John 13: 33-38  Judas had left the upper room. Jesus had just announced that He was about to be "glorified".  Now, He tells the eleven.. "Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You shall seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, I now say to you also, Where I am going, you cannot come." 

He calls them "little children".  These grown men.. these fishermen; a zealot, and a tax-collector among them.. these faithful believers.. were yet "children".  Babes in faith. The next few days would change them forever. They needed to experience the crucifixion and the resurrection.. they needed to recognize that Jesus was indeed God...that He would rise from the dead and "be glorified" beyond anything that they ever even imagined!  They were not ready to go where He was going... but later.. "you shall follow later.. " They would be ready to lay down their lives for Him.. later.. but even Peter would not last even a few hours... 

Jesus gave the disciples a "new commandment".. a commandment that would lead them into a greater likeness of Himself.. "love one another, even as I have loved you.. love one another."  This is the one command that would distinguish the disciple's of Jesus from any other.  A greater command - a greater love.  "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." (15:13)  This "greater love"  would be possible once the Spirit of God came to live in theses "little children" and they grew up into the likeness of the One who loved them first. 

And so it is with all of us.  We are like little children.. beloved.. but needy.. needing the Spirit of God to fill us with His love.. His greater love that is willing to even lay down our lives for others. 

Father, fill us. Spirit of God, flow into us and through us with a greater love.. that we might be like Jesus.. that we might love like He loved us and gave Himself for us.  Amen!

 John 13:21-32  After Jesus had washed the disciples feet.. He told them that one of them would be a traitor... one of them was "not clean"... one did not believe. One of them would fulfill the prophet's words.. "He who eats My bread has lifted up his heel against Me."  

Betrayal.  It troubled Jesus.  Betrayal is always painful, but this betrayal was horrific.. for Jesus knew that Judas would end his own life because of the guilt that would cover him.  He knew that it was the work of satan in Judas' heart.. He knew that the sin that filled Judas could have been confessed and forgiven.. but that he would not repent.  This one that Jesus loved and had called.. the one that had traveled with Him and ate with Him... who had even performed miracles with His authority and in His name.. would leave the refuge of God's grace.. for eternity.  

I wonder.. is that how God felt when Lucifer rebelled?  Does God grieve the choices of those who fall away.. even the one who is most evil? 

Verse 27 "And after the morsel, Satan then entered into him.( Judas) Jesus therefore said to him, 'What you do, do quickly.'"   He spoke to Judas.. but might He also have been speaking to Satan? The betrayal.. the rebellion.. was two-fold.  Both physical and spiritual.. Judas betrayed Jesus by leading the enemy to Him in the garden.  Satan betrayed God by leading Adam and Eve to eat of the tree of good and evil in another garden. 

Yet, it is in this.. in the betrayal.. that Jesus says.. "Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in Him; if God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Himself, and will glorify Him immediately." ( v31-32) 

Father in heaven, Your Word tells us that these things happened for Your purposes.  You sent Your Son. You offered Him up for all of our sin.  You glorified Jesus through the betrayal and the consequences of that betrayal.. His crucifixion.. His burial.. and Hallelujah! His resurrection!  I am reminded of what Jesus said.. that if we deny Him..He will deny us before the throne... but if we confess His Name.. if we believe.. then we have Life through Him and He will never deny us.  How thankful I am to be able to say that Jesus Christ is truly Lord of all.. my Savior and my King forever.  Amen!

 John 13  Jesus told His followers that to believe in Him was the same as believing in the One who sent Him.. that to behold Him was the same as beholding His Father.. that when they heard His words.. they were hearing exactly what the Father wanted to say to them.  Jesus tells us that He came "as light".. He came to reveal what could not be seen in darkness.  He came to save the world from the judgement that it deserved.. but that judgement was already rendered against those who refused deliverance from it.  

This was Jesus' message.. because this was the Father's message. 

The last hours of His life were spent with His disciples in the upper room.  John gives us the most complete account of the Words that Jesus wanted to leave with His disciples and with us.  He began that night with the Passover supper, "knowing that His hour had come that He should depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end." 

"Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands and that He had come forth from God, and was going back to God, rose from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself about."   Complete power and authority.. complete understanding.. the Lord of all..  the Master, the Light of the World.. the Word made flesh.. took on the role of a servant.  He washed the feet of His disciples.. as an example of great love and perfect humility. 

