Archive for the ‘Jesus’ Category

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Day 164: John 11:17-44 — An Earnest Belief

Sunday, June 13th, 2010

Last week, a woman that I’ve known for a very long time passed away. Nelda McGann was a strong Christian woman that bravely faced her foe — cancer — for a good number of years. I’ve watched as her family has grown tighter and more steadfast in their faith as her body withered away. Leah and I, along with our daughters, have prayed for her continuously for years. Yet, last Saturday, she died. Why? I don’t know and I won’t even pretend to have an answer. It was just time for her to go home. Praise God for his creation of a wonderful woman who left a lasting legacy of faith and courage.

In John 11:17-44 we read a very familiar story — John’s account of raising Lazarus from the dead. What a touching story of Martha and Mary’s faith and Jesus’ tenderness. I don’t have to break down the verses for you — you know the story. What I want to point out is the absolute faith on the behalf of the women. Both of them say to Jesus, “He wouldn’t have died had you been here.” When Jesus sees the outpouring of grief over the loss of Lazarus, the scriptures tell us that he was deeply moved. It goes on to say that Jesus wept.

Awesome!

What’s awesome? It’s awesome to know that Jesus knows when we are hurting. I know that Jesus is with the McGann family at this very hour and it pains him to see a family grief-stricken. It’s awesome to know that we too shall rise from the grave and be reunited with Him at the Resurrection. It is awesome to know that my Lord and Savior cares for us so much that he chose to give his life for us so that we can be resurrected.

John 11:25-27 — How much more awesome can it get?

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Day 163: 2 Kings 19:35; John 11:1-16 — The compassion of Jesus

Saturday, June 12th, 2010

We’re all familiar with “the shortest verse in the Bible”, John 11:35 (though if you’re looking for absolutes, there’s at least one verse shorter than that, if you consider the language in which the verse was written). We’re also well aware that it was not Jesus’ sorrow at Lazarus’ death that brought Him to tears, but rather his compassion for Lazarus’ friends and family. That’s a very easy connection to make, and certainly one that I believe to be correct.

What about examples of the compassion of Jesus in the Old Testament? Surely there aren’t any, are there? How could there be any examples in the Old Testament of Jesus at all, since he was born some 300 years after it was completed?

While it’s true that the man known as Jesus Barjoseph was born 2,000 some-odd years ago, the heavenly Being represented on earth as Jesus the Christ wasn’t born at all, and was involved in our lives since before time began. I doubt that will be any great revelation to you, so I’ll get to my point…

In 2 Kings 18, we read of a threat against Israel by the king of Assyria. This disturbed King Hezekiah, but he did the right thing and consulted God’s prophet Isaiah. The prophet told the king not to worry about it, Sennacherib would not succeed. In 2 Kings 19:35, we read this:

That night the angel of the LORD went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies!

“The angel of the LORD” was Jesus. (If that’s a new concept to you, I’d encourage you to study the subject to see if this is correct. Here are two articles with which to begin:  1 2 .) So how does this show His compassion? It shows His compassion by delivering God’s people. God not only won the victory when His Son defeated the enemy, but at the same time He showed the Israelites one more sign that He was their God, and that He will provide.

What signs has God shown you? I believe the age of miracles has ceased, but if you aren’t seeing signs from God, then I suggest you simply aren’t looking.

How do you see Jesus’ compassion demonstrated today? Again, if you don’t see it — look! He’s very much here, and very much still active in the lives of God’s people.

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Day 161: John 1:1-21 — Jesus the Shepherd and the Gate

Thursday, June 10th, 2010

Jesus the shepherdJohn 10:1-18 provides us with the image of Jesus as the good shepherd. Some of the most popular pictures of Jesus are those that portray him as a shepherd; leading a flock of sheep; caring for the sick; and/or carrying a sheep. This is a wonderful image of our Lord. However, it is not the only image. In John 10 there is another image that is just as important and must be balanced with the caring shepherd image.

There is a tendency to read John 10 as if Jesus is only the good shepherd. But, there is more. Jesus is also the image of the gate. The two “I am” statements of John 10 present the reader with two Christological images that must be held together and not separated. Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises to God’s people. Yet Jesus is more than the good shepherd for whom Israel waits (Ezekiel 34), because he is also the gate for the sheep. Jesus is the way to life (the gate), and he leads the way to life (the good shepherd). While these are closely related, they are not the same thing. Jesus is the way to life because he is himself life (John 10:10; John 14:6). Jesus leads the way to the life because he lays down his own life (John 10:11; John 10:14-15).

