John Chapter 1:21-38

The lowest servant of the house would be responsible for taking the sandals off and washing the feet of the visitor and John is saying, you know, and I'm not even worthy to be the lowest servant of the house in regards to Jesus again is his humility. I mean we need more pastors and preachers and many more people serving to have this kind of humility in regards to who they serve in while they serve not well dominant surviving this servant well on the serve I need that I need people to speak to me like this where I was serving in so-and-so looked at me wrong.

Who are you servant welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is a senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina, were glad to have one of the McGee's associate pastors DA Brown here with us as Pastor David continues through the book of John Bob matter where you are in life. Bottom line is that Christians should be humbly and actively serving the Lord, but DA doesn't really matter if you serve the Lord is not enough just to believe that Jesus is there, Bob. This exciting and motivating you figure out given gifts uniquely and specifically to you to serve the Lord. I'm sure David McGee will explain more of this and how we can serve the Lord in a proper way as he continues teaching in the Gospel of John. Turn with me to the gospel of John chapter 1 verse 21. Speak up there. This is John the Baptist being confronted with the Jewish leadership of the day and ask him what then are you Elijah he said I am not. Are you the prophet and the answer no and they said to him, who argue that we may give an answer to those who sent us. What you say about yourself verse 23 said I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord is the prophet Isaiah said in verse 24 elders who were sent were from the Pharisees and they asked him sent. What do you baptize if you are not the Christ neurological profit. John answered them, saying, I baptize with water, but there stands one among you, whom you do not know stands one among you, whom you do not hope this doesn't describe you this morning Jesus is here this morning to realize that.

Do you know or is there one standing here that you do not yet know again John the Baptist is is an incredible incredible man will look at the his time in prison when he was going through some struggles but he was I believe probably one of the most important profits in the Old Testament. Now your thinking Sunday morning or in the New Testament.

Now I know what I just said John the Baptist was one of the most important profits in the Old Testament yes were in the New Testament reading this morning but let me ask you question Jesus Christ.no was the New Testament established but worried about John the Baptist. John the Baptist was one of the most important profits in the Old Testament. He formed part of the bridge between the Hebrew Scriptures of the Old Testament and the New Testament proclaiming the coming of the Lord. Verse 27.

It is he who coming after me is preferred before me who sandal strap.

I am not worthy to loose, though not being familiar with the culture of them explains him the lowest servant of the house would be responsible for taking the sandals off and washing the feet of the visitor and John is saying you know what, I'm not even worthy to be the lowest servant house in regards to Jesus again is his humility. I mean we need more pastors and preachers and many more people serving who have this kind of humility in regards to who they serve in while they serve not well dominant serve. I need this servant well on the serve I need that I need people to speak to me like this. They need to hear about it when I was serving in so-and-so looked at me wrong. Who are you servant while I served and I worked real hard and nobody said thank you. See what God does is an interesting thing if you're doing it so that somebody will say thank you know I gotta make sure happens to make sure no basis thank you to remind you why you're supposed to be doing and if you're doing it for him. What does it matter if somebody says thank you guys.

I'm not don't twist this okay you know you go home and you your wife to be set the drink I might go say thank Pastor David said not, that's not what I just said you should say thank you and please, and love is not rude were told in first Corinthians 13.

Check your motivations check your motivations. I'm amazed that the Lord allows me to serve I'm I'm humbled by their so many other people that he could choose to serve. Somehow he chooses us and we should serve him lifeless number for Christian should be actively and humbly serving the Lord, you should actively and humbly serve. I don't understand people who and you know what if this offends you, strike that word if this convicts you praise God, I don't mean it to offend you, but if it convicts you at the Holy Spirit.

I don't understand people who go to a church on Sunday morning. They sit there they received the word of God. It talks about serving and talks about giving of the time and their talents and finances.

They don't do any of it. Now understand if you're here this morning your first time visitors.

Second, we want to pour into you.

We want to pour the greatest treasure that we know into you.

