Father Mike Schmitz hosts The Bible in a Year podcast, using the Great Adventure Bible timeline to read through The Bible systematically from Genesis to Revelation. On day 99, he begins the first messianic checkpoint, taking a seven-day break from Old Testament narrative after completing First Samuel chapters 6-8.

The messianic checkpoint focuses on The Gospel of John chapters 1-3, alongside The Book of Proverbs 5:1-6. Father Mike emphasizes that Christianity represents the fulfillment of Judaism rather than a new religion, with everything in the Old Testament pointing toward Jesus Christ.

Father Mike explains how God's promise to Abraham to bless the entire world through his descendants finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus, who came not just for the Jewish people but 'so that the whole world can know that it is loved.'

The Word Made Flesh: Jesus' Divine Identity Revealed

The Gospel of John opens with the profound declaration: 'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God' - establishing Jesus as truly divine from the first verse.

John the Apostle, believed to be the beloved disciple, wrote this gospel without naming himself directly, referring to himself as 'the beloved disciple' throughout.

The incarnation is declared in verse 14: 'And the word became flesh, and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth' - God himself dwelling among humanity.

John the Baptist: The Last Prophet's Testimony

John the Baptist clearly distinguishes himself from the Messiah, declaring 'I am not the Christ' when questioned by priests and Levites from Jerusalem.

He identifies himself using The refref-book-the-book-of-isaiahrefref-book-the-book-of-isaiahBook of Isaiah: 'I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord, as the prophet Isaiah said.'

John calls Jesus 'the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world' - referencing sacrifice, not gentleness, connecting to Old Testament lamb sacrifices.

The Baptist's humility is evident: 'He must increase, but I must decrease' and 'the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.'

The Lamb of God: Connecting Old Testament Sacrifice

Father Mike connects Abraham's near-sacrifice in Genesis where Isaac asks 'where's the lamb for the sacrifice?' and Abraham prophetically responds 'God will provide himself a lamb, my son.'

The Passover lamb from Exodus parallels Jesus: 'just like the Jews in slavery in Egypt, when they ate the flesh of the lamb and they marked their homes with the blood of the Lamb' - Father Mike.

Jesus references the bronze serpent from Numbers: 'as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.'

The sacrificial system from Leviticus and Deuteronomy provides context for understanding Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice who 'takes away the sin of the world.'

Jesus' Ministry Begins: Signs and Spiritual Rebirth

The wedding at Cana marks Jesus' first sign, turning water into wine in six stone jars 'each holding twenty or thirty gallons' for Jewish purification rites.

Jesus cleanses the temple, driving out money changers and declaring 'you shall not make my father's house a house of trade.'

Nicodemus visits Jesus by night, learning about spiritual rebirth: 'unless one is born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.'

The famous John 3:16 declares God's universal love: 'For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.'

Christianity as Judaism's Fulfillment

Father Mike emphasizes that 'Christianity was not a new religion coming after Judaism' but rather 'the fulfillment of everything that God had promised in the old covenant.'

God's promise to Abraham to bless 'the entire world' through his descendants finds fulfillment in Jesus, who came for all nations and peoples.

The church includes 'every nationality, every language, every race, every continent' because God has established his church 'so that the whole world can know that it is loved.'