John 12:24-25 – A Grain of Wheat
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
Comment - Jesus Came to Teach Us to Die
The real trick in knowing how to live is knowing how to die. I feel that the lesson Jesus taught us and made possible for us was how to die in the right way in order that we might truly live. The living part is easy if we know how to die.
To me, dying means to die to destructive self-centeredness. It means to let go of the things I hold on to so tightly: my own way, my own reputation, the respect of others, resentments that eat away like cancer. To die means to let go of what hinders us in order to be free to follow Jesus. “Whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will save it” (Luke 9:24). To die is to displace the self from the throne of our being and enthrone the Lord Jesus. This is also what it means to live. As we are emptied of ourselves, we can be filled with the Spirit of Christ Jesus. It is a dispossession in order that we may be possessed by the Holy Spirit.
In practice, this kind of dying to self and turning to the Lord is often like turning on a light switch. When the switch is flicked on, the darkness is dispelled. The gesture of flicking the switch is a simple one. And Son so it is often that the turning to the Lord is such a simple gesture: calling his name, being aware of his presence, seeking him. The actual turning to the Lord is what is asked of us; it is a sign of our faith in him and desire to seek his will.
Source: excerpt from THE KEY TO EVANGELIZATION - George W. Kosicki
Showing posts with label George W. Kosicki. Show all posts
Showing posts with label George W. Kosicki. Show all posts
Thursday, November 26, 2009
John 1:29 – John Caught Sight of Jesus -The church is John the Baptist
John 1:29 – John Caught Sight of Jesus
The next day, when John caught sight of Jesus coming toward him, he exclaimed: “Look! There is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
Comment
In February of 1971, at a prayer meeting in Detroit, a woman stood up and shared with us a prophetic teaching that she had received during the week. She felt it was to be shared at the prayer meeting, but she did not understand it.
She said simply, “The church is John the Baptist,” and sat down.
This word stayed in my mind, without understanding, until September of that year when I attended a week’s symposium on the nature and mission of the church. During the week the speakers kept focusing on the foundation of the gospel: Jesus is Lord. On the morning of the closing day, the speaker became eloquent and said by way of summarizing his presentation: “The church is like John the Baptist; it must point to Jesus.”
Lamb of God
John points to Jesus as the sacrificial lamb who takes away our sin. Jesus is the suffering servant led like a lamb to the slaughter as an offering for our sin (Isaiah 53:7). John points to Jesus as our savior. And so we, the church, are to point to Jesus as the savior. Like John, we must continually point out to the world that only Jesus can take away our sins. This is the fundamental task of the church – to bring people to Jesus for healing, forgiveness and salvation. The church must be constant in its witness to Jesus as the savior and expose the folly of turning to other “saviors” that cannot bring salvation.
He alone gives the power that transforms us and will transform the world. No earthly power will bring about resurrection, but only the power at work in us that raised Jesus from the dead. Only by this power can we be witnesses to the risen Lord. The church must be a constant witness to the risen Lord if men are to be transformed. This witness means that each individual, myself included, must be experiencing this resurrection at work in him.
Now I have seen for myself and have testified: “This is God’s chosen One.” (John 1:34)
The task of the church is to build its foundations on the Lordship of Jesus Christ. He alone is Lord and our one foundation. The Church is to point out to the world that the Father wants Jesus as Lord of our hearts and of the world – and there are to be no other “lords” in our lives.
John Came as Witness
There was a man named John sent by God, who came as a witness to testify to the light. (John 1:6)
John came as a witness, as one who saw, knew, and spoke out in prophecy. Part of the prophecy was positive and part of it negative. In positive prophecy he pointed to Jesus as the Savior, the Christ, and the Lord. In negative prophecy he pointed out what was not of God – to the Pharisees and to Herod. It cost him his head.
The church, too, is to be a witness to the risen Lord and point to Jesus – in both positive and negative prophecy. We are to point out to the world what is of Jesus and also point out what is not of Jesus. It may well cost us our heads. For this reason witnesses are called “martyrs” in Greek.
The church must be like John the Baptist and point to Jesus. And its greatest prophetic statement for my spiritual growth is: “He must increase, while I must decrease.”
Source: excerpt from THE KEY TO EVANGELIZATION - George W. Kosicki
The next day, when John caught sight of Jesus coming toward him, he exclaimed: “Look! There is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
Comment
In February of 1971, at a prayer meeting in Detroit, a woman stood up and shared with us a prophetic teaching that she had received during the week. She felt it was to be shared at the prayer meeting, but she did not understand it.
She said simply, “The church is John the Baptist,” and sat down.
This word stayed in my mind, without understanding, until September of that year when I attended a week’s symposium on the nature and mission of the church. During the week the speakers kept focusing on the foundation of the gospel: Jesus is Lord. On the morning of the closing day, the speaker became eloquent and said by way of summarizing his presentation: “The church is like John the Baptist; it must point to Jesus.”
Lamb of God
John points to Jesus as the sacrificial lamb who takes away our sin. Jesus is the suffering servant led like a lamb to the slaughter as an offering for our sin (Isaiah 53:7). John points to Jesus as our savior. And so we, the church, are to point to Jesus as the savior. Like John, we must continually point out to the world that only Jesus can take away our sins. This is the fundamental task of the church – to bring people to Jesus for healing, forgiveness and salvation. The church must be constant in its witness to Jesus as the savior and expose the folly of turning to other “saviors” that cannot bring salvation.
He alone gives the power that transforms us and will transform the world. No earthly power will bring about resurrection, but only the power at work in us that raised Jesus from the dead. Only by this power can we be witnesses to the risen Lord. The church must be a constant witness to the risen Lord if men are to be transformed. This witness means that each individual, myself included, must be experiencing this resurrection at work in him.
Now I have seen for myself and have testified: “This is God’s chosen One.” (John 1:34)
The task of the church is to build its foundations on the Lordship of Jesus Christ. He alone is Lord and our one foundation. The Church is to point out to the world that the Father wants Jesus as Lord of our hearts and of the world – and there are to be no other “lords” in our lives.
John Came as Witness
There was a man named John sent by God, who came as a witness to testify to the light. (John 1:6)
John came as a witness, as one who saw, knew, and spoke out in prophecy. Part of the prophecy was positive and part of it negative. In positive prophecy he pointed to Jesus as the Savior, the Christ, and the Lord. In negative prophecy he pointed out what was not of God – to the Pharisees and to Herod. It cost him his head.
The church, too, is to be a witness to the risen Lord and point to Jesus – in both positive and negative prophecy. We are to point out to the world what is of Jesus and also point out what is not of Jesus. It may well cost us our heads. For this reason witnesses are called “martyrs” in Greek.
The church must be like John the Baptist and point to Jesus. And its greatest prophetic statement for my spiritual growth is: “He must increase, while I must decrease.”
Source: excerpt from THE KEY TO EVANGELIZATION - George W. Kosicki
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