The word of God and then is your cup gets full. I think it's natural to begin to overflow that, and to begin serving. I believe were all supposed to be disciples and and what happens is if you're not servant. You're the one getting ripped off like work where you know we were really need one more person to do this or that. The other, so I'm not saying these things to drum up more servants were blessed and for those of you servant.

Praise God, thank you. But if you're not, you should be and I say that to see you grow as H as a Christian to be a mature Christian. Verse 28 says these things were done in Beth Ibarra beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing is an interesting detail. There's no detail that's just slipped in here told Beth Ibarra why we told the John's baptizing in Beth of our whenever you see something that you don't understand, make a mental note and and I guarantee you, whether it's days or hours or years. Holy Spirit will answer that question Beth Ibarra thing in Beth Ibarra, Joshua chapter 4 verse 19 says now the people came up from the Jordan on the 10th day of the first month in the camp and get out on the east border of Jericho and those 12 stones which they took out of the Jordan Joshua set up and go go googol is near the bar. Why is it important Joshua set up the stones beside the Jordan to symbolize the tribes of Israel, and John the Baptist was baptizing. There was that important because it sheds light on Matthew chapter 3 verse seven when John says, but when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come.

Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance. John was very seeker sensitive. He actually started opening in verse nine and do not say to yourselves, we have Abraham as our father for I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from the stone she when John said that he was pointing to the stones that Joshua had put their symbolizing the tribes of Israel.

The whole book is connected guys understand verse 29 the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, man, there's a lot there, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of what he takes away the sin of the world. Does this mean that no I really need to get say because Jesus took away all the sins's not what no, there's a thing running through its running through Christianity now is called universal time. I'm amazed that people are buying into this. What that means is that Jesus died follow the logic Jesus died for everybody on the same page before so nobody need to get saved I read in a Christian magazine about a guy sent yet were all going Christians Buddhist Hindus Islamic's everybody going well. Oh, that salvation is available to everyone that Jesus died for your sins, you gotta make that decision he makes it available, but if you reject him, you are rejecting the forgiveness that he offers.

There is a hell, guys. It's a very real place does God send anybody there they sin themselves see everybody that Janelle will be there because not because of what they said but because what they didn't they didn't receive Jesus as their Savior, they rejected Jesus and made a decision, see you make a decision which God you want to spend eternity with God gives you. That decision is minute with him in heaven which I would highly recommend or you can choose the loser in the enemy of your soul and eternal punishment. Isaiah 53, seven, says he was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before it sure is a silent, so he opened not his mouth. Again, we are likened to sheep in the Scriptures, so to say that Jesus is the Lamb once again identifies him with us. We talked about the go well and Redeemer of the Redeemer that would go well is the Hebrew word made up of two words demo well demo and and LL always stands for God when you CL shut your elf.

That means God, the Kimmel is the picture of it will in ancient Hebrew is to be the picture of a camel because when you get on a camel you're lifted so that Gimbel came to me lifted up was Goel me when God is lifted up means redeemed through Jesus came here to be to be lifted up.

Remember John chapter 3 he said if I be lifted up I will draw all men to me not to not being praised but used on Mountain John records it signified. Which death he would die. The Lamb is a theme to the Bible.

This isn't something that John just introduced you got able sacrifice the lamb in Genesis 4. You've got Isaac the landing substitute for him. In Genesis 22 he got the Passover lamb in Exodus 12 and you got John here proclaiming that Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God, and in the Revelation you've got people same worthy is the Lamb that was slain.

There's an interesting parallel to life your wonder where you are on that journey.

Maybe you're like Cain Kane offering the sweat of his efforts, his works to gain access to God and work haven't figured that out yet. Your works cannot earn you entrance into heaven.

