Book of John, Chapter 1, March 10, 2024

It's time for the Champions in Christ broadcast with Lee and Rhonda Harrison on 1017, Bay F.M.

God is a God of righteousness. God sits on the throne. God is strong and mental. God is God alone.

Good morning and welcome to Champions in Christ. Thank you for joining us this morning.

We're going to dive into the Word of God. We love God and He loves us. He loves you so much today.

And He wants you to know that you are special. Each and every one of us are made with our own fingerprints.

Right? Everyone has their own fingerprint. Imagine that. Millions and millions of people over time

and everyone has their own fingerprint. That's how special you are to God. That's how much He loves you.

You are so very special. So we're going to get into the Word today. We're going to go to the Book of John, chapter one.

And I'm going to be reading at first from the New Living Translation.

It starts in chapter one, verse one. It says, in the beginning, the Word already was.

The Word was God and the Word was with God. And He existed in the beginning with God.

God created everything through Him, through Jesus. The Word gave life to everything that was created

and His life brought light to everyone. Light shines in darkness and the darkness cannot extinguish it.

You know, when you walk in a room and you flip a light switch on, darkness disappears because light overcomes darkness.

Every time, every time, you know, sin is in the world of darkness. Right?

So we don't want to sin. We want to stay in the light. We want to stay in agreement with God in His Word.

But thank God for the blood of Jesus that cleanses us from sin. Thank God He made a way that though we all have sinned

and come short of the glory of God, God made a way that He washes our sin away.

He makes you white as snow. And He throws it into the sea of forgetfulness.

The Word says, hallelujah. And it goes on to say in verse six, God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light

so that everyone would believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light.

He was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

You know, Christ is that light. Jesus Christ. And you know, if we go back to Genesis in the beginning where God created heaven and earth

and God created all the fall of the air, the fish of the sea. Let's read a little bit about that.

Let's start in verse 24, Genesis 124. It says, And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creatures after his kind, cattle creeping things

and beast of the earth after his kind. And it was so God made the beast of the earth after his kind, cattle after their kind.

And everything that creeps upon the earth and God saw it was good. And God said, Let us make man in our own image after our likeness.

Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the fall of the air over the cattle and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.

So God created man in his own image and in the image of God created he, him, male and female. He created them.

You know, did you notice back here in verse 26, it said, Let us make man in our image. God is saying that to who? To Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

They were bad. They were around then. He was Jesus is the spirit, right? The three are one father, son and the Holy Ghost.

But yet there's three offices, right? The God, the father, Jesus Christ, the savior and the Holy Spirit, the beautiful Holy Spirit.

And so they created all that was upon the earth. And then of course we know the story. Adam and Eve came in the picture, right?

He created man and breathe life into him. And that was Adam and then took a rib out of Adam while he was sleeping, created Eve.

And they were, were occupying the earth, right? They were occupying Eden, which was perfect in every way. Perfect.

And what happened? There was a slimy snake that came along, right? And his name was Satan. It was actually Satan embodied in a snake at that time.

He was, he's a spirit, a fallen angel. Well, we can't talk about that today. There's not enough time, but just so you know, he deceived Eve and Adam.

And because they partook of that tree, it's the only tree in the garden. God said, you cannot partake of, you can partake of every other tree,

but don't touch this tree, don't eat of the fruit of this tree. And that was the knowledge of good and evil. And when they did sin came into the earth.

So God had a plan. Thank, thank you Jesus, that God had a plan because when Adam fell it, it created a separation between us and him.

And that is not a good place to be separated from God. You know, we want to be close to him. We want him to hear our prayers.

We want him to answer our prayers. We want his blessing on our life, his mercy and his grace that endure forever and are for everyone.

We want to be able to cry out and say, I'll have a father, right? Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

Well, if we go back to John and we see that John the Baptist is continuing on. He said he came into the world he created, but the world didn't recognize him.

He came into his own people and even they rejected him. But to all who believed on him and accepted him, he gave the right to become the children of God.

