Insightful Musings on the New Testament
by
Ray Sparre, NU class of '67

Ray has a wealth of experience as a Husband, Father, Pastor, Missionary, and student of the Word. He believes and practices his faith where the rubber meets the road. You'll find his writings to be practical, insightful, and grounded in a truly Christ-centered world view.

Below are links to a printable daily Bible reading guide which Ray is following, and an archive of all his daily devotional writings for 2010.

|  Daily Reading Guide  |  2010 Devotion Archives  |
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25 October 2010
Passage: John 1:1-18
Focus: “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”  John 1:12.
            Three incredibly wonderful points are presented here.  (1) RECEIVE.  (2) BELIEVE.  (3) REBIRTH.  Please do not allow familiarity with these themes to dim their dynamic.
            RECEIVE. Let’s remember the JEWISH context for this narrative.  So, to RECEIVE means to welcome the appearing of the Promised Jewish Messiah (Christ, Savior) by Whom the entire human race also could be blessed—and would be blessed if they, individually, would but welcome and RECEIVE His appearing.
            I was reminded of this ongoing promise as reflected in Paul’s great personal statement of hope and faith contained in yesterday’s reading.  “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Now there is in store for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7-8).
            How many individuals were living with A HEART AFTER GOD when Christ appeared the first time?  The sad answer is, not many.  “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not RECEIVE him” (John 1:11).  How many individuals will be living with A HEART AFTER GOD when Christ appears the second time?  The sad answer again is, not many.  But, for those individuals who choose a HEART AFTER GOD and welcome and long for His coming again, the benefits are way beyond our wildest imaginations.
            BELIEVE. Believe what?  “…believe in his name.” Believe what about His Name?  “And His Name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).  Do you get it?  JESUS IS GOD!  There is no other conclusion to draw from this passage—or from the whole of Biblical revelation, for that matter. This is no insignificant minor technicality of religious ideology.  This is of paramount importance in the salvation equation.  “No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known” (John 1:18).
            REBIRTH. We all understand something about “the birds and the bees” and how human life is propagated.  This second birth is different.  It is the supernatural result of an intimate union between a human heart and “The One and Only” by RECEIVING and BELIEVING.  “…children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God” (John 1:13). 
            Let’s wrap up by jumping ahead and quoting John 3:16.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
 
“Jesus is God spelling Himself out in language that man can understand.”