Good afternoon everyone. It's a little after one. Today is the 9th of January, Thursday. Mark finished up yesterday the book of Luke and today he's going to be reading in the first chapter of John. John's gospel is probably one of the most significant books in the Bible that points to election and predestination and being called by God. And it was taught by Christ Himself. So people that deny election and predestination are denying Christ's own teachings. And of course, they don't like it when you tell them that, but that's just a fact. Christ refers to Himself as the Great Shepherd of the Sheep. He says that all that the Father has given Him will come to Him. He says his sheep hear his voice and they follow him. No man can pluck him out of his hand. And he told a number of the Pharisees that they were their father devil and the works of their father they would do. So this book talks about in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. And also says that all things are made by him and without him there was not anything that was made. And talks about John the Baptist being a witness, a bearing witness of the light of the world, which was Christ. And talks about Christ coming to his own and his own receiving him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he the power to become the sons of God. Now the Armenians will also use this verse, but as many as received him gave him the power to become the sons of God. Even to them that believe on his name, but it doesn't stop there, it says, which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God. It had nothing to do with man's will. Talks about the word becoming flesh and dwelling among us. says the law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ and talks a lot about John the Baptist and his ministry and talks about the fact that Christ asked to be baptized by John and It says that he saw a spirit descending from heaven like a dove and bowed upon him. And he said he saw a bare record that this is the Son of God. Anyway some of the disciples began to follow Christ and he showed them where he dwelt and he said that Simon the son of Jonah would be called Cephas and he found Philip and told him to follow him And then Nathanael was told about Christ. And Jesus said, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile. And it was revealed unto Nathanael that Christ was the Son of God, the King of Israel. So I'll turn this over to Mark and have him read this first chapter of John. I hope you all have a good day. Try to stay warm, it's still awful cool out there, at least here in Pineville. John chapter 1, the beginning was a word and the word was with God and the word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him. Without him was not anything made that was made. To him was life. The life was the light of men. The light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the light that all men through him might believe. He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh in the world. He was in the world, and that in the world was made by him. The world knew him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even them that believe on His name, which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory was the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake. He that cometh after me is preferred before me, for he was before me. Heaven's fullness have all we received, and grace for grace for the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man has seen God any time, the only begotten Son. which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? He confessed, and denied not, but confessed, I am not the Christ. They asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? He saith, I am not. Art thou not that prophet? And he answered, No. Then said they unto him, Who art thou, that we may give an answer to them that sent us? What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the voice of one cry in the wilderness, make straight the way the Lord hath said to the prophet Esaias. And they which were sent were the Pharisees. And they asked him and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then? Thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet. John answered them, saying, I baptize with water, but there stands one among you whom ye know not. He it is who cometh after me, is preferred before me, whose shoes latched I am not worthy to unloose. These things were done in Beth-Avora, beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. This is He of whom I said, After me cometh a man which preferred before me, for he was before me. I knew him not, but that he should be made manifest to Israel. Therefore am I come, baptized with water. And John, bearing record, saying, I saw in the Spirit the city from heaven like a dove, and a boat upon him. I knew him not, but he that sent me to baptize with water in the same senate of me, upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit ascending, remain on him the same as he which baptized with the Holy Ghost. And I saw him bear record that this is the Son of God again the next day after John stood and two of his disciples. And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God. And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. He turned and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, which is to say, be interpreted, Master, where dwellest thou? He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew Simon's Peter's brother. Son of Peter, brother, he first findeth his own brother Simon, saith unto them, We have found Messiah, which is being interpreted to Christ. He brought him to Jesus, and when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon, the son of Jonah, thou shalt be called Cephas, which is By interpretation of stone, the day following, Jesus would go forth to Galilee and find Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter, and Philip found Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him with Moses in the law. And the prophets did write Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith unto him, Behold, Israel, I indeed, in whom is no guile. Nathanael said unto him, Once knowest thou me, Jesus answered and said unto him, Before the field called thee, when thou wast in the fig tree, I saw thee. Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel. Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou, thou shalt see greater things than these. He saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven opened, and the angel of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.