Advent Devotionals: Day 21

John the Baptist is obviously one of the most important people in church history. In the New Testament itself he’s mentioned over eighty times. He held the very important job of being the herald, the one who would come before and introduce Jesus. And he mentions all kinds of cool characteristics about Jesus in John chapter 1. He mentions how He is eternal, full of grace and truth, and how He reveals God to us. Jesus explains God to us and interprets Him for us.  We cannot see God and can’t fully understand Him, but the monogenesis, the only begotten Son has revealed who God is to us.

Interestingly, there are at least nine occasions in John’s Gospel, that Jesus is called the “Son of God.” John specifically said that his purpose for writing his Gospel was to convince his readers that Jesus is the Son of God (John 20:31). Now, most sons reflect their fathers. I’ve said this before but there have been countless occasions in which people have let me know that my oldest son William looks just like me. I pray there would be a day that he is proud of that claim. But we know that Jesus fully embraced the being the Son of God for He even said, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father” (John 14:9). May Christ’s example of reflecting the Father be one that both challenges and encourages us.

Prayer: Lord, we may not be one with You as Christ, but as your children we want to reflect you as our Savior Christ did. Amen.

New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation