John 17:1-10
At the end of a year media nominates and chooses a "Man of the Year". Reasons attributed to picking this person may be a great act of charity, tireless research with results that benefit mankind, efforts made to bring world peace, or an honor bestowed based on the position the man holds. The honor and praise of the masses accompany this award.
As Jesus' time on earth nears the end, a conversation with His Father is recorded here in the seventeenth chapter of John. Jesus knows the end is at hand, and how He will die. His thoughts, though, remain on His Father and those God gave Him here on earth - believers that trust what He has told them. He wants God to receive glory; the praise and honor due Him for His attributes and mighty acts.
One of those mighty acts was making a way for humanity to be reconciled to Him. When Adam sinned, that sin changed mankind and our relationship with God forever. The system of sacrifice set up in the Old Testament reminded the people of the price that must be paid for their wrong. That came to an end when Jesus Christ, who lived on earth without ever sinning, died on the cross. His perfect sacrifice fulfilled God's will, that a way should be made for each of us to be restored to Him and to be able to live with Him forever in Heaven when our time on earth is over. Believing that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died, was buried and rose again begins our relationship with God.
Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross was a great act of love, it benefits all mankind - restoring us to our Creator, and brings peace to the hearts of all who believe. Whoever "Man of the Year" might be, can he accomplish these things? Our honor and praise belongs to the One who can: Jesus Christ!
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Sorrow Turned Into Joy
John 16:16-31
It would be easy, reading through John, to shake our heads at these disciples of Jesus! Again and again they fail to get it! Jesus speaks to them, then next we find them murmuring, "What is this He says...?".
Even in the final hours of His life, Christ didn't lose patience with them. With the cross looming ahead, He wasn't anxious, but calmly explained what He meant when He said, "A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father."
From our perspective, these words are quite understandable! We know that Jesus was telling them about His death on the cross, and His burial in the tomb - where they wouldn't see Him for a little while. On the third day, the stone closing the tomb would be rolled away, and once again - for a little while they would see Him again. Then He would go home to Heaven, home to the Father, the place we may also call home!
For that "little while" that He was in the tomb the world rejoiced, they were free from the conviction His words of truth brought them. At the same time the disciples were grieving the loss of their Teacher, the Messiah. That sorrow turned to joy, when just three days later, Jesus was resurrected from the dead. The joy they experienced was compared to a woman when she gives birth. During the labor and birthing process a woman may feel as if it is the worst thing she's ever experienced, the pain overwhelming! But once that newborn baby is in her arms something amazing happens, she forgets all but the joy she now feels holding her precious child. This is the great joy that the disciples would have, so wonderful that they would feel that whatever grief they'd known was nothing in comparison to Jesus' resurrection.
The resurrection would bring them into a new relationship with God. The disciples and all believers would now be able to go directly to God to ask for forgiveness, instead of through the priests. Hebrews 10:19-20,22, tells us, "Therefore brethren having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us...let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.." Also, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.", further explanation of this new relationship found in 1 John 1:9.
When Jesus explained these things to the disciples, they believed He came from God. The religious leaders did not share this belief, and a time was coming when the believer's would be scattered and persecuted for believing the words of Christ. They would have tribulation. Out of this persecution and scattering many more would come to know Christ, as the believer's shared His story of redemption in places where people hadn't yet heard the Good News.
Christ told them, "I have overcome the world."
And because of that we "can be of good cheer", "have peace", and in Him see our sorrow "turned into joy"!
It would be easy, reading through John, to shake our heads at these disciples of Jesus! Again and again they fail to get it! Jesus speaks to them, then next we find them murmuring, "What is this He says...?".
Even in the final hours of His life, Christ didn't lose patience with them. With the cross looming ahead, He wasn't anxious, but calmly explained what He meant when He said, "A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father."
From our perspective, these words are quite understandable! We know that Jesus was telling them about His death on the cross, and His burial in the tomb - where they wouldn't see Him for a little while. On the third day, the stone closing the tomb would be rolled away, and once again - for a little while they would see Him again. Then He would go home to Heaven, home to the Father, the place we may also call home!
For that "little while" that He was in the tomb the world rejoiced, they were free from the conviction His words of truth brought them. At the same time the disciples were grieving the loss of their Teacher, the Messiah. That sorrow turned to joy, when just three days later, Jesus was resurrected from the dead. The joy they experienced was compared to a woman when she gives birth. During the labor and birthing process a woman may feel as if it is the worst thing she's ever experienced, the pain overwhelming! But once that newborn baby is in her arms something amazing happens, she forgets all but the joy she now feels holding her precious child. This is the great joy that the disciples would have, so wonderful that they would feel that whatever grief they'd known was nothing in comparison to Jesus' resurrection.
