The Humble Servant
John 3:22-36
In the second half of John 3, we get the opportunity to see how truly humble John the Baptist is.
Jesus is over in Judea, baptizing those who have chose to follow Him. John the Baptist is over in another area, Aenon, baptizing those who desired to prep their hearts for their Savior (they have not yet met Jesus).
John the Baptist baptized because there was water available. Follow his example by recognizing a need, determining if God has equipped you to fulfill it, and then doing it. Do not get so caught up in the big picture. Just ask, “Where is the water at?” and go to it.
Well John the Baptist’s disciples run to him and say, “Hey! That guy is stealing all of our followers!”
I believe John the Baptist’s disciples had good intentions. I believe they greatly believed in the work they were doing for God and felt like there was an injustice somewhere. But sometimes, a friend’s sympathy and suggestions of injustice can be the worst possible thing for us. This can make us feel sorry for ourselves, start a root of bitterness, and even shake our faith in God.
Are you such a friend? Do you put such thoughts against other people in a friend’s mind, thereby sinning and causing them to sin? In Proverbs 6, a worthless person is one who “spreads strife among brothers.”
The Baptist, ignoring the bait to become envious, retorts, “I TOLD you I am not the Christ! If He is baptizing then it means God WANTS Him to baptize.” From verse 27, we can deduce that the children of God do not earn or choose their spiritual gifts. God gives them to us out of love and mercy.
I think that my kinship with John the Baptist is in his contentment with his lot in life. God chose him to be in second place, and John the Baptist is totally cool with that. I am a very gracious, kind, loyal, and loving person. Some would tell you that I am a doormat, but truly, I believe that my calling is to show others unconditional love – even at a high cost. And I’m totally cool with that. Don’t misunderstand – I’m not a “saint,” and I do have my limits, but for the most part, I am totally content with the hand I was dealt in this life.
The beauty of John the Baptist’s humble spirit is the repeated idea that he does not need all the answers. “I just need to help others see their Savior.” Rather than wallow in self-pity because we are not in God’s special triangle, we can choose to live real. Show people what Jesus means in our lives. Jesus never said, “I love you.” He demonstrated it. If you stop telling people you love them, would they still know it?
John the Baptist then proceeds to give a beautiful analogy of humility with the best man’s excitement (not jealousy) for the groom at his wedding (verse 29). Bitterness for another’s success is a dangerous emotion that eats you from the inside out.
John 3:30 is an excellent mantra to live by, “He must increase, and I must decrease.” When you get a promotion, do you praise God? When your child does something remarkable do you give glory to God? When your paycheck covers all your bills, do you thank God for His provisions?
John 3:31 implies that John the Baptist knows his limitations. Jesus has seen Heaven and speaks of heavenly matters. John himself has not seen Heaven and can only speak of earthly matters.
Verses 31-33 are paraphrased in “The Message” very well.
“He sets out evidence of what He saw and heard in Heaven. No one wants to deal with these facts. But anyone who examines this evidence will come to stake his life on this: God Himself is the Truth.”
Verse 36 has two important parts to it. First of all, anyone who chooses to believe in Jesus as Savior immediately and permanently possesses eternal life. Second of all, the verse makes it clear that with belief comes obedience to the Son by using the two words interchangeably. Unbelief is considered disobedience and results in condemnation.
Have you yet chosen to believe in Jesus?
Friday
The Confused Pharisee
The third chapter of John contains one of my favorite tales in the Bible. Nicodemus was a man who had no clue, but yet desired clarity and eventually found it. Though this is not how my Jesus story goes, I feel a sort of sympathy for Nicodemus’ plight. He was old school; he did not understand that even the oldest of dogs can learn new tricks with the help of God.
I can relate to Nicodemus’ desire to understand, though. I too clamor for clarity. Thankfully, I am a little more open to whatever truth is presented than Nicodemus was.
In Jesus’ day, religious Jews were divided into a few different sects. The Pharisees were the “separatist” sect that wanted Jews to return to a stricter reading of the Law. The best lesson we can learn from the Pharisees, I think, is that loyalty to the truth sometimes produces pride and hypocrisy, which of course has the tendency to separate. There are ways for God’s laws to be enforced while still upholding the number one law to love.
Chapter 3 begins under the cloak of darkness. A wealthy Pharisee, Nicodemus, comes to visit Jesus. Why at night? Possibly because he did not want to catch heat from the other Jews, or maybe because Jesus was always surrounded by people during the day and Nicodemus knew his questions required Jesus’ full attention.
Immediately, Nicodemus recognizes that Jesus comes from God (verse 2) by calling Him “Rabbi.” Jesus was not a rabbi, because He did not go through the schooling, but Nicodemus respectfully gives him this title, because he can see that Jesus‘ teachings and miracles are real.
And immediately, Jesus lets Nicodemus know that acknowledging Jesus’ divine power is not enough to become a part of God’s Kingdom (verse 3). According to Jesus, one must be born again - reformed and renewed in mind and spirit by the one and only true God.
“The Message” states this so beautifully:
“When you look at a baby, it is just that; a body you can look at and touch. But the person who takes shape within is formed by something you cannot see and touch - the Spirit.”
Do you acknowledge Jesus’ divine power? If so, have you been reborn? I do not mean have you made changes within yourself to stop sinning. I mean, have you allowed God to transform and renew your mind, body and spirit?
I must admit, as I typed the words “acknowledging Jesus’ divine power is not enough,” I felt a tinge of guilt. Over the last six years, I have always acknowledged Jesus’ divine power, but only intermittently have I allowed God to reform and renew my mind.
The concept of a rebirth had never been introduced to Nicodemus. As a prominent Jewish religious leader, it never occurred to him that he was not already a shoe-in for Heaven. He was religious, wealthy, had the “right” ethnicity, and was powerful, but Jesus says to him, “None of that matters. All you need is to be born again.”
Jesus, thankfully, goes straight to our hearts, directly to our innermost thoughts (see Matthew 9:4 and John 1:47-51). He brings to the surface our confusion and gives us the sober truth, the knowledge necessary to make informed decisions.
If you are not getting the answer to prayer that you are looking for, it is possible that Jesus is reading your thoughts, not listening to your words.
In verse 5, Jesus catches our attention with the phrase “Truly, truly” (or “Verily, verily” or “I tell you the truth” depending on your translation). This phrase always means that the hearer of Jesus’ words has misunderstood and it is imperative that they overcome that before the next step of faith is introduced.
In Nicodemus’ case, he wanted Jesus to simply lead him further along the good path he was already on. Jesus, however, bluntly told Nicodemus that he actually wasn’t even on the right path.
“Water” in verse 5 refers to the Word of God. Thus, a man is “born again” when God gives new birth through the Bible’s Words and the mysterious working of His Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 1:21 and Titus 3:5)
“Flesh is flesh” in verse 6 refers to the fallen human nature that is passed on from generation to generation. This sinful nature can be conquered with a spiritual rebirth that creates within us a new self. (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)
The phrase “born again” is a metaphor that shows the individual has changed so much it is as if he were created all over again. It is not a human achievement. How often have we set a New Year’s resolution only to fail? True change comes from God above.
2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 4:24 and Colossians 3:10 are some verses that talk about the “new self.” We are a new person when we receive Christ through the Holy Spirit into the innermost part of our being. He makes us alive (Ephesians 2:1-5). There are new emotions, new attitudes, new opinions, and new willpowers - even new days. Biblical truths previously foreign become clear and we realize we belong to God. He is for us and we are for Him. This new creation takes place when the Holy Spirit (who might have previously been with us, influencing us from the outside) now enters our body and permanently indwells our being. The experience of new birth is often described as “receiving the Holy Spirit into your heart,” but truly, the source and fulfillment cannot be explained. Verse 8 tells us that this new birth is a beautiful divine mystery that is a gift to each of God’s children, “…like the wind, you do not know where it comes from or where it is going…”
Just like Nicodemus in verse 9, we respond negatively to far-fetched ideas. We are not amazed by simple truths, but instead refuse to lovingly embrace the wonderful, mysterious ways of the Trinity. We resort to science to disprove the logistical impossibility of a loving Creator.
At this point (verse 10), Jesus seems to throw his hands up. It is as if He says, “Look, Rabbi, you came up to me. Do not waste my time with your questions if you are just going to refuse to listen to my answers. I have SEEN Heaven! (verse 13) Do you think I would bother coming to Earth if Heaven was not worth it?!!”
Verse 14 and 15 refer to Numbers 21:4-9 when the people traveling with Moses were (once again) grumbling and disbelieving in their mission. To punish their disbelief God sent serpents to bite them. Once they realized their wrong-doing, God had Moses put a bronze serpent and hung it on a high pole, for all to see. Anyone who chose to look upon the serpent was healed.
Like the grumblers in the desert, we too are saved when we recognize that Jesus Christ, hung on a cross, heals our wounds. The wages of sin is death (Romans) and all fall short and sin. But God so loved the human race that He devised a solution.
