Thursday, February 23, 2012

The Pharisees & The Adulteress - John 8:1-11

Before you start, take some time to quiet your heart and your mind. Take some deep breaths and relax. Don’t let anything distract you from spending quality time with God. Pray for focus and for God to speak to you through this devotional. Take your time, and don’t rush this process.

Once you’re ready, read John 8:1-11

I don’t know if your Bible tells you or not, but my Bible says that John 7:53-8:11 are not in the earliest manuscripts. I’m not sure why these wouldn’t be included or what the reasoning behind it is. I’m sure Bible scholars and historians know all about this, but rather than debate the history of these verses, let’s focus more on what they have to teach us.

This story can be viewed from two different perspectives, and they have different lessons to be learned. The first perspective is from that of the Pharisees. They see that this woman did something wrong, and they condemn her for it, and they are on the verge of killing her. Jesus points out that none of them have the right to do this. I imagine that at that moment, all the Pharisees felt really ashamed and guilty. They acknowledge that they are sinful and have no right to judge and condemn this woman. Often, we are like the Pharisees; we point out other people’s sin, we condemn them, and we judge them when we ourselves are sinful and deserving of judgment. Matthew 7:3 (ESV) says, “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” It’s easy for us to point out the flaws and sins of other people, but the truth is we are all equally sinful. None of us has the right to judge and condemn someone else; that is a right only given to God. Take some time to reflect and repent of any times you might have been like the Pharisees, judging and condemning others when you shouldn’t have.

The other perspective you can view this story from is from the perspective that of the woman. Try and picture yourself in her shoes. You committed adultery, and now you are standing before the high priests, the high officials, and the man who has been performing miracles all over. They’re discussing what do with you, and you’re moments away from being stoned. You are scared, guilty, and silent. You feel small, sinful, and insignificant. Just then, Jesus tells all the Pharisees to back off and he saves you. He tells you that he won’t condemn you, and that you are free. How awesome is that! The verses don’t tell us how the woman reacted, but I think we can all imagine who she felt. She was probably super joyful and thankful, and she probably ran off to tell her family and friends about it. That is an awesome feeling. The even more awesome thing is that Jesus did this for every human to ever walk the face of Earth. We all deserve death and an eternity in hell because of the sins we’ve committed. The good news is that Jesus took the penalty of sin away from us by dying on the cross. He has freed us from an eternity in hell, and he has promised each of his followers an eternity in heaven. An ETERNITY in the kingdom of God. I know that I often forget how significant this really is. My reaction to salvation and the cross can be rather apathetic; I forget how truly amazing it is that we are saved. Instead of apathy and indifference, our thoughts towards salvation and the cross should be like the reaction we picture the woman having: joy, thankfulness, and a need to tell others about it. Take this time remember the cross. Ask God to remind you how important and how awesome it is that Jesus died for you and gave you eternal life. Ask God to lead you to share the good news with others and to give you opportunities to do so.

Which perspective speaks to you more: the Pharisees or the woman? Do you need to stop judging and condemning others? Do you need to remember the cross? Ask God to speak to you. Listen and learn from his words. Let his message soak in and abide in you.

The Big Question and Loaded Answers - John 7:25-53

Read John 7:25-53

When looking at this passage we have to consider the point of reference for the people involved in this part of Jesus life. There are a couple things that are directly involved in Jesus’ answers to people in this section.

1) This whole thing is taking place at the feast of Tabernacles. (Celebration of the period of forty years the Children of Israel were wandering in the desert. Devout Jews live in tents for a week to remember.)
2) Jesus uses points of Old Testament scripture and these faithful Jewish pilgrims will probably be familiar with them.

Having said this, let’s look at some of Jesus’ words. Vs. 37-39. The greatest day of the feast Jesus comes out and talks about thirsty people coming to him for living water that when they drink of it will flow out of them. Jesus is talking on levels: 1) Jesus is quoting from Isaiah 58 on true fasting and the person who believes in God will have a continuous flow of living water that comes from them. For the people to whom Jesus was talking, they would have understood it as the presence and favor of God because the Holy Spirit had not yet come. 2) We also know now that the Holy Spirit is the living water as well, but there are two parts in this. The Holy Spirit helps us to continue living and producing living water, but that doesn’t mean that the original meaning for these people was negated. We need to have the same attitude toward God, and the Holy Spirit living in us helps us. 3) They would have seen the reference to walking around in the desert and being thirsty. God provided the children of Israel water from a rock in the desert. This water was not just a pond it was “living”, moving water. Would people at this feast, which commemorates this point in Israel’s history see the living water of Jesus and once again not recognize God?

