Read John 4:43-54
In the previous passages before this, John writes about what Jesus had done in Samaria. Throughout the journey, Jesus meets a Samaritan woman and tells her about the living water that only He provides. The Samaritan woman proclaimed to the town of who this man is and what He had done. Many people had believed on that day in the Son of God. It was time for Jesus to head towards Galilee after His work in Samaria.
This is where the passage begins. In verse 44, it states that Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his hometown. Jesus does not stay around in the Samaritan town for long because in order to make the gospel known, He must go to places that have not seen His works. Tie this into your own life. Ask yourself, “Am I only being a light to those who I know well or are my friends?” Take note and act on how Jesus did. He didn’t stay in one place that was comfortable to Him. He moved around and shared the good news to people that haven’t heard about Him.
As we come into the main point of the passage, verse 46 says that he came again to Cana in Galilee where he made water into wine. Jesus has already been here before and has come again to work wonders. This time there was an official whose son was ill. In this story, Jesus heals the official’s son, people believe, and this is the second sign that Jesus did when he was in Galilee. That’s the gist of this passage.
But as we look deeper, the underlying message is found before, during, and after, the events that take place. Before, Jesus had been doing many miracles, healing the sick and needy, etc. Even before the official’s son was healed, the official himself had been seeking Jesus, to ask Him to heal his son. Think. People were seeking Jesus not for what His teachings were, but for what He could do to help themselves (the people seeking Jesus). Are you looking for Jesus only for what He can do for you? Or are you looking for the truth and messages that Jesus brings? Which one is vital to you?
During the event of the official asking Jesus to heal his son, Jesus says, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe”. The Lord is sort of challenging not only the official but also the Galilean people not to rely on the miracles and wonders that Jesus does. Although, throughout the gospels, Jesus does many miracles to show the world that He is the Son of Man, He does not want us to have faith because of the things we see. Jesus wants us to have faith in God, not because of the material possessions He can give us or the healings that He can make happen. Jesus wants us to have faith in God because He is the only true joy and the only thing that will satisfy our soul for eternity.
Finally, after we see that Jesus had healed the official’s son, we see that the whole household believed in the Son of Man. Jesus uses these signs and wonders to show that he really is the Lord. Jesus himself had healed the child after He had said, “Your son will live”. Although the Lord doesn’t want us to have faith in Him only because of the works He does, Jesus healed the sick, was comforting to the needy, and shared with the poor, and performed many miracles. He showed us many signs that He was the Son of Man.
Reflect on this passage more and listen to what God has to say to you. What are some ways you can strengthen your faith in Christ? Don’t just seek Jesus for the works and miracles He can give, but seek Him for the truth. Be a light to everyone as well, not just those you’re comfortable with. Bring the good news to everyone.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Reaping the Harvest - John 4:27-42
Read John 4:27-42
After the Samaritan woman goes back to town to tell the people of her meeting with Jesus, Jesus and his disciples have a discussion about food. Food to us, is a daily need that helps us sustain our energy, and in many cases, may become a kind of pleasure we overindulge in. The disciples see food exactly as we do. Jesus, however, has a different view. In verse 34, Jesus says that “[His] food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” Here, Jesus is saying that his food, or daily necessity, is doing God’s will. In other words, to survive, Jesus must carry out and finish the work God has sent him to do. This is the kind of mind set we as God’s children should have. Take some time to reflect on your own actions and evaluate yourself on how high doing God’s will is on your priority list.
Re-read verses 35-38
In these verses, Jesus is comparing his teaching to something the disciples will understand. He is telling the disciples that even though on earth, there is time until the harvest is ready to be reaped, The harvest in terms of God’s kingdom is always ready to be reaped. Jesus says, “Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest… For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ At this point in time, the “fields [that] are white for harvest” is pertaining to the group of Samaritans that are coming from town to see and hear Jesus speak. After telling his disciples that, Jesus continues to say in verse 37 that it doesn’t matter whether you are a sower (one who sows the word in a person’s life) or a reaper (one who helps a person become a follower of Christ), as long as the will of the Lord is being done, there should be rejoicing.
Re-read verses 39-42
These verses state that because of the woman’s testimony, many Samaritans were led to Christ on that day, BUT after they met Jesus, the Samaritans knew that Jesus was the Savior from what they themselves saw. In our own lives, I think many of us could relate to being the Samaritan woman. We are the ones that give testimonies that lead unbelievers to know who Christ is, and after that step, the Holy Spirit takes over to grow and mature the once unbelievers in Christ. Take some time now to think about your daily life. Are you a vessel that is willing to be used by God? Would you be willing to share your testimony to nonbelievers that might judge or criticize you? And if you are willing to, then what could possibly be holding you back? After thinking about these questions, pray that God would show you how He wants you to be apart of His plans; pray for Him to show you the harvest in your life that is ready to be reaped.
After the Samaritan woman goes back to town to tell the people of her meeting with Jesus, Jesus and his disciples have a discussion about food. Food to us, is a daily need that helps us sustain our energy, and in many cases, may become a kind of pleasure we overindulge in. The disciples see food exactly as we do. Jesus, however, has a different view. In verse 34, Jesus says that “[His] food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” Here, Jesus is saying that his food, or daily necessity, is doing God’s will. In other words, to survive, Jesus must carry out and finish the work God has sent him to do. This is the kind of mind set we as God’s children should have. Take some time to reflect on your own actions and evaluate yourself on how high doing God’s will is on your priority list.
Re-read verses 35-38
In these verses, Jesus is comparing his teaching to something the disciples will understand. He is telling the disciples that even though on earth, there is time until the harvest is ready to be reaped, The harvest in terms of God’s kingdom is always ready to be reaped. Jesus says, “Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest… For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ At this point in time, the “fields [that] are white for harvest” is pertaining to the group of Samaritans that are coming from town to see and hear Jesus speak. After telling his disciples that, Jesus continues to say in verse 37 that it doesn’t matter whether you are a sower (one who sows the word in a person’s life) or a reaper (one who helps a person become a follower of Christ), as long as the will of the Lord is being done, there should be rejoicing.
Re-read verses 39-42
These verses state that because of the woman’s testimony, many Samaritans were led to Christ on that day, BUT after they met Jesus, the Samaritans knew that Jesus was the Savior from what they themselves saw. In our own lives, I think many of us could relate to being the Samaritan woman. We are the ones that give testimonies that lead unbelievers to know who Christ is, and after that step, the Holy Spirit takes over to grow and mature the once unbelievers in Christ. Take some time now to think about your daily life. Are you a vessel that is willing to be used by God? Would you be willing to share your testimony to nonbelievers that might judge or criticize you? And if you are willing to, then what could possibly be holding you back? After thinking about these questions, pray that God would show you how He wants you to be apart of His plans; pray for Him to show you the harvest in your life that is ready to be reaped.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Woman at the Well - John 4:1-36
Read John 4:1-36
In John 3 we met the Pharisee Nicodemus who was a part of a group that devoted themselves to strictly obeying God’s law. (However, by the time Jesus came, the order had set up thousands of rules that actually weren’t in the Torah.) We know in verse one that Jesus’s disciples were baptizing more than John the Baptist did during his ministry. (At this time John was in prison.) Once the Pharisees heard of this, Jesus decided to go to Galilee. Galilee is on the north part of Israel, while Judea was on the part of Israel. In between was the land of Samaria. Samaritans were kind of Jews, but kind of not. They descended from Israel’s fathers (e.g. Jacob), however they were not full-blood Jews. They also didn’t keep many of the commandments in the Torah, such as worshipping in the temple. Samaritans worshipped on mountains, or “high places”. Prophets and good kings in the Old Testament detested worship in the high places, and even tore them down, since that was where pagans worshipped. This, among many other things, was the reason why Jews LOATHED Samaritans. They hated them so much, when they traveled between north and south Israel, they would go the long way around Samaria, even though it took a lot longer, and traveling in those days was slow and abysmal.
This passage contains many points, but I’m going to focus on one aspect of the passage. The woman at the well is eager to know of the water Jesus gives, which will leave the person no longer thirsty. This water, as the Scripture says, “will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” Jesus is talking about the Holy Spirit, who He talks about later in the passage. “A time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem”. Because of the Holy Spirit, we don’t have to meet God in the temple. That’s because all of us Christians are temples that the Holy Spirit dwells in. “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.” (1 Corinthians 6:19). We don’t have to go anywhere special to worship Him. We can worship Him, not just at church, but anywhere. That means in school, at home, or like Tim Tebow, on the football field. As long as we are worshipping God in spirit and in truth.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
It's All About Jesus - John 3:22-36
Before you start anything, take some time to be still and to pray. Let go of any distractions, worries, or stresses you have. Offer them up to God. Ask him to help you focus and to learn from his word. Take your time. Prepare yourself to hear from God.
