John 8:31-36

Briefly, I hope. Jesus is speaking to the Jews who believe in Him. An interesting conversation ensues.

 

Jesus: If you hold to my teaching, you are my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.

 

They: We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves. How can you say we'll be set free?

 

Jesus (the main points):

1. You are slaves... to sin.
2. As slaves, you have no permanent place in the household.
3. The Son has a permanent place in the household.
4. If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

 

All of us are slaves to sin. That means that none of us has a permanent place in the household. But there is someone who has a permanent place in the household: the Son, Jesus Himself. Slaves are truly free from sin when they have been set free by the Son, rather than by another slave.

 

The Son has come. The Son is offering freedom to those of us in slavery to sin. We need to hold to His teaching, His truth. Let's find freedom through the Son!

 

John 8:12-20

If we remember that scholars believe John 7:53-8:11 to have been a later addition to the text, then what we read here comes directly after the Pharisees' division (Nicodemus asking them to hear Jesus out).

 

Jesus' next claim was that He was the light of the world and that those who followed Him would have the light of life. I don't know whether the Pharisees had decided to take Nicodemus' advice and hear Jesus out or what, but they at least respond to this claim. They tell Jesus that His testimony isn't valid because He is speaking about Himself.

 

Jesus responds that, even if He were the only one speaking on His own behalf, His testimony would be perfectly valid. Why? Well, compared to the Pharisees, Jesus certainly knows more about Himself than they do. He knows where He came from and where He is going, so He is the only human qualified to testify about those things. He points out that the Pharisees certainly aren't valid witnesses about Him.

 

Jesus says that the Pharisees are judging according to the flesh – according to what they experience and feel. They are limited to what they can see, hear, and feel, and they are also limited by what they want to see. Jesus contrasts this with Himself – not only is He not judging according to the flesh, but He is not judging! But Jesus is quick to note that, if He were judging, He would be right because He agrees with the Father who sent Him.

 

Jesus says, therefore, that there are two witnesses on His side – Himself and His Father who sent Him. And this should be enough, according to the Law of Moses.

 

Of course, the Pharisees wanted to verify this second witness. "Where is your father?" they asked Jesus.

 

And Jesus responded that they did not know the Father. His evidence for this is that they do not know Jesus Himself.

 

I've wondered about this evidence sometimes. But as a general rule, it makes sense. Think about it. The Jews living in Jerusalem did not get to know each other merely as individuals. Their families had lived there for generations. Children who were friends had fathers who were friends and grandfathers who were friends.

 

It is similar today. I was just at a wedding in Montana, where I have never been. Yet while I was there, an elderly couple approached and asked me whether I was "Bob's son." They knew my dad. And they recognized him in my appearance. We were friends. We "knew" each other, even though we did not know each other.

 

Jesus claimed to be the Son of God. His Father had sent Him. And yet the Pharisees did not recognize Jesus. Why not? Jesus says that it is because they did not know His Father. When people know your father, they know you.

 

Those who do not believe Jesus do not know God! That's all there is to it. People should be able to see the family resemblance.

 

Father, may I demonstrate my love for You by my love for Jesus! May I listen to Your words! May I obey them! May I talk about You as I ought to, telling people the truth about my wonderful God! Help me to introduce people to You. If they don't know You, may they come to know You through me, and then through Jesus. May the family resemblance draw them.

 

John 8:1-11

I almost hesitate to study this text as devotions since even evangelicals agree that this text was not originally a part of John. This story is unverifiable. But it offers some lessons that are verified in other parts of Scripture, so I'll go ahead.

 

Whoever inserted this story makes it seem as though this takes place on the day following the events John had just written about. The people, the temple guards, and even the religious leaders are divided in their response to Jesus and uncertain whether to accept Him or reject Him. Jesus comes back into town, and the religious leaders think that they have figured out a way to settle the issue once and for all. They bring out a woman who has been caught in the act of adultery, they publicly remind Jesus what Moses said should be done to such a woman, and then they ask Jesus whether He agrees with Moses or not. This situation is certainly possible, and the story is plausible. It could have happened. But we don't know.

 

The text they seem to be referring to that commands people to stone a woman caught in adultery is probably somewhere in Deuteronomy 22:13-27. Several situations are described there. In the first situation, a man marries a woman but then does not believe that she was a virgin. The woman and her family are supposed to bring evidence that she was a virgin; if she is found to have been promiscuous before marriage, she must be stoned. In the next situation, a man is found sleeping with another man's wife; both of them must die. In the next situation, a man and a virgin who is pledged to be married are caught sleeping together in a town; both must be stoned (incidentally, if this same thing happens in the country, the girl is presumed to be innocent and man is assumed to have raped her).

 

It doesn't seem that this is the first scenario; we don't read anything about an accusing husband or the girl's family. But whether this is the second or third scenario, something is missing; in both of these, the men are also supposed to be stoned. Where is the guilty man?

 

I don't know what Jesus was writing, or whether this story is completely false and Jesus didn't even know how to write. But if this story is true, I would not be surprised if Jesus had been writing out the very laws these men were citing, demonstrating that He knew very well what the Law of Moses said, and also demonstrating that these teachers of the law and Pharisees were not following it as it was written. When they kept pressing Him, Jesus stopped writing for a moment. He told them that whoever was without sin could feel free to throw the first stone. And then He began writing again.

 

Who knows? Maybe He was writing the laws they were citing. Maybe He was writing out the Ten Commandments. Maybe He wasn't writing any laws at all. But none of these men were living up to the Law, and they began to drift away one by one, starting with the oldest.

 

In Matthew 7:1-2 (cf. Luke 6:37) Jesus commands men not to judge one another because the time will come when they will be judged by the same standard. In Romans 2:1 Paul writes, "You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things." These men had come to Jesus saying that this woman broke the Law. In public, Jesus challenged these men to judge only if they themselves had not broken the Law. Not one of them could do it; they went away disgraced.