All that and more were packed into those words from Jesus. Since I don’t have the space to write more I’d encourage you to look at the other words of Jesus in this passage with those first points in mind. Here are some questions to help:
- Who was looking for Jesus?
- Why were they looking for him?
- What are passages in scripture were God says people will look for him and not see him?
- Why did Jesus elude the people looking to arrest him? Clue: vs. 45-46
- Do people really know where Jesus comes from?
- Where do they say he is from?
- How does Jesus being God change the way we view this?
- How did the children of Israel not recognize God during their time wandering in the wilderness? What are the parallels?

How does God speak to us through our culture and history? Are we recognizing Christ in our own lives, or are our hearts hardened so that even when we see Christ we don’t recognize him as our savior?

Dear God,
Open our hearts to your words. Open our hearts that we can see you and recognize you when we see you. Give us willing hearts to respond to you so that in all things you may be glorified. Amen.

Jesus at the Feast - John 7:1-24

Oftentimes, we impatiently ask God for His plans for us whenever we’re at a standstill in life. We’re stuck worrying about the future and sometimes, it seems that God doesn’t have an answer for us. When these situations arrive, we often can’t grasp His concept of timing, which completely differs from our own. Everything that we yearn for, we want instantly. Take a moment and ask God to show you His own timing and to prepare your heart for the devotional.

Read John 7:1-24

The beginning part of this passage takes place in the days before the Feast of Tabernacles, which required attendance from all Jewish men. Jesus’ friends encouraged him to attend the feast and to teach others by doing miracles. However, in verse five, it shows us that they did not believe in him because they wanted him to be seen as a powerful public figure, which was completely against his true mission. Jesus replies to their requests by saying in verses 6-8, “This is not the right time, I know what I need to do and when I need to do it, and it has nothing to do with your schedule.” He had a timetable that was even incomprehensible to his disciples.

Our lives shouldn’t be centered on getting our demands whenever we want; God has his own plans and timing for us. Though it may be hard if someone in your family is suffering, remember that God uses his own plans to shape us into His witnesses. Wanting something means demanding an answer from God, instead of seeking God Himself who gives the answer. When we insist that God should give us an answer to a prayer, we are off track. The true purpose of prayer, after all, is to get ahold of God. We never realize that all the time, God is at work in our everyday events and people surrounding us. It isn’t until halfway through the feast (around four days) that Jesus began teaching, as opposed to making a flashy entrance at the beginning.

Through verses 16-19, Jesus teaches the crowd on how God should be the one driving the speaking. Jesus repeats that If anyone's heart is sincerely right with God and his intent is to do His will, he will be able to discern whether Jesus’ words are from God, or only from his natural abilities and knowledge. Are we able to filter out the distractions and the false prophets of the world today? In our world today, there are many people who claim to be what they aren’t (think Heavens Gates). Lines 22-23 describe another example in which the Jewish teachers of the law stretched the meaning of the original Law of Moses.

What is God trying to say to you through this devotional and the passage? Is your life reflecting this currently? Take some time to reread and reflect and pray for His word to dwell in you. Pray that we can realize that He answers prayers by His own timing, and not ours.

Hard to Believe - John 6:60-71

In the previous passage we read about Jesus instructing his followers to “feed on his flesh” and “drink his blood”. We now come to see how his disciples reacted to Jesus’ statement and the decisions they made in response.

Pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal the meaning of God’s words as you turn to the Scriptures.

Read John 6:60-71

Upon hearing what Jesus said about his flesh & blood, many of the disciples found his words hard to believe. In actuality, they were misinterpreting Jesus’ figurative statement to be literal. They may have thought, “What? Eat Jesus’ body & drink his blood?! That’s gross! That’s wrong!” Of course it is. That’s cannibalism, certainly not something condoned by the Bible. This did not make sense to the disciples. However, instead of seeking clarification, they were quick to put off Jesus’ words as simply too much to take in. They could not humble themselves and admit that they were not smart enough to understand on their own. What are some things from Jesus’ teachings or elsewhere in the Bible that you have difficulties understanding? Have you sought clarifications on these things?