He told His disciples.. and us.. to "do as I did for you."  There is no one greater than Jesus.  No one can compare..  and in His final hours He wanted to leave this example.. "If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them." He tells us. To love even the one who would betray Him. To wash the feet of the one who would deny Him. To give His life for those who despised Him.. for while we were yet sinners.. Christ died for us.. for ALL of us. 

What does that kind of love look like in our lives?  How do we do as He did?  We lay down our lives and our pride. We serve others. We forgive those who hurt us. We help those who need help. We show mercy to those who are in need. We love with words and actions.. We walk in His Spirit and shine His Light into the darkness of this world. We love them "to the end". 

Father in heaven, our God and King, the Maker of heaven and earth, Lord of all.. we come to You in the Name of Jesus our Savior and Lord.. asking that You will work together all things in our lives, for Your purpose.. to conform us into the image of Jesus.  May we love like He does. May we do as He did.  May we truly know Your heart and do Your will according to Your Word. Spirit of God, fall fresh on us we pray. In Jesus' name, Amen. 

 John 12: 12- 19  "Multitudes" of people met Jesus as He entered Jerusalem that day.. the day that we call Palm Sunday.. "multitudes" were with Him, testifying about the miracle of Lazarus being raised from the dead.  "Multitudes" wanted to see what He would do next.. as the humble King rode into Jerusalem on a donkey's colt.. to fulfill the prophecies.. perfectly. 

And.. the Pharisees grumbled.. "You see that you are not doing any good; look, the world has gone after Him."   O.. if it were only so! Even now.. Father, let the world see Jesus!

Verses 20-26  When some Greek men came to Philip asking to see Jesus, he went to Andrew and they went together to see  Jesus... He said, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified."  The glory of Jesus was about to be made apparent.. but not in a way that any of them could anticipate.. even as much as Jesus tried to prepare them for it. 

".. unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." (v24)

"He who loves His life loses it; and he who hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal." (v25)

"Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, 'Father, save Me from this hour.' But for this purpose I came to this hour." (v27)

"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself." (v31)

"For a little while longer the light is among you. Walk while you have the light..." (v35)

The hour had come.. the time for Him to lose His life.. to be lifted up.. to face the cross and fulfill the purpose for which He came.  And it is in this.. that His glory would be seen. The Son of Man became the Lamb of God.. to deliver His people from sin and death; from darkness and judgement; from the dominion of darkness.. into the Kingdom of God.. forever!

"Father, glorify Your Name."  As You revealed Your glory through the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ.. may Your glory be seen in Your people. May the Church arise from the earth.. like the grain of wheat.. and bear much fruit. Let Your Kingdom come and Your will be done in us we pray. Amen. 

 John 12:1-11  Jesus came back from the wilderness to Bethany.. to the home of Lazarus and his sisters.  As they were eating supper, Mary came to Jesus and opened a container of a very costly perfume.  She "anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume."   

John tells us that it was Judas who complained about the waste of the perfume.. 300 denarii  would be worth 11 months wages.. which he thought should be given to the poor.. and by the poor, he meant himself.  He forgot about the fact that Jesus fed 5000 with a few loaves of bread.. without any denarii. He forgot that Lazarus, sitting at the same table had been dead.. and now was alive, and it had nothing to do with how much money he had.  Judas continued walking in darkness, although the Light of the world was sitting at the same table with him. 

Mary anointed the feet of Jesus.. out of pure love and gratitude. She saw Jesus.. she listened carefully to what He said. Perhaps.. she even understood in some way that she was anointing Him for the burial that was coming... for this anointing was the custom used in burial. 

Two people with two different relationships with Jesus.  Judas, a chosen disciple, could not see Jesus.. just as Isaiah said and Jesus quoted.... "He has blinded their eyes and He hardens their heart, let they see with their eyes and perceive with their heart and be converted and I heal them." (v 40) But, Mary, gave all she had out of love and devotion to her Savior. She had eyes to see and a heart to perceive.. 

We each must choose one of these two relationships with Jesus.. to believe and give ourselves to Him fully.. or to harden our hearts and deny Him.. accuse Him.. betray Him.  There is no middle ground here.  I pray that whoever is reading this today.. will choose to believe.. choose Life in Jesus. 