 

In the end, Jesus Himself does not condemn the woman (though He could have... again, if this story is true). John 3:17 tells us that God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. One day Jesus will return to judge the world. But this story reminds us that Jesus has come first with mercy. All men are on equal footing before Him; all are sinners and deserve condemnation. Condemning each other by the Law makes no sense, for we all stand condemned as sinners before Jesus; we can't pretend to be righteous. Instead, we must remind each other that we are all sinners and that we all deserve Jesus' wrath – without condemning each other. And then we must turn to Jesus. He extends grace to sinners and tells them to "Go now and leave your life of sin" (John 8:11). By faith in Him, sinners may live and not die.

 

Father, may those of us who have trusted in Jesus be able to communicate to those who have not that we do not condemn them. On our own, we deserve judgment just as much as anyone. But may we also be able to communicate our hope to them. May they hear and understand that Jesus is the Savior of the world! That faith in Him gives life! And may they not reject Him, whether from fear, pride, resignation, or a desire to live life in their own ways. May those who do not trust in Christ joyfully receive the hope that Jesus offers, gladly setting aside their sinful ways to follow Him!

 

John 7:32-53

The Pharisees sent temple guards to seize Jesus because the crowds were talking as though they believed that Jesus was the Christ. Of course, this discussion between Jesus and the crowd was still going on. Jesus was still teaching about Himself (Who does that? Who is so proud as to teach about himself in a religious setting?).

 

Jesus continued to teach that He was from a different place than the rest of the people. He would return there in a little while to be with the "one who sent" him. The Jews began to think Jesus planned to go teach the Jews who had been scattered among the Greeks. Where else could He possibly be describing (That is, if you simply don't believe His claim to have come from God . . . If you don't believe that, where else could He possibly be describing?)? The text doesn't answer the question directly, but the answer is still plain: Jesus claims to come from God.

 

Ok, I find this interesting. A conversation is going on. The chief priests and Pharisees send the temple guards to seize Jesus. Conversation continues. Verse 37, new scene? "On the last and greatest day of the Feast." More conversation and teaching. Verse 45 – Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees. What? They've been sitting out there watching Jesus this whole time? And the chief priests and Pharisees have been sitting in the background waiting for the temple guards the whole time? I don't have time to look into this, but this is something interesting that may say something about their culture.

 

Here's a claim Jesus made on the last and greatest day of the Feast: "Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Streams of living water will flow from within him.' John tells us that Jesus meant the Spirit here. So Jesus Himself claims that the Spirit will be within those who believe in Jesus.

 

Is it any wonder that the crowds were continually discussing whether Jesus was or was not the Christ? Is it any wonder that they were continually divided – some believing in Him and some not? That some wanted to seize Him?

 

The division extended all the way up the system. Not just the people. The temple guards came back without seizing Jesus. Why? "No one ever spoke the way this man does." Kind of a 'do we dare to arrest this man? What if he's telling the truth?' And when the Pharisees rebuke the temple guards, one of the Pharisees defends Jesus' right to a hearing.

 

Jesus brought division. Jesus' claims resulted in quarrels. People were unsure of what to believe. Some were for Him. Some were against Him. Some seem to have been undecided. But only those who aligned themselves with Jesus had their choice validated. It is the same today. People still oppose Jesus. They still hate the idea that people believe in Him. Some are still trying to make up their minds. But in the end, there are only two sides. For Jesus, or not for Jesus. Father, help me and all those I love to be completely for Jesus!

 

John 7:25-31

The Jews had protested that no one was trying to kill Jesus. After Jesus reminds the people that the Jews are trying to kill Him because He healed a man on the Sabbath, they remember that they had heard something about killing Him. At first they couldn't believe that anyone was trying to kill Him. Now the people can't believe that Jesus is teaching in public if people still want to kill Him. Perhaps the authorities have concluded that Jesus is the Christ?

 

The people might have left it at that, but humans rarely do something so simple. Rather than just trusting that Jesus was the Christ, they considered other evidence that might help them certify His Christ-hood. "Wait a minute! We know where Jesus comes from! We won't know where the Christ comes from!" And so they continue to doubt Jesus and His teachings. If people want to doubt, there are always more reasons for doubt. Certainty is almost impossible – even with solid evidence – apart from faith.

 

Jesus was still teaching in the temple courts. He knew what the people were saying. And He responded: "Yes, you know Me and you know where I am from." So far, to them, so good. Jesus seems to be affirming their doubts. To them, Jesus is from Nazareth and Capernaum. Jesus is a son of Joseph and Mary.

 

But then He continues: "And I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true." Jesus was not the initiator of His ministry in the world. Jesus did not come by His own authority. The source of Jesus' ministry is someone else, somewhere else. Not Joseph and Mary. Not Capernaum. Not Nazareth. Someone true. Completely trustworthy.

 

Just in case the crowds were still thinking that Jesus was perhaps referring to Joseph, perhaps really honoring His earthly Father, Jesus says more: "You do not know Him." Who might be unknown to this crowd? Joseph? No. It has to be someone distant. Jesus is a spiritual teacher, so He is probably referring to either Satan or God. And considering that He has claimed to be teaching the will of God, Jesus must be referring to God. Surely Satan is not true! But Jesus tells the crowd that they do not know this person.

 

Not only so, but Jesus tells them that He does know this person. Jesus knows the One who sent Him; Jesus knows God! How can He know God if they don't? 1. Jesus is from God; 2. God sent Jesus.