The resurrection would bring them into a new relationship with God. The disciples and all believers would now be able to go directly to God to ask for forgiveness, instead of through the priests. Hebrews 10:19-20,22, tells us, "Therefore brethren having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us...let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.." Also, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.", further explanation of this new relationship found in 1 John 1:9.
When Jesus explained these things to the disciples, they believed He came from God. The religious leaders did not share this belief, and a time was coming when the believer's would be scattered and persecuted for believing the words of Christ. They would have tribulation. Out of this persecution and scattering many more would come to know Christ, as the believer's shared His story of redemption in places where people hadn't yet heard the Good News.
Christ told them, "I have overcome the world."
And because of that we "can be of good cheer", "have peace", and in Him see our sorrow "turned into joy"!
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
True Love
John 16:1-15
What is love? Take a minute and think about how you would define love.
Is it the warm feeling you get when someone special is next to you? Does it come and go, causing pain? Or is it the wonder a parent feels looking at their newborn child?
Poets, song writers, authors and lovers have used thousands of words to try and define love, and yet they come up short in comparison to the true love that Christ exhibited. For Christ love was an action, not a fleeting feeling, better described in 1 Corinthians 13, "...Love suffers long and is kind, love does not envy...does not behave rudely...thinks no evil...rejoices in truth...".
This scripture is overflowing with concern and love. Out of love, Christ shares the persecution to come with His disciples. He doesn't want them to be caught off guard, He wants to be the One to tell them and prepare them. When my daughter was in elementary school a group of girls decided to fill her in on "the facts of life". She came home and asked me why I hadn't shared these important "facts". It saddened me that I hadn't prepared her with truth before others misinformed her. Jesus shared the facts with His disciples, and by telling them the truth they were prepared for lies that would've grieved them; "You say Jesus loved you, well why did He leave you here alone to face beatings and death?" How much worse it would've been to struggle with doubt in the middle of their trials!
In love Christ tells them that He will send the Helper to them. He is referring to the Holy Spirit that would abide in them. The Spirit would guide them into truth, glorify Christ in the same way Christ had glorified God, and take of what was Christ's and declare it to them. The Holy Spirit couldn't come, though, until Jesus had died, been resurrected to life and returned to Heaven. So, Jesus tells His disciples that it is to their advantage that He leaves. Jesus, confined by His human body, walked and taught each day in the same geographical locations. The Holy Spirit didn't face those restrictions and would be present with all who believed in Christ, all the time.
Christ loved His disciples so much, that He was able to say, "I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away...". True love is selfless.
Paul, in his letter to the Romans, attempted to give us an idea of the love Christ has for us, "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)
However life experience has caused you to define love, please think about this - All "love" pales in comparison to the true love Jesus Christ has for you!
What is love? Take a minute and think about how you would define love.
Is it the warm feeling you get when someone special is next to you? Does it come and go, causing pain? Or is it the wonder a parent feels looking at their newborn child?
Poets, song writers, authors and lovers have used thousands of words to try and define love, and yet they come up short in comparison to the true love that Christ exhibited. For Christ love was an action, not a fleeting feeling, better described in 1 Corinthians 13, "...Love suffers long and is kind, love does not envy...does not behave rudely...thinks no evil...rejoices in truth...".
This scripture is overflowing with concern and love. Out of love, Christ shares the persecution to come with His disciples. He doesn't want them to be caught off guard, He wants to be the One to tell them and prepare them. When my daughter was in elementary school a group of girls decided to fill her in on "the facts of life". She came home and asked me why I hadn't shared these important "facts". It saddened me that I hadn't prepared her with truth before others misinformed her. Jesus shared the facts with His disciples, and by telling them the truth they were prepared for lies that would've grieved them; "You say Jesus loved you, well why did He leave you here alone to face beatings and death?" How much worse it would've been to struggle with doubt in the middle of their trials!
In love Christ tells them that He will send the Helper to them. He is referring to the Holy Spirit that would abide in them. The Spirit would guide them into truth, glorify Christ in the same way Christ had glorified God, and take of what was Christ's and declare it to them. The Holy Spirit couldn't come, though, until Jesus had died, been resurrected to life and returned to Heaven. So, Jesus tells His disciples that it is to their advantage that He leaves. Jesus, confined by His human body, walked and taught each day in the same geographical locations. The Holy Spirit didn't face those restrictions and would be present with all who believed in Christ, all the time.
Christ loved His disciples so much, that He was able to say, "I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away...". True love is selfless.
Paul, in his letter to the Romans, attempted to give us an idea of the love Christ has for us, "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)
However life experience has caused you to define love, please think about this - All "love" pales in comparison to the true love Jesus Christ has for you!
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Persecution
John 15:18-26
Persecution.
"The act or practice of persecuting; especially, the infliction of loss, pain, or death for adherence to a particular creed or mode of worship."
Jesus prepared His disciples for what would happen next. Once Christ was crucified, they too would be hated and hunted by religious leaders, men who were convinced that they were keeping the law. The persecution would spread beyond the religious community and soon, the government would also see them as criminals. Believers would be stoned to death, beheaded, crucified, used as human torches because they trusted in Christ.
The story of one man's persecution, Stephan, is found in Acts 6:9-7:60. He was seized after false accusations were made against him. Stephan's answer to his accusers is a beautiful recitation of God's work in the lives of the patriarchs and His chosen people - Israel. His words are accepted up until the point where the rejection of Christ, His betrayal and murder are laid at the feet of the religious leaders. The leaders, cut to the heart, take Stephan out of the city and stone him. We are told that Stephan was full of the Holy Spirit, and though being persecuted even to death, he called on God, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin."
"A servant is not greater than his master", Jesus had shared. Stephan, the servant of Christ, was treated as his Master. He was falsely accused, and murdered. And like his Master, he also asked God to forgive those persecuting him.
As much as joy and the love of Christ are part of a believer's life, so is persecution. We should expect it - Christ told us it was coming!
"Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." 2 Timothy 3:12
Persecution.
"The act or practice of persecuting; especially, the infliction of loss, pain, or death for adherence to a particular creed or mode of worship."
Jesus prepared His disciples for what would happen next. Once Christ was crucified, they too would be hated and hunted by religious leaders, men who were convinced that they were keeping the law. The persecution would spread beyond the religious community and soon, the government would also see them as criminals. Believers would be stoned to death, beheaded, crucified, used as human torches because they trusted in Christ.
The story of one man's persecution, Stephan, is found in Acts 6:9-7:60. He was seized after false accusations were made against him. Stephan's answer to his accusers is a beautiful recitation of God's work in the lives of the patriarchs and His chosen people - Israel. His words are accepted up until the point where the rejection of Christ, His betrayal and murder are laid at the feet of the religious leaders. The leaders, cut to the heart, take Stephan out of the city and stone him. We are told that Stephan was full of the Holy Spirit, and though being persecuted even to death, he called on God, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin."
"A servant is not greater than his master", Jesus had shared. Stephan, the servant of Christ, was treated as his Master. He was falsely accused, and murdered. And like his Master, he also asked God to forgive those persecuting him.
As much as joy and the love of Christ are part of a believer's life, so is persecution. We should expect it - Christ told us it was coming!
"Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." 2 Timothy 3:12
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
JOY - Jesus, Others and You!
John 15:11-17
Years ago a friend gave me a necklace with a pendant that had three small pictures enameled on it. The first one was a cross - to represent Jesus. The second was a group of people- to represent others, and the third was a single person - meant to represent you. It was a picture of the acrostic for JOY - Jesus, Others, then You.
Faith in Christ and obedience to His command to abide in Him produces the fruit of joy in our lives. Joy is different than happiness. Happy is determined by our circumstances, as they change so do the feelings of happiness. Joy is a gladness that lasts even through troubled times. I think of happiness as an emotion that is trying to be joy, without abiding in Christ! To know joy, we must put Jesus first!
Christ then directs us to love one another as He loved us. How exactly did He love us? "...in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) He didn't love us because we were worthy of love. This is usually our measurement for loving, "Is this person worthy of my love?", "Should I spend my time caring for someone that may never love me in return?". Jesus loved us, even though He knew that we were unworthy, and that many would never love Him in return - never care that He died for their sins. This is the kind of love we are called to have for others, a selfless love.
And last on the acrostic - you. Christ only asks that we abide in Him, and in doing that He will give us the strength to love selflessly as He's commanded. We will bear the "fruit" of the Spirit; love, JOY, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Our part in the "you" of joy is very small, but if we don't do our part and abide in Him then we will never experience the joy that He wants us to have!
Years ago a friend gave me a necklace with a pendant that had three small pictures enameled on it. The first one was a cross - to represent Jesus. The second was a group of people- to represent others, and the third was a single person - meant to represent you. It was a picture of the acrostic for JOY - Jesus, Others, then You.