Jesus, knowing that the disciples were grumbling about what he had just said, provoked them even more by asking them to consider his own ascension into heaven. If a figurative speech is a stumbling block to them, how will they wrap their minds around Jesus rising from the dead and entering into heavenly glory? These things are impossible, unheard of! Just as these disciples cannot understand, we also cannot understand the mysteries of God: His words & plans, His power & glory without the help of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus says, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father” (v. 65). The message of the cross and the things that Jesus taught are not natural to us as sinners; they are even offensive to many! Without the Spirit, we simply cannot understand or accept these things. So if we do have knowledge of these truths, it is not because we are so smart but because God has revealed them to us. And if we have difficulties understanding these truths, we cannot muster up more intelligence to discern them, but we must choose to turn to God and ask Him to help us understand.

Verse 66 shows us that many disciples decided to leave Jesus at this juncture and go their own ways. They are not alone. Throughout the ages and even on this very day, people will choose to part ways with Jesus whom they followed for a little while but have now come to find as too much to take. Perhaps because Jesus demands total repentance of sins. Perhaps because Jesus claims that he is the only way to salvation. Perhaps because Jesus teaches that homosexuality, abortion, & adultery are wrong. Whatever the reasons, Jesus has made them too uncomfortable.

We find that in John 6, there were also a small group of people who chose to follow Jesus then and all the way. They recognized that Jesus had “the words of eternal life” and that he is “the Holy One of God” (v. 69). Jesus also made them very uncomfortable. But they realized that this was a holy discomfort. They were being refined, disciplined, and challenged to become more like Christ, the Son of God. Which group of people are you part of? Remember that the decision is to follow Christ all the way or not follow him at all.

Listen and Obey - John 6:25-59

Whether you are reading this in the morning, afternoon, or night, the time you are about to set aside is a sacred fellowship with the God Almighty. As you go into this devotional time in the word, ask the Spirit of God to teach you.

Calm your heart, and get rid of any distractions. Clear your mind and prepare for “the one who’s sandals [we are] not worthy to untie” (John 1:27).

Review: Jesus had fed the five thousand and walked on water. Now that crowd is looking for Jesus and his disciples.

Read John 6:25-59

Take a moment to go back on what you just read. Reflect on these words. Reread the passage, once, twice, however many times you way, looking for ideas and verses that stick out to you. Don’t rush this process. Go through slowly. Spend quality time with God. Once you’ve finished this, continue reading.


Right away, Jesus tells the crowd that they still don’t seek him for the right reasons. At verse 27, Jesus tells them not to be materialistic, but to see what the kingdom of God will bring. Although one day there will be a physical kingdom, Jesus urges the Jews to understand the gift of immediate, spiritual, and eternal life. There is life that endures forever and ever that can be gained through Jesus himself. He tells them that whoever comes to him and believes in him will never go hungry or be thirsty. The Jews were once again blind and asked how to physically achieve this everlasting food, but Jesus reiterates that all they must do is believe and Jesus will raise them up. If they seek him, Jesus will never push them away. At verses 53-58, Jesus makes an analogy saying that just as eating and drinking are necessary for physical life, belief in his sacrificial death on the cross necessary for eternal life. However, they were stubborn. The crowds knew Jesus at a human level and could not understand how Jesus could be from heaven and have earthly parents. They doubted and questioned the message of truth.

Many times we are so set on the way things should turn out just like the stubbornness of the Jew’s and their idea of a saving king. Have you been stubborn on anything that you can’t give up to God or trust God in? Is there anything God has set on your heart, but that you have set aside or ignored? (the future, relationships, people, addictions). Don’t be stubborn! Ask the Lord and pray to him for His will. Listen to Him and be still.

For just as Jesus does the will of his Father in Heaven (John 6:38) we too should strive towards that goal! Be willing to listen and obey.