 

Jesus begins by telling the crowd that they know where He is from. But what He claims is that He is from God (as He has said all along). This is very different from what they meant – they thought that they knew Jesus was from Nazareth, from Capernaum, from Joseph and Mary. But Jesus says that they know He is from God – He has been teaching this consistently. So in some sense, they do not know where He is from – they think that Jesus is merely from some earthly place. And even though Jesus has claimed to be from God, they don't know that He is from God because they refuse to believe Him. Jesus turns the peoples' words around; they know where He is from, or they should. Jesus is from heaven.

 

The people understood. They tried to seize Jesus. But they did not succeed – God's Word says simply that it was not yet Jesus' time.

 

Despite the angry response, many put their faith in Him. Why? They trusted in the evidence they had, without continuing to seek complete certainty. "When the Christ shall come, He will not perform more signs than those which this man has, will He?" Between Christ's teachings and Christ's miracles, they had the evidence they needed.

 

Father, over and over John testifies that Jesus claimed to come from You. It is so easy to find reasons not believe this – to doubt, to delay trusting in Him. Father, help me to trust in Jesus. Help me to trust His teachings. Help me to trust His miracles. Help me to be humble enough to realize that I cannot understand everything You say and do. I cannot understand all the pieces of Your divine puzzle. At some point, I must trust You. You have revealed that Jesus is from You. Help me to trust You by following Jesus. Help me to trust You by obeying Jesus' words as though they are truly divine. And may those who doubt Jesus learn to trust. May they stop acting as though they are worthy to judge Jesus – as though they are worthy to put Him on trial and determine whether He is trustworthy or not. May they instead submit. Trust. Obey. May I set a good example in this.

 

Halfway there!

We arrived at Brian and April's apartment last night around 9 pm (10 pm KY time). It has been good to see them.

 

We had a great trip. We stopped a couple of times for Michael. And for Christy, who drank too much tea and coke. But we were a pretty happy traveling troupe, and it was like that all day long. Wonderful!

 

We kind of feel bad that Emma is not with us. But the trip would have been less enjoyable for all, and we're sure that she is having fun with Grandma and Pop-pop Harner. It has to be a blessing for them, too, to get time with their granddaughter like this. Especially since they'll be starting a new term of missions service in June/July.

 

So we're halfway to Judy!

 

John 7:10-24

Jesus ended up going up to the Feast. One might ask whether He lied to His brothers, since He told them that He was not going up to the Feast because His time had not come.

 

I'm going to assume for now that He did not lie. I'm not going to make any arguments to prove it yet. Instead, I want to see what Jesus did.

 

He went up to the Feast, but He went up in secret (His brothers had urged Him to make a big show of things). Apparently those at the Feast were debating about Jesus, trying to judge whether He was good or bad. Jesus did not present Himself publicly until midway through the Feast.

 

Who knows what kind of opposition Jesus would have faced if His opponents had known He was coming? But they didn't know. And by midway through the Feast, they probably had let down their guards, not expecting to see Him there. Then He began to teach publicly at the Temple. The crowds were amazed at His knowledge – a knowledge that came without the kind of education that other teachers had.

 

Jesus' answer was that He was teaching the thoughts of someone else. In particular, He was teaching the thoughts of the One who sent Him, of God the Father. Jesus challenged His hearers to do as He taught in order to find out whether Jesus' teachings were from God or not. Jesus was seeking the Father's glory, so there was no reason for Him to teach anything but the Father's words. (So often we shy away – I shy away – from speaking the truth. Why? Apparently it is because I am concerned too often for my own glory.)

 

And then Jesus concluded with a challenge: "You don't really follow Moses. You don't keep the Law. If you kept the Law, you wouldn't be trying to kill Me." When the crowds ask who is trying to kill Him, Jesus points back to the miracle of making the paralyzed man walk on the Sabbath. And He justifies having done the miracle on the Sabbath. Yet it was well-known that this miracle was a major reason there was debate about whether Jesus was good or not. His awareness of the Jews' motivations for hating Him was a part of His teaching strategy. He revealed to people the secrets of their own hearts so that they would be confronted with their own sinfulness.

 

Contrast our sinfulness with His perfection. He always spoke the words of the One who sent Him. He always sought the Father's glory.

 

Father, forgive me for not doing the same!

 

Christmas Party

Our Community Group had a Christmas Party last night! We began with a huge meal, and pretty much everyone contributed. We had chicken, stuffing, cranberry something or other, broccoli-cheese casserole, rolls, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, punch, mashed potatoes (in abundance), probably something else I’m forgetting, pecan pie, and pumpkin pie! I think everyone was satisfied after that meal!

 

Following the meal, we had a gift exchange for our kids. They were really cute. Some were showing off the presents they received. One or two thought that this was actually Christmas, and were disappointed that there weren’t more gifts! We had to reassure them that this was just a Christmas Party and that Christmas was still coming with lots of gifts. Then we sent the kids into another room to do crafts and decorate cookies – with supervision of course.

 

We had our own gift exchange. Actually, we had two. First was a Secret Santa gift exchange. But the Santas ended up not being secret, because we let people guess who had given them the gifts. Then we had a white elephant gift exchange. There were some great gifts – like a plastic flower, a shoe-shaped planter, and some blazing-pink pants.

 

We ended the evening with games, and people eventually drifted off. But that’s our Community Group – a great group to party with!

John 7:1-9

The Jews in Judea were trying to kill Jesus, so He was staying away from there. But when the time came for the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus' brothers urged Him to go to Judea. They basically said, "Aren't you trying to become famous? Then why are you hiding?"

 

It makes you wonder how Jesus was perceived. He is the Holy Son of God, and everything He does is perfectly righteous. Yet His brothers seemed to think He was uppity, holier-than-thou, self-seeking.