Faith in Christ and obedience to His command to abide in Him produces the fruit of joy in our lives. Joy is different than happiness. Happy is determined by our circumstances, as they change so do the feelings of happiness. Joy is a gladness that lasts even through troubled times. I think of happiness as an emotion that is trying to be joy, without abiding in Christ! To know joy, we must put Jesus first!
Christ then directs us to love one another as He loved us. How exactly did He love us? "...in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) He didn't love us because we were worthy of love. This is usually our measurement for loving, "Is this person worthy of my love?", "Should I spend my time caring for someone that may never love me in return?". Jesus loved us, even though He knew that we were unworthy, and that many would never love Him in return - never care that He died for their sins. This is the kind of love we are called to have for others, a selfless love.
And last on the acrostic - you. Christ only asks that we abide in Him, and in doing that He will give us the strength to love selflessly as He's commanded. We will bear the "fruit" of the Spirit; love, JOY, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Our part in the "you" of joy is very small, but if we don't do our part and abide in Him then we will never experience the joy that He wants us to have!
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
A Vine, Branches, and Fruit!
John 15:1-10
This section of the Scripture is one of my favorite, perhaps because I love the beautiful picture Christ paints for us with His words. They remind me of the grapevines my Grandmother had planted in her back yard, full of grapes - and the jelly she would make when they were ripe!
It's easy to envision Christ as that vine - deep roots drawing nutrition up from the soil, through the branches, producing an abundance of sweet, ripe fruit.
We are compared to the vine's branches. A branch takes the nutrition from the vine and passes it on to the fruit. It also holds up the heavy clusters of fruit that the vine produces. The branches that aren't bearing fruit get pruned away, if they were left they would take away from the production of fruit - which is the purpose of the grapevine. The most beautiful branches on my Grandmother's vine were worthless if they didn't produce fruit!
They were also worthless if they didn't stay connected to the vine! Without the vine they would wither up and no nutrients would be passed on to make the fruit. In the same way, fruit will only be produced in our lives if we stay connected to the True Vine, Christ! We are to "abide" in Him - to remain... reside... dwell... to continue in the relationship...
Christ, the True Vine, loves us, His branches! He tells us to dwell right there in His love, and how can we do that? By keeping His commandments. When a lawyer asked Jesus, "What is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus replied, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 22:36-40)
Keeping Christ's commandments and loving like this is impossible on our own, but when we "abide", remain...reside...dwell...continue in our relationship with Christ, the sweet, ripe fruit of love will be produced! A love beyond here and now to eternity!
Which is a whole lot longer than Grandmother's jelly lasted...
This section of the Scripture is one of my favorite, perhaps because I love the beautiful picture Christ paints for us with His words. They remind me of the grapevines my Grandmother had planted in her back yard, full of grapes - and the jelly she would make when they were ripe!
It's easy to envision Christ as that vine - deep roots drawing nutrition up from the soil, through the branches, producing an abundance of sweet, ripe fruit.
We are compared to the vine's branches. A branch takes the nutrition from the vine and passes it on to the fruit. It also holds up the heavy clusters of fruit that the vine produces. The branches that aren't bearing fruit get pruned away, if they were left they would take away from the production of fruit - which is the purpose of the grapevine. The most beautiful branches on my Grandmother's vine were worthless if they didn't produce fruit!
They were also worthless if they didn't stay connected to the vine! Without the vine they would wither up and no nutrients would be passed on to make the fruit. In the same way, fruit will only be produced in our lives if we stay connected to the True Vine, Christ! We are to "abide" in Him - to remain... reside... dwell... to continue in the relationship...
Christ, the True Vine, loves us, His branches! He tells us to dwell right there in His love, and how can we do that? By keeping His commandments. When a lawyer asked Jesus, "What is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus replied, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 22:36-40)
Keeping Christ's commandments and loving like this is impossible on our own, but when we "abide", remain...reside...dwell...continue in our relationship with Christ, the sweet, ripe fruit of love will be produced! A love beyond here and now to eternity!
Which is a whole lot longer than Grandmother's jelly lasted...
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
An Old Southern Preacher from the Past!
John 14:7-31
School day mornings as a teen would find me stumbling into the kitchen on my way out the door. Each morning Mom would have her radio tuned to a Southern preacher, J. Vernon McGee, who would be sharing commentary on his "Thru the Bible" program. I would wish she had on some contemporary music, not a man with a "funny" accent rambling on about the Bible, (I was from the Midwest, you see!)
