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We are reading and studying the opening words of the Gospel of John, and already John is pointing to the Cross of Christ, and it is only Chapter 1. Jesus Christ shed His blood and died to take away our sin – not just to reduce it – but to take it away. He is the sacrificial Lamb of God and Paul describes Jesus so accurately as our Passover Lamb.

The Passover Lamb was one year old and without any blemish whatsoever. This speaks of the spotless purity of Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.

The Passover Lamb offered protection on that night in Egypt and our Passover Lamb, Jesus Christ, still does and he has done all down through the years. The lamb was sacrificed for sin that was not its own, but for the sins of the people. John knew what he was saying when he referred to Jesus with these words and the writer of the Gospel knew what he was saying too.

Have you noticed how very Jewish Jesus Christ is presented in the Gospel of John? We have a Jewish Saviour and we have Scriptures which are mainly written by Jewish believers and the Son of God was called the King of the Jews. There are many who would like to destroy the Jewish heritage which we have. We are engrafted into the Jewish root through Jesus Christ and Paul speaks and teaches about that so clearly in the Roman letter. We require to teach our people these physical and spiritual facts.

The second thing John says about Jesus is that He is the One Who Baptises with the Holy Spirit.

He is the Saviour, and He is the Baptiser. These are the two main things which John the Baptist says about Jesus Christ.

God told me something in the wilderness. He told me that upon whom I would see the Spirit of God descending and remaining – that would be the One Who is the Lamb of God – the Saviour – and He would be the One Who would baptise people in the Holy Spirit. I use water, but He will use the Holy Spirit. And I saw that happen and that is why I am speaking as I am.

John gives us such a powerful personal testimony. Never underestimate the importance of your person testimony.

God puts His seal upon these words by having them written in His Holy Word.

For years, John had lived in the wilderness – in dry, barren, arid heat – but God had revealed something to him, while he was there in the heart and centre of God’s will, and now it was all beginning to come true.

There was that day when Jesus came to John to be baptised in water, and John did not want to baptise Jesus. John wanted to be baptised by Jesus. John seemed to know that that there was a being baptised with the Holy Spirit. John did not want to be baptised in water, but with the Holy Spirit. He knew there was more. John wanted to experience this powerful baptism which we can experience today. But it was not yet the time for Jesus to begin baptising people in the Holy Spirit.

That did not begin until seven weeks after Jesus had died and was raised from the dead. For them it was three years away, but for us, we do not have to wait.

The risen and ascended and living Lord Jesus Christ continues to baptise men and women in the Holy Spirit with the same consequences – power for service – power to share – power to heal – power to love – power to serve, when it is challenging to serve.

Luke and John and Mary and each of the others experienced this powerful baptism, and Jesus offers that to us and we do not have to wait and struggle.

"God's Words For US" from Cecelia Lester

Wisdom