 

I know that my heart is not as pure as Jesus' heart. I must constantly examine my motives and choices. But at the same time, walking in Jesus' steps is going to lead to misunderstanding sometimes. Jesus had to put up with the misunderstanding patiently and lovingly. Father, when I feel misunderstood, help me to respond the same way. But help me also to evaluate my heart honestly before You and to find out whether I need to repent of anything.

 

Memory Loss (short-term)

My memory is terrible! Last night we were eating supper, and Emma was pretty pitiful. But even in her subdued condition, she had Christy and me laughing hysterically. And I can’t remember what it was! Sorry about that, for those who read this.

John 6:22-71

Michael woke us up just before six today. So I've had the opportunity to study a longer passage of Scripture than I usually would. Which is good, because this whole section centers on one thought. Jesus is the bread from heaven.

 

The crowds who had eaten the bread – who had been witnesses of Jesus' miracle of feeding the five thousand – they looked for Jesus and eventually found Him. Jesus accused them of looking for Him not because they were interested in God's signs to them, but because they wanted more bread to fill their stomachs. He told them to work for food that produces eternal life.

 

In response, they asked what this spiritual work was. And Jesus told them that the work God had for them was to believe in the One God had sent. But they wanted a sign to prove that they should believe in Jesus (as though Jesus had not already given them a sign), like the manna which had come down from heaven in Moses' day. Jesus pointed out that Moses had not given them this bread, but that the Father gave them bread from heaven. He also taught them that the true bread from heaven would produce eternal life in them. When they asked for this bread, Jesus said, "I AM the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst (probably a reference to the living water John has already mentioned)." Jesus satisfies our every need.

 

The Jews were grumbling, and Jesus pointed out their disbelief. The Father had not given them to Jesus, and they would not be among those raised up at the last day. They had to be taught by God – and they were not listening. None of them had seen the Father, and the One who had seen the Father was trying to teach them, but they would not hear.

 

Jesus identified His flesh as the bread from heaven, as true food, and His blood as true drink. His flesh and blood give eternal life to those who eat them.

 

When Jesus' disciples grumbled at these hard words, He chided them for not listening to them as spiritual words. He said that the flesh counts for nothing. In other words, it is not by actually eating Jesus' body and drinking His blood that a person receives eternal life; there is a spiritual reality behind these statements.

 

When Jesus asked the twelve if they wanted to turn away with the others, Simon Peter answered. His response is a model for us all: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. And we have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God."

 

All that Jesus had been teaching is summed up here. Jesus taught that He came from God, bearing God's words, and that hearing and believing God would give eternal life. Peter recognized that Jesus came from God and taught God's words, and having heard, Peter believed in Jesus for eternal life. Peter knew that he could not find eternal life anywhere else.

 

Sadly, there was one among the twelve who had not believed. Jesus knew this and pointed it out. But it is essential for me to believe and to teach that Jesus came from God, and that His teachings are God's teachings, and that there is no eternal life outside of His teachings. The Jews asked Jesus for a sign so that they would believe in Him, a sign as great as the manna from heaven. They had a greater sign standing right there in front of them: Jesus, the bread of life, God in the flesh!

 

Two Blows to the Ego

I can't believe that the last time I blogged about Emma was November 16th. I was talking about how she wanted to be "just like daddy". That was nice.

But I've been set aside. Emma loves Cinderella. Now she wants to be "just like Cinderella." In everything. I've been replaced. Ego blow 1.

Also, I was working at the Old Spaghetti Factory last night. Christy brought Emma and Michael to eat there. All was well. As they were heading out of the restaurant, Emma noticed my apron. She asked me several times, "Is Daddy wearing a dress?" I think she even said, "Just like Cinderella." Oh, wait, that was Christy who threw that in, and Emma liked it. Ego blow 2.

Oh well.

John 6:16-21

I am not feeling very focused right now. But I want to understand what God is saying here. Father, help me. Forgive me for allowing little things to disturb me.

 

Ok, so John 6. Jesus has just fed five thousand people. So far there has not really been much comment on this amazing fact, besides that Jesus didn't want to let the people make Him king by force and drive out the Romans. He's withdrawn from the crowd.

 

Evening comes, the disciples go to the lake and take a boat to Capernaum. Jesus wasn't with them. The waters grew rough, and the disciples were rowing the boat quite a ways.

 

John's comments are brief. They saw Jesus walking on the water toward them and were terrified. Jesus assured them that He was the one approaching them. And they let Him into the boat, and the boat "immediately" reached the opposite shore.

 

Is there more to it? Possibly. In another section of John, Jesus claims to be God by saying, "Before Abraham was born, I am." The "I am" in that statement is His claim to be God, for it is the translation of the Exodus account where God tells Moses to tell the Israelites, "I AM has sent me to you" (Ex. 3:14). Jesus is claiming God's title, God's name. Well, in this section of John, translators normally make John 6:20 out to be something like "It is I". And yes, Jesus is identifying Himself. But He uses the same words that He uses in His claim related to Abraham. That passage could be translated, "Before Abraham was born, it is I." Or this passage in John 6 could be translated, "I AM; don't be afraid" (which reminds me of many OT passages where God gives the same command to His people).

 

Jesus walks out to His disciples on the lake. On the stormy lake. They've been rowing hard for miles. They see Jesus. And they are terrified. Did Jesus merely identify Himself to them? "Hi guys, it's me, Jesus! Can I hop in?" Or is John trying to tell us that Jesus is God? That seems to be John's message all along, starting from chapter one. Jesus claims to be God again here from the way John writes things. "I AM. Don't be afraid." And when the great I AM enters the disciples' boat in the midst of their work and in the midst of a storm, immediately they arrive at the other side of the lake. Coincidence? Not according to John. John is telling us that Jesus is God. Jesus is the great I AM who revealed Himself to Moses and the Israelites. Who led the Israelites through the sea. Here again, the great I AM is with His people, and the fears they face are nothing compared to His divine power. The same power that fed five thousand people earlier that day from five barley loaves and some fish. Who created the world? God. It is entirely believable that the God who made all things from nothing could create enough food for five thousand people from something.