They are reborn or born again, not a physical birth resulting in human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God, a spiritual birth, right?

So John the Baptist is beginning to talk about Jesus. John the Baptist is the forerunner to give testimony.

So verse 14. So the word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness, unfailing love and faithfulness.

God's love never fails because God is love. So his love towards you and towards me never runs dry.

No matter what you've done, he loves you today. No matter what thought you've had, he loves you today.

He doesn't like sometimes what we do if we're doing the wrong thing or we're in sin or we're hurting people. He hates that, but he loves us.

Okay, so verse 15. John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds. This is the one I was talking about when I said someone is coming after me who is far greater than me.

Hallelujah. Hallelujah. And he says from his abundance, we have received one gracious blessing after another.

Can you think of that? Can you think of all the blessings you have today because of God? If you have children, you've been blessed.

If you are breathing, you've been blessed. If you live in a free country where you can worship God or choose your religion, you, you are blessed.

If you live in America, we are so blessed in this nation. And that's because this nation was founded on the principles of God and by a lot of Godly men, you know, and we've kind of swayed away from that a little bit, but we don't have to.

You can make your own choice to come back to God and to serve him. That's what we need in our country.

We need a baptism of the love of God and the word of God to get us back on track. Hallelujah. Let's continue reading verse 16 from his abundance.

We have all received one gracious blessing after another for the law was given through Moses, but God's unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.

No one has ever seen God, but the unique one who is himself God is near to the Father's heart and he has revealed God to us. He's talking about Jesus.

This was John's testimony. Verse 19, when the Jewish leaders sent priests and the temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John, who are you?

And he came right out and said, I am not the Messiah. Well, then who are you? Are they asked? Are you Elijah? No, he replied. Are you the prophet we are expecting? No.

Then who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself? And John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah, I am just a voice shouting in the wilderness.

Clear the way for the Lord is coming. Hallelujah. Then the Pharisees who had been sent asked him, if you are not the Messiah, Elijah or prophet, what right do you have to baptize?

And Jesus told, I mean, John told them, I baptize with water.

But right here in the crowd is someone you don't recognize through his ministry. Though his ministry follows mine, I'm not even worthy to tie his sandals.

This encounter took place in Bethany, an area east of Jordan River where John was baptizing.

The next day, verse 29, John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, look, the Son of God who takes away the sin of the world.

He's the one I was talking about when I said a man is coming after me, who's far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.

I did not recognize him as a Messiah, but I've been baptizing with water so he might be revealed to Israel.

And John testified, I saw the Holy Spirit descending upon him like a dove from heaven and resting on him.

I didn't know he was the one, but God sent me to baptize with water. He told me the one whom you see the Spirit descend on and rest upon.

Who will baptize with the Holy Spirit? I saw this happen to Jesus.

So I testified that Jesus is the chosen one of God.

The following day, John was again standing with two of his disciples and Jesus walked by John and looked at him and declared.

And John looked at him and said, there is the Lamb of God. And when John's two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus.

Jesus looked around and saw them. What do you want? He replied. And they said, Rabbi, which means teacher, where are you staying?

He said, come and see. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place where he was staying.

And they remained with him the rest of the day. Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and followed Jesus.

Andrew went to find his brother Simon and told him, we have found the Messiah, which means Christ.

Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, your name is Simon, son of John, but you will be called Cephas, which means Peter.

Peter meant the rock. Peter meant the stone. The next day, Jesus decided to go to Galilee.

He found Philip and said, come and follow me. You know, they were coming just when they heard his voice, just being in his presence.

You know, and you can enjoy the presence of Jesus today. And you say, well, how can I, if he's died and risen again and lives in heaven, but he sent the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, the one called alongside to help,

so that you can be filled with the Holy Spirit today. You can ask the Lord to fill you and you will feel his presence.

If you begin to praise him or worship him, you will feel his presence. Why? Because the word of God says he abides. He lives in the praises of his people.

He loves when we worship him. He loves when we worship him.

