Category: Gospels
Like Father, Like Son!
Scripture reading for May 7th: John 5:1-23
“Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can do only what He sees His Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all he does. Yes, to your amazement He will show Him even greater things than these. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom He is pleased to give it. Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.’ (John 5:19-23)
Jesus openly declared His own dependence on the Father and gave all glory to His Father for His own works. Jesus plainly stated that He only did what He saw His Father doing. At this point we must ask how did Jesus see His Father doing the miracles and good works? The key was in Jesus’ prayer life. Jesus spent time each day waiting on God and listening for His Father’s instructions. He often slipped away alone to pray early in the morning. At other times he prayed late at night. (Luke 6:12) Jesus was in perfect unity with His Father.
What are the “greater things” that the Father will give to the Son to do? The verses following that statement tell of Jesus giving life to the dead and sitting in judgment. These are things that only God could do and mark Jesus as God’s Son and the Christ! Jesus Christ has the power to raise the dead to eternal life and will judge the living and the dead at the Judgment Seat of Christ and Great White throne. (2 Corinthians 5:10, Revelation 20:11-15) Because Jesus is God, we must honor Him. If we honor Him, we honor the Father as well.
Jesus is God! The miracles of healing and miracles are wonderful examples of His divinity. But the greater works of raising the dead to life and judgment are still to come. Are you giving honor to Jesus and the Father by obeying them and their Word? If not, today is a good day to repent!
Take Jesus at His Word!
Scripture reading for May 6th: John 4:43-54
Jesus was never one to do miracles just to satisfy someone’s curiosity. He knew each person and what they needed to help them with faith. He sometimes surprised people with His comments and offended others. In today’s reading, Jesus makes a strong statement to a royal official seeking healing for his son.
Jesus left the Samaritan village where He had ministered to the woman at the well, and headed for Galilee and His home town. Jesus noted that a prophet has no respect among the people He grew up with. Upon arrival, a certain ruler came to Jesus with a desperate request. He had a son who was sick and near death. He believed that Jesus could come and heal this boy. “Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.” The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Jesus replied, “You may go. Your son will live.” (John 4:48-50)
This royal official was not deterred at Jesus comment about miraculous signs. He was not seeking a sign, but needed a miracle to spare his son. He was desperate to have Jesus come and touch this son. He ignored the remark about the signs and Jesus honored his faith with a word of knowledge. His son would live and not die! This man exercised faith by “taking Jesus at His word”. “Consequently, faith comes by hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17)
Upon arrival at his home, this ruler found his son had recovered and that the recovery began at the exact hour he had received the word from Jesus. This truth brought faith to the whole household and all came to trust in Jesus Christ! Jesus had done this miracle so that this man and his family could come to faith. They were not curiosity seekers or just looking for something to excite them. They sought Jesus for a recovery for this son and their faith was rewarded!
This story teaches us the simple truth of trusting the word of Jesus. Jesus honors faith and He speaks a word to us that strengthens our faith. Miracles can help people to trust in Jesus. We should always seek the Lord for His miraculous work to flow through us. Take Jesus at His word! Miracles are still happening!
The woman at the well
Scripture reading for May 5th: John 4:4-42
Jesus chose a path back to Galilee through Samaria, stopping at the town of Sychar near Jacob’s well. The Samaritans were mixed Jews whose ancestors had intermarried with the Assyrian people used to repopulate the area around 722 BC. For a Jewish man to be seen talking to a Samaritan would have been scandalous. To be seen talking to a Samaritan woman would have been unthinkable. While the disciples were away getting something for lunch, Jesus Christ had an encounter at this famous well with a Samaritan woman that brought new life to her and her neighbors!
At about noon, Jesus was resting by this well when a woman came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Will you give Me a drink?” The Samaritan woman said to Him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can You ask me for a drink? (For Jews don’t associate with Samaritans.)” Jesus answered her, “If you knew that Gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.” (John 4:7-10) Jesus initiated a conversation with this woman and she was taken aback.