 

Jesus is God. Father, help me to see Jesus' glory always. Help me to know You through Him. Help me to trust. Remind me to obey. You are worthy.

 

John 6:1-15

After Jesus got the Jews angry enough to kill Him for claiming to be God (the text only says "these things" – I think it is worth remembering what these things are), He went to the opposite side of the Sea of Galilee. No sense tempting these men to kill Him any longer, I suppose. But a large crowd followed Him because of the miracles He was doing among the sick.

 

I'm not sure why the text mentions that the Passover was approaching at this point. Because I'm not sure, I'm probably missing out on one of the biggest points in the text. Many commentators only note that it serves to tell us the time of the event. A couple of others mention that the Jews would have already been preparing for the Passover. Would this have made it hard for the disciples to get bread? Probably not. I don't think the main point of this statement has been uncovered in the commentaries I've seen so far.

 

Jesus initiated the conflict here. I don't think anyone expected Jesus to provide food for all these people, but He turned to Philip and asked, "Where are we to buy bread so that the people may eat?" John writes that Jesus was testing Philip's faith and understanding.

 

I think Philip failed the test. He responded that they didn't have the resources to buy enough bread for this crowd.

 

But Andrew did a bit better. He noted that one kid in the crowd had some food with Him. But he then expressed His doubt that this food could do much good in such a large crowd.

 

The text says that Jesus already knew what He was going to do. So He must have known about this child and the food before Andrew said anything. He must have known that one of His disciples – maybe even that it would be Andrew specifically – was going to point out the meager resources the child had.

 

Of course, I have heard the story many times. Jesus had the disciples get the men to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the bread and fish, gave thanks for them, and distributed them to the people until they were satisfied. When the disciples gathered the leftovers, there were 12 baskets of food!

 

The response of the people? "This is the Prophet we've been expecting!" Their decision? To make Jesus king by force. What's that mean? It probably does not mean that they intended to force Jesus to be king. They probably assumed that He intended to be king. Rather, they intended to forcefully and violently overthrow the Romans and set Jesus up as king over Israel!

 

But Jesus withdrew by Himself on the mountain.

 

This must have confused the people. Did they understand the truth correctly? Was Jesus the expected Prophet? Yes! But was He seeking to violently overthrow the Romans to become king? No!

 

Jesus intends to be king of much more than Israel, and He still has important work to do so that this can happen.

 

John 5:41-47

This will conclude Jesus' response to those who want to kill Him for making Himself equal with God.

 

At the beginning of this book John wrote that he had "seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only who came from the Father full of grace and truth". Here Jesus spends quite a bit of time focusing on glory.

 

Jesus says that He does not receive glory from men. His glory is not an earthly glory. This is a major point, for it helps to explain why earthly men are not willing to receive Him.

 

Jesus says, "I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive Me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him." Earthly men receive those who have earthly glory. They reject the One who comes with heavenly glory. They do not love God. Honestly, they are not seeking any glory greater than their own. "How can you believe when you receive glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?" How can we believe?

 

Even though Jesus has told them throughout the last verses that He is God, and that He comes with God's glory, and that they have rejected the glory of God by rejecting Him, He has something else to say. Jesus is not their accuser. Judge, maybe. But not their accuser.

 

We would expect to hear something about Satan at this point. Satan is the accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:10). But Jesus is not talking about Satan. He points to Moses. The very person upon whom the Jews have set their hopes is the one who will accuse them before God the Father! When we think of the Old Testament history involving Moses, there were many times when he complained to God that the people's hearts were quick to go astray. He was constantly working to remind them to serve and love the LORD their God. This hasn't changed. As faithfully as he could, Moses told the people to seek the glory of God. The people continue to reject God's glory, indicating that they don't believe Moses. Since they don't believe Moses, a fellow man, how are they going to believe the One who comes from heaven with the glory of God?

 

Jesus is God. The Jews wanted to kill Him for claiming to be God. But He continued to tell them the truth. He mourned their refusal to accept God's glory in Him. But He had not come to be against them; Jesus was there trying to open the way to the Father. Accusations against them would come from elsewhere.

 

Father, even today people refuse to accept Your glory in Jesus Christ. People will follow the most foolish of men's ideas, believing that the ideas are wise. But the wisest wisdom in the world, the most brilliant glory in the universe – people reject this! They pursue their own fixes, their own cures, their own ways of making things work. Help people to see that Jesus is here for them. He hasn't come to destroy them, to make their lives miserable. He is infinitely valuable! He brings Your glory to men! Help them to understand that the pain that comes from following Jesus is directly related to sin – either the sins of others who oppose them as they follow Jesus, or their own sins as they try to hold on to earthly glories rather than treasuring the glory of God in Jesus Christ above everything else! Yes, men have to give things up to follow You. I hurt when I have to make a choice between an earthly value and the glory of heaven. I like the tangible things and people that make me feel good and bring comfort to my life. I have a hard time seeing the ultimate good, the amazing comfort that comes from heaven. Open all our eyes, Father, to see Your glory. Open our hearts to receive Your glory – to receive and treasure Jesus Christ!

 

John 5:31-40

Jesus understands that the Jews want to hear more than just His own claims. To them, His testimony is not sufficient. So Jesus offers other witnesses.

 

Witness #1 – John the Baptist. Everything John said about Jesus was true. They ought to believe in Jesus because of what John said.

 

Witness #2 – the works Jesus did. These works were greater testimony than John's testimony. They were the works the Father had given to Jesus to complete. We've seen several of them so far. Good news is preached to the outcasts, and miracles restore the dying.