And so Philip went to look for Nathaniel and told him, we have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about. His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.

Nazareth said Nathaniel, can anything good come from Nazareth?

As come and see for yourself, said Philip, as they approached Jesus. Now here is a genuine son of Israel, a man of complete integrity. That's what Jesus said.

How do you know me? Nathaniel said, and Jesus replied, I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you.

And Nathan exclaimed, Rabbi, you are the son of God, the king of Israel. He's the king of kings and the Lord of lords.

He's the almighty, the everlasting one. He's your counselor, your friend. He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.

And this was supernatural that he saw Nathaniel by the spirit under that fig tree before he even met with Philip and Nathaniel realizing the supernatural power and being in the presence of Jesus.

He believed on him and Jesus said, do you believe this just because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.

He said, I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open up in angels of God going up and down on the Son of man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth.

That's right. Those are alive words. Jesus is the stairway between heaven and earth. He's the only way.

You know, there are other people on the earth that will talk about different ways to heaven. There's only one way.

The Bible says Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one can enter in but through me.

So you have to go through Jesus. You go, well, how do we do that? We pray. We pray and we receive. We receive the gift he's offered when he died and rose again.

He took care of death, hell and the grave. He took care of sin by the blood of Jesus. It's the blood of Jesus that cleanses us. Hallelujah.

Washes that sin into the sea of forgetfulness. So all we have to do is receive that gift. That's right. And choose to live for him.

You know, the Bible says if you believe on the Son of God, if you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth, you will be saved.

Confess what? Confess that Jesus is Lord, that you make him Lord of your life. You know, we ask Jesus to forgive us and cleanse us.

The Bible says he's faithful to wash us if we confess our sin to him and ask for forgiveness. And he throws that, like I said, as far as the east is from the west.

Jesus loves you so much desires to spend time with you, speak with you, love on you, answer your prayers, fill your life with his goodness.

Does that mean we're not going to have trouble and no one will bother us? No, absolutely not.

The Bible says in this world, you will have trouble, but be of good cheer for I've overcome the world. That was Jesus speaking.

He will take care of any issues you have. If you give it to him, if you cry out and let him know you want his help.

The Holy Spirit, he sent the Holy Spirit to be our comforter, our friend. He is the all powerful one.

You know, you can believe God for healing today. You can believe God for deliverance from addiction, whether it's cigarettes or alcohol.

Maybe you're sitting somewhere in a truck just guzzling beer by the case and you can't stop. But in your heart, you want to.

Jesus can help you stop. He can change your life and you will put that down and never touch it again.

If you accept him, if you let him in, let him in to help you. The same with any other addiction, whether it's alcohol, pornography, cigarettes, abusiveness,

any of that God can set you free. The Bible says old things are passed away and you become a new creature in Christ.

That's right. A new creature in Christ. And then you just say, fill me with your Holy Spirit, Lord, and he will feel you to overflowing, overflowing.

And you will have, you will be a witness to him everywhere you go to everyone you talk to.

It's important we share Jesus with others so that they too will go to heaven one day. Hell was never meant for, for people.

But if they reject the free gift after all Jesus did to pay for it, then yes, they will, they will end up in hell if they don't receive that free gift.

I mean, he laid down his life. He took a beating. He was beaten unrecognizable and he was raised up on that cross with a thorn in his head.

And thank God he's risen again. Hallelujah. Praise God. And I'm going to, uh, we're going to listen to a song and I'm going to come right back at you and we'll talk again.

I'm so glad he changed me. Darkness held me down, but Jesus pulled me out and down no longer bowed. I'm so glad he changed me.

And I, now a new creation in Christ, the old has gone, there's a lie. I live by faith, not by sight.

There is a new name written down in glory and it's mine. Yes, it's mine. I've met the author of my story and he's mine. Yes, he's mine.

Sin had left me blind, but Jesus opened my eyes. Now I see the light. I'm so glad he changed me. Now I'm walking free. I've got the victory. See, it's all over me.