Father, open blind eyes and deaf ears!  Our nation is turning to lies and deception in so many ways.. we ask again that You would ".. let the evil of the wicked come to an end but establish the righteous"  (Psalm 7:9) Change hearts according to Your grace and mercy.. Jesus, draw all men and women to Yourself.. even as You said You would after You were lifted up. ( John 12:32) Thank You for every soul that has been rescued and every life redeemed through the blood that was shed on a cross for  us. Be glorified, Lord, we pray, as You bring many more into Your eternal Kingdom, for we ask this in Your Name..  Amen

 John 11 We are learning that everything that Jesus did had a divine purpose.. He did the works of His Father.. and the Father's purpose was to draw us to Himself.. to draw us to Jesus.. to save us, rescue us, redeem us, transform us.. and to bring us into the likeness of the Son.  

This miracle.. the raising of Lazarus from the dead.. is meant to show us the "glory of God".. that we might believe that Jesus is "the Resurrection and the Life".  That we might believe in Him and live.. even if we die.  This is an enormously important sign.. that brought many to faith in Jesus.. and also moved the Jewish council to plot His death. 

Everything about this situation was purposeful.. that Jesus was away.. "beyond the Jordan"... that Lazarus became sick and died.  That Mary and Martha sent for Jesus, but He did not come right away. And, that it was 4 days that Lazarus was in the tomb before Jesus called him out. 

We are told that Jesus loved Lazarus, Martha, and Mary.  We know that He had spent many nights in their home in Bethany, outside of Jerusalem.  We know that Jesus wept with Mary at the tomb of her brother. We know He challenged Martha's faith and that she was steadfast in her belief that Jesus is "the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world."  Yet, when Jesus asked that the stone be removed from the tomb's entrance.. Martha was concerned about the stench.  Oh how precious are the words that Jesus says to her.. "Did I not say to you, if you believe, you will see the glory of God?"  He did not condemn her for her doubts or concerns.. but encouraged her to keep having faith in Him.  And she did... and saw God's glory!

"Lazarus, come forth!" Jesus cried out.. and "He who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings; and his face wrapped around with a cloth.. "  What a sight that must have been! How could any of those who saw this with their own eyes doubt the truth about Jesus. He has authority over life and death!

We can trust Jesus in every circumstance.. even in death.. our own or that of a loved one.  Not that it is easy.. we know it isn't.. but we can cling to Him in faith, believing that He has a purpose.. and that purpose is that we will see the glory of God. 

Father, I'm clinging to You.. clinging to Jesus.. who is the Resurrection and the Life. I know that Your plan is good.. that You promise to work all things together for my good.. according to Your purposes.. to bring me into the fullness of Christ.. You are at work in me, even through difficult circumstances.  Thank You.  Thank you for being on my side.. for never giving up on me.. for patiently encouraging me to have faith in You and trust You in all things.  Thank You that You do not condemn me, but justify me, intercede for me, defend me, and keep me in Your hands, Jesus!  May You be exalted in my life.. as my Lord and King forever.  Amen. 

 John 10 Jesus is the "good shepherd".  He taught that He was the "door of the sheep".. that He was the shepherd who knows His own.. and that His sheep know Him and will follow Him.  He laid down His life for His sheep.. to save and to give abundant life to His sheep.  Jesus tells us that "no one" can take His sheep out of His hand. 

What else do we need to understand from this teaching?

First of all, we need to understand that we are ALL like sheep.  We all need a shepherd. We all will follow someone. I pray that we will hear His voice and follow Him!

We also need to know that there are thieves and robbers who want to steal the sheep.  They will break in by climbing over the fence or coming in some other way.. because they cannot go through the door.  The "doorkeeper" will only open up the door for the Shepherd.  We also need to know that the "thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy."  

We need to know that there is a difference between the Shepherd and a hireling.  The hireling does not own the sheep... he is not invested in the welfare of the sheep.. he will not lay down his own life to protect the sheep.  He will run away when the wolf comes.  But, the Shepherd will never leave His sheep.  He will lay down His life for His sheep.  There is no-one and nothing that can separate the sheep from the Shepherd who cares for them.  Jesus is a great and wonderful Shepherd. People.. hirelings.. may disappoint us and desert us.. but Jesus never will!

There are sheep that will not follow Jesus, the good Shepherd, because they are not His.  Jesus told the unbelieving Jews, "But you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep."  They had every reason to believe.. because Jesus did the works of the Father.. but they called Him a blasphemer instead and conspired to kill Him.  We have every reason to believe in Jesus.. but if we choose to not believe.. to not follow Him.. we will not be His sheep and will not have the life that only He can give. 

