August 25, 2013 | John Bayles | The Beginning of the Advancing Kingdom (John 2:1-24)

What were the Jewish people of John’s time looking for? Some were not looking for anything, but Jesus appeared, worked some miracles and they followed him – these were the “crowd that was with Him” (Joh.11:17). Others, who had lost all hope of an independent Jewish homeland, passively hoped that perhaps, maybe, but most likely not, the old stories they had heard would perhaps come true one day – but they were not counting on them, and had adhered to the shoe of Rome in their lives – these were “the great crowds” (Joh.11:12). Others, were looking for something specific, signs of the coming of the New Age, particularly the signs of the One who would usher in the New Age, the Messiah foretold in the Scriptures – these were the “large crowd of Jews” (Joh.11:9). Finally, there were those who were Jesus family and those few men He had hand-picked as His disciples. John's goal is to fulfill his purpose in writing this Gospel.

August 18, 2013 | John Bayles | Come and See (John 1:35-50)

In this text today, Jesus calls His first disciples. He is sure of them; they are unsure of Him. And, even when they seemed sure of who He was, they had only began to scratch the surface of the life and mission of the One who had come into their lives. This dynamic is the same today as then.

August 11, 2013 | John Bayles | Stepping onto the Stage of History (John 1:19-34)

Behold the Lamb of God! These remarkable words by John the Baptist announced the beginning of a new age. "Are you the one?" Imagine how tempting it must have been to follow his fallen nature as it spoke within him - "say yes." But John demonstrated two things in these words. First that he was a man who had embraced his humanity in the clearest of terms. The fallen nature reasons that we are the center of the universe and that our lives are the core feature of what makes up reality.

August 4, 2013 | John Bayles | The Prologue of John: Jesus Christ - God? Man? God-man? (John 1:1-18)

When we look at Jesus we must remember that His nature cannot be divided. The relationship of the second member of the triune God (the Word) and the man (Jesus of Nazareth) are indivisible. The one is in perfect unity with the other. John's purpose, and ours is not to show that God is not man or that man is not God, but that God has uniquely come to dwell in man in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the God-man.

July 28, 2013 | John Bayles | The Prologue of John: The God-Man of Grace and Truth (John 1:15-18)

I am so amazed by the precision the Apostle John has used in presenting the nature and mission of Jesus Christ in this prologue. What can we conclude? The Word: existed from before the creation of the world. The Word: is in the presence of God, is the essential composition of God, and yet is distinct in God. The Word: is God. The Word: has a masculine gender. The Word: created all things and gives life to all things, including mankind and us.

July 21, 2013 | John Bayles | Piercing The Darkness (John 1:3-14)

Step-by-step, this is John's method. Thus far we have learned that there is some person, place or thing called the Word. And, the Word was already in existence when the world was created. And that the Word is God. Today John continues the revelation: we discover that the Word has gender, a unique role in creation, and is the source of life and light, not only to those who are redeemed, but to all mankind. Piece by piece, John reveals the Word in a progression from heaven to earth. And not just into the earth, but into a unique relationship with a man, Jesus of Nazareth.

July 14, 2013 | John Bayles | The Prologue of John: The Divine Son(John 1:3-4)

As we etch our way through the Prologue of the Gospel of John, it is our intention to take the needed time to understand John's teaching. Many years ago, as I watched the first lunar landing with my family (in black and white TV), a detail was repeated again and again by the commentators: "The precision of a lunar flight is critical. If the target (the moon) is missed by even a small fraction at the first, then the ship could miss the moon by thousands of miles." The same is true in our study of the scriptures. If we miss the foundational essence of the nature of Jesus Christ at the beginning, we will likely find ourselves either in a cult or confronting one that has missed this critical understanding.

July 7, 2013 | John Bayles | The Prologue of John: Before the Earth Declared His Glory (John 1:1-5)

In this prologue of the Gospel of John we find a very similar use of language to that of Genesis 1:1 and following. As in Genesis 1:1 (and in all of the scriptures), there is no explanation or treatise on the existence of God - it is a presupposition, it is assumed to be true already. However, unlike the Genesis narrative in which Moses launches into the account of the creation of the earth and its surrounding universe, here John touches the same point of time, yet launches backward into the timeless existence of the Godhead before the creation of the earth.

June 30, 2013 | John Bayles | A Present and Future Hope (Hosea 14:1-9)

In this final plea to the nation of Israel, we see the passion of the prophet and the God Who has sent him. Very reflective of the heart of the Lord in the ministry of Joel, as He holds out one more time the hand of forgiveness, are the words, “Even now....” (Joel 2:14). So too, here Hosea extends the mercy of God to this vile and backslidden people, not with the hope of their repentance, but as an assurance to Himself and to all the hosts of history, that though they are covenant breakers, He has not wavered in faithfully keeping His word to His people, Israel.

June 23, 2013 | John Bayles | The Terrible, Swift Sword (Hosea 13:4-16)

Giving thanks is a gift God has given to us. It could be argued that it is also an exclusive gift, in that there is no other example in all of creation that any other creature gives thanks for anything. But, in order for us to give thanks we must first acknowledge that there is something to give thanks for. This acknowledgement is also a gift of grace, especially for the people of God.