I'm so glad he changed me. See, I, now a new creation in Christ, the old has gone, the old has gone, there's new eyes. I live by faith, I live by faith, not by sight.

There is a new name written down in glory and it's mine. Yes, it's mine. I've met Jesus. I've met the author of my story and he's mine. Yes, he's mine.

There is a new name written down in glory and it's mine. Yes, it's mine. I've met the author of my story and he's mine. Yes, he's mine.

Yes, it's mine. I am who I am because the iron tells me who I am. I am who I am because the iron tells me, come on.

I am who I am because the iron tells me who I am. I am who I am because the iron tells me who I am. I am who I am because the iron tells me who I am. I am who the iron tells me who I am.

I am who I am because the item tells me who I am

There is a new name written down in glory

Sing hallelujah

It is mine

Oh, he's mine

Yes, it's mine

Yes, it's mine

I've met the author of my story

It's mine

It is mine

Yes, it's mine

There is a new name written down in glory

And it's mine

Yes, it's mine

I've met the author of my story

It's mine

Yes, it's mine

Yes, it's mine

And it's mine

It's mine

Yes, it's mine

Yes, it's mine

Yes, it's mine

And it's mine

And it's mine

Yes, it's mine

Yes, it's mine

Oh, yeah

Thank you, Jesus

Thank you, God

Thank you, God

Thank you, God

Yes

I'll give thanks to You, Lord

And sing praise to Your name

Almost high

I'll declare Your love in the morning

And Your faithfulness by night

For You, oh, Lord, have made me glad

I will sing for joy at the words of Your hand

And rejoice at what You have done

I'll give thanks to You, Lord

And sing praise to Your name

Almost high

I'll declare Your love in the morning

And Your faithfulness by night

For You, oh, Lord, have made me glad

I will sing for joy at the words of Your hand

And rejoice at what You have done

And rejoice

And rejoice at what You have done

Oh, Lord

And all the time you lay on your bed

And all the time you lay on your bed

And all the time you lay on your bed

How great are Your words

You have made me glad

I'll give thanks to You, Lord

Oh, Lord

How great are Your words

Oh, Lord

How great are Your words

You have made me glad

I will trust in You, Lord

For I know that You're on my side

I can rest

I won't be defeated

Lord, You are the strength of my life

For You, oh Lord, have made me glad

I will sing what You're at the work of Your hands

And rejoice at what You have done

So rejoice at what You have done

Oh Lord, when I think about all You've done

Everything, Jesus, You have made me glad

Oh Lord, how great are You, Jesus

There's nobody like You

You have made me certain I knew it made me

He's been better than me, I've been in my soul

Yes, You have put a song down in my heart

I love You, Jesus, because You've made me glad

You have made me certain

Oh Lord, how great are Your works

Great and great and to be praised

How great are Your works

Yeah, how great are Your works, Lord

You're so good

Oh Lord, how great are Your works

Look at my eyes

I love You, Jesus

You saved my soul

You have made me glad

You have made me

There's so much joy

There's so much peace God

You have made me, made me glad

I can't help but praise You

You have made me glad

Hallelujah, hallelujah

Lift up the name of Jesus

Lift up the name of Jesus

Glorify You, we lift You high

Cause You've made me glad

You have made me glad

I will rejoice

Cause You've made me glad

Somebody let the shout of praise

Amen, boy He has made us glad, hallelujah

He has made us glad

If you want to be glad today, you can connect with us

at Champions in Christ 3 at gmail.com

Champions in Christ 3 at gmail.com

We'll send you a new Bible

We'd also like you to know that God not only loves you

but He wants to bless you with His goodness

So just say, Dear Jesus, I receive you today as Lord and Savior

and I thank you for forgiving me and cleansing me with your blood

In Jesus' name, amen

Go out and make it a great day

Know that God loves you, we love you

and you are a champion in Christ

Declaring there is hope and there is freedom

I speak to Jesus

Your name is power

Your name is healing

Your name is life

Break every strong hope

Shine through this