May 17, 2020, Psalms 67, John 1 1-18

Psalms 67 

For the director of music
With Stringed instruments.
A Psalm. 

May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine upon us
so that your ways may be known on earth, 
your salvation among all nations. 
May the peoples praise you God; 
may all the people praise you. 
May the nations be glad and sing for joy, 
for you rule the peoples with equity 
and guide the nations of the earth. 
May the peoples praise you. 
The land yields its harvest;
God, our God, blesses us.
May God bless us still, 
so that all the ends of the earth will fear him. 


John 1 

John 
"The Disciple whom Jesus loved

Personal Details/ his writings...

• He was a prominent figure in the early church
• He knew the geography of the land
• He does have eye witness accounts just like the other gospels
• Interpreters believe his writing happen during the 50's or maybe the 70's. 
• He has more developed theology than the other gospels
• His literary style focuses on the signs of Jesus identity and his mission. 
• He highlights matters that remain implicit or underdeveloped in the other gospels.
• We can expect to read lengthy rich theologically discourses when we read John. 

John begins the book with "the profound announcement that Jesus is the divine "word" of self-revelation-who existed with God from the beginning and through whom God created all things (NIV Study bible)

John Chapter 1:1-18

The Word Became Flesh 

In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 

There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to to testify concerning the light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 

The true light  that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and through the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-children born not of a natural descent, nor of human decision or a husbands will, but born of God. 

The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 

John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, "this is the one I spoke about when I said, He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me. Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made known. 

Popular topics of discussion

• Being born again
• Grace and the Law
• Truth 
• Jesus Christ is God
• Children of God