Jesus sparked her interest with a statement about living water and the gift of God. She tried to understand how He would be able to get this water without anything to draw it out with. She asked Jesus if He were greater than Jacob, who dug the well and drank from it. Jesus then told her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14)
Jesus was interested in this woman’s soul and drew her to request this living water. He then gently told her about her past and she changed the subject. In the course of the conversation about where to worship, the woman stated that she knew the Messiah would explain everything when He came. Jesus revealed a special truth to her, “I who speak to you am He.” (John 4:26) This woman left her water jar and ran to tell her friends and neighbors! Jesus loved this Samaritan woman and desired to have her in the Father’s kingdom! Living water draws a crowd!
Believe or reject!
Scripture reading for May4th: John 3:23-4:3
“The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in His hands. Whoever Believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” (John 3:35-36)
God’s love for His Son was such that He placed everything in His hands. God sent His Son into the world that the world might be saved through Him. (John 3:17) In the Son’s hands was healing power for those that were hurting and wounded because of sin, sickness, and disease. In the Son’s hands was power to forgive sins and break demonic power. But in the Son’s hands was also the judgment of all who rejected Him as Savior and Lord. (John 5:22) The simple truth was that those who would place their faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ, would have eternal life. Those who would reject the Son would never see life but would experience the wrath of God for all eternity in a place described as the ‘Lake of Fire’. (Revelation 20:10,14-15)
John’s Gospel emphasized the need to believe. Believing is more than just acknowledging that something is true. Biblical faith is a deep, abiding trust in Jesus that leads to action that demonstrates the trust. (James 2:17-19) If someone believes that Jesus is the Son of God and Lord, then their actions and decisions about living life will be directed by the belief in that truth. Just saying that you believed without corresponding actions would not be biblical faith.
The reward of believing in Jesus Christ is eternal life. The Greek word for ‘life’ here is ‘zoe’, life that comes from God and goes on forever! Man lost this ‘life’ when he sinned in the Garden of Eden and the result was spiritual death followed closely by physical death. Sin and death are linked eternally, but biblical faith in Jesus Christ brings restoration of eternal life through new birth by the Spirit. (John 3:1-8)
Rejecting the Son of God results in us having the consequences for sin, the wrath of God, resting on us eternally. This means that we are separated from a relationship with God and dead spiritually. Upon physical death, our soul will await the judgment of the Great White Throne and a final sentencing to the Lake of Fire. (Revelation 20:11-15) The choice is up to each individual! Today is the right time to choose!
Born of the Spirit
Scripture reading for May 3rd: John 3:1-22
To a Pharisee named Nicodemus, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is 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.” (John 3:3-8)
This famous passage in John’s Gospel has been helpful for many people in coming into the kingdom of God. Jesus had an exchange with Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin. Nicodemus had heard Jesus speak and saw some of His miracles and knew that Jesus was a man who had God with Him. Jesus told Nicodemus that in order for anyone to see the kingdom of heaven, he must be born again.
Nicodemus tried to reason how he might be born again. It was absurd to think that a grown man could again enter his mother’s womb and go through the birth experience again. Jesus helped this man by telling him about being born of the Spirit as well as by water. Natural birth comes when the water breaks and the child comes forth. Natural birth brings out the flesh and a human being is born with a sin nature and are in rebellion against God. In Psalm 51: 5-6 , David states that he was sinful from conception and born with sin. Jesus was implying that Nicodemus should have known this from his study of the Scriptures!
The Spirit gives new life to a human being. When we repent and believe on Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit enters our inner man and dwells there, marking us as belonging to God. (Ephesians 1:13-14) The Holy Spirit brings the “God Nature” into our spirit. Jesus said we must be born again. It is not an option! Have you been born of the Spirit?
Signs of His Glory!