He sent His perfect, beautiful only son to die an unearned death so that our sins are forever reconciled and we may spend eternity with Him. (John 3:16)
Merely gazing upon the snake with belief that the snake could heal is what saved the people in the desert. When we gaze in faith at Jesus bearing both our sin and it’s due punishment, so too, we “do not perish.”
Jesus warns people against a real hell more than He speaks of the glory of Heaven. In my opinion, there is indeed a hell - a life everlasting without the love, grace and peace of God. I do not know if there is a horned man with a pitchfork running the place. I do know that Revelation 20:14-15 calls it a second death. I do not know about you, but one death is more than enough for me.
I recently explained to my five-year-old that those who chose to not believe in Jesus will never be able to be in Heaven with Him. That like the sadness and loneliness and fear that a little boy feels when forgotten at school is how nonbelievers will feel for eternity. Regardless of what the actual place called Hell is like, I know that I chose Heaven because I never want to be without the love of my Father.
Verses 17 and 18 often get overlooked by the much more popular 3:16, but I think they deserve an in-depth look.
“The Message” reads:
“God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending His Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help.”
Men judge themselves! Those who believe in Him are never judged. Those who chose to reject Him have long-since been judged.
Ever notice how people are so quick to shout out “Don’t judge me!” That is our inherent guilt judging OURSELVES but being unable to face the shame that sin brings.
Jesus reiterates this point in verses 19-21. He says, “Light came into the world, and like cockroaches, men and women scattered for the darkness. Why? Because everyone who chooses to sin is addicted to denial and delusion, hates light and refuses to come near it in fear that their evil deeds will be exposed. But those who chose to live in truth welcome the light because then his deeds are added to God’s glory.”
Verses 18-20 force us to make a choice. To chose to deny Jesus results inevitably to live and die under condemnation. To choose condemnation shows a greater love for darkness than light. It means you prefer sin and rebellion to truth, goodness and holiness.
God’s redemption is available to all. Unfortunately, some accept and do not, but God’s purpose was to redeem. (1 Timothy 4:10)
Verse 21 implies, however, that choosing to believe in Chris also has responsibilities. It means you believe He is divine and human. You believe He died on the cross for your sins. It means you believe that only through Chris do you have access to God, to Heaven, to eternal life. It also means that you will live for God as you were created to as outlined in Scripture. It means you know and do bring your sins to light - you know that however ensnared in darkness you are, He can deliver you.
John 3:1-21 does not leave us with a positive opinion of Nicodemus’ hopes for passing through the grand pearly gates. But Jesus provides the ultimate encouragement in verse 21, “Take courage. You shall find light and life in Me.”
I once read an endearing biographical description of Nicodemus:
“Although he possessed much of the honor and wealth this world can offer, undoubtedly having lived a good morally upright life, he was unsatisfied…living in a kind of spiritual darkness, he came in the dark for Jesus to give him light. It was indeed a miracle of grace that Nicodemus, who belonged to a group so strongly prejudiced against Jesus, should come at all. A greater miracle of grace lies in the fact that ultimately this conversation resulted in the conversion of Nicodemus and an increasingly bold confession of his faith in Jesus as the Son of God.”
I, too, have been “unsatisfied” the majority of my life. Thankfully, God is gracious and good and has helped me to find a greater fulfillment than I ever thought possible. I pray today that you, too, can find fulfillment in the love and peace and joy of our Lord.
I can relate to Nicodemus’ desire to understand, though. I too clamor for clarity. Thankfully, I am a little more open to whatever truth is presented than Nicodemus was.
In Jesus’ day, religious Jews were divided into a few different sects. The Pharisees were the “separatist” sect that wanted Jews to return to a stricter reading of the Law. The best lesson we can learn from the Pharisees, I think, is that loyalty to the truth sometimes produces pride and hypocrisy, which of course has the tendency to separate. There are ways for God’s laws to be enforced while still upholding the number one law to love.
Chapter 3 begins under the cloak of darkness. A wealthy Pharisee, Nicodemus, comes to visit Jesus. Why at night? Possibly because he did not want to catch heat from the other Jews, or maybe because Jesus was always surrounded by people during the day and Nicodemus knew his questions required Jesus’ full attention.
Immediately, Nicodemus recognizes that Jesus comes from God (verse 2) by calling Him “Rabbi.” Jesus was not a rabbi, because He did not go through the schooling, but Nicodemus respectfully gives him this title, because he can see that Jesus‘ teachings and miracles are real.
And immediately, Jesus lets Nicodemus know that acknowledging Jesus’ divine power is not enough to become a part of God’s Kingdom (verse 3). According to Jesus, one must be born again - reformed and renewed in mind and spirit by the one and only true God.
“The Message” states this so beautifully:
“When you look at a baby, it is just that; a body you can look at and touch. But the person who takes shape within is formed by something you cannot see and touch - the Spirit.”
Do you acknowledge Jesus’ divine power? If so, have you been reborn? I do not mean have you made changes within yourself to stop sinning. I mean, have you allowed God to transform and renew your mind, body and spirit?
I must admit, as I typed the words “acknowledging Jesus’ divine power is not enough,” I felt a tinge of guilt. Over the last six years, I have always acknowledged Jesus’ divine power, but only intermittently have I allowed God to reform and renew my mind.
The concept of a rebirth had never been introduced to Nicodemus. As a prominent Jewish religious leader, it never occurred to him that he was not already a shoe-in for Heaven. He was religious, wealthy, had the “right” ethnicity, and was powerful, but Jesus says to him, “None of that matters. All you need is to be born again.”
Jesus, thankfully, goes straight to our hearts, directly to our innermost thoughts (see Matthew 9:4 and John 1:47-51). He brings to the surface our confusion and gives us the sober truth, the knowledge necessary to make informed decisions.
If you are not getting the answer to prayer that you are looking for, it is possible that Jesus is reading your thoughts, not listening to your words.
In verse 5, Jesus catches our attention with the phrase “Truly, truly” (or “Verily, verily” or “I tell you the truth” depending on your translation). This phrase always means that the hearer of Jesus’ words has misunderstood and it is imperative that they overcome that before the next step of faith is introduced.
In Nicodemus’ case, he wanted Jesus to simply lead him further along the good path he was already on. Jesus, however, bluntly told Nicodemus that he actually wasn’t even on the right path.
“Water” in verse 5 refers to the Word of God. Thus, a man is “born again” when God gives new birth through the Bible’s Words and the mysterious working of His Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 1:21 and Titus 3:5)
“Flesh is flesh” in verse 6 refers to the fallen human nature that is passed on from generation to generation. This sinful nature can be conquered with a spiritual rebirth that creates within us a new self. (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)
The phrase “born again” is a metaphor that shows the individual has changed so much it is as if he were created all over again. It is not a human achievement. How often have we set a New Year’s resolution only to fail? True change comes from God above.
2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 4:24 and Colossians 3:10 are some verses that talk about the “new self.” We are a new person when we receive Christ through the Holy Spirit into the innermost part of our being. He makes us alive (Ephesians 2:1-5). There are new emotions, new attitudes, new opinions, and new willpowers - even new days. Biblical truths previously foreign become clear and we realize we belong to God. He is for us and we are for Him. This new creation takes place when the Holy Spirit (who might have previously been with us, influencing us from the outside) now enters our body and permanently indwells our being. The experience of new birth is often described as “receiving the Holy Spirit into your heart,” but truly, the source and fulfillment cannot be explained. Verse 8 tells us that this new birth is a beautiful divine mystery that is a gift to each of God’s children, “…like the wind, you do not know where it comes from or where it is going…”
Just like Nicodemus in verse 9, we respond negatively to far-fetched ideas. We are not amazed by simple truths, but instead refuse to lovingly embrace the wonderful, mysterious ways of the Trinity. We resort to science to disprove the logistical impossibility of a loving Creator.
At this point (verse 10), Jesus seems to throw his hands up. It is as if He says, “Look, Rabbi, you came up to me. Do not waste my time with your questions if you are just going to refuse to listen to my answers. I have SEEN Heaven! (verse 13) Do you think I would bother coming to Earth if Heaven was not worth it?!!”
Verse 14 and 15 refer to Numbers 21:4-9 when the people traveling with Moses were (once again) grumbling and disbelieving in their mission. To punish their disbelief God sent serpents to bite them. Once they realized their wrong-doing, God had Moses put a bronze serpent and hung it on a high pole, for all to see. Anyone who chose to look upon the serpent was healed.
Like the grumblers in the desert, we too are saved when we recognize that Jesus Christ, hung on a cross, heals our wounds. The wages of sin is death (Romans) and all fall short and sin. But God so loved the human race that He devised a solution.
He sent His perfect, beautiful only son to die an unearned death so that our sins are forever reconciled and we may spend eternity with Him. (John 3:16)
Merely gazing upon the snake with belief that the snake could heal is what saved the people in the desert. When we gaze in faith at Jesus bearing both our sin and it’s due punishment, so too, we “do not perish.”
Jesus warns people against a real hell more than He speaks of the glory of Heaven. In my opinion, there is indeed a hell - a life everlasting without the love, grace and peace of God. I do not know if there is a horned man with a pitchfork running the place. I do know that Revelation 20:14-15 calls it a second death. I do not know about you, but one death is more than enough for me.