Friday, February 10, 2012

He Walks On Water - John 6:16-24

All throughout the Gospel of John, we are reminded time and time again that John's purpose is to let us know who exactly is Jesus. We see who he is in his encounters with people like Nicodemus, the Woman at the Well, and the invalid at the pool of Bethesda. We are introduced to his purpose, his person, and his compassion. But more than anything we are reminded throughout this Gospel that Jesus is God. Whereas the Gospel of Mark focuses on Jesus' humanity, the Gospel of John focuses on his divinity.

Read John 6:16-24

What an encounter with Jesus! The disciples are rowing across the Sea of Galilee and in the middle of a storm, they see a man walking on water. Can you imagine what was going through their heads when they saw him? I imagine they were saying something like..."G-g-g-ggggggghost???" Perhaps one of the disciples peed in their pants out of fear. Sometimes our English translations don't do justice to the scene. If I had to guess, the disciples were terrified! But what does Jesus do? He calls out to them even when he's not yet in the boat. In the midst of their fear, Jesus reaches out to them and says "It is I; do not be afraid." In the midst of this divine encounter, which the disciples clearly do not understand, Jesus' presence is enough to calm the storm, both the one in their minds and the one they were in. This is the Jesus that John is encouraging us to get to know. He's the Son of God who has the power to walk on water. Who else can make that claim? And yet he's also the one who knows and cares for his disciples. He loves them enough to reassure them in the midst of the storm. They might have gotten caught up in their circumstance and missed who Jesus was because all they could see was the storm. But Jesus is right there, calling out to them to know him.

Re-read John 6:16-24

Is the Jesus you know the same Jesus that the disciples encountered? He's the Son of God! Let's not down play the fact that he did something incredible in walking on water. But at the same time, he's the one who calls out to his disciples to calm their fears and remind them of his presence. Spend some time reflecting on who Jesus is to you. He walks on water. He calms the storm. He calls to you.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand - John 6:1-15

My guess is that you’ve heard this story before. I think there might even be a Veggie Tales version of this Bible story. You may think that you’ve heard this story enough or that you know all there is to know, but take a moment and ask God to empty you. Ask him to empty you of what you think you already know, and ask him to fill you up with the knowledge and wisdom he wants you to gain from this devotional.

Take in your in doing this, and once you have done this, Read John 6:1-15

The first thing to note is in verses 1-4. It says that people were following Jesus because they saw what he had done. The same is true in today’s world. When people see God at work, they believe. At the same time, many non-believers argue that God isn’t at work because of all the violence, suffering, poverty, and problems in this world. The amazing thing is that in the midst of all this chaos, God is at work everywhere. Non-believers for the most part don’t see this world in the same way Christians, and no non-believer is going to believe in Christ unless they see the fruits of his work. This is why we as Christians should be abiding and walking with Christ daily so that our lives show the work God is doing in our life and our lives are a light to those around us in a dark world.

In verses 5-7, Jesus asks Philip where they’re going to buy bread to eat. Philip replies in verse 7 (NIV), “Eight months wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” Why did Jesus ask Philip when verse 5 tells us that he already knew what was going to happen? Verse 6 answers that question: he wanted to test him. Jesus wanted to test Philip’s faith in him. Jesus had already healed the sick and performed many miracles, so I don’t think feeding five thousand people is a problem for him. Philip’s answer shows a lack of faith in Jesus and also shows his insufficiency. He could work for eight months and still not have enough money to buy food for all of these people. His works and efforts are nothing compared to what Christ can do, and the same is true for us. When we don’t trust and have faith in God, we may try to do things on our own, but the truth is that anything we do doesn’t even come close to what God can do. Take this time to surrender your life to God. Confess to him if you’ve tried to handle things on your own. Ask that he would humble you and allow you to completely surrender your life because you want him to work in you. Pray for faith and trust in who he is and how great he is.

The last thing I want you to see is how great God’s provision is. The little boy offered up his lunch to God. Imagine you handing over your PB&J sandwich, an apple, some chips, and milk over to Jesus and thinking “he can feed all the people with this!” It takes a lot of faith, right? The amazing thing is that Jesus takes this small offering, and he multiplies it. He feeds all the people and then some; they all leave stuffed and leave behind twelve baskets full of food. How awesome! The point here is that God can use any offering no matter how big or small. If our heart is in the right place, like the boy who offered his lunch, God can take what we give him, multiply it, and do so much more with it. God doesn’t care about how much we do for him because he doesn’t need us to do anything, but God cares about having faith in him and having the right heart.

