John the Baptist faithfully ministered in the wilderness, knowing he was called to prepare the way for the coming Messiah. He wanted the hearts of the people to be ready to receive what Jesus had to offer.

“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,” John declared upon seeing Jesus. He affirmed that Jesus was God’s Chosen One on whom God poured His Spirit as prophesied in Isaiah. Truly, many prophecied are fulfilled in Jesus, making it knows that He is our Savior promised long ago.

John the Baptist faithfully ministered in the wilderness, knowing he was called to prepare the way for the coming Messiah. He wanted the hearts of the people to be ready to receive what Jesus had to offer.

“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,” John declared upon seeing Jesus. He affirmed that Jesus was God’s Chosen One on whom God poured His Spirit as prophesied in Isaiah. Truly, many prophecied are fulfilled in Jesus, making it knows that He is our Savior promised long ago.

The birth of Jesus means that the divine becomes human, living among us, filled with grace and truth. He understood what it was like to be tempted, feel pain, experience suffering and even death. The Word became flesh!

The phrase “grace upon grace” or “grace in the place of grace” emphasizes the gift we have in Jesus who is our way to salvation. May we strive to live like Jesus, full of grace and truth!

John summarizes the purpose of his gospel in John 20:30-31, “30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

The gospel of John begins by introducing us to Jesus, naming Him the Word through whom all things were made and the True Light that gives light to everyone. Through believing in Jesus, we become children of God. Will you ready your heart to follow this gospel account of the life of Jesus?

There is a reason behind our church’s name, The Vine. For our official church launch day, it was only appropriate to start our new series on the gospel of John with the passage of John 15 where Jesus calls Himself the Vine…