I recently explained to my five-year-old that those who chose to not believe in Jesus will never be able to be in Heaven with Him. That like the sadness and loneliness and fear that a little boy feels when forgotten at school is how nonbelievers will feel for eternity. Regardless of what the actual place called Hell is like, I know that I chose Heaven because I never want to be without the love of my Father.
Verses 17 and 18 often get overlooked by the much more popular 3:16, but I think they deserve an in-depth look.
“The Message” reads:
“God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending His Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help.”
Men judge themselves! Those who believe in Him are never judged. Those who chose to reject Him have long-since been judged.
Ever notice how people are so quick to shout out “Don’t judge me!” That is our inherent guilt judging OURSELVES but being unable to face the shame that sin brings.
Jesus reiterates this point in verses 19-21. He says, “Light came into the world, and like cockroaches, men and women scattered for the darkness. Why? Because everyone who chooses to sin is addicted to denial and delusion, hates light and refuses to come near it in fear that their evil deeds will be exposed. But those who chose to live in truth welcome the light because then his deeds are added to God’s glory.”
Verses 18-20 force us to make a choice. To chose to deny Jesus results inevitably to live and die under condemnation. To choose condemnation shows a greater love for darkness than light. It means you prefer sin and rebellion to truth, goodness and holiness.
God’s redemption is available to all. Unfortunately, some accept and do not, but God’s purpose was to redeem. (1 Timothy 4:10)
Verse 21 implies, however, that choosing to believe in Chris also has responsibilities. It means you believe He is divine and human. You believe He died on the cross for your sins. It means you believe that only through Chris do you have access to God, to Heaven, to eternal life. It also means that you will live for God as you were created to as outlined in Scripture. It means you know and do bring your sins to light - you know that however ensnared in darkness you are, He can deliver you.
John 3:1-21 does not leave us with a positive opinion of Nicodemus’ hopes for passing through the grand pearly gates. But Jesus provides the ultimate encouragement in verse 21, “Take courage. You shall find light and life in Me.”
I once read an endearing biographical description of Nicodemus:
“Although he possessed much of the honor and wealth this world can offer, undoubtedly having lived a good morally upright life, he was unsatisfied…living in a kind of spiritual darkness, he came in the dark for Jesus to give him light. It was indeed a miracle of grace that Nicodemus, who belonged to a group so strongly prejudiced against Jesus, should come at all. A greater miracle of grace lies in the fact that ultimately this conversation resulted in the conversion of Nicodemus and an increasingly bold confession of his faith in Jesus as the Son of God.”
I, too, have been “unsatisfied” the majority of my life. Thankfully, God is gracious and good and has helped me to find a greater fulfillment than I ever thought possible. I pray today that you, too, can find fulfillment in the love and peace and joy of our Lord.
Wednesday
Jesus Cleanses the Temple (John 2:12-25)
While the joyful miracle of turning water to wine affirmed the faith of the first disciples, the cleansing of the temple hardened the hearts of the unbelieving majority.
Taken together, these two signs show Jesus’ power to transform ordinary human life to one of abundant joy and his authority to cleanse the religious life that it may be pleasing to God. (See John 2:11, 22-23.)
There is a blatant change of atmosphere between the first half of John 2 and the second half. In Galilee, he was invited to a wedding feast. His commands were obeyed. “We see him as the Son of Man, delighting those in his company with an abundance of his gifts. In the second half of John 2, Jesus is in Jerusalem - the religious center of the Jews. This should have been the place where Jesus was most recognized and desired.” (BSF)
Jewish men were required to attend three ceremonies: the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of Tabernacle, and the Passover. John 2 records the first of three Passovers in Jesus’ adult ministry.
God ordained sacrifices possibly for the purpose of helping us understand that Jesus is “the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.” He needs us to understand that sin carries with it a consequence and that consequence is death.
Those who did not come to the Passover with a temple sacrifice could pay a very pretty penny for one. And sometimes, Priests would tell people they had to buy a different animal to sacrifice because theirs was “unfit.”
Also, every man had to pay a temple tax. This temple tax was required to be paid in Sheckels. Another way the priests would profit from the people was to charge an exorbitant exchange rate.
JESUS WILL NOT TOLERATE SIN WHERE HIS NAME SHOULD BE HONORED.
In Verse 15 we see that Jesus made a scourge. He took the time to make a whip. I would assume that the entire time he was making said whip, he was thinking and praying.
Situations, people, things we cannot control, and sin all make us angry. (I recently learned that women are subconsciously angered by fear and men are subconsciously angered by shame.) Take a time out like Jesus did to get a clear head about your anger.
God instills in us a subconscious knowledge of right and wrong, and with that knowledge come the desire to make right all wrongs. Ephesians 4 is a great chapter in the Bible to look to when angered. It helps to clarify where in your anger it is possible to sin.
If you are controlled by the Holy Spirit, you will not sin in your anger.
In response to Jesus’ action, the disciples’ faith was confirmed. These humble men recalled prophesies they were taught in their youth and recognized their Lord and Savior through His actions. (The cleansing was prophesied in Ps 69:9 and Malachi 3:2-4.)
We see in verse 18, however, that the non-believers, piously responded, “Show us a miracle that proves you have the authority to come in here and act this way.” Instead of taking the action itself as a clear indication of who Jesus is, the Priests, Scribes and Pharisees chose to proclaim their own importance and deny Jesus’ divinity.
Vs 19 is considered a “parable” or Biblical metaphor. Jesus would speak in parables to men who chose to deny Jesus’ divinity. Doing this served two purposes:
1. It hopefully caused non-believers to put some mental energy into their religion
2. It unfortunately sends a message of judgment - refusal to respond to Light result in blindness to further Light (Matthew 13:10-15).
In verse 19, Jesus is speaking about His body as the temple. He does actually give Jews a sign of a miracle in his answer - He foretells of his death and resurrection! The non-believers chose to only use this sign against Him by twisting His words into a threat against Herod’s temple (see Matthew 26:61).
Side Note: Herod’s temple was actually destroyed after Jesus’ death. It was as if God no longer wanted the sacrifices and ceremonies that occurred inside those walls. Jesus is the true temple of God.
Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses argue against Jesus’ humanity by saying that when he was raised from the dead, he was not raised as flesh but as Spirit. Here in John, Jesus says he will be raised as flesh. Thomas believed once he touched the flesh. (Some argue that “My Lord, My Savior” was a flippant, “Oh my God!” But Jesus would have rebuked such blasphemy.)
My body is also a temple, because the Holy Spirit dwells in me. (1 Corinthians 6:19) Do you treat your body as though it is the temple of God? Do you realize that the Holy Spirit eats everything you eat? Watches everything you watch? Thinks everything you think?
Verse 24 tells us that Jesus sees our heart’s desires. “Why do you call me Lord and not do things I say?” The Lord looks at the heart - when he looks at yours, what does He see? The Fruits of the Spirit? Or is it full of covetousness? Greed? Vanity? Stubbornness? Complaining?
It is imperative that we look to Jesus as an example of how to live, not other humans.
The cleansing of the Temple reminds us that Jesus came to cleanse us from sin. Have you acknowledged that you need this cleansing? (See Matthew 22:37 for why we need cleansing and 1 John 1:9 for how to get cleansed.)
Feel free to be honest with God. “Lord, I want _______ out of my life so I can draw closer to you.”
Though scourges are difficult, be grateful. God is merciful and gives us endless chances on earth. Once we die, there are no second chances.
Jesus did not kick a bunch of partiers out of a wedding; he kicked a bunch of religious people out of the temple because they were keeping people from God. If that does not break the stereotypes of Jesus, nothing can.
Taken together, these two signs show Jesus’ power to transform ordinary human life to one of abundant joy and his authority to cleanse the religious life that it may be pleasing to God. (See John 2:11, 22-23.)
There is a blatant change of atmosphere between the first half of John 2 and the second half. In Galilee, he was invited to a wedding feast. His commands were obeyed. “We see him as the Son of Man, delighting those in his company with an abundance of his gifts. In the second half of John 2, Jesus is in Jerusalem - the religious center of the Jews. This should have been the place where Jesus was most recognized and desired.” (BSF)
Jewish men were required to attend three ceremonies: the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of Tabernacle, and the Passover. John 2 records the first of three Passovers in Jesus’ adult ministry.
God ordained sacrifices possibly for the purpose of helping us understand that Jesus is “the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.” He needs us to understand that sin carries with it a consequence and that consequence is death.
Those who did not come to the Passover with a temple sacrifice could pay a very pretty penny for one. And sometimes, Priests would tell people they had to buy a different animal to sacrifice because theirs was “unfit.”
Also, every man had to pay a temple tax. This temple tax was required to be paid in Sheckels. Another way the priests would profit from the people was to charge an exorbitant exchange rate.
JESUS WILL NOT TOLERATE SIN WHERE HIS NAME SHOULD BE HONORED.
In Verse 15 we see that Jesus made a scourge. He took the time to make a whip. I would assume that the entire time he was making said whip, he was thinking and praying.