What is it that God wants you to learn today? Is your life clearly reflecting the work of God? Do you lack faith in who God is and what he can do? Do you have the right heart when you offer or do things for God? Reread John 6:1-15, and then take time to stop, reflect, and pray. Ask God to reveal to you what he wants to fix. Allow him to mold and to work in you so that you can love him more and deepen your faith.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Bearing Witness - John 5:30-47

Oftentimes, we know that we are going to eventually go to Heaven, but we don't realize the many signs in our lives that God has placed for us to act upon His word in the present. Throughout our agendas and daily lives, God wants us to not bear witness to ourselves, but to Him. 

Read John 5:30-47

After Jesus healed a lame man during a Jewish feast, the leader establishment was outraged at him for upsetting the status quo. They believed he was doing good works for his personal image and gain, rather than for the Father. Jesus chastised the leader establishment for not being genuine. Rather than having God in their hearts, there was only pride and ego, their traditions, and no real belief in God. He said to them, “I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain that praise that comes from the only God? Bud do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?" (vs. 42-47, NIV). God knows the condition of our hearts and where our faith is. We can try and hide it and glorify ourselves and say we’re glorifying God, but ultimately God knows where we stand. Take this time to confess to God when you’ve been taking the glory when he should be receiving it.

Through verses 30-32, Jesus says that if he alone bears witness to himself, it doesn't count. But if there is another who bears witness to him, the testimony is true. 

Through this, God wants us to realize the stark-- yet inconvenient truth that we are not to live for others. Sometimes we want to impress others, such as parents to get that perfect ACT score, or peers with shiny gadgets, brand names, and music collections. There is not much fault in that, until those earthly things become our priorities and life goals. God desires for us to impress Him-- to make endeavors in His glory. Even Jesus said in John 5:41: "I do not receive glory from people". Even Jesus Christ says this-- and compared to him, we are soiled with sin. He doesn’t need our worship or glory, but he loves us enough to allow us to be in a relationship with him and to enter his presence by what Jesus did on the Christ. Because of this, we should be witnesses for Christ to reflect what he has done for us.

He calls for us to be consistent, unchanging, and faithful through this passage. We shouldn't forget that God will bear witness until we draw our last breath. When we do good works, God should be the first thing on our minds. His reward is the gift of eternal life and the empowerment of living now. This implies that our belief should lead to good works. Our works show our commitment, confidence, and solid identification that we have been transformed. The Bible is His word in printed form, but it must also echo through our hearts with our daily actions. We can obey His word and principles by doing this. 

Take a moment to pray for God's word and ask Him to let it dwell in us. Pray that we can realize that God is the only one who can give us righteousness-- and that our lives bear testimony as to who he is.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Jesus is God - John 5:16-29

Take some time to stop and reflect. Take a deep breath. Think about what God has done in your life. Prepare your heart. Pray to him. Ask God for insight from this devotional.

Read John 5:16-29

Here, in the first two verses, we see the Jews persecuting Jesus. As a bystander reading, it is terribly easy for us to scoff at the “Jews who were persecuting Jesus” and see how wrong that is. The Jews were clearly putting religious “rituals” or “traditions” in front of what God truly desires. That’s a clear message. Sometimes, we are like the Jews; we get caught up in going through the “rituals” of Christianity, like reading our Bibles, praying, or going to church. These are all good things, but often we care more about just doing it rather than having the right heart for it. When we do our quiet times or go to church or pray, God wants to work in us and grow us. Just doing these things because “it’s what Christians do” isn’t what God intends for us. Pause for a moment to reflect on where your heart is when it comes to doing these things. Ask God to give you a passion for Him and to not just go through the motions of being a Christian.