Once you have done that, Read John 3:22-36
In this passage, we encounter John the Baptist a second time. We first saw John the Baptist in chapter 1 when the Pharisees asked him who he is and what he was doing. In chapter 1, John was baptizing people but in doing so he proclaimed Jesus’ name and not his own (like in John 1:26-27). Here in chapter 3, he again glorifies Jesus and not himself. In verse 29, he talks about how we are like the friends of the bridegroom. Imagine for a second that you’re a best man at a wedding. You dress up in your best tuxedo, you come up with an awesome speech, and you make a big toast. Wouldn’t it be ridiculous if the best man made a speech about himself and toasted to himself? Of course. It’d be ridiculous because the wedding isn’t about the best man; it’s about the bride and bridegroom. The best man should rejoice in the bridegroom, and not rejoice in himself. John uses this example to illustrate how we Christians should live. It’s ridiculous for us to try and draw attention to ourselves because our lives should be about Jesus. That is why in chapters 1 and 3 John the Baptist gives the glory to God and not himself. John captures the whole idea in verse 30 when he says, “He must become greater; I must become less”. Our lives must be more about God and less about ourselves. Are you giving God the glory and recognition that he deserves? Take some time to think about areas in your life that should point to God and not to yourself.
In verse 27, John says “A person cannot receive even on thing unless it is given him from heaven” (ESV). Think about that for a second. We can have nothing unless God gives it to us: no life, no salvation, no family, no friends, no love, no talents, no nothing. The list goes on and on. This shows us how awesome and loving God is because he has given us everything we have even when we deserve none of it. We often forget and take all the things God has given us for granted, but his grace and provision should lead us to thanksgiving. Take some time to reflect and thank God for all that he has given you.
John ends with telling us why our lives should point to him and why we should be thankful. Verse 35 says, “The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands”. When Jesus died on the cross, the weight of all of mankind’s sin was in his hands and he took the punishment for us. Christians who believe and accept Christ’s receive eternal life and certify that God is true. We can rejoice because we are free from the penalty of sin, we will be in heaven one day, and we can have a personal relationship with God. God’s salvation is a gift to mankind, a gift from heaven (verse 27). Because God has given us salvation and so much more, we should be thankful and our lives should point to him, just like the best man at a wedding.
As you finish your time in the Word, take some more time to reflect and pray. What are you going to get out of this devotional? Is it to be reminded that your life should be about God and not yourself? Do you need to be more thankful and not take God’s provision and grace for granted? Do you need to be reminded of the cross? Ask God to make it clear to you what he wants you to get out of these passages and to remind you of it daily.
Once you have done that, Read John 3:22-36
In this passage, we encounter John the Baptist a second time. We first saw John the Baptist in chapter 1 when the Pharisees asked him who he is and what he was doing. In chapter 1, John was baptizing people but in doing so he proclaimed Jesus’ name and not his own (like in John 1:26-27). Here in chapter 3, he again glorifies Jesus and not himself. In verse 29, he talks about how we are like the friends of the bridegroom. Imagine for a second that you’re a best man at a wedding. You dress up in your best tuxedo, you come up with an awesome speech, and you make a big toast. Wouldn’t it be ridiculous if the best man made a speech about himself and toasted to himself? Of course. It’d be ridiculous because the wedding isn’t about the best man; it’s about the bride and bridegroom. The best man should rejoice in the bridegroom, and not rejoice in himself. John uses this example to illustrate how we Christians should live. It’s ridiculous for us to try and draw attention to ourselves because our lives should be about Jesus. That is why in chapters 1 and 3 John the Baptist gives the glory to God and not himself. John captures the whole idea in verse 30 when he says, “He must become greater; I must become less”. Our lives must be more about God and less about ourselves. Are you giving God the glory and recognition that he deserves? Take some time to think about areas in your life that should point to God and not to yourself.