Situations, people, things we cannot control, and sin all make us angry. (I recently learned that women are subconsciously angered by fear and men are subconsciously angered by shame.) Take a time out like Jesus did to get a clear head about your anger.
God instills in us a subconscious knowledge of right and wrong, and with that knowledge come the desire to make right all wrongs. Ephesians 4 is a great chapter in the Bible to look to when angered. It helps to clarify where in your anger it is possible to sin.
If you are controlled by the Holy Spirit, you will not sin in your anger.
In response to Jesus’ action, the disciples’ faith was confirmed. These humble men recalled prophesies they were taught in their youth and recognized their Lord and Savior through His actions. (The cleansing was prophesied in Ps 69:9 and Malachi 3:2-4.)
We see in verse 18, however, that the non-believers, piously responded, “Show us a miracle that proves you have the authority to come in here and act this way.” Instead of taking the action itself as a clear indication of who Jesus is, the Priests, Scribes and Pharisees chose to proclaim their own importance and deny Jesus’ divinity.
Vs 19 is considered a “parable” or Biblical metaphor. Jesus would speak in parables to men who chose to deny Jesus’ divinity. Doing this served two purposes:
1. It hopefully caused non-believers to put some mental energy into their religion
2. It unfortunately sends a message of judgment - refusal to respond to Light result in blindness to further Light (Matthew 13:10-15).
In verse 19, Jesus is speaking about His body as the temple. He does actually give Jews a sign of a miracle in his answer - He foretells of his death and resurrection! The non-believers chose to only use this sign against Him by twisting His words into a threat against Herod’s temple (see Matthew 26:61).
Side Note: Herod’s temple was actually destroyed after Jesus’ death. It was as if God no longer wanted the sacrifices and ceremonies that occurred inside those walls. Jesus is the true temple of God.
Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses argue against Jesus’ humanity by saying that when he was raised from the dead, he was not raised as flesh but as Spirit. Here in John, Jesus says he will be raised as flesh. Thomas believed once he touched the flesh. (Some argue that “My Lord, My Savior” was a flippant, “Oh my God!” But Jesus would have rebuked such blasphemy.)
My body is also a temple, because the Holy Spirit dwells in me. (1 Corinthians 6:19) Do you treat your body as though it is the temple of God? Do you realize that the Holy Spirit eats everything you eat? Watches everything you watch? Thinks everything you think?
Verse 24 tells us that Jesus sees our heart’s desires. “Why do you call me Lord and not do things I say?” The Lord looks at the heart - when he looks at yours, what does He see? The Fruits of the Spirit? Or is it full of covetousness? Greed? Vanity? Stubbornness? Complaining?
It is imperative that we look to Jesus as an example of how to live, not other humans.
The cleansing of the Temple reminds us that Jesus came to cleanse us from sin. Have you acknowledged that you need this cleansing? (See Matthew 22:37 for why we need cleansing and 1 John 1:9 for how to get cleansed.)
Feel free to be honest with God. “Lord, I want _______ out of my life so I can draw closer to you.”
Though scourges are difficult, be grateful. God is merciful and gives us endless chances on earth. Once we die, there are no second chances.
Jesus did not kick a bunch of partiers out of a wedding; he kicked a bunch of religious people out of the temple because they were keeping people from God. If that does not break the stereotypes of Jesus, nothing can.
Saturday
Jesus Turns Water into Wine
I have had the next couple lessons prepared for a long time, but delayed in posting them. I felt like they were lacking in life-altering revelation.
But as I sit here alone, peacefully enjoying the splendor of my beautiful Christmas tree, rocking out to my favorite Jennifer Knapp CD “Kansas,” praying for a speedy miraculous recovery for my mom, praising God for Mom’s continued stability and today’s joyous news of her ability to eat chicken broth, I am oh-so-subtly reminded that the holidays (Holy Days) are meant to remind us of all that God has done for us.
The Old Testament lists at least eight important Holy Days/Feasts/Celebrations:
Holy Feast Day
Passover
Feast of Unleavened Bread
Feast of First Fruits
Pentecost
Feast of Trumpets
Day of Atonement
Feast of Tabernacles
Each served to remind early followers of God’s amazing grace.
Christmas, whether you agree with the celebration or not, can serve to remind us that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son (John 3:16)…He sent him as a humble baby in a barn to save my lost soul.
The Apostle John teaches in contrasts, like the Proverbs – “the way of the wicked is this; the way of a fool is like that.” He shows the effects of light and dark, life and death, love and hate, sin and righteousness. His contrasts are always connected – light is life, dark is death is sin.
The second book of John is not different. The contrast – joy and anger.
John 2 begins with a celebration; Jesus and his friends attend a wedding celebration in Cana (a town in Galilee). Probably, the wedding was of a relative of Jesus because Mary seemed to hold an important position at the feast. Not only did she feel responsible when wine ran out but she had the authority to order servants to do whatever Jesus told them to do (John 2:5.)
In verse 2 we see that Jesus was invited to the wedding. He was a human being. Some religions infer him to be the groom, because the wine would be the groom’s problem. I do not think that Jesus was ever married.
Wine symbolizes joy. (Note: wine in Jesus’ day was more watered down than the wine we are offered today.)
John calls Jesus’ actions signs rather than miracles. Each sign points to Jesus’ humanity and divinity.
Wedding festivities in Jewish culture last about a week. First there was a feast, then a ceremony. Guests led a processional to the couple’s home where they would celebrate for a week. Jesus saw to it that there was plentiful supply for all the festivities the custom required.
At the end of Chapter 1, Jesus referred to Himself as the “son of Man.” This indicates his care and concern for the simple daily matters that we all face. The first miracle John records, Jesus concerns himself with a humble family in a sudden emergency of daily living. He wants to help with the daily matters that cause shame, embarrassment, frustration, etc.
In verse 3, Mary simply stated the problem to Jesus. She did not give suggestions on how to best fix the problem. She did not take matters into her own hands. She stated the problem and trusted Jesus to fix it.
Mary’s words seem to imply a desire for so much more than a fix to this family’s social blunder. The disciples must have told her how they felt about Jesus - what she had felt in her gut for 30 years. Finally, the world could see his authority and power! “Go ahead, Son, show them who you really are!”
God, however, doesn’t move according to our will. He moves when He will get maximum glory.
Verse 4 - cordial “woman” address begins to separate his tie as her son - she needs to begin to see Him as her Lord. As Jesus’ three and a half year ministry starts, Mary must learn to separate the son of her womb who was obedient to her and the Son of God whom she must obey.
I read in one commentary that the phrase, “Why do you involve me?” was a common, courteous expression roughly translated, “I must settle this my own way.”
The Message, a paraphrase of the Bible, translates verse 4 very clearly. It reads, “Is that any of our business – yours or mine? This isn’t my time. Don’t push me.” Jesus was fully aware of God’s desire to receive maximum glory in every move Jesus made.
“Hour” will be repeated over and over and over in the book of John. (“Time” is used synonymously.) The “hour” is the point in time when his God-given purpose is revealed to the world. He has hundreds of prophecies that need to be fulfilled in God’s great timing. (Luke 24:44) So, rather than declare His amazing power and authority, He quietly turns water into wine. This miracle results in encouraged disciples and hopefully awakened faith in his relatives.
Mary seemed to completely understand that Jesus would take care of this family. In verse 5, she tells the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Do you live by this mantra? Do you believe you should do WHATEVER Jesus tells you? Even if it ostracizes you from your friends and family? Even if you might get in trouble with your employer?
Verse 6 describes the waterpots. They were 20 or 30 gallon pots used for washing – the water Jesus used to make wine for the wedding was not filtered or purified – it was used for washing! (Picture the Holy Water Stoup near the door of a Catholic Church. How many dirty fingers get into that water on a Sunday morning? And Jesus used it to make wine!)
From verse 7, we can realize that true servants of Jesus will have discernment in to the Lord’s plan. Obedience begins immediately. The servants waited expectantly for Jesus’ command and obeyed fully.
When we pray, we must then be open to God’s answer and immediately obey fully. True faith expects God to do something. God answers prayers His way; our job is obedience. The servants dared in faith to bring the headwater and pour wine.
We can exemplify these particular servants by being available and zealous (filled cups to the brim). There was not a committee meeting to call a vote. There was no discussion - they simply obeyed wholeheartedly. Faith must always be expressed in action.
A Side Note Regarding Drunkeness
Some use the story of the wedding in Cana to justify drunkenness. First of all, nowhere in John 2 does it say that anyone drank enough wine to become unable to control themselves. Second of all, just because an option is available does not mean it is profitable. As a “little Christ,” you are required to consider others in all things you do.
Though you have the freedom in Christ to do as you please, I recommend that you abstain from alcohol for a plethora of reasons:
1. Alcoholism is a social disease that affects nearly every person in our country (directly and/or indirectly). Each of us knows at least one alcoholic. Each of us has at least heard a story of a family torn apart by alcoholism. Christians who are concerned for the well-being of society should consider the welfare of others before their own pleasure. To blindly partake in the “drug” that ruins so many lives is to basically devalue the life that God breathed in to man.
