Who are you?

Next we are looking at John 1:19-28...

When you meet someone, what's the normal question you ask? 'What do you do?' Instead the religious leaders ask John, Who are you? 

1. Why that question? Because the religious leaders notice what John says and does especially against them at risk to Johns life (take a few min to read Matt 3:1-10) Are we as Christians willing to declare Jesus and His truth no matter what the opinion of others around us?

2. Who are you? The next logical question which needs to be asked as it was of John the Baptist is... Who are you? John answered it in light of Jesus. How do we do the same? We must live our lives in light of Him. 

I spent a few days in DC with my family a month and a half ago staying with a family who had a dog. It was intriguing to watch the dog live his entire day in light of his master. When the master left, it was like the dog was confused and not sure what to do because his master was gone. 

That should be our life in light of Jesus. Is it? Can you say like John that your identity is so tied to Jesus (assuming you call yourself a Christian) that you are voice and only that pointing to Jesus - that's who you are?

Who is most important to you?

I am planning on posting two-three times a week out of the book of John and its application to life. 

Beginning with John 1:1-18...

How do you establish who is most important in your life? John in 1:1-18 is establishing very clearly and succinctly the argument that over and above all - Jesus must be most important being for any Christian.

A. Why?

1. He is God

2. He was creator

B. How do you know he is important?

1. His importance was visible to all who were on earth as witnessed by John the Baptist

2. Not that all recognized or honored Jesus as important, but they should have according to John

C.How should we respond to Jesus?

-When we recognize Jesus as most important and believe Him for who He claimed to be, we are considered GODs kid!

D. How is Jesus more important than Moses or any of the previous Jewish spiritual leaders?

The Jews had the biggest issue with Jesus because he seemingly erased 4000 years of law and tradition. Jesus more importantly completed Jewish law by best balancing law and grace.

E. What about us? Is Jesus most important for u and me???? How do we do a better job of prioritizing the most important being the universe??! Talking with Him every day? Reading His Word more regularly? Making time to spend with His other kids at church?

Handling difficulty

'Life is difficult' as M. Scott Peck opened his famous book - The Road Less Traveled. How do we handle the difficulty which comes?

1. Seek God desperately every day through prayer and Bible reading - he will then be a prayer away at those difficult times. 

2. Seek out lifelong friends through dedicating yourself to a local church who will be there for you through thick and thin.

3. Pour into your family because they will be your lifenet in those difficult times.

4. Take care of yourself physically so you can find nature ways to blow off the stress.

I know there are others but start with these and you can't go wrong!

Is experience or the bible your highest authority?

When's the last time you forgot to save your word document? When's the last time you lost most of what you were working on? I worked on two blog posts and left them where they were without saving them... And I lost them. I will never do that again! Experience is one of the best teachers in life; yet we can't allow that to be our authority because if we are Christians then the Bible should be our ultimate authority - is it? Do you submit to the commands found in the Bible? Maybe you need to start by reading it regularly - not to check off the box of 'doing my devotions' but counter culturally submitting to our higher authority - God and His Word. 

What does it mean to follow Jesus?

When I was in DC a few weeks ago with my family, we stayed in a bed and breakfast which had a dog who was incredibly loyal to its owner. One morning while we were there, the owner left on an errand, and the dog, whose job it was to follow the owner literally wherever he went, became immediately lonely and confused about what it was supposed to do in that moment that the owner wasn't around, because it knew that its life revolved around the orders and movement of the owner. 

What about me and God? How much does my day to day life revolve around Him - His direction for my life and His movement?