Wednesday, August 28, 2013

John 3:1-21

Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

When reading this passage verses 19 through the end really hit home.  When exercising my freedom in Christ there are things I do in private that I would not do in front of a Christian brother.  My reasons have always been to not be stumbling block.  Yet recently I've begun to question my motives and these verses only reinforce those doubts.  Am I just hiding my sin from exposure?

Thursday, August 22, 2013

John 2:13-25

13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

Jesus took the time to make the whip out of cords.  This was not a rash over reaction.  It was a calculated response to what was happening.  Jesus knew exactly what he was doing.  Jesus has a "zeal" for the house of God.   

Where is my zeal for God when I go to worship.  All too often I go to sing...because I like singing...not so much to worship.  I need to focus on why I am there.

18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”
19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”
20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

Once again the Jews demand proof of His authority.  My first reaction is to judge them, but I am immediately convicted.  I know who Jesus is.  I know he died and rose again for me.  I have accepted his work on the cross as payment for my sin.  Yet every day I do things that he does not want me doing.  Every day I question his authority.

23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.

Jesus was careful who he gave himself to.  Some were just users and he knew it.  I need to follow the leading of the Spirit so I too will not give myself to these kinds of people.  This does not mean I will not minister to them, but I will guard my heart and soul from their "using" ways.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

John 2:1-12

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”
“Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”
His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.

I wish I could remember the preacher who told me the significance of the jars being ceremonial cleansing jars.  Take note that when Jesus would eventually die and rise again, he would cleans us once for all.

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

I like the image of to the brim.  Jesus fills us to the full.  He does not hold back.

Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”
They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”
  
With Jesus the best is yet to come.

11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
12 After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days.

When Jesus cleansed me of sin it was forever.  Were I to die right now, even if there was unconfessed sin in my heart, I would still go to heaven.   

Jesus will fill me to the brim if I let him.

The best is yet to come.  This here earth is temporary.

Monday, August 19, 2013

John 1:43-51

43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”
44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

There is a pattern here of Jesus saying come and his followers grabbing others and telling them about Jesus.

46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip.
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”
49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”
50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”

Here we see Nathaniel believe after Jesus told him of something a mortal man would not know.

I look at my life and what I have seen Christ do.  I know he saved me.  I know he provides for me.  I know he forgives me.  Psalm 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

John 1:29-42

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”
32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”
35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”
They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”
So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.
40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).

John testified to what he knew about Jesus.  Andrew heard it and followed Jesus.  Andrew told his brother Simon what he knew about Jesus and he too followed Christ.

Witnessing is not complicated. My responsibility is to be faithful to tell others.  The results is up to God.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

John 1:19-28

19 Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”
21 They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
22 Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”
24 Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
26 “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

The Pharisees were to political and religious leaders of the day.  Yes they would still answer to Rome, but they had clout.  And here is John answering them boldly.  John new who he was.  He knew his role and his duty.  Just as important, he knew whom he was not.  

So here I am.  Who am I?  A child of God.  What is my role? To serve God and share the gospel.  How shall I go about doing just that?

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

John 1:1-15

Jesus referred to John as the greatest man that ever lived. Luke 7:28 I have also heard of people reading the gospel of John and accepting Christ.  With that in mind and adding my own personal desert of the past month, I've come to the conviction that John is my next book of study.  I have decided to approach it with no preconceived ideas and just let the Holy Spirit guide me.


In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The "Word" is another name of Jesus.  He was there at creation. It was through him that God created all that exists. I am just not realizing that God spoke creation into existence and Jesus is the "Word".  I'm not saying God created Jesus, I am saying Jesus created what God spoke.  Jesus is our light and our life.

There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

John was not the promised messiah.  He was the forerunner.  

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

One of my children has reached the age where I am not cool.  I know she loves me, but I am an embarrassment to her.  The less I speak around her friends, the happier she is.  Even after we have not seen one another in days, she rather NOT show public affection.  It hurts.  I understand that this is a phase and I know she loves me, but it still hurts.  Now imagine Jesus.  He is the creator and his creation had no clue who he was.

12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

Believe and receive.  That's it and the GIFT of becoming a child of God is yours

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”)



I have the John 1:14 reverence on my arm beneath a cross of nails.  Encircled above the cross are the words, LOVE TRANSCENDS TIME.  I wish now I had John 1:14-15. As it more accurately depicts the sentiment.  Jesus, who is with God and the Word of God, who was there at the beginning, left God to come to earth.  This is why John, who was born physically first and the "older" cousin, was able to say Jesus was before me.  John knew who Jesus was.  He knew he was the Son of God.

I am convicted of how flippant I can be with my relationship with Jesus.  I take for granted his grace and forgiveness.

Monday, August 12, 2013

Restoration

Since my last blog all those weeks and months ago I have been lost in a haze of self gratification and ignoring what I know to be the truth.  So much so that I was becoming angry with God for not providing a job.  Why is it I, who was trying to walk with the Lord, lost everything, yet others living in blatant open sin, had all they needed and more?  The immediate answer came to me immediately as I have memorized the first verse years ago.

Psalm 37:7 New International Version (NIV)

Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.
Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.  Take delight in the Lord,  and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Yet I had turned from delighting in the Lord because I was tired of waiting.  I went through the motions at church for a while.

August 28th I was going to skip church.  I went anyway, but not for the right reasons.  Pastor's sermon was "Why do you go to church?".   I don't remember exactly what was said, but conviction began to grow that I was not living as a should. 

This past Sunday our elder Dave Dore preached on the book of Ruth.  Boaz was her kinsman redeemer.  Jesus is mine.  

I once again confess that I need you Lord.  I have traded your peace for a lie.