In verse 27, John says “A person cannot receive even on thing unless it is given him from heaven” (ESV). Think about that for a second. We can have nothing unless God gives it to us: no life, no salvation, no family, no friends, no love, no talents, no nothing. The list goes on and on. This shows us how awesome and loving God is because he has given us everything we have even when we deserve none of it. We often forget and take all the things God has given us for granted, but his grace and provision should lead us to thanksgiving. Take some time to reflect and thank God for all that he has given you.
John ends with telling us why our lives should point to him and why we should be thankful. Verse 35 says, “The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands”. When Jesus died on the cross, the weight of all of mankind’s sin was in his hands and he took the punishment for us. Christians who believe and accept Christ’s receive eternal life and certify that God is true. We can rejoice because we are free from the penalty of sin, we will be in heaven one day, and we can have a personal relationship with God. God’s salvation is a gift to mankind, a gift from heaven (verse 27). Because God has given us salvation and so much more, we should be thankful and our lives should point to him, just like the best man at a wedding.
As you finish your time in the Word, take some more time to reflect and pray. What are you going to get out of this devotional? Is it to be reminded that your life should be about God and not yourself? Do you need to be more thankful and not take God’s provision and grace for granted? Do you need to be reminded of the cross? Ask God to make it clear to you what he wants you to get out of these passages and to remind you of it daily.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Born Again - John 3:1-21
Can you imagine what it was like to have met Jesus face to face during his earthly ministry? What kind of questions would you have asked him? How might he have answered? The interesting thing is there's a good chance he wouldn't have answered your question directly, but responded with the truth. We're going to see that in the encounter that Jesus has in John 3.
Read John 3:1-21
Perhaps one of the most famous encounters that Jesus has with people in the gospel of John. Nicodemus. A member of the Pharisees, a ruling member of the Jewish religious class. He comes to Jesus by night. Maybe he wasn't supposed to be there, but he wanted answers, he wanted to know: who is this Jesus?? So fittingly, a man in darkness, comes during darkness, to the true Light. Nicodemus starts off with a pretty obvious statement. Something that he and all the Pharisees agree on (even if later they insist it can't be true), Jesus is sent by God. But Jesus doesn't wait for him to go with circles with their questions, he cuts right to the point. Nicodemus comes wanting to know about the Kingdom of God, the kingdom that Jesus has been preaching and teaching, the kingdom that has come. He wants to know how to get in. Jesus says very simply in John 3:3, "unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." You must be born again.
Nicodemus is obviously confused, and maybe rightly so. Born again? That sounds like crazy talk. How is a person supposed to be born a second time? But Jesus isn't talking about re-birth, he's talking about new birth. He's saying that you have to be born not physically but spiritually. He's saying, If you want to see the Kingdom of God, you've got to have new life in me! That's the simple truth about Jesus' message: God sent His son to restore us to the life God intended for us. That means a new birth and a new life in Him. Have you been born again? In 1 Peter 1:3, Peter says we have been "born again into a living hope." Spend some time reflecting on the new birth we have in Jesus.
Read John 3:16-21
Jesus hammers it home for Nicodemus. He's not just there to teach about God. Jesus is there to save the world. The amazing thing is that Jesus came to save the world because of God's great love for us. His mission is rooted in compassion. Jesus came to rescue us from the darkness and bring us into the light. Have you thanked God for that today? That He sent Jesus to die on for you? His death means we no longer live in darkness but now we walk in the light. That's what an encounter with Jesus does! We may come to him in the darkness a la Nicodemus, but we leave Him walking in the freedom of the light. How will you walk in the light today? Give your day to God, ask Him how He wants you to walk in the light, and ask Him to help you do that.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him (John 3:16-17).
Read John 3:1-21
Perhaps one of the most famous encounters that Jesus has with people in the gospel of John. Nicodemus. A member of the Pharisees, a ruling member of the Jewish religious class. He comes to Jesus by night. Maybe he wasn't supposed to be there, but he wanted answers, he wanted to know: who is this Jesus?? So fittingly, a man in darkness, comes during darkness, to the true Light. Nicodemus starts off with a pretty obvious statement. Something that he and all the Pharisees agree on (even if later they insist it can't be true), Jesus is sent by God. But Jesus doesn't wait for him to go with circles with their questions, he cuts right to the point. Nicodemus comes wanting to know about the Kingdom of God, the kingdom that Jesus has been preaching and teaching, the kingdom that has come. He wants to know how to get in. Jesus says very simply in John 3:3, "unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." You must be born again.
