Day 1 of the 90-Day New Testament Challenge is to read John 1-3. We're starting in John because of the 4 gospels (including Matthew, Mark, & Luke), it's the one that is probably the easiest for us to understand today. The other gospels were written for different target audiences. For example, Matthew was written primarily to Jews, so he's constantly explaining how the things that Jesus did fulfilled the Jewish prophecies about the Messiah.
I almost laughed in 1:46 when Nathanael said, "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Wow - he had no clue. Jesus was not at all what they expected. But he wasn't worried about conforming to their expectations. He was focused on accomplishing what the Father had sent him here to do. It reminded me that I can't afford to get caught up in trying to be what everybody else wants me to be. When I have a clear vision of what God has called me to do and who he has called me to be, then I can be secure in that instead of insecure in my concerns about everyone else's opinions.
What application did you get out of reading these first three chapters?
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Growing churches are led by leaders who “make the ask”
11 months ago
You know, oftentimes living out the life God intended for us is about saying "no" to the things of this world. The world's standards keep changing. I just watched a documentary about diet and the foods we eat - and in it was a reflection on how at one time Doctors actually recommended smoking! And as of this date, the tobacco industries still deny that nicotine is addictive! What's this have to do with our passage we read today? For me, I am challenged to walk according to the Word rather than according to the world. My greater "yes" needs to be to Jesus and who He's calling me to be as a husband, and as a witness for Him, rather than to anyone or anything else. From the way Jesus called His disciples to lay down their lives to even how He interacted with Nicodemus, it is clear that Jesus isn't concerned about what people think of Him, He is concerned about doing God's business. John was the same way - what he wore was not the norm and how he went about the business of making the way for Jesus went against the grain. Even Jesus' message of salvation through Him was against the teaching of the religious leaders back then! Praise God they had the fortitude to do what God wanted them to do rather than what the world wanted them to do!
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