The Life Of Jesus - Before His Birth
Many have told the narrative of
those things concerning Jesus which have been fulfilled among
us, just as those who from the beginning were
eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us,
it seemed good to me also, having had perfect
understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you
an orderly account so that you may know the certainty of those
things in which you were instructed. (Luke 1:1-4)
JESUS BEFORE HIS BIRTH...
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He
was in the beginning with God. All things were made
through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did
not comprehend it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that
all through him might believe. He was not that Light,
but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was
the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the
world.
Jesus was in the world, and the
world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.
He came to His own creation, and His own people
did not receive Him. But to those who received Him,
to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those
who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood,
nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of
God.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His
glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of
grace and truth. John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying,
"This was He of whom I said, "He who comes after me is preferred
before me, for He was before me."' And of His fullness we have
all received, and grace for grace. For the law was
given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus
Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only
begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared
Him. (John 1:1-8)
He is the image of the invisible
God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were
created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and
invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or
authorities-- all things have been created through Him and for
Him. (Colossians 1:15-16)
JOHN PREPARES THE WAY FOR JESUS...
As it is written by the Prophets in Isaiah 40:3:
"Behold, I send
My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before
You.
The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of
the LORD; Make His paths straight."
John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.
Now John was clothed
with camel's hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and
he ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached,
saying, "There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose
sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose.
I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with
the Holy Spirit." (Mark 1:2-8)