The distortion of this text is easily seen in those who would claim there are multiple gates to God. I beg to differ and so does the Bible. The gateway and shepherd of God is Jesus Christ. Who is Jesus? He is the Son of God who lays down His life for His sheep. He is not only an exceptional shepherd, He is the gate for the sheep to enter the fold. In other words, “You ain’t gettin’ in, if you don’t know Jesus!”

We should spend some time in reflection of these verses and their meanings in our lives.

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Day 157: John 8:1-20 — But What Was He Writing?

Sunday, June 6th, 2010

This week we focus on one of the most familiar stories in the Bible. John 8:7 is a line that so many people quote for both good and bad reasons. Unrepentant Christians and sinners alike will sometimes throw this line at you if you engage them in a discussion about making changes in their lives.

However, today I’d like to focus on a different verse in this story. You are all aware of what happens. Pharisees bring a woman caught in the act of adultery. Yes! They finally have a way to trap Jesus! What to do with this woman? There is a big crowd around anxiously awaiting Jesus to either a.) fire back or b.) shrink to the challenge. Big moment here. The fate of this woman hangs in the balance. The fate of Jesus’ teaching hangs in the balance.

What will he do?

John 8:6-8

My question is – what was he writing in the ground? The Beatitudes? The Ten Commandments? What about the names and sins of the woman’s accusers? Just a thought here – check out Jeremiah 17:13. I know that had Jesus written my name and my sins for others to see, it would have gotten my attention real quick.

May God bless you this week.

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Day 154: John 6:60-71 — Please Come Back!!!

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010

loaf of breadAs I was reading the text, I was reminded that some of Jesus’ followers could not digest Jesus’ teaching on the physical and spiritual bread of life. Some of the disciples got up and left (John 6:66). The teaching of Jesus was too hard. Why doesn’t Jesus chase them down and offer them a compromise or an alternative? Jesus turns to the twelve and asked them to choose. Now, I am a little off of context but it just amazes me that Jesus does not try to talk disciples out of leaving. It is their choice. Jesus never compromises His Father’s message to please a crowd. I never see Jesus pleading for those who turn their back on Him to “please come back!” Why do we? I find it interesting to see church signs that talk about an “Alternative Worship Service.” Is this because the message of Christ is too hard and we have to tone it down or pick it up a few beats for the world? Why do we try to compromise our message of the cross because some think it is too hard? I guess, we think we know better than our Lord. I wonder who we really serve? Is it Jesus and the hard message of the cross and discipleship, or do we serve the crowds?

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Day 150: John 5:17-30 — Wait wait wait…he said what?

Sunday, May 30th, 2010

Have you ever sat through a lecture in school or at work and only halfway paid attention? You start to drift off into what you have to do later that day or think about what you’d rather be doing. Maybe I’m just a bad listener. It’s okay…I can admit it.

One of the things I do to help me concentrate more on the lesson at hand is to put myself in the audience of Jesus. To put myself in the moment. I can only imagine that when Jesus is speaking in John 5:17-30 that there were at least a few bad listeners. And with all bad listeners you occasionally hear a part of what the speaker said that makes you stop and think, “Wait wait wait…he said what?!”

In this passage Jesus is explaining his equality with God. I can only imagine the looks of confusion and then rage by some of the people. Imagine, for instance, if a man got up in front of our church and declared himself equal with God. Think about the reactions. How would you react? I’m sure not too differently than the people of Jesus’ time.

My hat is off to those people in Jesus’ day that believed. I’m sure it couldn’t have been easy.

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Day 149: John 5:1-16 — Do you want to get well?

Saturday, May 29th, 2010

When Jesus saw [the man] lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” John 5:6

At first glance, this may seem like an odd question — certainly one that we might have every reason to believe is rhetorical. Of course the man wanted to get well. Wouldn’t anyone? Not necessarily.

We know very little about this man. Here’s what we do know:

  • He had been crippled for 38 years. (John 5:5)
  • He was lying on his mat near the pool of Bethesda with others: the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. (John 5:3)
  • He’s not the one who made the first contact; Jesus is. (John 5:6)
  • It  wasn’t until after the second contact with Jesus that the man publicly expressed his faith in Him. (John 5:15)

That’s about it. What don’t we know about this man?

