John 1:29-34

Jesus’ baptizes us with Holy Spirit and fire. 

Jesus did not leave us alone and forsaken. He gave us Holy Spirit  who will remain in us until He delivers us safely home at the end of our life. 

Christ within is the power of God made available to all who believe in the salvation of Jesus. He is our hope to attain glory for God.

Grace, amazing grace!

Lord, You are so good. You always make sure we have everything we need to grow in our walk with You. Help us to acknowledge You as our only true source of strength. And may we develop deep roots in the soil of Your love so that we can get the nourishment we need to be strong in the faith. In Jesus' name, amen. Quantrilla Ard “First5”

John 1:29-34

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ 31 I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.”

32 And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

Grace calls something—invites something beautiful—from each one of us, and grace never leaves until the invitation is heard and embraced. It may shake up our life, there's not doubt about that. We're not used to being unconditionally loved.

I don't know where you see Grace in your life. I do know we don't cut ourselves enough slack, and I do know that when Grace appears, it's best if we don't analyze it, but just... pause, and let it seep into the core of our being. The reality of true Grace is that it does not waiver or diminish. It does not depend upon our response, performance, attitude, faith or checkered past. It just is.

Why? Because Grace heals not by taking shame away, but by removing the one thing our shame makes us fear the most: rejection.

You are gifted with grace. And from that place, you can spill grace to those around you. 

In my experience, it is easier to talk about grace, than it is to embrace it.  Just as it is easier to talk about God, than to experience God. It is not easy to fall into the open arms of love. Even so... We will only know grace through the open arms of one another. Terry Hershey “SabbathMoments”

The purpose of John’s ministry was preparing the way for the coming of the Messiah. The Gospel of John tends to use “Israel” as a positive label for God’s chosen people, identified ultimately by their beliefs, not ancestry. Here, John the Baptist simply testifies as a witness to the event. The event itself is spoken of in the past tense. John did not know Jesus was the Messiah until God revealed it to him. John the Baptist is functioning as a formal legal witness to Jesus’ identity. Faithlife Bible.

In the OT, the Israelites sacrificed lambs at the Passover feast and as offerings. Jesus Christ is the Lamb that God would give as a sacrifice for the sins not only of Israel, but of the whole world.

John and Jesus were cousins, so they probably knew each other. But John apparently did not know that Jesus was the Messiah. All John knew was that he was to baptize with water and that the Messiah would be made known to Israel through him. God had given John a sign by which he would know the Messiah, namely, the descending of the Holy Spirit as a dove.

He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit: Seven times the NT mentions this ministry of Jesus. NKJ Bible.

John saw Jesus coming to him, and pointed him out as the Lamb of God. The paschal lamb, in the shedding and sprinkling of its blood, the roasting and eating of its flesh, and all the other circumstances of the ordinance, represented the salvation of sinners by faith in Christ. And the lambs sacrificed every morning and evening, can only refer to Christ slain as a sacrifice to redeem us to God by his blood. John came as a preacher of repentance, yet he told his followers that they were to look for the pardon of their sins to Jesus only, and to his death. It agrees with God’s glory to pardon all who depend on the atoning sacrifice of Christ. Matthew Henry.

Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Mark 1:8 I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Luke 3:16 John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Acts 1:5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”