Scripture reading for May 2nd: John 2:1-25
Jesus Christ was a glorious man and the Son of God! His glory came from within, as He had nothing supernaturally special about His physical appearance. (Isaiah 53:2) This glory came from a life totally submitted to God and under control of the Holy Spirit. (John 5:30) This glory came as a result of purity in thought, word, and deed that no other human was capable of because of their sin nature. Jesus revealed His glory through His life of obedience to the Father and John the Apostle has written down some unique miracles and incidents that show this glory and prove Jesus was the Son of God and worthy to believe in.
The wedding at Cana in Galilee was graced by Jesus and His mother. At this wedding feast, they ran out of wine and Jesus’ mother came to Him and asked for help. Jesus at first was reluctant to get involved, but wanting to honor God by honoring His mother, He gave instructions to the servants to draw water in six stone jars of about thirty gallons each. They then took this water to the banquet host to sample. When he tasted it, he was amazed that this wine was the best of the banquet! “This, the first of His miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed His glory, and His disciples put their faith in Him.” (John 2:11) The result of this revelation of glory was faith in His disciples.
The next sign of His glory wasn’t so exciting to the religious folks of His day. Jesus entered the temple courts and found men selling and trading and changing money. He made a whip and drove them out, overturning the tables of the moneychangers! Jesus reprimanded them, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn My Father’s house into a market!” (John 2:16) His disciples remembered later that the Scriptures said that zeal for God’s house would consume the Messiah.
The religious leaders asked Jesus for a miraculous sign to give proof of His authority to drive the moneychangers from the temple. Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” (John 2:18-23) This was to be the greatest sign of His glory given to the whole world! Jesus spoke of the resurrection of His body after three days in the grave! He arose!
The Lamb of God
Scripture reading for May 1st: John 1:29-51
“The next day John (the Baptist) saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the One I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’ (John 1:29-30) John the Baptist came calling all people to repent and be baptized in the Jordan river. He had told them that One was coming after him whose sandals he was not worthy to untie. This One would surpass him, and would baptize people with the Holy Spirit. (John 1:26, 33) He also told the people plainly that Jesus was the Son of God! Speaking prophetically, John announced that Jesus was the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the whole world!
This story of the lamb is richly embedded in the history of Israel. When Abraham and Isaac went up Mt. Moriah to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, Abraham had told his son that the Lord would provide a sacrifice. (Genesis 22:8) As Abraham lifted the knife to slay his son, God stopped him and provided a ram in place of the boy! (Genesis 22:10-13)
On the night of the Passover in Egypt, Moses was instructed to have each family take a lamb without spot or blemish and slay that lamb, catching the blood. With hyssop, the head of each house was to apply the blood to the doorposts and lentils of the house to keep the death angel from taking the firstborn. (Exodus 12:3-12) They were to eat the lamb roasted in fire and with bitter herbs and unleavened bread, ready to travel out of Egypt. This lamb would sustain them and there would be no feeble or sick among them. The lamb would atone for a family!
Once a year, the High Priest, would take a goat and sacrifice it, taking the blood and sprinkling it on the atonement cover inside the Holy of Holies. This was to take place on the Day of Atonement. This goat died to cover the sins and rebellion of the whole nation of Israel. (Leviticus 16:15-17, 34)
Jesus Christ came as the Lamb of God taking away the sins of the whole world! He was the final sacrifice, His blood being offered in Heaven to cover the sins of each person who would repent and believe! (Hebrews 9:6-14) Hallelujah!
The One and Only!
Scripture reading for April 30th: John 1:1-28
John was the disciple whom Jesus loved and the youngest of the Apostles. John was the brother of James and together they were known as the ‘sons of thunder’. John is pictured in all pictures of the Last Supper with his head on Jesus’ breast. Jesus assigned responsibility for His mother to John from in His final statements from the cross. John knew Jesus from being in the inner circle of the apostolic band.
John’s clear purpose in writing his Gospel is stated in John 20:31, “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.” John uses many different descriptive words, personal encounters and miracles to prove his point. He wants everyone who reads this account to believe! He knows that in believing, they will find eternal life and the salvation that Jesus made available to whosoever would believe!