Jesus also taught that He had more sheep that would come into His flock.  "I must bring them also, and they shall hear My voice; and they shall become one flock with one shepherd."  WE are those sheep.  We who hear His voice and follow Him.. who believe that He did lay down His life and took it up again.. to give us eternal life.. WE are in His hand.. We belong to the Father and to the Son.. and "no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand."  The thief cannot steal, kill, or destroy the one who stays safely in the care of the Shepherd. 

Believe and keep believing these Truths!  The Father and the Son love those who are theirs.. the sheep who know their voice.. who believe and follow the Shepherd. Abundant and eternal life are ours as we continually stay in His fold.  

Perhaps something else that we can learn from this parable is that we belong to the Shepherd.. and are part of His flock.. we are not supposed to be alone in this walk with Jesus.  We belong in the fold.. together.. one Body.. one Church.. one Flock.. with One Shepherd.. the good Shepherd who gives us life. It is important that we are together.. encouraging, helping, sharing, and loving one another as we walk along this path to eternity. 

Father in heaven, we pray that You will help us to fully understand the Truth of Your Word.. that Jesus is in You and You in Him.. and that we are in Him and therefore.. in You too... that we are together as a body of believers in the Shepherd's care.   Help us to comprehend the greatness of our salvation through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ our good Shepherd. How wonderful is the gospel of Christ! Keep us abiding with You.... do good in our lives.. working out all things for Your purpose.. to bring us into the likeness of the Son.  We are looking to You for all of our need.. trusting You for every moment.. and giving You thanks and praise for Your great kindness to us. Be exalted O God, we pray... in Jesus' name. Amen. 

 John 9:13- 41  The "formerly blind" man was brought to the Pharisees.  It was a Sabbath.. so the Pharisees immediately started their arguments:

how could a man of God not keep the Sabbath? 
He must be a sinner.. 
the man must not be telling the truth.. 
the parents must not know their own son.. 
Jesus cannot be good and do this?  

The young man may have been a blind beggar.. but he was not afraid of the arguments and threats of the Jewish leaders.  He continued to testify.. 

"He  applied clay to my eyes; and I washed, and I see." (v15)  

When asked who he was who had opened his eyes, he said, "He is a prophet." (v17)

When called in a second time, after the council had questioned his parents, the man said, "Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see." (v25)

Again he said.. "I told you already, and you did not listen; why do you want to hear it again? You do not want to become His disciples too, do you?" (v27)

And in response to their statements that they did not know where Jesus was from, he said, "Well, here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing, and does His will, He hears him. Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God He could do nothing." ( v30-33)

To which they answered, "You were born entirely in sins, and are you teaching us?"   The once blind beggar.. who now could see.. was able to see the Truth whereas the "righteous" Pharisees.. remained blind in their sins... for they couldn't admit that they also were "born entirely in sins". 

After this, the Jews threw the man out of the synagogue .  But, Jesus met him and introduced Himself as "the Son of Man.". And, then this young man responded, " Lord, I believe." 

Be encouraged by this man's example.  He had everything going against him.. he was blind, he had to beg in order to live... his parents didn't seem to be much help.. even the disciples thought that his blindness was due to sin..  Yet, when he was pulled into the judgement hall of the Pharisees.. he answered wisely and boldly.  He understood the Truth about Jesus.. He knew the Father and He came to know the Son.. His testimony is simple but so powerful..  " I was blind.. now I see."

Father in heaven, when You work in our lives.. You take us out of darkness and into Light.  You take us out of sin and into righteousness through Jesus Christ the Lord.  You give us spiritual understanding and faith to believe and follow Jesus.  We came to You blind and we now can say .. "I see".  It is our testimony too!  Thank You!  How great is our God!  How wonderful  are Your works.  How bountiful is Your love for us.. that You gave us such a Savior as our Lord Jesus. May our lives and our testimonies be as powerful a witness of the Truth as this young man's was.  Fill us Spirit of God so that the Light of Jesus shines in each of us today. Amen. 

 John 9:1-8  There was a man who was "born blind".   Think about that.. perhaps he was born without any eyes.. or perhaps there was some damage done in-vitro.. we don't know.  This was a grown man who had never seen his parent's faces.. never knew what color the sky was.. never saw a tree or a flower. The disciples asked Jesus whether this was a punishment for his sin.. or his parent's sins.  Jesus told them that it was neither... 

