Latest / The Daily Word / July 30 – See Jesus, Know the Father
Transcript
- Brandon: Well, once again, welcome to another episode of the Daily Word Podcast. My name is Brandon, one of the pastors here at our church, and I sure do hope you're doing well. And just want to say thank you so much for joining us. It really is a privilege and an honor that we get the opportunity to just do this podcast. And the fact that people would take time every day to listen to it and tune in, it really does mean the world. And if this is impacting your life, it's helpful, encouraging in any way. How people all the time tell us how encouraging it is, please would you take time to like, subscribe, comment, but also share this with someone today. Find a way every day as you're listening to this to encourage somebody and help us to spread the word, as we simply are taking time every day to simply try to encourage people and then direct people to the fact that God wants to meet with us every day through the scripture. we are on this podcast taking time to look at the New Testament portion. Of the life journal reading plan, the reading plan that we use as a church, and simply find a scripture out of there, make an observation, find application, and then respond to it. And so today, our New Testament reading here on July the 30th, it is John chapter one. John chapter one. And I'm gonna read you verse 18. It's a very simple observation and application that I want to make today. And I'll I'll probably give you an example or two. But here's here's the verse. John chapter 1, verse 18, it says, No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him. Let me read that again. This talking about Jesus, it says, No one has ever seen God at any time. But the only begotten Son, that is Jesus, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him. This is not the only scripture that tells us this. There's a multitude of scriptures in the New Testament that tell us that Jesus, he is the full image of God in bodily form. That Jesus in every way, he did not only come to live the life we could not live, die the death we deserve, and in his resurrection defeat death, hell, and the grave, and give to us eternal life and life here here on earth, reconciling us to God. But but he came to reveal God. He came to reveal God not only through his teachings, but through his character, through his person. Everything that we need to know about God, we find in the person of Jesus. John chapter 1, verse 18 says that no one at any time with their visible eyes has seen God, and yet a whole lot of people have seen with their visible eyes Jesus. We have in documented form in the scriptures, primarily through the gospels, but all through the New Testament, we have. Firsthand accounts of who Jesus was, how he lived, his character, his teachings, his words. We know so much about Jesus, and in knowing Jesus, we know God. And my observation today really is a reminder to myself that all of scripture, it is about and pointing us towards the person of Jesus and his finished work. Let me give you an example. The story of David and Goliath is not really about David and Goliath. Now, it is about David and Goliath in that that actually happened. It's not a metaphor, but David and Goliath really happened. And yet we don't have the the recordings of David and Goliath because somehow we're supposed to go, yep, that's me. I'm David. I gotta get a sling and I gotta get five smooth stones and I gotta go defeat the giants. No, it's not the picture. The picture is that we are Israel, who was intimidated. And fearful and was no match for Goliath, which is a picture of sin. Sin, death, hell, and the grave. We could we were no match for it. It mocked us. It it says to us, you'll never be free. It's it it set says to us, you'll always be my slave. You can't defeat me. And we like Israel, we're we're powerless. And then here comes David. David is a type of Christ, he he is a foreshadowing of Jesus, and David comes, and David. Five smooth stones. The number five is the is a the number for grace through through through the grace of God. He he he he defeats Goliath, he cuts off his head, and then he leads Israel in in victory. That's a picture of Jesus. That we are now fighting not for victory, but from the victory that Jesus has already given to us all of the Bible, all of the Old Testament, all of the New Testament. It points us towards. Reveals to us, shows us more and more of who Jesus is, what he's done for us, his finished work, and all of it points us towards ultimately who God is, his will, his ways, his heart, his character. It's all about Jesus. It's all about Jesus. And John says no one's ever seen God at any time but Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, he has declared him to us. And so my application today is I want to as I'm reading the Bible, I want to, as I'm praying, I want to as I'm in church services, I want to as I'm worshiping, I I want to not look for principles and good ideas and wisdom. And I want to look for Jesus. G it's all about Jesus, and Jesus declares to us who God is. And and my application and my encouragement for you is that we would reframe our thinking and say, God, through your spirit, help me to see Jesus. Help me in all of the scripture from beginning to end, old new, help me to see Jesus. And as I see Jesus, God, would it give me a full and a clear picture and view of who you are? No one's ever seen you, God. We will see you one, but no one's ever seen you. And and yet we have a full picture of who you are, your character, your will, your ways, what you are like through your son Jesus, who has declared you to us, who is the full image and expression of who you are. And all of the Bible teaches and tells of this great Savior we have, the person, the man, Jesus Christ. So as you're reading the Bible, as you're spending time with God, let's look for Jesus. And as we discover more of who Jesus is, let's allow it to teach us and show us more of who our great God is. I pray that's an encouragement to you. And I pray that even it helps you to read the Bible differently, helps you to pray differently, helps you to listen to sermons differently, helps you to journal differently, that we're not going to stories like David and Goliath going, all right, I'm David. Nope, I'm not. David and Goliath reminds me that I needed a superhero and Jesus. thank you, Jesus. That you are and you were that superhero. So, God, today we we ask you that you would help us to reframe our thinking as we approach the scripture. Would we no longer just look for principles and tips and tricks and you know good good why? Would we look for Jesus? God, from Genesis to Revelation, would we look for and would we find the person of Jesus, your finished work, our Lord and our Savior, the King of all kings? And I pray that as we do, More and more we would discover and know who you are. The Bible says we're to grow in the grace of God and the knowledge of God. I pray that as we grow in your grace through the finished work of your son and knowing Jesus, that we would grow in the knowledge of God as Jesus reveals to us who you are. Help us to see it differently, to think about it differently. And as we see Jesus and see you, God, through him, would we fall more in love with you and become more of who you want us to be in Jesus' name? Amen. Well, hey, thank you once again for joining us today. I pray that you were encouraged. And I can't wait to see you again tomorrow on another episode of the Daily Word Podcast.