2. New Christians, non-Christians and even weaker Christians are watching you. Partaking in the “social fun” of imbibing only encourages others who maybe have not yet decided if alcohol is acceptable in a “Christian” lifestyle. It is entirely possible that the new Christian who is watching you is only recently sober. Paul encourages us to abstain from activities that are available to us if it would “stumble a brother.”
3. When we are weakened by substance, the Holy Spirit within us is weaker also. If we are to be available servants, our minds need to be clear.
4. And finally, monies spent on liquor could be spent helping to change the world.
Jesus used ordinary people and six ordinary pots to accomplish this miracle. Numbers are significant in the Bible.
Six is the number of man and imperfection.
Seven is the number of completion.
Eight is the number of new beginnings.
Forty is typically expressed as a sufficient amount of time. (Forty days Jesus spent in the desert preparing for his ministry.)
In Exodus 7:19, we see that water was turned into blood symbolizing the Law that God told Moses to tell the people to follow.
In John 2, we see that water was turned into wine symbolizing joy.
Water, typically in the Bible, refers to the Word of God.
The servants dared in faith to bring the headwaiter water and pour wine. When was the water turned to wine? Would I have obeyed so diligently, zealously if water was still water when I handed it to the master of Ceremonies? Would I have trusted Jesus?
“You saved the best for last!”
“Best wine” symbolizes the new joy of the gospel Jesus came to bring into the common life. (Luke 5:38.)
Manifesting His power first at a wedding symbolizes that when he is given his rightful place in family life, blessings will follow. Often, blessing is in proportion to the obedience of faith.
With Jesus, the best always comes last. We receive blessings on Earth, but our reward is in Heaven.
This Christmas, make sure Jesus is given His rightful place in your celebrations.
But as I sit here alone, peacefully enjoying the splendor of my beautiful Christmas tree, rocking out to my favorite Jennifer Knapp CD “Kansas,” praying for a speedy miraculous recovery for my mom, praising God for Mom’s continued stability and today’s joyous news of her ability to eat chicken broth, I am oh-so-subtly reminded that the holidays (Holy Days) are meant to remind us of all that God has done for us.
The Old Testament lists at least eight important Holy Days/Feasts/Celebrations:
Holy Feast Day
Passover
Feast of Unleavened Bread
Feast of First Fruits
Pentecost
Feast of Trumpets
Day of Atonement
Feast of Tabernacles
Each served to remind early followers of God’s amazing grace.
Christmas, whether you agree with the celebration or not, can serve to remind us that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son (John 3:16)…He sent him as a humble baby in a barn to save my lost soul.
The Apostle John teaches in contrasts, like the Proverbs – “the way of the wicked is this; the way of a fool is like that.” He shows the effects of light and dark, life and death, love and hate, sin and righteousness. His contrasts are always connected – light is life, dark is death is sin.
The second book of John is not different. The contrast – joy and anger.
John 2 begins with a celebration; Jesus and his friends attend a wedding celebration in Cana (a town in Galilee). Probably, the wedding was of a relative of Jesus because Mary seemed to hold an important position at the feast. Not only did she feel responsible when wine ran out but she had the authority to order servants to do whatever Jesus told them to do (John 2:5.)
In verse 2 we see that Jesus was invited to the wedding. He was a human being. Some religions infer him to be the groom, because the wine would be the groom’s problem. I do not think that Jesus was ever married.
Wine symbolizes joy. (Note: wine in Jesus’ day was more watered down than the wine we are offered today.)
John calls Jesus’ actions signs rather than miracles. Each sign points to Jesus’ humanity and divinity.
Wedding festivities in Jewish culture last about a week. First there was a feast, then a ceremony. Guests led a processional to the couple’s home where they would celebrate for a week. Jesus saw to it that there was plentiful supply for all the festivities the custom required.
At the end of Chapter 1, Jesus referred to Himself as the “son of Man.” This indicates his care and concern for the simple daily matters that we all face. The first miracle John records, Jesus concerns himself with a humble family in a sudden emergency of daily living. He wants to help with the daily matters that cause shame, embarrassment, frustration, etc.
In verse 3, Mary simply stated the problem to Jesus. She did not give suggestions on how to best fix the problem. She did not take matters into her own hands. She stated the problem and trusted Jesus to fix it.
Mary’s words seem to imply a desire for so much more than a fix to this family’s social blunder. The disciples must have told her how they felt about Jesus - what she had felt in her gut for 30 years. Finally, the world could see his authority and power! “Go ahead, Son, show them who you really are!”
God, however, doesn’t move according to our will. He moves when He will get maximum glory.
Verse 4 - cordial “woman” address begins to separate his tie as her son - she needs to begin to see Him as her Lord. As Jesus’ three and a half year ministry starts, Mary must learn to separate the son of her womb who was obedient to her and the Son of God whom she must obey.
I read in one commentary that the phrase, “Why do you involve me?” was a common, courteous expression roughly translated, “I must settle this my own way.”
The Message, a paraphrase of the Bible, translates verse 4 very clearly. It reads, “Is that any of our business – yours or mine? This isn’t my time. Don’t push me.” Jesus was fully aware of God’s desire to receive maximum glory in every move Jesus made.
“Hour” will be repeated over and over and over in the book of John. (“Time” is used synonymously.) The “hour” is the point in time when his God-given purpose is revealed to the world. He has hundreds of prophecies that need to be fulfilled in God’s great timing. (Luke 24:44) So, rather than declare His amazing power and authority, He quietly turns water into wine. This miracle results in encouraged disciples and hopefully awakened faith in his relatives.
Mary seemed to completely understand that Jesus would take care of this family. In verse 5, she tells the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Do you live by this mantra? Do you believe you should do WHATEVER Jesus tells you? Even if it ostracizes you from your friends and family? Even if you might get in trouble with your employer?
Verse 6 describes the waterpots. They were 20 or 30 gallon pots used for washing – the water Jesus used to make wine for the wedding was not filtered or purified – it was used for washing! (Picture the Holy Water Stoup near the door of a Catholic Church. How many dirty fingers get into that water on a Sunday morning? And Jesus used it to make wine!)
From verse 7, we can realize that true servants of Jesus will have discernment in to the Lord’s plan. Obedience begins immediately. The servants waited expectantly for Jesus’ command and obeyed fully.
When we pray, we must then be open to God’s answer and immediately obey fully. True faith expects God to do something. God answers prayers His way; our job is obedience. The servants dared in faith to bring the headwater and pour wine.
We can exemplify these particular servants by being available and zealous (filled cups to the brim). There was not a committee meeting to call a vote. There was no discussion - they simply obeyed wholeheartedly. Faith must always be expressed in action.
A Side Note Regarding Drunkeness
Some use the story of the wedding in Cana to justify drunkenness. First of all, nowhere in John 2 does it say that anyone drank enough wine to become unable to control themselves. Second of all, just because an option is available does not mean it is profitable. As a “little Christ,” you are required to consider others in all things you do.
Though you have the freedom in Christ to do as you please, I recommend that you abstain from alcohol for a plethora of reasons:
1. Alcoholism is a social disease that affects nearly every person in our country (directly and/or indirectly). Each of us knows at least one alcoholic. Each of us has at least heard a story of a family torn apart by alcoholism. Christians who are concerned for the well-being of society should consider the welfare of others before their own pleasure. To blindly partake in the “drug” that ruins so many lives is to basically devalue the life that God breathed in to man.
2. New Christians, non-Christians and even weaker Christians are watching you. Partaking in the “social fun” of imbibing only encourages others who maybe have not yet decided if alcohol is acceptable in a “Christian” lifestyle. It is entirely possible that the new Christian who is watching you is only recently sober. Paul encourages us to abstain from activities that are available to us if it would “stumble a brother.”
3. When we are weakened by substance, the Holy Spirit within us is weaker also. If we are to be available servants, our minds need to be clear.
4. And finally, monies spent on liquor could be spent helping to change the world.
Jesus used ordinary people and six ordinary pots to accomplish this miracle. Numbers are significant in the Bible.
Six is the number of man and imperfection.
Seven is the number of completion.
Eight is the number of new beginnings.
Forty is typically expressed as a sufficient amount of time. (Forty days Jesus spent in the desert preparing for his ministry.)
In Exodus 7:19, we see that water was turned into blood symbolizing the Law that God told Moses to tell the people to follow.
In John 2, we see that water was turned into wine symbolizing joy.
Water, typically in the Bible, refers to the Word of God.
The servants dared in faith to bring the headwaiter water and pour wine. When was the water turned to wine? Would I have obeyed so diligently, zealously if water was still water when I handed it to the master of Ceremonies? Would I have trusted Jesus?
“You saved the best for last!”
“Best wine” symbolizes the new joy of the gospel Jesus came to bring into the common life. (Luke 5:38.)
Manifesting His power first at a wedding symbolizes that when he is given his rightful place in family life, blessings will follow. Often, blessing is in proportion to the obedience of faith.
With Jesus, the best always comes last. We receive blessings on Earth, but our reward is in Heaven.
This Christmas, make sure Jesus is given His rightful place in your celebrations.