 

Witness #3 – the Father. Jesus says that it is clear that the Jews do not have the Father's words living in them, because they do not accept Jesus. This is ironic, for they study God's words diligently as they seek eternal life, but they refuse to come to Jesus to have life – the refuse to accept the very One to whom the Father has been testifying all along!

 

Father, how can we believe the Scriptures to be Your words and yet choose to reject them? Certainly, we can't! If we reject Your words and refuse to obey them and believe them, then we have deceived ourselves into believing we see the Bible as Your words! Pull the deception off of our eyes and teach us to hear YOU. Teach us to see more than symbols written on pages. Teach us to realize that the Creator of the world is talking to us. Teach us to listen. Teach us to respond. Help us in our weakness. May we not reject the testimony that You have sent to reveal Jesus as our way to eternal life.

 

Ephesians

Today I simply read Ephesians. It was refreshing to remember that we Gentiles have been brought into the covenant promises of Israel – promises of which we had no part – by Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is the One who teaches us to know God, and the fact that we know God through Jesus Christ is therefore proof that we have the Holy Spirit, who guarantees our inheritance.

 

One section stood out to me today: Eph. 4:22-24 – "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."

 

What especially stood out to me was that there is a verse 23. It would have been simple for Paul to write that we were taught to put off our old selves and put on our new selves without mentioning anything in the middle. But instead Paul wrote, in between taking off our old selves and putting on our new selves, that we are to be made new in the attitude of our minds.

 

Putting off and putting on, in this passage, seem to be our work. We struggle to set aside our twisted desires and to live righteously, even as Christians. What Christian hasn't wondered how he can continue to be so sinful even with the Holy Spirit having changed his life? Well, that's what verse 23 is talking about. Christians do still live in their earthly bodies, which is exactly why we still struggle with sinful desires. But our change so far has come about in the way described in verse 23: we have been made new in the attitude of our minds. Righteousness is our consistent aim. We actually love God! When we seek righteousness, we do so knowing that we deserve nothing at all because we are sinners through and through. But we do so also with a hope that we will one day live completely righteous lives, a hope that comes from the new attitude Christ has made in our minds by His Holy Spirit teaching us to trust Jesus Christ and the Father. That new attitude is the basis for our righteous actions. We don't do good simply to feel better about our lives. We don't do good simply to avoid pain in our lives. We don't do good just to try to maintain a good image in other men's eyes. We do good because we have a good God who has called us to a righteous life in Christ Jesus, a good God who loves us and has commanded us to love others! We do good because we are His servants.

 

John 5:19-30

The previous section said that the Jews were not only persecuting Jesus, but that the Jews sought to kill Him because He was claiming to be equal with God. Apparently Jesus knew this, even then, and answered them. He certainly did not back down in His statements.

 

1. "The Son is able to do nothing on His own, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son does these same things." Who can do what God does? Jesus claims that He can. He continues the Father-Son discussion, in effect continuing to make Himself equal with God.
2. "The Father loves the Son and shows Him all things which the Father does." Who is acquainted with the works of God? Jesus claims that He is. He sees all that the Father does.
3. "Just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whomever He wishes." Who can give life and raise the dead? Only God. But Jesus claims that He can do this, too.
4. "The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son in order that all might honor the Son just as they honor the Father." How should someone honor God? Is anyone else worthy of God's honor? Jesus claims that He is, and that this is the Father's will, because He wants all to honor His Son. Who would dare to make such an arrogant claim – that He judges all things (and that God doesn't), and that men are supposed to honor Him as God? Especially within the Jewish setting, where they were radically monotheistic and already wanted to kill Him because He had implied that He was equal with God? Jesus. Jesus made this claim. Was it arrogant? Or was it true? Jesus even went on to say that those who did not honor the Son were dishonoring the Father who sent the Son.
5. "Truly, truly, I say to you that the one who hears my word and believes the One who sent me has eternal life and will not face judgment." John's gospel begins by claiming, "In Him was life." Did John come up with this idea on His own? Apparently not. Jesus Himself claimed that eternal life was for those who heard and believed His word, taking His word to be the word of the Father. Life, according to Jesus, is found in Him.
6. "The dead who hear the voice of the Son of God will live!" Same claim again!
7. "Just as the Father has life in Himself, so also the Father has given to the Son [the right/ability/nature] to have life in Himself." If they are Father and Son, both God, and if being God means having life in Oneself, without depending on another for that life, then Jesus is absolutely correct to claim that His particular relationship with the Father (same essence) means that He has life in Himself and can give it to others!
8. "And the Father gave the Son authority to make judgment, because He is the Son of Man." I'm sure that Jesus is here referring not so much to being human (though that is involved) as to being the Son of Man described in Daniel 7:13-14. That Son of Man came from heaven and was given authority, a kingdom! Jesus has received authority to judge because He is that particular Son of Man!
9. What will this judgment look like? "A time is coming when [the dead] who have done good things will rise from the grave to a resurrection of life, but those who have done evil things will rise... to a resurrection of judgment." The final judgment has been entrusted into Jesus' hands, if He is telling the Jews the truth.
10. "I am not able to do anything on my own. Just as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I am not seeking my own will but the will of the One who sent me." Jesus again claims that His actions are intricately tied to the Father's, and that what He does is exactly the good that God wants. Who can live that way except God? Jesus.

 

Jesus is God. The Jews wanted to kill Him for making Himself equal with God. What does He do in response? Does He backpedal? Does He try to explain? "Oh! No, no, no! You misunderstood me! I wasn't saying that I was equal with God! We're all sons of God! That's what I meant! (Please don't kill me!)" Never! Jesus instead responded something like this: "You thought that I was claiming to be equal with God? I'm glad you heard that. Actually, you haven't even begun to understand how intricately my work is tied with the Father's! Here's how it works..."