In the next couple verses, Jesus asserts his divinity. Jesus establishes that he is God, but that he is also separate from the Father. He asserts that he has a right to be worshipped and that “the son also gives life”. This is surely comforting because it gives us a glimpse of what’s in store for us in heaven and it shows how awesome of a being we are worshipping. Furthermore, Jesus talks about eternal life. How awesome is that? Hell? What? We have God on our side and have been given eternal life. I don’t know about you, but I find peace knowing that one day I’ll be in heaven with God because of what Jesus has done for me.

Towards the end of this passage, Jesus once again asserts that he is fully God. He speaks of being the Son of Man (fully human and fully God). Then verse 29 ends with “those who have done good…. And those who have done evil…” That may seem confusing at first, for, after all, is not the way to gain eternal life through belief, not works? Jesus isn’t trying to say that our salvation is based on works. Jesus is trying to say that good works are a light, a symbol of a strong faith. If one were to be reborn in Christ, he is a changed man. Those who believe are able to enjoy the resurrection of life and so their works and deeds should reflect that. Read that line over again, and chew on it. It’s very important to be clear that good work does not bring salvation, but faith alone does. Thus, our faith should lead to good works in order to reflect the good work that God has done.

There is a lot to reflect on and be in awe of. Jesus truly is supreme, and it was this very same person who came, died for us, and gave us the chance at eternal life. There’s also a lesson to be learned in faith and to have love and compassion on others. Don’t be caught up in rituals, and remember to keep your eyes on Jesus. Additionally, in the previous devotional, you read about how Jesus healed the man at the pool. The man wanted to get into the pool to feel better. That’s how we are without God. We struggle to find him. Yet, Jesus, in all his grace, came to us, came to that man, and healed him. How ridiculously awesome is that. Think about that, and then think about this passage. How much more in awe should we be of the fact that The Lion of the tribe of Judah, Emmanuel, The Messiah, came to us fickle human beings, and offered us the promise of eternal life.

Take some time to just sit there, and meditate.

Monday, February 6, 2012

A Spiritual Healing - John 5:1-15

Too often we only go as far as making sure that those around us are physically well. Once we see that they appear to be well, we are often satisfied; however, Jesus calls us to go deeper and to focus on one’s spiritual health. Take a moment and pray with God; ask him to show you ways in which you haven’t gone deep enough with others, that he would transform us to become followers of Christ who truly care for others, and that we would yearn to take after the example that God sets.

Now read John 5: 1-15, The Healing at the Pool on the Sabbath.

In Jerusalem, Jesus is at the pool called Bethesda. It was believed to have waters that were stirred by angels, and that the first person to enter the waters would be healed; thus, sick men would gather by this pool. When Jesus sees a man who has been an invalid for 38 years, Jesus tells him to take up his bed and walk, and the man does. The invalid does not argue with Jesus or claim his words to be preposterous, but he puts his faith in this man whom he does not even know. For us today, it is extremely hard to put our absolute faith in God; though we know how great he is, we still often express doubt. James 2:14-26 talks about how faith alone will die out, and in verse 26, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” Faith is alive, and cannot stand-alone. How have you been doubtful of God recently? Take some time and pray with God that he would fill you with the Holy Spirit and an alive and unwavering faith in him, but that you would also seek him out.

Later on in this passage, Jesus meets with the healed man in private and informs him that it was he, Jesus, who healed him. He doesn’t only do that though, he also says in verse 14, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” The man was physically well, but was still hurting spiritually. He didn’t have God’s forgiveness. But Jesus cares for him spiritually, and calls him to sin no more and to proclaim the truth.

It is interesting to note that Jesus doesn’t make a spectacle of his healing of the man. He does it discretely. We see this throughout the bible in Matthew 9:27-31 (Jesus Heals the Blind and the Mute), and in Mark 2:40-45 (Jesus Heals a man with Leprosy). Instead of appealing to the people and their idea of a strong leader, Jesus follows God’s plan, and lives to bring glory to the Father, and not himself.

Now meditate on how your spiritual well being. Is it alive and well, as God wants it to be? Spend some time in prayer asking God to guide you towards becoming more alive spiritually and for consistency. Also, reflect on how you can become more of a support for others spiritually more so than physically. Finally, ask God to show you how he is calling you to live as Jesus lived a life that he was called to by the Father, and not by man.

Friday, February 3, 2012

Faith in Miracles - John 4:43-54

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.

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.

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.