John the Revelator
A quick break in the studies for a related blog...
There is an song that I first heard first on the Season 1 finale of the show Sons of Anarchy (FX).
Initially, I liked the song, because it had a cool old southern bluesy gospel feel (think "Soggy Bottom" from "O Brother Where Art Thou?"). I liked it also, because based on the story line of the show, it invokes the feeling of rebellion and standing for what is right and independence and truth.
We bought the Sons of Anarchy CD off iTunes the day it was released (we're mildly obsessed with the AMAZING show). The song, "John the Revelator" was on there :)
I've listened to that song repeatedly since September 8th, and I must admit, that song is about so much more than rebellion and integrity and independence and truth.
Here are the lyrics from Wikipedia
Who's that writin'? [response] John the Revelator
Tell me who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Tell me who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Wrote the book of the seven seals
Who's that writin'? [response] John the Revelator
Tell me who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Well who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Wrote the book of the seven seals
You know God walked down in the cool of the day
Called Adam by his name
But he refused to answer
Because he's naked and ashamed
You know Christ had twelve apostles
And three he led away
He said, "Watch with me one hour,
'till I go yonder and pray."
Christ came on Easter morning
Mary and Martha went down to see
He said, "Go tell my disciples
To meet me in Galilee."
The phrase "John the Revelator" refers to none other than our wonderful Apostle John, St. John, the Disciple Whom Jesus Loved. Remember, he wrote the book of Revelation. He revealed to the world a revelation given unto him by none other than God (see Revelation 1:1-3)
"Seven Seals" See Revelation 5:1
The first verse refers to the fall of man, when Adam tried to hide from God in the Garden of Eden.
The second verse refers to the time in the Garden of Gethsemane when the disciples fell asleep instead of praying with Jesus. (See Passion of the Christ and Agony in the Garden for additional information.)
The third verse refers to the Resurrection of the Christ - the foundation of all things Christianity - our hope and proof in the eternal life.
This Biblically-dense song covers four major aspects of God's story for us - the fall (which got us here in the first place), the crucifixion (which gets us out of the fall), the resurrection (which proves life eternal), and the final revelation of Christ's glory (our eternal life).
How the writer's were able to do it, I will never know. I'm not much of a poet, so I couldn't even try to get that much theology in three verses and a chorus.
I pray that you can find the time to listen to and mediate on this wonderful song that encompasses all things Christ.
For another great song, look up "The Apostle's Creed" by Third Day.
There is an song that I first heard first on the Season 1 finale of the show Sons of Anarchy (FX).
Initially, I liked the song, because it had a cool old southern bluesy gospel feel (think "Soggy Bottom" from "O Brother Where Art Thou?"). I liked it also, because based on the story line of the show, it invokes the feeling of rebellion and standing for what is right and independence and truth.
We bought the Sons of Anarchy CD off iTunes the day it was released (we're mildly obsessed with the AMAZING show). The song, "John the Revelator" was on there :)
I've listened to that song repeatedly since September 8th, and I must admit, that song is about so much more than rebellion and integrity and independence and truth.
Here are the lyrics from Wikipedia
Who's that writin'? [response] John the Revelator
Tell me who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Tell me who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Wrote the book of the seven seals
Who's that writin'? [response] John the Revelator
Tell me who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Well who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Wrote the book of the seven seals
You know God walked down in the cool of the day
Called Adam by his name
But he refused to answer
Because he's naked and ashamed
You know Christ had twelve apostles
And three he led away
He said, "Watch with me one hour,
'till I go yonder and pray."
Christ came on Easter morning
Mary and Martha went down to see
He said, "Go tell my disciples
To meet me in Galilee."
The phrase "John the Revelator" refers to none other than our wonderful Apostle John, St. John, the Disciple Whom Jesus Loved. Remember, he wrote the book of Revelation. He revealed to the world a revelation given unto him by none other than God (see Revelation 1:1-3)
"Seven Seals" See Revelation 5:1
The first verse refers to the fall of man, when Adam tried to hide from God in the Garden of Eden.
The second verse refers to the time in the Garden of Gethsemane when the disciples fell asleep instead of praying with Jesus. (See Passion of the Christ and Agony in the Garden for additional information.)
The third verse refers to the Resurrection of the Christ - the foundation of all things Christianity - our hope and proof in the eternal life.
This Biblically-dense song covers four major aspects of God's story for us - the fall (which got us here in the first place), the crucifixion (which gets us out of the fall), the resurrection (which proves life eternal), and the final revelation of Christ's glory (our eternal life).
How the writer's were able to do it, I will never know. I'm not much of a poet, so I couldn't even try to get that much theology in three verses and a chorus.
I pray that you can find the time to listen to and mediate on this wonderful song that encompasses all things Christ.
For another great song, look up "The Apostle's Creed" by Third Day.
Thursday
The Week of Disciples John 1:35-51
The true nature of Christianity is to follow Jesus. It is literally translated “little Christs.” The term “Christian” was originally derogatory – “Oh, look at the little Christs, trying to be all they can be…” But that is exactly what Christians should strive for. When people see me, hear me, or work with me, whenever someone comes in contact with me, I want for them to recognize Christ. I have to ask myself, “When I speak, do people follow me or Jesus?”
The Relationships Start
Andrew and John were baptized by John the Baptist, they followed him for a time, but they were not satisfied hearing about their Savior by another. They desired a direct relationship with the Christ. In Ecclesiastes 3:11, Solomon tells us that each man has a God-shaped hole in his heart. Each man desires to know God, to know about eternity, but really each of us needs to experience Christ for ourselves.
For example, listening to me tell you all about what’s in the Bible does not give you a relationship with Christ – it gives you a relationship with me. You need to take what I say, talk to God about it, chew it over in your mind while you’re walking or doing laundry or whatever. Talk with God. Your relationship with God is your own – you cannot live vicariously through my relationship. I cannot get you into Heaven.
It seems Andrew and John were too shy to speak directly to Jesus, so they just followed respectfully behind Him. They trusted that Jesus would somehow make the next move. In verse 38, He did. Jesus always meets us halfway when our honest desires force us to act. We can talk to Him without fear and know that He will turn and speak to us.
The most interesting part about Jesus’ response to them is that He made them think. He meets us where we are because He knows we are nervous and unsure, but He also does not let us stay that way. He essentially says, “I’ve met you where you are, now what do you want?”
In response to Jesus, John & Andrew said they wanted more than just some religion in their lives. They wanted to enter his House, talk to Him and learn from Him. They wanted Jesus so they said, “Where are you staying? (We want to come with you).”
Verse 41 - Every time Andrew is singled out in the four gospels, he is bringing someone to meet Jesus. He isn’t pushy; he says, “Just come, check Him out.” And people do.
Verse 42 - Jesus looked at Simon. The original Greek word describes a special, very concentrated and penetrating gaze that would pierce the core of Simon’s soul. “You are Simon.” This statement by Jesus points to present, natural personality and character. In New Testament, we often see Peter as violent, temperamental and erratic. Whenever his weaknesses were evident Jesus calls him “Simon”. Peter was unstable, but Jesus saw the finished product. (See also Philippians 1:6.)
Simon’s relationship to God through Christ would eventually change his whole personality. Jesus knew this, so He changed his name to Peter – Rock. Name change often signifies a relationship change with God. (Abrahm to Abraham, Jacob to Israel and Saul to Paul are the most famous name changes.)
Not in the Book of John, but in Acts and both of Peter’s epistles, we see the changed man. He became bold, patient and faithful. God doesn’t always add goodness. Sometimes, He takes away sin to simply uncover the good. Like a woodcarver, He can see the chunk of wood as it will appear when extra wood is carved away.
Simon’s experience is quite common today. We come to God as we are. He knows the best and the worst. He accepts us as we are. He then slowly but continually molds us to be “little Christs.” I was once was Leslie Galster. When God saw it fit to make a change, He changed my name, and I have never been Leslie Galster since.
In verse 43, Jesus invited Phillip to follow Him. Then Phillip shared his experience with Nathanael – whose name eventually became Bartholomew.
The first 5 disciples begin their relationships with Jesus in various ways:
• John and Andrew followed at witness of John the Baptist. “This is He.”
• Simon Peter found Jesus through his brother, Andrew’s, witness. “Come see.”
• Phillip was invited by God Himself.
• Nathanael found Jesus through his friend, Phillip’s, witness. “He fulfills the prophecy.”
There is no specific formula to becoming a Christian. Some try to create one, like baptism or a specific 10-word prayer, but there is none. It’s all God’s plan, God’s timing and truthfully, it’s all God’s judgment.
Nathanael
In Verse 45, Phillip refers to an Old Testament prophecy regarding the coming Messiah. He must have figured that the best way to interest his friend was through OT prophecy. Gen 3:15, Gen 22:18, 49:10, Numbers 24:17, Deut 18:15 were some of the ones Moses wrote.
There is debate about why Nazareth has a negative image. Some say it is from lackluster morals, other say it is because there was a Roman army fort there. Either way, it was no great city, and obviously it would seem that a man who was going to save the world would come from someplace much better.
