Bernard Gabbott - Sunday, 17 November 2024
The Moment of Clarity
Scripture References: Genesis 48:1-22, Hebrews 11:20-22, Romans 12:1-2, Psalms 88:1-18
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CloseDeath has a remarkably clarifying effect on life. At the moment of end, life is brought into focus, and the key truths – the things that matter – are sharpened. Jacob is at the end of his life. He has been reunited with Joseph. He has seen the promises of God fulfilled. The word of God has sustained him. As he approaches the end of life, what is sharply in his mind and action? The writer of the Hebrews describes Jacob’s clarity as ‘worship’ – as he dies, he gives God what He deserves – and that is the truth of the covenant and promises of God passed onto the next generation. As Jacob approaches death, the grace of God, the promise of God, the commitment of God – all these are sharpened in his actions, and passed onto the next generation. Put simply, Jacob passes on the good news of God, through grace and promise fulfilled. Are we doing the same?
Scripture References: Genesis 48:1-22, Hebrews 11:20-22, Romans 12:1-2, Psalms 88:1-18
Related Topics: Genesis | More Messages from Bernard Gabbott | Download Audio
As we continue down the hallway of John’s Gospel, we encounter another character that leads us to the main dwelling. John the Baptist is a familiar figure to most of us, often because of his strange behaviours, strange dress and strange diet! However, John doesn’t even mention these things in his account. Why? In John’s prologue he simply says “There was a man named John who was sent from God. He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him”. In today’s passage we discover who John the Baptist is, what his job is and why it is critical that we get him right so that we can get Jesus right.
If John 1:1-18 is the hallway into the home that is John’s Gospel, then John 20:30-31 is the reason the house was built. John is explicitly clear about why he wrote. And his reason revolves around four truths. First, Jesus did a lot of ‘signs’ (public acts that show the significance of God), but John only recorded these ones. Second, John recorded these signs for the purpose of ‘believing’ – that his readers might know and trust a key truth. Third, this key truth is the identity of Jesus: he is God’s appointed and chosen saviour of the world, who is truly the Son of God. Fourth, this truth believed in gives life, both now and forevermore. With these two parts in place – the hallway into the house, and the reason the house was built this way, we can now begin to unpack John’s Gospel!
John’s Gospel is a little different to the other three Gospels. Remember that ‘gospel’ means ‘good news announcement’. And remember that the four Gospels are ‘good news biographies’ (g.n.b.) of Jesus. As John’s g.n.b. begins, we take a walk, if you like, down a long hallway. It is kind of like entering a hobbithole (for those who love ‘Lord of the Rings’) – a long hallway, with rooms and artifacts off each side, leading to the main dwelling. In this sense, John’s ‘prologue’ (1:1-18) is a long hallway into the main account. And here, in this hallway, all the main themes and ideas are laid out as we begin to consider the key question of John’s g.n.b.: ‘Who is Jesus?’ You see, once we have answered that question, then the succeeding question is clear: ‘What does this mean – what should we do with him?’
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