Going Deeper for Life Change
Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude ~ Colossians. 2.6.7
We can observe from our passage some lessons about leading others to
Christ.
1. What did John the Baptist do for his disciples as he saw Jesus?
2. What was Jesus’ approach in drawing His first disciples to Himself?
3. In Andrew’s excitement in finding ‘The Lamb of God’ what did he do?
4. Think through the reality that it is always Jesus’ drawing (sovereign
election) that brings us into a saving relationship with Him. Read
Ephesians 1:4-11 and John 15:16.
5. In Philip’s excitement of being found by Jesus, what did he go and do?
6. In what way did Jesus reveal that He was the Son of God without
explicitly declaring it?
Follow Me
The Inevitability Of Change
by Noah Ressler
Have you ever noticed how life changes? There comes in everyone’s life a time when
things must change, and more often than not that change is forced upon us without
our consultation. Take for example our country’s elections which hope to force change
upon our nation. There comes a time when a man and woman marry, and that
commitment changes the whole course of their life - for commitment is the glue that
keeps couples together through times of storm that alter our course and set a
direction that we would have never thought of or thought would happen. When a
person repents of their sin and turns toward the “narrow gate” to enter eternal life
through Jesus Christ alone, that commitment has before it a life of change. The Lord
will bring us to places we thought never possible. The Christian life is not one of
stagnation, but perpetual change. Have you ever thought, “I’m glad that is over!” All
that means is that another pressure for trust and change is on the horizon. For us to
grow in Christ, the Father will apply the necessary ingredients in order to accomplish
His purpose for our life - to be conformed to the image of Christ.
We have before us changes taking place in our text – one of decreasing stature and
one of a new beginning. Every statement of John the Baptist that points the listener to
Christ – “Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world,” is John’s
“swan song” (a farewell appearance or final act or pronouncement). His ministry was
building its crescendo louder and louder until the appearing of the object of his
preaching – “there comes One after me who eternally existed before me, for He was
before me.” Now that the Lamb of God has come on the scene and John’s incessant
commendation of Him, John shows that his course is nearly finished.
John has been preparing disciples for Christ and this pronouncement to “Behold the
Lamb of God” has struck its harmonious chord of faith’s longing heart for Christ to
come. He has come! He has come! Messiah has finally come!
The two who follow Christ and invited to come to the place where He was staying,
were on the beginning of an adventure that would change their lives forever. The
sovereign God has caught their attention and they cannot let Him go. They must have
Christ, be near Him, learn from Him, be a part of His purpose. They think they have
found Christ (the Messiah), but in fact Christ found them and Christ’s purposes now
begin to unfold.
John the Baptist must decrease, Christ must increase. When you and I meet Christ
our lives change also. The call to repent of your sin and turn to the Lamb of God who
has appeased God’s wrath because of your sin is a call for change. If there is no change
through being born again, then sin will continue to destroy you and wreck its
vengeance on not only your life, but also those who love you or are exposed to you.
“Behold, now is the acceptable time, behold, now is the day of salvation,” because God
will listen to repentant sinners. Like Andrew and the rest of the disciples, follow
Christ in order to have a greater and blessed life from now on and forever. “Therefore,
if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new
things have come” (2 Cor. 5:17).
Change is inevitable. Sin will either continue to destroy you because sin will control
you, or you will find new life in Christ and have the power to thus control your sin.
John the Baptist is no longer the central figure in this Gospel. As a matter of fact he
diminishes and gives his last testimony in chapter 3. But with the diminishing of
John comes the exaltation of Christ, for He has come to save His people from their
sins. This new life will fill you with delight as it did Andrew, and will seek out others
to bring them to Christ.
You know that a believer can lapse into a “ho – hum” state. Been there, done that,
heard that. Have you lost your interest for Christ? Has your Christian life lost its
“zing” for thirst for truth? You are putting yourself in a hard place. For you are
confused and know not whether you are saved or not? Is this true? Perhaps it is time
to settle the matter once and for all. Ask God to restore to you the joy of your
salvation as David in the Psalms did (Ps. 51:12). But this follows on a repentant heart
for sin. Confess your sin and God will restore you. But you must be a daily feeder
upon the Word or your strength will remain very small. Satan does not work on the
idle soul for it is no threat; he attacks and uses his resources where his enemy’s
strength is greatest. He attacks those who are willing to make real in ones life: “Then
said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and
take up his cross, and follow me. (Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him
with loyal obedience). For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will
Coming Soon - Scripture for Spiritual Vitality & Scripture for your Day
lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the
whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he
shall reward every man according to his works” (Matthew 16:24-27).
To you that know not Christ – have not repented of your sin and turned to Christ –
the wrath of God abides toward you and if you spend another day without repentance
and belief in Christ, you may pass tomorrow into eternity without Christ. Your eternal
life will be eternal judgment in the Lake of Fire forever. Behold, now is the acceptable
time, behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2). God listens to repentant
sinners. There is no sin that is able to conquer the grace of God (Rom. 5:20), therefore
there is no reason for you to hold back and not repent of your sin and find help to
your miserable life by turning to Christ, God’s only mercy for sinners– it is a free gift
from God. You cannot earn it nor pay God back. God is offering you eternal life freely
with the motive of true love for your soul and because He wants to. Will you call upon
Him today to save you?
All of us are faced with the need for change. God cannot use a vessel that is not being
refined or purified. He wants to make you fit for His use. But you must enter the fray,
the battle rages, but Jesus is faithful through His Word to us. He can make the
change in you. Trust Him today to change your life.