Nicodemus is obviously confused, and maybe rightly so. Born again? That sounds like crazy talk. How is a person supposed to be born a second time? But Jesus isn't talking about re-birth, he's talking about new birth. He's saying that you have to be born not physically but spiritually. He's saying, If you want to see the Kingdom of God, you've got to have new life in me! That's the simple truth about Jesus' message: God sent His son to restore us to the life God intended for us. That means a new birth and a new life in Him. Have you been born again? In 1 Peter 1:3, Peter says we have been "born again into a living hope." Spend some time reflecting on the new birth we have in Jesus.
Read John 3:16-21
Jesus hammers it home for Nicodemus. He's not just there to teach about God. Jesus is there to save the world. The amazing thing is that Jesus came to save the world because of God's great love for us. His mission is rooted in compassion. Jesus came to rescue us from the darkness and bring us into the light. Have you thanked God for that today? That He sent Jesus to die on for you? His death means we no longer live in darkness but now we walk in the light. That's what an encounter with Jesus does! We may come to him in the darkness a la Nicodemus, but we leave Him walking in the freedom of the light. How will you walk in the light today? Give your day to God, ask Him how He wants you to walk in the light, and ask Him to help you do that.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him (John 3:16-17).
Friday, January 27, 2012
Keeping the Temple Holy - John 2:12-25
Read John 2:12-25. Now re-read it and focus on what Jesus is do and the message that he is trying to send.
When Jesus arrived at the temple, he saw, according to verse 14, “those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons and the money-changers.” Now what was going on in the temple wasn’t necessarily bad; the selling of the animals may have started off with the intention of supplying them to Passover guests, and a place to collect the temple tax. Why would Jesus drive them out? Somewhere along the way, the good service that the merchants may have intended to provide degenerated into a lucrative money making business; they abused the temple, and Jesus drives them out. Notice how everyone’s property is still intact—none of it is destroyed.
In verse 17, “His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” The disciples are recalling, “For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me, ” Psalm 69:9. Jesus is the most zealous in the cause for God. How have you been zealous in your own life for God?
After Jesus cleanses the temple, the Jews sought justification for how Jesus, one man, had the power to drive out numerous merchants, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” (verse 18). Jesus answers with, “destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” In the following verse; however, he is not literally talking about the temple, he is talking about his body. One man raising up a temple that took from 20 B.C. to 64 A.D. to finish, is a ridiculous task, though God could accomplish it. However, the disciples are quick to assume that Jesus is talking about it literally and they ignore the spiritual and true meaning of what Jesus is saying.
The Jews believed that Jesus had no authority to take temple-abuse matters into his own hands, unless he is the Messiah. Now we, and they probably knew as well that Jesus is the Messiah, but they still sought verification, and needed more than faith alone to believe. Jesus indicates that his resurrection though will be the sign that will justify that Jesus is the Messiah. Many individuals believed in Jesus when he performed miracles, but didn’t believe in him with their faith. Reflect in your life when you doubt God, and remember that God wants us to place our full trust in him—we shouldn’t be looking for miracles to verify that God is sovereign.
Jesus cleansing the temple teaches something about the standard of holiness that he wants us to have. Think about how you have failed to meet the standards of holiness that God wants us to have for our temple, our body and life; pray with God about what God has placed on your heart through this passage.
Leave a comment with prayers you have, key verses, or key ideas you want to remember.
When Jesus arrived at the temple, he saw, according to verse 14, “those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons and the money-changers.” Now what was going on in the temple wasn’t necessarily bad; the selling of the animals may have started off with the intention of supplying them to Passover guests, and a place to collect the temple tax. Why would Jesus drive them out? Somewhere along the way, the good service that the merchants may have intended to provide degenerated into a lucrative money making business; they abused the temple, and Jesus drives them out. Notice how everyone’s property is still intact—none of it is destroyed.
In verse 17, “His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” The disciples are recalling, “For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me, ” Psalm 69:9. Jesus is the most zealous in the cause for God. How have you been zealous in your own life for God?
After Jesus cleanses the temple, the Jews sought justification for how Jesus, one man, had the power to drive out numerous merchants, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” (verse 18). Jesus answers with, “destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” In the following verse; however, he is not literally talking about the temple, he is talking about his body. One man raising up a temple that took from 20 B.C. to 64 A.D. to finish, is a ridiculous task, though God could accomplish it. However, the disciples are quick to assume that Jesus is talking about it literally and they ignore the spiritual and true meaning of what Jesus is saying.