 

Jesus did claim to be equal with God. He did claim that God was His own Father. Not only so, but He claimed that His words were God's words. He claimed that His actions were God's actions. The Father sent Him; only Jesus could adequately represent the Father among men.

 

Lord Jesus, thank You for coming at the Father's command. Thank You for speaking God's words to us. Thank You for doing God's will among us. Thank You for introducing us to Yourself so that we could know the Father through You. I love You.

 

John 5:1-18

I find Jesus going to another feast in Jerusalem. The setting? A pool called Bethsaida where many sick, blind, lame and paralyzed people lay. The story zeroes in on one, a man who had been an invalid for 38 years. Long time.

 

There's a verse in this text that was almost certainly a later addition. But there seems to be reason for it to be added, so I'll address it. Apparently the Jews believed that the angel of the Lord would come now and then and stir the waters of this pool. The result was that whatever sick person got into the pool first would be made well. I know; it sounds weird. But it helps to explain why the sick people would gather there.

 

Jesus comes to this paralyzed man and asks him whether he wants to be well. And the man tells his story: He has no one to help him get into the pool after the water is stirred; others always get there ahead of him. Whether this has to do with the Jews' belief mentioned above, or whether the man is just complaining that his whole life has been one without many comforts, either way he is saying, "Yes, I want to be well."

 

So Jesus heals him saying, "Rise, take up your mat and walk." The man was immediately healed and did just what Jesus said. This is amazing! Many of us would probably have ended the story here.

 

But John continues and gives more "setting" information. Apparently, the day this happened was a Sabbath. One of the ten commandments is to remember the Sabbath by to keeping it holy; people were to do all their work on other days. So the Jews confronted the healed man, because he was carrying his mat around. His response? "The man who healed me told me to pick up my mat and walk!" Kind of a "what else could I do?" statement.

 

Of course, the Jews then wanted to know who it was that gave such a blasphemous command, but the healed man didn't know; Jesus had slipped away. Later Jesus found the man in the temple and encouraged him to avoid sin now that he was healthy. The man now knew that Jesus had healed him and promptly told the Jews, who persecuted Jesus. It doesn't sound as though they got violent with him yet, but I'm sure there was quite a confrontation involving yelling and "in your face," passionate scolding. Jesus answered them, though, by saying, "My Father is working until now, and I am working." In other words, Jesus did not plan to change His practices. He would continue working on the Sabbath.

 

1.      Jesus heals. 2. Jesus works on the Sabbath, just as God does. But 3 is the clincher; it's what really made the Jews angry. I thought they were angry when they were persecuting Jesus for working on the Sabbath. But no.

 

Because the Jews heard a claim in Jesus' response. When Jesus justified His work by appealing to His Father's ongoing work, the Jews understood that Jesus was referring to God. The Jews understood that Jesus was saying He does what God does. And the Jews understood that fathers and sons are essentially on the same level. Human fathers bear human sons. So logically, a divine father would bear a divine son. Jesus claimed here to be God – without apology! This made the Jews so angry they wanted to kill Him!

 

What about me? Am I shocked at Jesus' audacity? I'm certainly impressed by His miracle. And it seems that someone with the ability to perform that kind of miracle ought to be allowed to do so on the Sabbath or any day. But that's not all that Jesus claims. He claims to be God. And just yesterday I learned from John 4:43-54 that it is more important to hear Jesus' words than to see His miracles; I must trust Jesus Himself, not just His power. Is Jesus God? Yes! Jesus is God! "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God!" "Through Him all things were made. Without Him nothing was made that has been made!" If this describes Jesus, then these miracles are just a tiny taste of all that He has done, because He is the Creator of the universe! So it is important that we trust in Jesus Himself, that He is God! He made my life. He gave me breath. He feeds me every day. He clothes me. He provides shelter, and family, and health, and strength, and wisdom, and discipline, and everything else that I need! He does this every day! He is equal with God! There is no talking back to Him. There is only listening, believing, submitting, obeying. He is worthy of all honor and glory! I trust Him! He is God!

 

"Just Like Daddy!"

This morning when I went it to get Emma up, she had some dolls around her in bed. As I walked in, I thought I heard her say, "I broke it." So I asked her what was broken. She said, "I FOLD it."

 

"Oh!" I said, "you folded it?" I've been folding her blankie (at her request) just before she goes to sleep.

 

She responded,"Yes. I fold it, just like daddy!" Needless to say, it felt good that she wants to be like me. Scary, but good.

 

John 4:43-54

This passage begins with a statement that raises a question. The statement, after the introductory comments that Jesus went from Samaria back to Galilee, is this: "For Jesus testified that in his own country a prophet has no honor." The reason this is strange is that the story following the statement seems to be a story of faith.

 

1. The Galileans receive Jesus gladly, having seen all that He did in Jerusalem at the Feast.
2. At Cana (again), a royal official comes to Jesus and asks Him to heal his dying son. This seems to demonstrate faith.
3. When Jesus tells the royal official that his son will live, the royal official believes Him. Isn't this faith? Isn't this honoring a prophet?
4. The story concludes with the official's entire household believing in Jesus.

 

So how can Jesus testify that a prophet has no honor in his own country?

 

I find it interesting that this story follows immediately after the story of the Samaritan woman and her town. In that story I found myself listening in on an amazing conversation in which Jesus reveals that He knows the woman's life story, though He has just met her. He speaks to her of her sin, and He speaks to her about the true worship of God.

 

But what did I not see happening in the Samaritan woman's story, or in the events surrounding it when the rest of the town comes to Jesus? I did not see any miracles. I did not see people healed. I did not see water turned to wine. I did not see resurrections. I saw no physical proofs of Jesus' power and authority.