".. it was in order that the works of God might be displayed in him."  The condition of this young man appears tragic to us. We question God's love sometimes when we see the tragedies of people who suffer.. we wonder at a God who allows suffering.  But, Jesus wants us to see beyond the physical  need.. to what really matters.. "We must work the works of Him who sent Me, as long as it is day; night is coming, when no man can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."   This takes us back to John 8:12 "I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

We have already learned that the work of God is to draw us to Himself.. to bring us to Jesus, Who is the  Light and the source of true Life.His purpose is to bring us to completion.. to conform us to the image of Jesus Christ His Son..   Yes, Jesus cares about the blindness of this young man.. as He cares about every need we have..  but He cares even more about the spiritual blindness of him and every man or woman who does not know God. This is why He has come.. this is the Light He came to give!

Jesus makes clay, puts it on the man's eyes, and sends him to the pool of Siloam to wash.  Think about that.. in Genesis we read how God took the "dust from the ground" to form a man, Adam. ( Gen. 2:7) He breathed into the man the "breath of life; and man became a living being."  Jesus takes some of this same dust, spits into it and forms clay.. and molds it into this man's eyes.  The man went away blind.. "and came back seeing."  He went from a life of sitting and begging.. to a life of light.  He had a testimony that would indeed "display" the works of God!

Father, You have made each of us with care and purpose.  You have designed us the way we are.. that You might display Your works in us. Even our flaws and imperfections.. even our suffering and pains.. are being used for "good".. for Your holy purpose.. (Romans 8).  You have given us Light through Jesus who is the Light of the world...and You have called us to be light and to shine in this dark world.  We follow Jesus.. walking in light with the light of life. O Lord, shine in us and through us so that others might come to know You and find truth and life through Jesus Christ.  Let us be doing the works You have ordained for us to do.. before that day when "no man can work"... when it is too late.  Have Your way in our lives today.. that all we do.. that all we are.. and all we say.. will reveal Your works.  We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. 

 John 8:31-59  Believing in Jesus.. convinced that He is the Son of God who came from God for the purposes of God.. to save us from sin.. to give us Life.. to conform us to the image of the Firstborn.. begins with grace.. the Father drawing us to the Son with His cords of love. Now,   Jesus said to those who believed.. "If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (v31-32)  It is an ongoing.. abiding relationship with Jesus that brings truth and freedom into the life of the believer. 

The discussion that follows this statement is interesting... for the Jews claim that they have "never yet been enslaved"..  which is definitely not true.  Did they forget the years in Egypt?  Did they forget that the Romans were ruling over them ?  But, Jesus doesn't even point that out to them.. what they didn't understand was that they were slaves to sin.  We are all under that same master.. unless we are set free by the Son.. "If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed." ( v36)

The Jews were counting on their relationship to Abraham to be enough.. but Jesus makes it clear that they are not acting anything like Abraham... they were not listening to His Words.. they weren't doing the "deeds of Abraham".. they couldn't recognize the Truth.. like Abraham did. They were listening to the lies of their father.. Satan.. who is the father of lies.  They had murder on their minds.. like Satan did. They refused to believe the Truth and accused Jesus of having a demon.. when it was just the opposite.  " He who is of God hears the words of God;"  He tells them, "for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God."  We must be careful to rely only on Jesus.. no-one..or nothing else can save us from sin and bring us to the Father. 

Jesus made it clear that He listened to the Father.. God.. the same God that the Jews claimed to know.. but really didn't.. that Abraham himself would listen to Him and believe.. and even "rejoiced to see [His] day."!  This really threw the crowd into a tizzy! When Jesus made a final statement, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.".. they picked up stones to throw at Him.. right there in the temple... for Jesus had just revealed His deity. 

Father, we are Your children, for we have believed in Jesus and we are abiding in His Words.. We have been set free by this Truth.  We have been born again..new creations through the Son who makes us free!  Hallelujah!  We have received this gift from Your loving Hands.. for You have drawn us with Your cords of love.  You know us.  You have always known us.  You have called us.. summoned us to Yourself. You have destined us for Your purpose.. that we be conformed to the image of Jesus, "the Firstborn among many brethren" ( Romans 8:29).   You have justified us and glorified us. And, no one can separate us from Your great love. Thank You Lord!  Fill us with Your Spirit that we may be free indeed! Complete in You. Amen. 

 John 8:12-30   Jesus said, "I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life."  

And.. the Jews completely missed or ignored the message.. instead they argued about Him "bearing witness" of Himself.  It was a technicality.. a minor point.. They were acting as judges and questioning His testimony.  Jesus set them straight.. He does not lie. His Father does not lie. Both He and His Father tell the truth. He Is who He says He is!

