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I looked up austerely and that does describe John the Bapist...Jesus is later asked who is the greatest born of woman, and His answer is John..Many of us have had heros and mentors, but I never met anyone who had John the Baptist as their hero...
Thinking about John has caused me to reexamine my priorities...His description is almost like a homeless guy...Camel hair for clothes. eats honey and locusts for food, yet Jesus says this is the greatest guy ever...One of our teachers at church said that the greatness of John was because he was the last prophet, followed by our Savior Jesus. Maybe this helps to explain...???
Anyway John is a very humble example of great....
Iceman1
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Jesus the Lamb of God
29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' 31I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."
32Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' 34I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."
Wow... "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" Jesus came to take away the sin of the world. God the Father had compassion for the mess we had gotten ourselves into. He is a perfect and Holy God and we as a people had rejected Him. Jesus the Son came to reconcile us back to God, to restore our relationship with Him as it were... What a compassionate loving God... Many folks ask why God only provided one way to be reconciled. I don’t know the answer to that question, but I’m amazed he offered any way at all… I’m amazed that he had compassion on us and didn’t just destroy us at the first signs of rebellion and rejection. But that's why He's God and I'm not..... 
The other thing here that blows me away is John's direct revelation from God the Father. He wanted to make sure there was no mistake in identifying Jesus. He made it very clear and simple for us. He has always been in an approachable position.
Jesus' First Disciples
35The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"
37When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?"
They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"
39"Come," he replied, "and you will see."
So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.
You know sometime I think He just wants to hang out with us.... Nothing special or fantastic... just hangin' out.... Bein' buds...
40Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). 42And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter[j]).
Peter didn't even have to say anything... Jesus knew Peter's heart.. Interesting thing here... Why wasn't Peter with Andrew when he was listening to John? Maybe he had to work.. or maybe he was tired from the day before. Either way, I bet he was glad to have a faithfull brother that let him in on things.
When we hear the good news, we should tell those that are close to us. Let them in on the good that Jesus is doing.
Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael
43The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me."
44Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."
These guys knew their bible! They knew that Moses had written about a Messiah! It's too bad the scribes and pharisees didn't value the scriptures more than their own positions.
46"Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked.
"Come and see," said Philip.
47When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false."
Man... Is Jesus loving or what??? Nathaniel just dissed Jesus home town and then Jesus comes out and says something nice about him... Sounds like something we should do.... Even when folks are talking bad about you, just show them kindness.
48"How do you know me?" Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you."
49Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."
50Jesus said, "You believe[k] because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that." 51He then added, "I tell you[l] the truth, you[m] shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."
Nathaniel believed because Jesus performed a miracle. A sign as it were. I'm like this sometimes.... I want Him to fix up my life with a miracle before I'll trust Him with my needs. It's easy to trust in Jesus when we have a sign.. I think he want's us to have faith in Him even during the hard times. He want's us to believe when we are at the end of our rope. He want's us to believe when we feel we can't go any farther. He want's us to trust Him with every part of our lives.
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