Read Today's Passage
I find it very interesting that the disciples assumed that the man could be blind because of sin passed on from his parents. (There is a Biblical precedent for them to expect this). Or he might be blind as a result of his own sins. There are so many instances in Scripture where sin had a negative effect on a person's physical body. Why do we here in America simply assume that someone has physical limitations simply because of nature? And why do so many of us assume that physical problems are not set in place to see God's glory revealed? There are a few who do see this, but why do we pray for healing, but so rarely ask that in this instance God reveal His glory?
And from there, this man takes some of the Pharisees' own words about how a sinful man cannot perform such miraculous signs and throws it back at them! And they refuse to listen to him! The truth is so simple to see, yet impossible or these Pharisees to accept because it would necessitate them stepping aside and admitting that they have been wrong about Jesus. They would have to swallow their pride, and that is something that they are not willing to do. Humility es not grace the Pharisees.
I love how this chapter wraps it all up. Jesus tells the Pharisees that they claim to see, which in fact makes them blind because they do not see who He really is. Wow. So bold again. Jesus certainly was not here to make friends, eh?
What d you walk away from this passage with?
Monday, August 18, 2008
Sunday, August 17, 2008
John Chapter Eight - August 17, 2008
Read Today's Passage
- Go now and leave your life of sin. Such powerful words to forgive this woman, yet so simple.
- People still don't listen to Jesus, and continue to question Him.
- I laughed out loud when I read that the people were asking if Jesus was going to commit suicide.
- "Everyone who sins is a slave to sin." How true, especially today.
- Again Jesus does not sugar-coat anything and tells the people who are not listening to Him that the belong to the devil. How many churches would run their pastors out of town today if a message like this was given?
- I like how Jesus keeps saying the same thing over and over about who He is to the people. But they still don't get it. And I can't get over how the people just can't get past Jesus' age and claims (that have been backed up).
- Jesus avoids death before His predestined time at the hands of an angry mob yet again.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
John Chapter Seven - August 16, 2008
Read Today's Passage
Wouldn't it be interesting to be one of Jesus' brothers? To not even believe His claims, yet be related to Him? It is interesting to me to see how Jesus went to the feast in secret. He sticks to the practice that He has kept so far in His ministry to be secretive. Not to make a public showing. And still the disciples want Him to make public displays so that more people will believe Him.
And when Jesus teaches, what studying did He do as a child? Did He study the Torah like every other Jewish boy did growing up? Or did His knowledge of the Law come instinctively? Are they merely referring to that Jesus did not study with a Rabbi, or something else? And how do they know if He has been teaching with the authority of a committed and educated Rabbi? Hmm...
It is interesting to see so many people who are well-versed in the prophecies of the Messiah in this section, but they still are looking for someone else to come and save them .They are still holding out for a military leader to save them from Roman rule, not the Son of God to save them from eternal separation from God.
I enjoyed seeing Nicodemus coming back into play here. He is still in the fold of the Pharisees, yet he is trying to work to change from the inside out. Hmm... I wonder what that might look like today...
What did you think?
Wouldn't it be interesting to be one of Jesus' brothers? To not even believe His claims, yet be related to Him? It is interesting to me to see how Jesus went to the feast in secret. He sticks to the practice that He has kept so far in His ministry to be secretive. Not to make a public showing. And still the disciples want Him to make public displays so that more people will believe Him.
And when Jesus teaches, what studying did He do as a child? Did He study the Torah like every other Jewish boy did growing up? Or did His knowledge of the Law come instinctively? Are they merely referring to that Jesus did not study with a Rabbi, or something else? And how do they know if He has been teaching with the authority of a committed and educated Rabbi? Hmm...
It is interesting to see so many people who are well-versed in the prophecies of the Messiah in this section, but they still are looking for someone else to come and save them .They are still holding out for a military leader to save them from Roman rule, not the Son of God to save them from eternal separation from God.
I enjoyed seeing Nicodemus coming back into play here. He is still in the fold of the Pharisees, yet he is trying to work to change from the inside out. Hmm... I wonder what that might look like today...
What did you think?
Friday, August 15, 2008
John Chapter Six - August 15, 2008
Read Today's Passage
- I love John's account of the feeding of the people with bread and fish. It is the only place where we see Jesus deliberately testing a disciple's faith in the situation. How often does God ask us questions He already knows the answers to?
- Again Jesus withdraws by Himself from the crowd...
- Did Jesus tel His disciples to head to Capernaum by themselves, or did they do this on their own accord?
- The people go to look for Jesus when they realize that He did not get into the boat. Hmm... Could there be some symbolism here about people looking for Jesus where we expect Him to be and not finding Him because our expectations are so limited? Probably not in the original intention, but we can definitely draw that parallel.
- Jesus is not only living water to quench our thirst forever, but also bread to eat and be fulfilled. Notice the foreshadowing of the Last Supper between this chapter and Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman in chapter 4?
- I love how Jesus confuses the Jews utterly. They are unwilling to accept Him as who He says He is, so of course they will not understand what He is telling them. They want a miraculous sign, not a message. Reminds me of modern Americans today. Especially modern American Christians...
- Jesus again makes a hard statement that drives people away from Himself. Why do so many modern pastors and "Christians" say that the Christian life is easy, or that God will bless us physically here and now? Why is there such a call for universalism when the Truth is stated so clearly here? One way to eternal relationship with God, one way only. Hmm...
Thursday, August 14, 2008
John Chapter Five - August 14, 2008
Read Today's Passage
- I find it interesting that this man does not answer Jesus' question yet Jesus heals him anyway.
