John   4:1-34  Jesus returned to Galilee from Judea and "had" to pass through Samaria.  Most Jews would not go that way, but Jesus went where His Father led Him.  He stopped at the well of Jacob and sent all of His disciples to go get some food.  Surely it didn't take all of them.. but they all went.  It was no accident that Jesus was there alone when this unnamed Samaritan woman came to draw water.. by herself... in the middle of the day.  It was a divine appointment.. 

Jesus began a conversation with this woman.. unique in that He was a Jew and she was a Samaritan and in that culture this was not done.  He was a man and she was a woman.. again in that culture.. this would be frowned upon.  None of that mattered to Jesus.  He knew this woman.. knew her pain and sadness.. knew her sin and her loss.  But.. He offered her a gift that greater than anything she could ever have imagined. 

Jesus asked for a cup of water.. but wanted to give her "living water". He offered her  life -giving spiritual sustenance .. the True and Eternal God who saw her, loved her, forgave her, and redeemed her. Jesus revealed His True identity to this unnamed woman beside a well in a land despised by the Jews.   If that isn't wonderful.. what is?

He sees us in our mess. He sees us in our loneliness and shame.  He sees us in the every day chores and the dreariness of life.  He sees us in our sin and in our hopelessness... .  and.. He comes to us with Living water.. Life through the Spirit of God that frees us from all of that keeps us in the darkness.  He is the Messiah and He knows all about us.... and He cares for us.  

Jesus told His disciples that His "food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work."  This was what He did at the well of Jacob with an unnamed Samaritan woman.. and what He does with each of us who will look to Him for this Living Water.  Hallelujah ! What a Savior!

Father in heaven, You are so kind and merciful, sending Your Beloved Son to give us Life.. to give us Living Water.. so that we will no longer thirst for what will never satisfy.  Thank You for seeing me.. for knowing me.. for waiting for me.. and for finding me.  Thank You for the Word that came to speak Your words of life so that we might be made whole and complete in Your Sight. We praise Your Name and give You all our worship.. in spirit and in truth. Amen. 

 John 3: 22-36   John records the last testimony of John the Baptist before he was taken to prison.  When they were in Judah baptizing John was questioned about Jesus who was also baptizing those who came to Him.  John's answer revealed that he clearly understood Who Jesus was and his own role as the one sent before Him.  He was satisfied and filled with joy at the coming of Jesus.  "He must increase, but I must decrease", John declared.  

John's testimony showed that he had been given a greater insight into Who  Jesus was:

 " He who comes from above is above all.... He who comes from heaven is above all. What He has seen and heard, of that He bears witness; and no man receives His witness."  ( v31-32)

" For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.  The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand." 

Jesus is the Word who became flesh.. He was with God and was God and He came from heaven to speak the Words of God.  The Father gave His beloved Son to bear witness.. to reveal the heavenly Truths that God sent Him to speak.  If we receive His witness.. the Word tells us then we will have eternal life (v36). If we deny Jesus, we "shall not see life, but the wrath of God.. " 

Do we believe that Jesus spoke the Truth? WE Do! Do we believe Who Jesus really is?  We Do! Do we believe that the Father sent His Son to speak the Words that we need to hear and obey?  Yes, we do!

Like John the Baptist we have a fulness of joy that Jesus came and that He is coming back again.  We rejoice that He is above all things and that all things have been given into His hand.  We rejoice that He has allowed us to know Him.. that He has revealed Himself to us.. that He has saved us who have believe in Him!  Hallelujah! What a Savior! Amen. 

John 3:1-21  John recorded the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus.  John wrote to testify of the  things he witnessed.  We are not told that he was there during this night time meeting, but it seems he might have been as this conversation is very detailed. 

Nicodemus admits to Jesus that he has seen enough to believe that God had sent Him and was with Him.  Jesus takes this open door and speaks to Nicodemus saying, "I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again.. he cannot see the kingdom of God."  As Nicodemus stands confused before Him, Jesus explains the fact that it is being born of the Spirit that brings true life to a person. 

Jesus reveals that He knows and speaks of what He has "seen" .. that He had come down from heaven to speak of heavenly things.  He even tells Nicodemus that He would be lifted up on a cross in order that all who would believe in Him would be saved.  Jesus testifies that this is God's plan, coming from His great love for the world.  He also tells Nicodemus that those who would believe would be given eternal life and would not be condemned or judged.. but those who would not believe are already judged and condemned. 

 V 19 The [basis of the ] judgement (indictment, the test by which men are judged, the ground for the sentence) lies in this: the Light has come into the world, and people have loved the darkness rather than and more than the Light , for their works are evil."  We are all given this same opportunity .. to come out into the Light.. to practice truth and be seen for who we are.. formed in God... or we hide from the Light holding onto our secrets and sins so that we won't be "exposed or reproved."

Jesus Christ, the Light of the world, came to reveal the Kingdom of God. His Life is that Light. It is a spiritual life, a new birth that only the Spirit of God can produce as we believe Jesus and cling to Him, finding salvation through His life, death, and resurrection.  We can either come into this Light or remain in the darkness.  Let us choose Light!

Father in heaven, thank You for sending Jesus into the world to expose the darkness and to overcome it with Light from above.  May we have this new life.. born by Your Spirit.. and washed by the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God.  Help us to walk in the Light and keep trusting and clinging to Jesus... resting in His Name, practicing the Truth that He has revealed, in utter dependance upon You. Amen. 

 John 2:12-25  This is still the beginning of our Lord's ministry.. Jesus was revealing Himself to the nation that belonged to Him.  A nation set apart for God, birthed by God,.. chosen for His purposes.  Jerusalem was God's city, the place where He chose to place His Name.. and the temple was the very heart of that city.. the heart of Israel.. the Father's House. 

Jesus arrived in Jerusalem for the Passover Feast.  He had been there before.. through all the years that He had grown up.. but this time was different.  He went to the temple and saw "those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers sitting there.. "   They were in the place reserved for the priestly work of offering sacrifices.. the place of prayer.. the place that should have been kept sacred and cleansed from all iniquity.  Yet, the Jewish leaders had allowed this corruption right into the heart of God's House. 

Jesus took a whip.. "and drove them all out of the temple".  His "zeal" for His Father's house consumed Him.  "Make not my Father's house a house of merchandise"!   

The Jews questioned His authority to do this work of cleansing the temple.  The thing that they should have done! It should have been clear to them that this was what God commanded.  They were so far from God's heart that they didn't even honor the sanctity of the Temple. They didn't recognize their sinfulness and unfaithfulness to the God they claimed to serve.  Jesus was revealing their sins but they were blind and rebellious... even in the Temple that was supposed to be God's  Presence among them. 

We call our churches "God's house".   They are not like the Temple in Jerusalem.  There is not altar for burnt offerings.  There is not an Ark of the covenant.  But still, we believe it is a sacred place.. a place for prayer.. a place for the Word of God to be preached.  A place for worship.  Do we have a zeal for the Lord's house?  Have we allowed things in that should not be distracting from the true purpose of the church?  I'm afraid so... 

Holy Father.. You are the Righteous God that we worship and serve.. yet we are  often in need of correction and cleansing.  Show us.. reveal to us.. the heart of worship.. Your heart for Your church. Fill our hearts with what You will and work in us what pleases You we pray.. in Jesus' name. amen. 

 John 2:1-12   What was significant about the wedding in Cana?  Why was Mary there and why was she so concerned about the lack of wine?  Who was the bride?  What happened?   It is the "first of His signs.." John writes.. " Jesus manifested His glory [by it He displayed His greatness and His power openly] and His disciples believed in Him [adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Him]. (v 11) 

To take water.. in the pots used for "purification".. and turn the water into good wine.. without a word or a touch.. Jesus revealed "His glory".   Who could do such a thing!  Only the One who holds all things in His power.. all of creation is His and He can do anything.. used this simple action for His purposes.. using it to reveal Himself to His disciples. 

Verse 12 tells us that Jesus went "down to Capernaum" after this "with His mother and brothers and disciples..."  We know that Mary trusted Jesus in this situation.. but we know His brothers took much longer to believe.  Yet they were there from the first. They tasted this new wine and knew the truth.. they just didn't want to surrender their hearts to the Lord. 

How does Jesus reveal Himself today?  Andrew Murray wrote this, "If only preachers of the Word and church members would pray together that when Christ is preached, they will see the glory of the Lord as though looking in a mirror and be changed into the same image by the Spirit of the Lord!"  We can "mirror the glory of the Lord" as we are changed more and more into His image. As we reflect His glory others can come to see the greatness and power of Jesus.. not by water or wine.. but by the amazing transformation of our lives. 

Father, let Jesus be manifested in our lives so that His glory is revealed to those who need to see. Amen.

 John 1:35-51  It is the testimony of John the baptist that brought Andrew and another disciple ( perhaps John?)  to follow Jesus.  It is Andrew who found his brother Peter and called Jesus "the Messiah".  Jesus also called Philip and Nathanael to "Come and see!".. revealing to them that He is the Son of God. 

This account by John gives us the personal interactions between Jesus and His disciples at the very beginning of His ministry.  It starts with John the Baptist's testimony.  Then.. Jesus asks a question to the first two followers.. "What are you looking for?" 

What a good question!  The disciples wanted to know where He was staying and He invited them to "Come and see!".  They went and they stayed.  This question makes me stop and reflect on my own walk with the Lord... What was I looking for?  What am I looking for now in following Jesus?  Do I want to know where He is going and am I willing to follow Him wherever He leads?

 If I ask the question to you.. "What are you looking for?"... what will you say? 

When Andrew brings his brother Simon to Jesus ..the Word says, "Jesus looked at him and said 'You are Simon son of John. You shall be called Cephas - which translated is Peter.' "   With just a look Jesus saw who Peter was and who he would become.  He does the same for each of us.. He sees us as we are when we come to Him and who we will become as we follow Him.  What good news!  He cares for each of us and sees past our doubts and failures to a future where we will be made complete in Him. 

In verse 43 we are told that Jesus "found Philip" and called him to follow.  Then Philip "found Nathanael" and led him to Jesus too.   Jesus reveals to Nathanael that He knew him from before he came to see Him. "I saw you", He said.  And just the same.. Jesus sees us and knows us. He knows our past and He knows our future.  He invites us to come and see all that He has planned for us.. and the future is full of His glory and grace!

Father in heaven,  I am looking.. fixing my eyes on Jesus Christ the Messiah and King.  I desire to follow Him all the days of my life and one day stand before You, made complete by His Life, given for my salvation. Thank You for the Word.. the testimony of those who walked with Jesus and saw His glory. Thank You that You see each of us and know us.. our past and our future, and You call us by name. Jesus, You know me and found me. Thank You.  Have You way in me today I pray. amen. 

 John 1:11-34

John the Baptist was "a man sent from God..that he might testify of the Light, that all men might believe in it through him.. He was not the Light himself, but came that he might bear witness regarding the Light." 

John had a mission from God. He was the first to officially recognize the Messiah and to give his testimony.. "This was He of Whom I said, He Who comes after me has priority over me, for He was before me [He ranks over above me, for He existed before me, because He is my Christ]." ( v15 AMP)

John testified clearly saying, "Look! There is the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of Whom I said, After me comes a Man Who has priority over me.. because He was before me and existed before I did. And I did not know Him and did not recognize Him [myself]; but it is in order that He should be made manifest and be revealed to Israel.. that I came baptizing in water. "   John told of how he was able to recognize Him.. " I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and it dwelt on Him.  And I did not know Him nor recognize Him, but He Who sent me to baptize in water said to me, Upon Him Whom you shall see the Spirit descend and remain, that One is He Who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen[that happen - I actually did see it] and my testimony is that this is the Son of God."  ( verses29-34)

John never claimed anything except that he was sent from God to prepare the way for the Lord.  He preached repentance. He baptized in water. He testified about Jesus.  This was his mission and he did it well. 

We are on the same mission aren't we?  To testify the the One  we have been able to recognize as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world is Jesus Christ!  Jesus is  the Light -  Son of God.. the Word made flesh.  May our testimony be clear.. "Look!"  Jesus came as the Lamb of God so that we who receive Him and welcome Him.. all who believe in Him may be given the right to "become the children of God." . 

Father in heaven, thank You for revealing to us the Son of God, the Lamb Who was slain, the Messiah and King forever. May our testimony be clear -  that others may also come to believe in Him and be saved. Shine through us today in our words and in our deeds.. to the glory of His Name. Amen.