Nathanael also was probably focusing on the prophecy that Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. (See Micah 5:2)
And yet, with all his Biblical knowledge, Nathanael was open to being convinced if sufficient proof was shown to him. Phillip did not abandon his faith when his friend started asking questions. And Nathanael didn’t allow stereotypes to keep him from the truth.
Nathanael was definitely a man of questions and even doubts, but he did not use those as an excuse for rebellion and hatred for God. Nathanael used his questions and doubts as motivation to seek the truth – not hid from it.
Verse 48 talks about fig trees. Fig trees were very shady. Jewish men would often sit under them and meditate. Jesus’ demonstration of omniscience was all Nathanael needed to confirm that Jesus was no mere man. The Lord loves us so much; He always knows where we are, and exactly what we need.
And then out of the blue, Nathanael, the skeptic, leapt to a higher level of faith than any had been before – “You are the Son of God.” He concluded that Jesus is at least partially from God. If Jesus is partially from God, we must be able to trust the things He says.
Jesus responds by saying that He is the Son of Man. So, not only does he accept Nathanael’s claim to be the Son of God, or partially godly, Jesus adds to that by saying He is also partially man. Here, in the first chapter of this book, Jesus makes us decide – Is Jesus half God and half man? If we choose not to believe that, then anything else Jesus says is a lie.
I Am
As the men got to know Jesus, their appreciation for Him grew. The more time we spend getting to know Christ, the more we will be able to appreciate and relate to Him. The more we will be able to see that He really does understand where we are coming from, what we are talking about, what we are struggling through. One of my favorite activities with my Bible is to recognize and meditate on all the names there are for God.
Names for Jesus in Chapter 1:
The Word
God
The Creator
The Light
The Only Begotten Son
The Lamb of God
Jesus Christ
The Son of God
The Messiah
The King of Israel
The Son of Man
I challenge you, also, to consider this week the name of God that relates to you.
Next: John 2 Jesus turns water into Wine
The Relationships Start
Andrew and John were baptized by John the Baptist, they followed him for a time, but they were not satisfied hearing about their Savior by another. They desired a direct relationship with the Christ. In Ecclesiastes 3:11, Solomon tells us that each man has a God-shaped hole in his heart. Each man desires to know God, to know about eternity, but really each of us needs to experience Christ for ourselves.
For example, listening to me tell you all about what’s in the Bible does not give you a relationship with Christ – it gives you a relationship with me. You need to take what I say, talk to God about it, chew it over in your mind while you’re walking or doing laundry or whatever. Talk with God. Your relationship with God is your own – you cannot live vicariously through my relationship. I cannot get you into Heaven.
It seems Andrew and John were too shy to speak directly to Jesus, so they just followed respectfully behind Him. They trusted that Jesus would somehow make the next move. In verse 38, He did. Jesus always meets us halfway when our honest desires force us to act. We can talk to Him without fear and know that He will turn and speak to us.
The most interesting part about Jesus’ response to them is that He made them think. He meets us where we are because He knows we are nervous and unsure, but He also does not let us stay that way. He essentially says, “I’ve met you where you are, now what do you want?”
In response to Jesus, John & Andrew said they wanted more than just some religion in their lives. They wanted to enter his House, talk to Him and learn from Him. They wanted Jesus so they said, “Where are you staying? (We want to come with you).”
Verse 41 - Every time Andrew is singled out in the four gospels, he is bringing someone to meet Jesus. He isn’t pushy; he says, “Just come, check Him out.” And people do.
Verse 42 - Jesus looked at Simon. The original Greek word describes a special, very concentrated and penetrating gaze that would pierce the core of Simon’s soul. “You are Simon.” This statement by Jesus points to present, natural personality and character. In New Testament, we often see Peter as violent, temperamental and erratic. Whenever his weaknesses were evident Jesus calls him “Simon”. Peter was unstable, but Jesus saw the finished product. (See also Philippians 1:6.)
Simon’s relationship to God through Christ would eventually change his whole personality. Jesus knew this, so He changed his name to Peter – Rock. Name change often signifies a relationship change with God. (Abrahm to Abraham, Jacob to Israel and Saul to Paul are the most famous name changes.)
Not in the Book of John, but in Acts and both of Peter’s epistles, we see the changed man. He became bold, patient and faithful. God doesn’t always add goodness. Sometimes, He takes away sin to simply uncover the good. Like a woodcarver, He can see the chunk of wood as it will appear when extra wood is carved away.
Simon’s experience is quite common today. We come to God as we are. He knows the best and the worst. He accepts us as we are. He then slowly but continually molds us to be “little Christs.” I was once was Leslie Galster. When God saw it fit to make a change, He changed my name, and I have never been Leslie Galster since.
In verse 43, Jesus invited Phillip to follow Him. Then Phillip shared his experience with Nathanael – whose name eventually became Bartholomew.
The first 5 disciples begin their relationships with Jesus in various ways:
• John and Andrew followed at witness of John the Baptist. “This is He.”
• Simon Peter found Jesus through his brother, Andrew’s, witness. “Come see.”
• Phillip was invited by God Himself.
• Nathanael found Jesus through his friend, Phillip’s, witness. “He fulfills the prophecy.”
There is no specific formula to becoming a Christian. Some try to create one, like baptism or a specific 10-word prayer, but there is none. It’s all God’s plan, God’s timing and truthfully, it’s all God’s judgment.
Nathanael
In Verse 45, Phillip refers to an Old Testament prophecy regarding the coming Messiah. He must have figured that the best way to interest his friend was through OT prophecy. Gen 3:15, Gen 22:18, 49:10, Numbers 24:17, Deut 18:15 were some of the ones Moses wrote.
There is debate about why Nazareth has a negative image. Some say it is from lackluster morals, other say it is because there was a Roman army fort there. Either way, it was no great city, and obviously it would seem that a man who was going to save the world would come from someplace much better.
Nathanael also was probably focusing on the prophecy that Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. (See Micah 5:2)
And yet, with all his Biblical knowledge, Nathanael was open to being convinced if sufficient proof was shown to him. Phillip did not abandon his faith when his friend started asking questions. And Nathanael didn’t allow stereotypes to keep him from the truth.
Nathanael was definitely a man of questions and even doubts, but he did not use those as an excuse for rebellion and hatred for God. Nathanael used his questions and doubts as motivation to seek the truth – not hid from it.
Verse 48 talks about fig trees. Fig trees were very shady. Jewish men would often sit under them and meditate. Jesus’ demonstration of omniscience was all Nathanael needed to confirm that Jesus was no mere man. The Lord loves us so much; He always knows where we are, and exactly what we need.
And then out of the blue, Nathanael, the skeptic, leapt to a higher level of faith than any had been before – “You are the Son of God.” He concluded that Jesus is at least partially from God. If Jesus is partially from God, we must be able to trust the things He says.
Jesus responds by saying that He is the Son of Man. So, not only does he accept Nathanael’s claim to be the Son of God, or partially godly, Jesus adds to that by saying He is also partially man. Here, in the first chapter of this book, Jesus makes us decide – Is Jesus half God and half man? If we choose not to believe that, then anything else Jesus says is a lie.
I Am
As the men got to know Jesus, their appreciation for Him grew. The more time we spend getting to know Christ, the more we will be able to appreciate and relate to Him. The more we will be able to see that He really does understand where we are coming from, what we are talking about, what we are struggling through. One of my favorite activities with my Bible is to recognize and meditate on all the names there are for God.
Names for Jesus in Chapter 1:
The Word
God
The Creator
The Light
The Only Begotten Son
The Lamb of God
Jesus Christ
The Son of God
The Messiah
The King of Israel
The Son of Man
I challenge you, also, to consider this week the name of God that relates to you.
Next: John 2 Jesus turns water into Wine
Saturday
John the Baptist 1:19 - 34
Saint John assumes everyone is familiar with other gospels' passages regarding John the Baptist, so he does not give a history of this most awesome man. If you would like to read at your leisure, they can be found in Matthew 3:1-17, Mark 1:1-11, and Luke 1:5-25, 3:1-22.
Prior to John the Baptist's day, only coverts to Jewish faith were baptized. Jews presumed they belonged to God already. John the Baptist was essentially saying that all of Israel needed cleansing and that was offensive to the Pharisees.
The Pharisees were an ultra-conservative sect that desired strict observance of God's Law and wanted Roman rulers out of Israel (Palestine).
Sanhedrin was a group of 71 religious leaders from three classes: The Chief Priests (The High Priest and his descendants), Elders - priests and Levites (Levites being special group of consecrated priests), and finally the teachers/lawyers of the Law and Pharisees.
In the Book of John, "Jews" is a general term used to group together the opposition to Jesus Christ and his followers.
WHENEVER JESUS CHRIST IS REVEALED, THERE IS OPPOSITION BECAUSE OF MAN'S SIN.
John's gospel presents the juxtaposition of God's love and man's rejection - the offer of grace and the warning of judgment.
John the Baptist was a priest by descent, so Jewish leaders needed to reign in this unorthodox behavior of baptisizing Israelites. They figured he was either a false prophet (phony) or the Messiah. So they sent a deputation - group chosen to represent others - to check up on him.