 

I saw only Jesus' words and the believing response of a woman and her community.

 

In Galilee, it's another story. Jesus testifies that a prophet has no honor in his own country. When the ruler comes to Jesus, Jesus tells him that he and all the rest of the Galileans will not believe without signs and wonders. And then Jesus performs a miracle; He heals a dying boy. I find the conclusion noteworthy (verse 53): after the father figures out for sure that the time of the boy's healing coincides with the time that Jesus said the boy would live, THEN he believes, and so does his household.

 

But wait a minute. Didn't I already see in verse 50 that this man believed? Sort of. He believed Jesus' words. Galilee had seen all the miracles that Jesus did in Jerusalem (John 2:23; 4:45). The Galileans wanted some of the action. They wanted some of the power. They wanted to benefit from this man, this Jesus.

 

But they did not believe in Jesus. I'm pretty sure that's the point here. Even the royal official did not believe in Jesus until after the miracle. He believed Jesus' words when Jesus told him his son would live. But only after he went home, saw his healed son, and figured out that Jesus had pronounced his son well at the same time as his son had returned to health did he or his household believe in Jesus. Not just His miracles. Not just His power. Not just His earthly benefits. They finally believed in Jesus. No mention is made of the rest of Galilee. Apparently this man and his family were the only ones in the area who put their faith in Jesus because of this miracle. But in Samaria, a woman and her whole town had believed in Jesus, recognizing that He was the Christ, because of a conversation! Jesus spoke truly when He said of Galilee, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will certainly not believe"!

 

This is a theme in the book of John. Earlier Jesus had testified that He would die and rise again, but even His disciples had not picked up on His spiritual use of language (John 2:22). Near the end of this book, Jesus says to Thomas, "You have believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who believe without seeing."

 

That's today's Christians! We have only the words of the apostles and prophets. They testify to us that Jesus did miracles, and they also tell us what He said. But ultimately, all we have are their words. We must trust that their testimony is true if we are to believe in Jesus! We must trust that they wrote out faithfully what Jesus taught and claimed! And then we still must decide – even if we believe that the apostles and prophets recorded Jesus' life faithfully – we must still decide whether to trust Jesus Himself! But we have His words. And we have the testimony of the apostles and prophets, who were themselves guided by the Holy Spirit. Sometimes it feels as though we have so little, but if these words are truly the testimony of the Holy Spirit and the record of Jesus' own testimony, we have great reason to believe in Jesus! The Christ! The Anointed One, sent from God to deliver mankind from sin and darkness! To give us eternal life!

 

Lord God, thank You so much for giving me the words of life! Thank You that, without miraculous proofs, You enable me to believe as Your Spirit teaches me through Your Word! Thank You that You actually honor those who believe merely on the basis of hearing the truth above those who believe based on physical proofs! Thank You for helping me to see the spiritual truths You have spoken to us. May I and all Your people stop clamoring so often for more miracles and realize that, even though it is not a "miracle" in the strict sense of the term, spreading Your word is powerful and effective in bringing people to believe in Jesus Christ! Help us to remember that Your words are nothing to be ashamed of! To remember that believing the testimony of the Spirit is honoring to Jesus Christ and to the Father Himself! To thank You for including us among those who had the opportunity to hear, and to stop worrying about it when we haven't had the opportunity to see! Thank You that faith comes by hearing, and that because we have faith in Jesus Christ, we have the hope of full and true sight when He comes again! Bless Your name for giving us the words of Jesus Christ through Your servants!

 

John 4:31-42

What a beautiful picture! The disciples offer Jesus some food to eat, and He is so focused on what has been going on with this Samaritan woman – and what is about to happen – that food doesn't interest Him. He tells the disciples that He has a source of nourishment already. Of course, I wouldn't have understood what He was saying, either. So when the disciples start questioning who might have fed Him, Jesus explains that He is nourished by doing the will of the One who sent Him and completing the Sender's work.

 

This is directly linked to one of the C&MA's most-used Scripture passages and applies to the Samaritans. Jesus tells His disciples that they should be aware that the harvest time is now. Here, in this Samaritan village. People have sown the seed of God's Word, and now is the time for the harvest! The disciples get to participate in this harvest. They were not the ones who invested in the Samaritans, but they are about to participate in the redemption of this village! Harvesting people for eternal life is the Sender's will that nourishes Jesus; it is the Sender's work Jesus came to complete.

 

John tells us how the harvest took place. Initially, many of the Samaritans believed in Jesus because the woman testified about Him that He knew her entire life. Because they trusted Him, they invited Him to stay with them for a couple of days (which He and His disciples did! Jews among Samaritans for a couple of days!). After Jesus had spent some time with them, the other Samaritans were able to say to the woman, "We no longer believe because of your testimony, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this man is indeed the Savior of the world!"

 

How beautiful! Through the testimony of the prophets in the ancient Scriptures, and through the (distorted) testimony of their fathers, the Samaritans received the seed of truth sown among them. Then Jesus comes and talks to a lowly member of their society, reaping a harvest of fruit by her belief. This woman testifies to the rest of her community, and the disciples join Jesus for two days in reaping a harvest of belief among the Samaritans. Also, the Samaritans initially believe in Jesus because of the woman's testimony, but ultimately believe in Jesus because they have come to know Him! Rejected Samaritans become a part of God's harvest people!

 

Father, I want people to know You through Jesus Christ. I want them to believe in Him. As one of His disciples, I am excited to know that there is a harvest waiting to be harvested. Help me to serve in Your fields, sowing gospel seed where it still needs sown and reaping the harvest where it is ready for reaping. May my testimony lead people to trust in Jesus, and may they ultimately trust in Jesus by their own knowledge of Him!