  • We don’t know how he made a living. He may have been a beggar or he may have been supported by relatives.
  • We don’t know if he was a true, life-changed believer after his healing, or if his public acknowledgment of Jesus was merely a reporting of facts.

So let’s not speculate. So what about Jesus’ question? Why did He even bother to ask? Wouldn’t anyone who’d been crippled for 38 years want to be well? Again I say, not necessarily. Let’s cut to the chase — why is this story even in Scripture, and what does it have to do with us?

I can think of several reasons for its inclusion in John’s gospel, but let’s consider only one — it’s very much a parallel to all sinners, and how we can be (and are) changed by contact with Jesus.

When people looked at this man, they could see immediately the change Jesus had made in the man’s life. When people look at you, do they likewise see immediately the difference Jesus makes in your life?

None of us will be healed of our addiction to sin unless we want to get well. That’s why Jesus asks us as well, “Do you want to get well?” Either the message of the cross is foolishness, or it is the power of God unto salvation (1 Corinthians 1:18). There is no middle ground.

Do you want to get well?

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Day 148: John 4:46-54 — Look at who Jesus is!

Friday, May 28th, 2010

This story (John 4:46-54) raises the question of the relationship between signs and faith. Everyone wants a great miracle. We want to see the power of God. We want great spectacular special effects or the whole thing is a dud. For John the person who interprets a miracle solely as a miraculous act will remain focused on and limited by the act itself. To forever be wondering why they or a loved one can’t experience the same miraculous performance. Do we just see water turned into wine, a deathly-ill boy revived, a miraculous feeding with bread? I think there is more. All this makes Jesus a great miracle worker. We can proclaim, “Look what Jesus can do.” Yet, the gospel is more than what Jesus can do. The gospel is about who Jesus is! He is the giver of abundant gifts (John 2:1-11) and the giver of life (John 4:46-54). Jesus points to who God is and there is the foundation of faith. To see God in Jesus’ actions of healing is to recognize the truth of the confession of John 1:14, “The Word became flesh and lived among us.”

The official approached Jesus with only one thing on his mind. He was worried about his son. His son was at the point of death, and Jesus might be the one to heal him. His reasons for seeking Jesus were desperation and basic need. Yet he ended up receiving much more than he could have hoped for and, indeed, much more than he knew he needed. He received the gift of his son’s life and the gift of faith in Jesus. The official’s faith was evoked by Jesus’ love and the fact that the “The Word became flesh and lived among us.”

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Day 145: John 3:1-21 — Come Into The Light

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010

John 3:16 is taught in every Sunday School class; it is at just about every football game posted on a sign. It is a favorite passage. It is easy to recite. But what does it mean? I am not going to try to answer this question for you today. Why? Well, in our daily Bible reading we ought to be challenged to do more than just regurgitate a passage. We ought to swish it around for a while and contemplate its meaning and how we might apply it in our lives. So, make sure to read John 3:1-21 and enter into the dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus. Lay aside all of your troubles, questions, and fears. Just read God’s Word in some quiet place and listen to God talk to Nicodemus. Let God talk to you. Let us enter into the “light.” Michael Card writes a song called, “The Way of Wisdom.”

The way of understanding lies

In not how much you know

Where the pathway is a person

That you’ve come to love and so

You can stop pretending that it all depends on you

For it’s not how much you love

As much as how much he loves you

How much he loves you

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Day 143: John 1:29-51 — Do You Believe?

Sunday, May 23rd, 2010

What is the most exciting thing someone has ever told you? Maybe it’s when your wife told you that your life would change in nine months. Maybe it’s news about a new job or the day you got engaged. Exciting news is cause for celebration. What if Jesus himself told you that you were about to witness great things?

Turn with me to the Gospel of John. Jesus is calling his disciples and I think I could write a book about these men and their astounding faith. Andrew delivers a simple message — “We have found the Messiah” — to Simon and off they go. Let’s focus on John 1:43-51 and I would like to comment on Nathanael. What Jesus tells him is something that I have always found to be inspiring. John 1:50-51, Jesus tells him that because he believed, Nathanael would see greater things. In fact, he tells him that he will see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.

Wow. Just wow. All because Nathanael believed.

Do you believe?

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