our words and actions reveal to others about what is truly important to us?

Join us this week as we study John 1:19-28, looking at the words of John the Baptist and what his ministry was pointing towards.  May the Spirit change us, encourage us, and convict us as we look at the Word of God.

Striving to know Christ and make Him known!