It cannot earn you a relationship with the Lord's only by grace. Or maybe you're to the point that you realize that there is a lamb but he's not lit yet purely where we need to end up guys where we need and family is in Revelation and Sandra Morrissey worthy is the Lamb not only realizing who it is making him our own in blessing his name and praise where you will not journey are you to that point worthy is the Lamb that was slain worthy of all glory and honor whatever I can do in my life. He's given me more he's done more for me than I can ever do for him again looking in Jesus looking at herself will be right back with more from David McGee on cross the bridge right now there's a word from associate pastor DA Brown hey Bob want to take a minute to pray for listeners in the cities in California have Joshua tree Lake Isabella Lakehead Las Cruces Laurel Lompoc in the San Jose area God, we thank you for the cities. We pray for the leaders in the cities that you will give them wisdom and discernment.

We pray that people would be following you, with all their heart all their soul and all the strength may be sharing with others to hope that they found in you. We pray that many would accept that offer of hope and eternal salvation, and that they would get plugged in Bible teaching churches.

They will begin to grow in their relationship with you and be a blessing to other people. In Jesus name, amen. Hey man, thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse, verse 30 this is he of whom I said, after me comes a man who is preferred before me, for he was before me lots interesting because Scripture records it. John in the natural was six months older than Jesus. John is talking about the preexistence of Christ. You can have a preexistence without recognizing the deity of Jesus Christ.

So once again, those people who say Jesus is not God never claim to be in the Bible doesn't say he is God are just wrong because here's yet another verse of John's annual before I was. He was verse 31. I did not know him but that he should be revealed to Israel. Therefore, I came baptizing with water and John bore witness saying I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and remained upon them did not know him but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining on him. This is he who baptized baptizes with the Holy Spirit.

That's interesting. There's a picture of the Trinity right there people to deny the Trinity.

You've got Jesus standing there, you've got the Spirit descending upon him, and you've got a voice of the father coming from heaven. That's three eternally existent in one the Trinity verse 34 and obscene, and testified that this is the son of God. Again, people that say that Jesus didn't claim to be God or they never read the Bible and there's a whole lot of them out here, since he's the son of God. You know what that means that he's got, he is God. He's not a son of God. He's the son of God, and the resort referred to his children, but the wording is different for the son begotten, the only thing unique. We talked about that last week. Now it hundreds of years ago there was a guy Gregor Mindel and he discovered one of the laws of genetics is like produces like it is still very confusing to some evolutionist but like produces like if we have a garden and you know what if if if I want corn to come up.

You know what I know in a plant radishes magistrate real hard not plant corn.

Some of us are gonna doing that plant radishes an open corner, like produces like speaks of Jesus being the son of God. Obviously he is the son of God and he is God again verse 35 again the next day John stood with two of his disciples and looking at Jesus as he walked he said, behold the Lamb of God again in case you missed it the first time Johnson is a twice the two disciples heard him speak, they follow Jesus awesome. Verse 38 when Jesus turns seeing them following said to them, what you see, I said to him rabbi, which is to say, when translated teacher where you stay in is interesting because John's writing to Jewish as well as Gentile audience what you see is when he uses a Hebrew word, he explains it. That lets us know who is right and to that's important as we dig into the gospel of John understand he's writing to both the Jewish people and the Gentiles with Gentile Gentiles just a non-Jew as he explains what rabbis means teacher, but the question Jesus as we looking for, we seek just cuts to the chase tenant what a great question is a good question for us – this morning what are you looking for what he seeking what did you come here this morning for were not here by coincidence guys were here because somehow God drew us here this morning to speak to you and doesn't even matter. Amazingly enough, it doesn't matter if you came to the revelation before you came this I'm going there to seek Jesus.

Some of us did some Austin Summers just went well. Your mom says I gotta go to her.

You know my kids said got ago I gotta get this morning that she even if you're here this morning and you're not looking for him. He's looking for you. He's been looking for you. He's been searching for you, even if some of you've been running some of you been hot he's been looking for and he brought you here this morning to reassure you that fact. What are you looking for are you looking for material goods and possessions. I sure hope you're not that cheaply satisfied his life is about whole lot more in the Lord is searching for you this morning. Just like in the garden. Years ago he seen where are you and we can try to hide and try to cover up but let me ask you hide from God's promises.