- I also find it just plain awful that the people around are more concerned with the letter of the law than the spirit of the law.
- And then the man meets Jesus later on and is told that his sin has a direct impact on his physical status. Hmm... Might our sins impact our physical well-being as well? Or was Jesus merely referring to hell when He spoke to the man? Hmmm...
- I love the way Jesus answers the Jews who are trying to kill Him for "disgracing" the Law and making Himself equal with God.
- I am intrigued by this peek into what happens after death. And Jesus' condemnation of the Jews who were placing their hope on a dead human being. Not on God. Doe we trust God, or is our faith in humans and human practices?
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
John Chapter Four - August 13, 2008
Read Today's Passage
Notice in verse two how even 2,000 years ago information was still not properly given? I wonder if the Pharisees were misinformed intentionally or not?
I love this passage where Jesus interacts with the Samaritan woman. In fact, I have preached on it twice in the past couple of years. Every time I read through it I get to see the God of the universe ignoring racial lines (the Jews and the Samaritans hated each other, even though they were very similar), class systems, and even breaking the rule of genders (men and women would not freely converse in public) to minister to a broken heart. This woman has no secrets from Jesus and He pulls no punches (again) with her. But He shows her compassion and love, and invites her to His side. And she accepts! He does not berate her for being an adulteress. He does not focus so intently on her sins that she is loaded up to her neck with guilt. He does not tell her that if she does not accept Him tonight she will go to hell. He has a conversation with her. And He shows her genuine love. I think that we need to spend more time emulating Jesus' evangelism style than we do creating our own. It worked for this woman (and most of her village).
And then Jesus returns home (remember in Luke how the town wanted to kill Him after He read Scripture?) to Galilee and heals a man's son. But what really catches me in this passage is what Jesus says in verse 48: "Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders you will never believe." Why can't we believe and trust Him without needing a miraculous sign, without wanting proof? Why can't we just trust and have real faith?
What do you think?
Notice in verse two how even 2,000 years ago information was still not properly given? I wonder if the Pharisees were misinformed intentionally or not?
I love this passage where Jesus interacts with the Samaritan woman. In fact, I have preached on it twice in the past couple of years. Every time I read through it I get to see the God of the universe ignoring racial lines (the Jews and the Samaritans hated each other, even though they were very similar), class systems, and even breaking the rule of genders (men and women would not freely converse in public) to minister to a broken heart. This woman has no secrets from Jesus and He pulls no punches (again) with her. But He shows her compassion and love, and invites her to His side. And she accepts! He does not berate her for being an adulteress. He does not focus so intently on her sins that she is loaded up to her neck with guilt. He does not tell her that if she does not accept Him tonight she will go to hell. He has a conversation with her. And He shows her genuine love. I think that we need to spend more time emulating Jesus' evangelism style than we do creating our own. It worked for this woman (and most of her village).
And then Jesus returns home (remember in Luke how the town wanted to kill Him after He read Scripture?) to Galilee and heals a man's son. But what really catches me in this passage is what Jesus says in verse 48: "Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders you will never believe." Why can't we believe and trust Him without needing a miraculous sign, without wanting proof? Why can't we just trust and have real faith?
What do you think?
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
John Chapter Three - August 12, 2008
Read Today's Passage
I love how Nicodemus starts out his conversation with Jesus. "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who comes from God." Think about that for a minute. A Pharisee who s coming to Jesus and not only is admitting that more than he knows that Jesus is from God, but he is addressing Jesus as Rabbi! (Rabbis were very authoritative teachers, and it would be obscene for Nicodemus to admit that Jesus was such a teacher if others saw him). If someone as highly placed as Nicodemus was could see this in Jesus, why do so many of us have a problem with admitting the teachings are solid and that we should follow them instead of just listening to them?
I especially enjoy the symbolism Jesus uses about the snake being lifted up by Moses to Israel (check it out for yourself). I especially love the verses following 16 here, there is such weight and no fence-sitting whatsoever. Jesus is incredibly blunt. Either you are with Him and love the light, or you are not and love the dark. No gray area. The same with John the Baptist. I love the fact that neither of these men are pulling punches and just laying it down. No hem-hawing, or fidgeting their fingers. Just plain, simple truth. No sugar coating.
I wonder why more of us don't do this today? Are we afraid to lose our status? Our friends? Our jobs? To be honest, this chapter reminded me a little bit of CJ's words on Youth Sunday.
So what did you think?
I love how Nicodemus starts out his conversation with Jesus. "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who comes from God." Think about that for a minute. A Pharisee who s coming to Jesus and not only is admitting that more than he knows that Jesus is from God, but he is addressing Jesus as Rabbi! (Rabbis were very authoritative teachers, and it would be obscene for Nicodemus to admit that Jesus was such a teacher if others saw him). If someone as highly placed as Nicodemus was could see this in Jesus, why do so many of us have a problem with admitting the teachings are solid and that we should follow them instead of just listening to them?
I especially enjoy the symbolism Jesus uses about the snake being lifted up by Moses to Israel (check it out for yourself). I especially love the verses following 16 here, there is such weight and no fence-sitting whatsoever. Jesus is incredibly blunt. Either you are with Him and love the light, or you are not and love the dark. No gray area. The same with John the Baptist. I love the fact that neither of these men are pulling punches and just laying it down. No hem-hawing, or fidgeting their fingers. Just plain, simple truth. No sugar coating.
I wonder why more of us don't do this today? Are we afraid to lose our status? Our friends? Our jobs? To be honest, this chapter reminded me a little bit of CJ's words on Youth Sunday.
So what did you think?
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