The Deep Things of God

DDG, Unit 20, Session 4, Day 1 – John 1:19-34

            Today’s Gospel Project Daily Study makes an incredibly profound point. Once we become acquainted with the basics of Christian doctrine and practice, we often want to move on to the “deeper” things. I think there has been a limitation in the way we have prepared Christians for their walk with Jesus when we can say that we understand the core of Christianity and are ready for “more,” whatever “more” means. One of the most challenging days I had as a believer came when I realized that the deepest truth of Christianity was encapsulated in the words of a hymn we relegate to children. “Jesus loves me, this I know. For the Bible tells me so.” It is one thing to say that we have heard this truth and accepted it. It is something else entirely to say I have experienced it in its fullness and have learned to live it out in all its particulars.

            The Gospel of Jesus, that the kingdom of heaven is near. John the Baptist’s pronouncement that here was “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” These are deep, deep things that will take a lifetime to master, and then only with the help of God the Holy Spirit.

In what ways do you feel you’ve taken the gospel for granted? What would it look like to change that?


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