The Jews believed that Jesus had no authority to take temple-abuse matters into his own hands, unless he is the Messiah. Now we, and they probably knew as well that Jesus is the Messiah, but they still sought verification, and needed more than faith alone to believe. Jesus indicates that his resurrection though will be the sign that will justify that Jesus is the Messiah. Many individuals believed in Jesus when he performed miracles, but didn’t believe in him with their faith. Reflect in your life when you doubt God, and remember that God wants us to place our full trust in him—we shouldn’t be looking for miracles to verify that God is sovereign.
Jesus cleansing the temple teaches something about the standard of holiness that he wants us to have. Think about how you have failed to meet the standards of holiness that God wants us to have for our temple, our body and life; pray with God about what God has placed on your heart through this passage.
Leave a comment with prayers you have, key verses, or key ideas you want to remember.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Water Into Wine - John 2:1-11
Before you begin this devotional, take a moment to pause, and just quiet your hearts. Don’t think about school, friends, or any other anxiety you may have in your life. This is your time with God. As you finish preparing your heart, start to read John 2:1-11.
From these verses alone, we are able to see some of the coolest things ever within the Bible. We see Jesus turn water into wine. Not only is that a miracle, it’s his FIRST miracle. Thus, from this, we can derive many things. However, first off, let us focus on the background a bit more, to a feel for what’s happening at the time.
Previously in chapter 1, Jesus has just encountered Nathanael and this is only a mere two days after that. It is still very early in his ministry, and in verse 4, we see Jesus say “my hour has not yet come”. As the audience, we all know Jesus is our saving grace, the Messiah. However, back then, a lot of people had many mistaken beliefs about the Messiah. Therefore, we can see that the time just isn’t ripe for Jesus to reveal himself. In fact, only the servants know about the miracle, and no one else. The miracle is done very subtly, but shows us many things.
Now to the miracle itself. John tells us that this was the first ever miracle, and as a result, his disciples believed in him. We see that Jesus turns water into wine yes, but even the wine is of high quality. I don’t know about you, but to me that’s amazing. I mean, God’s power is so awesome, so great, that he can just snap his fingers, and bam, water turned into win. Beyond that, we can also see how God provides for us. There was a wedding, and a lack of wine, but God, as merciful as he is, chooses to provide for it. It’s a bit mind blowing to just see these little aspects of God together, that he is so powerful, but at the same time so merciful to us.
Take some time to reread John 2:1-11
Then reflect. Take some time to praise God for everything he has done for you, and for his greatness. Worship him.
Leave a comment with prayers you have, key verses, or key ideas you want to remember.
From these verses alone, we are able to see some of the coolest things ever within the Bible. We see Jesus turn water into wine. Not only is that a miracle, it’s his FIRST miracle. Thus, from this, we can derive many things. However, first off, let us focus on the background a bit more, to a feel for what’s happening at the time.
Previously in chapter 1, Jesus has just encountered Nathanael and this is only a mere two days after that. It is still very early in his ministry, and in verse 4, we see Jesus say “my hour has not yet come”. As the audience, we all know Jesus is our saving grace, the Messiah. However, back then, a lot of people had many mistaken beliefs about the Messiah. Therefore, we can see that the time just isn’t ripe for Jesus to reveal himself. In fact, only the servants know about the miracle, and no one else. The miracle is done very subtly, but shows us many things.
Now to the miracle itself. John tells us that this was the first ever miracle, and as a result, his disciples believed in him. We see that Jesus turns water into wine yes, but even the wine is of high quality. I don’t know about you, but to me that’s amazing. I mean, God’s power is so awesome, so great, that he can just snap his fingers, and bam, water turned into win. Beyond that, we can also see how God provides for us. There was a wedding, and a lack of wine, but God, as merciful as he is, chooses to provide for it. It’s a bit mind blowing to just see these little aspects of God together, that he is so powerful, but at the same time so merciful to us.
Take some time to reread John 2:1-11
Then reflect. Take some time to praise God for everything he has done for you, and for his greatness. Worship him.
Leave a comment with prayers you have, key verses, or key ideas you want to remember.
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