{"id":19247,"date":"2022-05-07T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-07T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailchi.mp\/urc\/urc-daily-devotion-7th-may-2022"},"modified":"2022-05-07T06:00:00","modified_gmt":"2022-05-07T05:00:00","slug":"urc-daily-devotion-7th-may-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/urc-daily-devotion-7th-may-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"URC Daily Devotion 7th May 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"

St John 1: 19 – 34<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, \u201cWho are you?\u201d  He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, \u201cI am not the Messiah.\u201d  And they asked him, \u201cWhat then? Are you Elijah?\u201d He said, \u201cI am not.\u201d \u201cAre you the prophet?\u201d He answered, \u201cNo.\u201d  Then they said to him, \u201cWho are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?\u201d  He said,<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,<\/span>
\u2018Make straight the way of the Lord,\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

as the prophet Isaiah said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.  They asked him, \u201cWhy then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?\u201d  John answered them, \u201cI baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know,  the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.\u201d  This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing. The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, \u201cHere is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!  This is he of whom I said, \u2018After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.\u2019  I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.\u201d  And John testified, \u201cI saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.  I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, \u2018He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.\u2019  And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Reflection<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

John finishes his Prologue (or Overture) at 1:18 with the statement, \u201cNo one has ever seen God; it is God the only Son \u2026 who has made him known!\u201d  <\/span><\/p>\n

The focus on the Word might lead us to think it\u2019s all about Jesus, and yet it is equally about God. The emphasis on Jesus is because Jesus is God made visible; what John wants us to \u201cget\u201d absolutely clearly is the God of grace and truth whom Jesus reveals, in order that we, like Jesus, might become children of God (1:12).<\/span><\/p>\n

From the get-go, John is clear that Jesus is the Light who will draw many to him, but send those who are opposed to what God is doing scuttling for the darkness (1:6-13).  That is what begins to unfold immediately in this interrogation by the \u201cpriests and Levites from Jerusalem\u201d.  <\/span><\/p>\n

We discover that, in John\u2019s hand, the Baptist\u2019s sole purpose is to reveal Jesus and announce his mission.  Jesus is the Lamb of God, who is to take away the sin of the world (Easter).  And he is to baptise with the Holy Spirit (make us children of God).  The Baptist has come to point to Jesus and urge first his own disciples and then us as readers to follow Jesus from within a Spirit-filled community of disciples that John calls \u201cchildren of God\u201d (1:35-37).  <\/span><\/p>\n

John will construct his narrative so that Jesus is killed on Thursday, at the very moment when the Passover lambs are being killed in the temple.  His arrival is a New Exodus, celebrated by those longing to be part of a community of justice and peace (the \u201cabundant life\u201d of 10:10), resisted by those who prefer \u201cdarkness\u201d.  Will we welcome him and follow, or walk away?<\/span><\/p>\n

Prayer<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Of course we welcome you, Jesus!<\/span>
We\u2019re the Church – how could we do otherwise?<\/span>
And yet \u2026 if you call me to give up everything I have invested in the way things are \u2026<\/span>
My job. My pension. My reputation. My possessions.<\/span>
If you are altogether serious about how different living as a child of God is \u2026<\/span>
Do I <\/span>really welcome you?
By your Spirit, open my heart to say yes to your call.<\/span>
Today.<\/span>
Amen.<\/span> <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

St John 1: 19 – 34 This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, \u201cWho are you?\u201d  He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, \u201cI am not the Messiah.\u201d  And they asked him, \u201cWhat then? Are you Elijah?\u201d He said, \u201cI am … <\/p>\n

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