Years go by, and I'm writing this blog on the book of John - not because I have all the answers! God through His Holy Spirit leads and teaches as I pray and read and research. And God has an awesome sense of humor through all of it, because my Google search today led me to - you guessed it - J. Vernon McGee, that Southern preacher I couldn't wait to escape each morning! There he was, and I was privileged to listen to him comment on our verses. You can listen too, here's the link:
Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee
Here's a brief review of what I learned today:
Philip asks Jesus to "show him the Father", and that will be all he needs. To be led to God, our loving Father is all any of us need! Jesus tells Philip that if he's seen Him, he has seen the Father. In Colossians 1:15 we find that Jesus is, "...the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature..."
If Philip couldn't believe His words, then he should believe for the works that he had seen Jesus do. All that Jesus did on earth - His words, His works were the will of the Father. He was leading men and women to a restored relationship with God, only accomplished through Him. When we believe in Jesus, we too will be able to do this same work, even a greater miracle because it will be Jesus working through frail humans.
Then we come to the verse that can trip up so many of us when we are praying, " If you shall ask anything in my name, I will do it." We pray, claiming this verse, it doesn't happen as we hope - God becomes a liar! Not true! Read these three verses together - 13,14,15. We are asking in Jesus name - not our name, not for our own selfish demands. For His glory, for His merit. Keeping His commandments, because we love Him. It all goes together - as Christ wanted God's will, that should be our desire, too.
In verse twenty we find the most profound statement made in this speech, " Yet a little while, and the world sees me no more; but you see me: because I live, you shall live also." Soon after, Jesus would be crucified and His disciples wouldn't see Him. But Jesus didn't stay in the grave, He rose again and lives, and because He lives those that believe in Him can also have life. Jesus didn't leave His disciples or us alone, He gave the Holy Spirit to live in us. Through the Holy Spirit, the disciples were able to share the good news of Christ boldly!
So can we!
I wish I would've listened more carefully to that Southern preacher all those years ago - it would've saved a lot of time spent searching for what I knew was missing in my life! I hope you'll allow his words to speak to you too!
School day mornings as a teen would find me stumbling into the kitchen on my way out the door. Each morning Mom would have her radio tuned to a Southern preacher, J. Vernon McGee, who would be sharing commentary on his "Thru the Bible" program. I would wish she had on some contemporary music, not a man with a "funny" accent rambling on about the Bible, (I was from the Midwest, you see!)
Years go by, and I'm writing this blog on the book of John - not because I have all the answers! God through His Holy Spirit leads and teaches as I pray and read and research. And God has an awesome sense of humor through all of it, because my Google search today led me to - you guessed it - J. Vernon McGee, that Southern preacher I couldn't wait to escape each morning! There he was, and I was privileged to listen to him comment on our verses. You can listen too, here's the link:
Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee
Here's a brief review of what I learned today:
Philip asks Jesus to "show him the Father", and that will be all he needs. To be led to God, our loving Father is all any of us need! Jesus tells Philip that if he's seen Him, he has seen the Father. In Colossians 1:15 we find that Jesus is, "...the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature..."
If Philip couldn't believe His words, then he should believe for the works that he had seen Jesus do. All that Jesus did on earth - His words, His works were the will of the Father. He was leading men and women to a restored relationship with God, only accomplished through Him. When we believe in Jesus, we too will be able to do this same work, even a greater miracle because it will be Jesus working through frail humans.
Then we come to the verse that can trip up so many of us when we are praying, " If you shall ask anything in my name, I will do it." We pray, claiming this verse, it doesn't happen as we hope - God becomes a liar! Not true! Read these three verses together - 13,14,15. We are asking in Jesus name - not our name, not for our own selfish demands. For His glory, for His merit. Keeping His commandments, because we love Him. It all goes together - as Christ wanted God's will, that should be our desire, too.
In verse twenty we find the most profound statement made in this speech, " Yet a little while, and the world sees me no more; but you see me: because I live, you shall live also." Soon after, Jesus would be crucified and His disciples wouldn't see Him. But Jesus didn't stay in the grave, He rose again and lives, and because He lives those that believe in Him can also have life. Jesus didn't leave His disciples or us alone, He gave the Holy Spirit to live in us. Through the Holy Spirit, the disciples were able to share the good news of Christ boldly!
So can we!
I wish I would've listened more carefully to that Southern preacher all those years ago - it would've saved a lot of time spent searching for what I knew was missing in my life! I hope you'll allow his words to speak to you too!
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