“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 the life was the light of men.” (John 1:1-4) This introduction identifies Jesus as the ‘Word’ that spoke creation into being from nothing! (Genesis 1:1-3) This ‘Word’ was with God at the beginning of creation. In Him was life and light for men. Apart from the ‘Word’ man cannot know or understand where he came from or why he is here. The eternal ‘Word’ reveals all that is hidden in darkness.
“The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) Jesus Christ is the ‘Word’ of God that was made flesh. He is the incarnate Word, existing from before the foundations of the world. He is the truth in living form and came to reveal that truth to mankind. When He was revealed, He showed forth the glory of His Father. There is none like Jesus! He alone is the unique ‘Son of God’. He was begotten by the Father God supernaturally in the womb of Mary. He is the Truth and the Life! (John 14:6) He is the only way to God. He alone could bear our sins and save us!
He has risen!
Scripture reading for April 28th: Luke 23:44-24:12
What a shock it must have been to those disciples to see Jesus actually crucified and then dead! Even though Jesus had told them that this would happen, the reality of it had to be painful and heart-rending. Added to this grief for their beloved Master, was the fact that each of them had denied Him in His hour of need. They had followed Him willingly and had learned so much, but this last day was something that none of them had courage to deal with. Their lack of prayer had led to failure during temptation! (Luke 22:46)
A member of the Sanhedrin, Joseph, who had not been in agreement with their actions, went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. He took it and wrapped it in linen cloths and laid it in a new tomb right before sundown. The women went home and prepared spices for the body, but because of the Sabbath did not get to put them on Jesus’ body. (Luke 23:50-56)
After the Sabbath was over, early on the first day of the week, the women took their spices and went to the garden tomb to anoint the body for proper burial. On arrival, they found the stone rolled away and they entered and looked around. “While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you while He was still with you in Galilee: “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.””
Jesus rose from the grave! He was declared the Son of God with power through resurrection from the dead! (Romans 1:4) No other religion or person can claim this truth! Jesus not only rose, but announced it before hand to confirm His claim to be the Son of God. Can you put your faith in Jesus Christ today? This act of believing can change you eternal destiny and how you live each day of the rest of your life! Jesus is alive!
Today, in Paradise!
Scripture reading for April 27th: Luke 23:11-43
“Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with Him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified Him, along with the criminals–one on His right, the other on His left. Jesus said, “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His clothes by casting lots.” (Luke 23:32-34) The scene of the crucifixion was on a hill overlooking the city that had a strange shape on it’s vertical face that made it appear to be a human skull. These Roman soldiers had probably executed criminals there many times. Jesus was fulfilling prophetic words written by Isaiah that stated He would be numbered with the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:12)
It is interesting to note Jesus’ prayer from the cross recorded by Luke. Jesus asked for mercy on those who accused Him falsely and those who nailed Him there following orders. His thoughts were not on His own needs, but on the needs of those He came to save. Even as the soldiers gambled for His clothes, His last earthly possession, He was calling on His Father to have mercy on His enemies, just as He had taught! What an example of grace! How prayer strengthened Him to avoid temptation!
These two criminals who hung on each side of Jesus heard His prayer. One of them mocked Jesus and insulted Him, calling on Jesus to save Himself and them. The other, humbled by Jesus’ prayer and confessing his own sinfulness, rebuked the first criminal for his insults. “Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise.” (Luke 23:42-43)
How simple was the response of the second criminal! A simple plea for remembrance and a confession of belief that Jesus had a kingdom and was a king brought a positive answer from Jesus’ lips. The truth, according to Jesus, was that even that day, they would both be together in paradise! Have you placed your faith in Jesus Christ? No matter what you have done or how many things you are guilty of, Jesus stands ready to hear your humble plea and confession of faith! He came to seek and save that which was lost! (Luke 19:10)