The Deputation Asked 5 Questions
1. (Verse 19) Who are you? Are you the Messiah?
Jews anticipated the promised Messiah for two separate reasons:
A. Micah 5:2 promised a Prince of David, which was interpreted as a leader of Jewish armies that would battle the Roman empire and make Israel once again victorious
B. Transcendental Figure that would bring peace and righteousness throughout the world. This hope caused false prophets to pop up occassionally.
Jews never thought John the Baptist to be a great war leader, so they figured if he claimed to be the Messiah, they could arrest him and the disturbance would be over.
In verse 20, John the Baptist clearly, humbly states, "I am not the Christ."
Jews thought Messiah would either give them power or peace. Never did it occur to them that each person needed Jesus to free themselves from a sin nature. We see later that the first disciples, John and Andrew, followed Jesus because He is the Lamb of God. I follow Him, because I know that without Him, I am a sinner through and through. Ask yourself, why are you looking for Jesus?
2. (Verse 21) Are you Elijah?
Elijah never died. He was taken to Heaven in a whirlwind. Malachi 4:5 prophesied that Elijah would return to Earth to usher in the "Day of the Lord."
Jews assumed a man claiming to have authority or audacity to baptize Jews must at least be the great prophet Elijah.
"I am not."
3. "Are the prophet?"
This question refers to a second prophet that would appear with Elijah.
"No."
4. (Verse 22) "Who are you? What do you say about yourself?"
Essentially saying "Who do you think you are baptizing Jews?!!"
In verse 23, John calmly responds, "Stop looking at me. I am merely a voice. My only purpose is to prepare hearts for the coming Lord."
John the Baptist is such an amazing example of humility, of selflessness. Our purpose in this world is similar - through our life's actions, we can open people hearts to the message Jesus has for them. The trick is to take ourselves OUT of it. Live each day for the Glory of Christ and let Him take care of the rest.
5. (Verse 25) "Why do you baptize?"
In verse 26, John's response is basically to say that his baptism is merely a symbol of the cleansing we all require. His baptism in water, is simply an effort to prepare hearts for the real baptism of the Holy Spirit which will actually create a newness of life.
In verse 26, he tells the Deputation that the Messiah is standing among them. Unfortunately, they are so focused on dealing with the "problem" of John the Baptist, that they do not hear him and they do not recognize their Savior.
In verse 27, John the Baptist says he is unworthy of untying the Jesus' shoes. First of all, untying a sandal was a slave's job. Even lower than a student to teacher relationship, John was willing to take such a humble position to show his devotion to the true Messiah. Second of all, John the Baptist was an older cousin of Jesus. Even though John was older and John was a descendant of Priests, he seems to have no problem exalting his Lord to the ultimate place of rule in his life (see also verse 30).
The next day, John the Baptist introduces Jesus to the crowd as the "Lamb of God." In Old Testament ceremonies, the death of a spotless lamb made atonement for sins of the Isrealites because without bloodshed, there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22), because life is in the blood (Leviticus 17:11).
Jesus Christ was perfect, sinless; He was the one human that deserved to go to Heaven. God reconciled the sins of the world by offering as a sacrifice the one human that lived up to His call to be holy.
In Genesis, there is one animal killed for each sin.
In Passover Rite, there is one animal killed for each family.
In Atonement Ceremony, there is one animal killed for all of Isreal.
In Crucifixion, there is one sacrifice for all men.
Do you thank God for his grace to offer a perfect sacrifice for you? Do you thank Jesus for the sacrifice He willingly made for you?
Verses 32 and 33 we see that when God first called John the Baptist to his life's work, He told him He would point out the Messiah with the sign of a dove. We will never know if John the Baptist was surprised to find out that his cousin was the Messiah. Surely, he had heard of the odd occurrances while Jesus was growing up. Surely, he must have heard something of Jesus' righteousness and the story of his birth. Either way, John trusted in his faith in God enough to follow the sign, baptize the Christ and proclaim him the Son of God.
Next: The Week of Disciples John 1:35-51
Prior to John the Baptist's day, only coverts to Jewish faith were baptized. Jews presumed they belonged to God already. John the Baptist was essentially saying that all of Israel needed cleansing and that was offensive to the Pharisees.
The Pharisees were an ultra-conservative sect that desired strict observance of God's Law and wanted Roman rulers out of Israel (Palestine).
Sanhedrin was a group of 71 religious leaders from three classes: The Chief Priests (The High Priest and his descendants), Elders - priests and Levites (Levites being special group of consecrated priests), and finally the teachers/lawyers of the Law and Pharisees.
In the Book of John, "Jews" is a general term used to group together the opposition to Jesus Christ and his followers.
WHENEVER JESUS CHRIST IS REVEALED, THERE IS OPPOSITION BECAUSE OF MAN'S SIN.
John's gospel presents the juxtaposition of God's love and man's rejection - the offer of grace and the warning of judgment.
John the Baptist was a priest by descent, so Jewish leaders needed to reign in this unorthodox behavior of baptisizing Israelites. They figured he was either a false prophet (phony) or the Messiah. So they sent a deputation - group chosen to represent others - to check up on him.
The Deputation Asked 5 Questions
1. (Verse 19) Who are you? Are you the Messiah?
Jews anticipated the promised Messiah for two separate reasons:
A. Micah 5:2 promised a Prince of David, which was interpreted as a leader of Jewish armies that would battle the Roman empire and make Israel once again victorious
B. Transcendental Figure that would bring peace and righteousness throughout the world. This hope caused false prophets to pop up occassionally.
Jews never thought John the Baptist to be a great war leader, so they figured if he claimed to be the Messiah, they could arrest him and the disturbance would be over.
In verse 20, John the Baptist clearly, humbly states, "I am not the Christ."
Jews thought Messiah would either give them power or peace. Never did it occur to them that each person needed Jesus to free themselves from a sin nature. We see later that the first disciples, John and Andrew, followed Jesus because He is the Lamb of God. I follow Him, because I know that without Him, I am a sinner through and through. Ask yourself, why are you looking for Jesus?
2. (Verse 21) Are you Elijah?
Elijah never died. He was taken to Heaven in a whirlwind. Malachi 4:5 prophesied that Elijah would return to Earth to usher in the "Day of the Lord."
Jews assumed a man claiming to have authority or audacity to baptize Jews must at least be the great prophet Elijah.
"I am not."
3. "Are the prophet?"
This question refers to a second prophet that would appear with Elijah.
"No."
4. (Verse 22) "Who are you? What do you say about yourself?"
Essentially saying "Who do you think you are baptizing Jews?!!"
In verse 23, John calmly responds, "Stop looking at me. I am merely a voice. My only purpose is to prepare hearts for the coming Lord."
John the Baptist is such an amazing example of humility, of selflessness. Our purpose in this world is similar - through our life's actions, we can open people hearts to the message Jesus has for them. The trick is to take ourselves OUT of it. Live each day for the Glory of Christ and let Him take care of the rest.
5. (Verse 25) "Why do you baptize?"
In verse 26, John's response is basically to say that his baptism is merely a symbol of the cleansing we all require. His baptism in water, is simply an effort to prepare hearts for the real baptism of the Holy Spirit which will actually create a newness of life.
In verse 26, he tells the Deputation that the Messiah is standing among them. Unfortunately, they are so focused on dealing with the "problem" of John the Baptist, that they do not hear him and they do not recognize their Savior.
In verse 27, John the Baptist says he is unworthy of untying the Jesus' shoes. First of all, untying a sandal was a slave's job. Even lower than a student to teacher relationship, John was willing to take such a humble position to show his devotion to the true Messiah. Second of all, John the Baptist was an older cousin of Jesus. Even though John was older and John was a descendant of Priests, he seems to have no problem exalting his Lord to the ultimate place of rule in his life (see also verse 30).
The next day, John the Baptist introduces Jesus to the crowd as the "Lamb of God." In Old Testament ceremonies, the death of a spotless lamb made atonement for sins of the Isrealites because without bloodshed, there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22), because life is in the blood (Leviticus 17:11).
Jesus Christ was perfect, sinless; He was the one human that deserved to go to Heaven. God reconciled the sins of the world by offering as a sacrifice the one human that lived up to His call to be holy.
In Genesis, there is one animal killed for each sin.
In Passover Rite, there is one animal killed for each family.
In Atonement Ceremony, there is one animal killed for all of Isreal.
In Crucifixion, there is one sacrifice for all men.
Do you thank God for his grace to offer a perfect sacrifice for you? Do you thank Jesus for the sacrifice He willingly made for you?
Verses 32 and 33 we see that when God first called John the Baptist to his life's work, He told him He would point out the Messiah with the sign of a dove. We will never know if John the Baptist was surprised to find out that his cousin was the Messiah. Surely, he had heard of the odd occurrances while Jesus was growing up. Surely, he must have heard something of Jesus' righteousness and the story of his birth. Either way, John trusted in his faith in God enough to follow the sign, baptize the Christ and proclaim him the Son of God.
Next: The Week of Disciples John 1:35-51
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