There's nowhere that you can hide from God, but some of you may even be here this morning trying to hide from God in a church you been running you've been hot you've been covering Nordson where are you.

He wants to fellowship with you, not just on Sunday morning as it was to fellowship with you every single day of the week.

Reality is when we don't spend time with the Lord. He misses you how amazing that is. He wants to satisfy you and he realizes that you're looking for more than what Erskine offer earthly treasures and worldly pleasures of things don't satisfy you for very long. So Jesus said to the woman at the well and John for 13 whoever drinks of this water will thirst again.

What are you drinking from the smart what are you drinking from drinking from this world, drinking from successor are trying to drink from prosperity or try to drink from this from that what you know what you will be thirsty again. There's only one thing that you can drink from that will really quench your thirst in us the living water that Jesus offers us guys I know, I know some of your empty. I know some of you came here this morning with empty places in your life with dry places part of you is very thirsty, but let me assure you. The Lord was to quench the thirst.

The Lord wants to fill those empty places in your life and I know you have but as you just hide and act like those places don't exist will violate your free will.

He will fill you where you won't lift the place up. But if this morning you will humble yourself and say Lord you know what I do have those empty spaces.

I do need you to fill some places in my life. I do have some places where I've been coming first and I don't want to do that anymore there some places Lord nobody else knows about that.

I need you to touch and if you be bold enough and honest enough to say that this morning.

Let me assure you God is faithful and he will pour into those places. But if somehow you're able to sit through the service and act like none of this is going on.

You can walk out just as thirsty as when you came in and it will not be God's fall, it will be years and years of guys. I think sometimes we went act like were not desperate for God when we are, whether you're a believer and unbeliever were desperate for God if you came here for whatever reason reality is, God is seeking you. God brought you here this morning because he desires to fill those empty places.

Somehow we got in her head.

That is, if we can just get fixed then we can come to God is so backwards psalmist tells us in chapter 34 that God is near to those who are broken heart. God will do as he promises to do to fill you and he says come to me all you who are heavy laden, and it's time to quit carrying the baggage and the burdens that asked the Lord to touch to ask the Lord to fill those empty places.

I don't need to know what those empty spaces are between you and the Lord you need to hold that cup up to the Lord and say Lord fill my cup, as you realize that he is what you're looking for all the other stuff of the world's can leave you thirsty. What you need friend living water.

He's here and ready to give it to you this morning (Lord, I thank you that this morning you're here in Lord.

Somehow we think that when we get it all figured out which are available to us, Lord. That's not the gospel. The gospel is Lord even though her broken, hungry and thirsty. Even though we can't fix ourselves. Lord you desire to touch us. Lord I pray for those who here this morning and are willing to admit that they have those empty spaces and maybe it's been a while since I've repented Lord I pray a special blessing over those and ask for the you would give them the strength and the boldness to lift the cup to you to say yes I do need a touch Lord, we thank you that your desire. Lord, we can trust and know the faithful friend. You know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Jenna short, simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I can have a new life now done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. Jesus said he would not turn anybody away who comes to him and he came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness. Those who were sick, not the righteous to congratulations for you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life will DA before we go. What are some ways that we can bless our listeners each day. You can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David to the word of God with his email devotional life lessons to consider a daily reading plan and a thought to meditate on throughout your day. From the heart of David McGee. That sounds good Pastor day and again. It's been great to have you with us on the program today but tell us what else can a listers find on cross the bridge.com. If you're not able to make it to your home church this Sunday. Why not join us for our lifestream at 10 AM Eastern time or on Thursday night at 7 PM this visit, cross the bridge.com and click on our lifestream link. There you will experience a live service from David's home church. The bridge in North Carolina again. That website is cross the bridge.com. Thanks again for listening and join us next time. As David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the gospel of God