John 18:28-40

John 18:28-40

28 Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover.

Cared more about ceremony

 29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”

30 “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”

Double speak.  Choosing to avoid the question.

31 Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”

“But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. 32 This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die.

Fulfillment.

33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”

35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”

36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

Pilate seeking to appease the masses.  Any excuse.

37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

Am I following truth?  Do I listen to Christ or the desires within?

38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. 39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”

40 They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.

Despite hearing the truth they rejected Christ

Application:

Do I care more about what other's think?

Do I justify my actions in a cloud of words?

What's my excuse?

What is my truth? Is it Christ or something else?

Will I reject him?

John 18:25-27

John 18:25-27

Here we have Peter denying Jesus two additional times.  Immediately the rooster crows, just as Jesus had said would happen. Luke 22:60-62 says that Jesus looked at Peter.  Imagine the pain for both of them.  I remember one time mom did not yell or punish me when she caught me doing something that broke her heart.  She merely said, "I'm disappointed.".

Despite this I deny the Lord daily  So thankful for his forgiveness.

John 18:19-24

John 18:19-24

Jesus spoke the truth...and they hit him for it. 

As I read how the official slapped Jesus because he was supposedly not showing proper respect to the high priest, I still get angry, yet now it is tempered with experience.  Had this official known whom he was slapping, I think he may have soiled his robe.  Then there is the reality that this official now knows EXACTLY whom he slapped.  Did he come to Christ before his death?  If not I pity him as I know his future.

Two things I take today.

1. People will hate me for the truth.
2. How often do I slap Christ in the face with my constant and willful rejection of what I know to be true?

John 18:15-18

So it's been almost 9 years since I started this blog.  Pride got in the way as I became more concerned about who was reading than growing from what I was reading.  One small step and bad choice after another and the blog stopped.

Several months ago, I was asked by a friend about my daily walk or study of the Bible.  It's been Sunday's only for a long time.  Her comment, "We don't eat only once a week.".  One look at me and you see I eat about once an hour...or more often.

As this is Day 1 of my vacation I was on Facebook and in my recliner.  I was looking at some pictures in Man Up God's Way and saw this.

It got me thinking.  I have so much time this vacation.  No excuses for failing to do some form of Bible study.  So I pick up where I left off over a year ago and one can't say out God does not have a sense of irony with His timing.

John 18:15-18

15 Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, 16 but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in.

17 “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter.

He replied, “I am not.”

18 It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.

I'm convicted reading this as I see myself on the outside looking at where Jesus is.  I want to be near, but not too close as I have come to enjoy my life on the outside.  Even as type this I am replaying in my mind times that I denied Him so I would not be uncomfortable.

Time to think, pray and re assess my priorities.

John 18:1-14

John 18:1-14

When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it.

2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.

4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”

5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.

Jesus knew what was going to happen.  Let that sink in. Granted He knew His entire live, but now was GO time.  Yet Jesus went anyway.

“I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6 When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

7 Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?”

“Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.

8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” 9 This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.”

Why did they draw back?  Jesus said "I AM".  That is the name of God.

10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)

11 Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”

12 Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him 13 and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year.14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jewish leaders that it would be good if one man died for the people.

Jesus would not allow Peter to defend Him.  He was ready to follow God to His death.

What am I willing to do?  How far will I follow Christ?

John 17:20-26

John 17:20-26

20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one,Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 

I believe in Jesus.  Therefore, Jesus, was praying for ME!  He prayed for all Christians.  Yet we have screwed it up.  Christians are all to human.  We are not ONE in Him.  We fight among ourselves.  We divide into sects and small groups. I believe this is one reason why the world laughs at us. 

22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

I have been a Christain now for many years.  This is the first time it sunk in that Jesus has given me all that he had.  I need to walk in this truth.  This is how I become complete in Him and therefore complete in God.  This is how we all become one.  This is how the world will know who God is.

24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am,and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world

Jesus wants me with him.

25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

Today I am here as a man of faith because Jesus obeyed His Father and told the disciples about Him.  Through His disciples and the people that followed, Christ continues to fulfill this promise.

There are so many things in this life that make following Christ hard. God hear once again Jesus' prayer.  Make me one with you.

John 17:6-19

John 17:6-19

6 “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.

The disciples had come to the point that they believed as Christ believed.

 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them.

All that I have was given to me from God.  All glory I have is because of what God has provided.

 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of[b] your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by[c] that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.

Jesus was leaving because his work was done.  God protected Jesus until it was His time to complete God's plan.  We know from history that the disciples met with great hardship and most of them died a martyr's death.  Yet God did protect them until they too accomplished His plan.

13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them,for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

Christ did not want his disciples removed from what they would endure.  He wanted they to be set apart to do God's work.

John 17:1-5

John 17:1-5

 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:

“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

Jesus obeyed God, he was given the power to save.  All who know the Father will be saved.  Jesus finished the work.  He had the right to ask God to glorify Him.

Do I seek my Glory or Gods?  I don't like the answer when I am honest with myself.  Have I finished the work God has given me?  Well, I'm still here so I say no.

What would you have me do God?

John 16:16-33

John 16:16-33

In this world there will be trouble, but Christ has over come the world.

John 16:12-15

John 16:12-15

Everything the Holy Spirit says comes from Christ, who got his knowledge/ authority from God.

Therefore, all I received from the Holy Spirit is reliable.

John 16:1-11

John 16:1-11

It is the Holy Spirit who convict me of my sin.

John 15:26-27

John 15:26-27

The Holy Spirit testifies about Jesus.  We too are to testify.

John 15:18-25

John 15:18-25

The world hates Christ.  Therefore, they will hate me if I follow him.

John 15:18-25

John 15:18-25

Because the world hated Christ, it will hate those who follow him.

Am I ready?

John 15:9-17

John 15:9-17

Jesus loved us as the Father loved us.  His Father sent him to die and He willingly did so.  There is no greater love than to die for another.  Only if I keep his commands will I love him.

I don't obey God in everything.  I pick and chose.  Could this be the answer I've been looking for?

John 15:1-8

John 15:1-8

Christ is my source of power.  It is only through him that I can succeed.  If I unplug this computer it will run on battery for a while, but even that power comes from the source.  When I ignore God I can function, but only for a while.

John 14:15-31

John 14:15-31
“Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

Dear God.  Teach me to love your Son.  My entire life I have obeyed from fear of punishment.  Help me make my motivation one of love.

John 14:5-14

John 14:5-14

Everything Jesus did was the power of the father through him.  Jesus said he would do anything we ask for us to Glorify the father.

I cannot do it without you God.

John 14:1-4

John 14:1-4

Jesus said he is preparing a place for those who believe in him.  I know I believe, but at the same time there I days when I struggle with unbelief.

John 13:31-38

John 13:31-38

Do I love fellow Christians the was God loves me?  Let's be kind and say work in progress.