The Jews wanted to know where Jesus' father was.. they didn't know Him.  They refused to listen to the God they claimed to serve. If they did.. they would have seen clearly all that Jesus was showing them. Instead, they would "die in [their] sin".   This is the choice we all must make.. Will we believe the testimony of Jesus.. or will we refuse and die in our sins.  ".. unless you believe the I am He, you shall die in your sins."   It doesn't get any plainer than that!

Jesus has spoken the Truth.  He came for the purpose of finding us.. saving us.. redeeming us.. and bringing us Home to live forever with Him.  Walk in His light.. follow Him.. trust Him.. and He will make all these things clear.  Don't get hung up on technicalities... don't get distracted by the things of this world. Don't miss the clear message that Jesus gives here.. Believe!

Father in heaven , great is Your love for us, that You would send Your only Begotten Son, that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.  Thank You!  Keep drawing us closer to Your heart.. filling us with Your love that never lets go.  Help us to follow Jesus and walk in His Light. Amen. 

 John 8:1-11  Read this passage carefully.. for it reveals the greatness of God's grace to all of us.  

Jesus was in the temple teaching.. and many people were coming to hear Him.  The scribes and Pharisees invaded the group.. bringing a woman.. to see what Jesus would do to her. They came with pride and arrogance.. they came with attitudes of scorn and anger. They came to shame her for her sin..  in front of everyone.. and to test Jesus.. to see if He would do what the Law of Moses commanded. 

What they least expected was for Jesus to stoop down and write with His finger on the ground.  It is a mystery.. what did He write?  Why did He choose to write anything at that time? The Living Word.. writing.. oh.. don't we want to read it?   Yet, it is what Jesus says next that is so important.. "He who is without sin among you, let him be first to throw a stone at her."

Jesus was the only One qualified to throw a stone at the woman.. and He did not. Instead, He stooped down and wrote on the ground once again.  This always makes me think of the time that Daniel was called into the palace room of Belshazzar.. for a finger mysteriously appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall as the king and his cohorts drank out of the vessels from God's house and praised their idols...  The finger wrote.. "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin".. God had numbered the kingdom of Babylon. He weighed it on the scales and found it lacking...  The scribes and Pharisees were being weighed.. and they were indeed lacking.. perhaps what Jesus wrote on the ground that day shook their foundation as the writing on the wall shook the kingdom of Babylon... Perhaps, it was then that they recognized themselves.. at least for a moment. 

Every accuser slipped away "beginning with the older ones.."  There were none left to condemn the woman.. except Jesus.. "Neither do I condemn you; go your way. From now on sin no more." He told the woman.  What wonderful words !!!! This is Grace.  He offers it to each of us.  He paid the price so that we do not have to... He gave His life so that we are not condemned.  We can go and sin no more... because Jesus sets us free to do so. 

Father in heaven, how thankful we are for the grace of Jesus, our Savior and Lord.  Your grace is amazing.. it is sufficient.. it is perfect.. it is full of glory. We are all lacking.. You could weigh us and find that we should be condemned.. but You choose to forgive us our sins and cleanse our unrighteousness.  We praise Your Name and give You glory with thankful hearts.  Amen.

 John 7  In this chapter John records the questions, the controversies, the conflicts and the confusion that surrounded Jesus during His time on earth..

 Conflict... Jesus' brothers didn't believe and challenged Him to go to Jerusalem for the feast of Booths and show Himself.. yet Jesus would not go up with them to be put on display.  He did go later.. to teach. 

 Confusion... The Jews were looking for Jesus.. some because they thought He was "good".. some who thought He was leading people away from truth.

 Question... Some Jews questioned the fact that He taught without having been educated by their standards.  

Confusion and controversy... Some wanted to kill Him... others denied that anyone wanted to kill Him.,, some wondered why the rulers didn't kill Him...

Conflict... The Pharisees wanted to seize Him but didn't or couldn't.. 

Most did not understand His teaching.. they were confused about Who He was and where He came from and accused each other of being led astray if they believed in Him.

Yet, some believed. 

Stripping away all the questions and confusion.. Jesus had some important things to say.. 

Verse 7 "The world cannot hate you; but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil."  People do not want to be told that they are wrong. They don't want their secret sins to be brought to light. They.. we.. don't want to confess our sins.  But.. Jesus brings us all to that point.. and we either confess.. and find forgiveness and salvation through Him.. or we deny it and stay in darkness. We don't need to be confused.. we need to allow ourselves to hear the Truth.

V16-19  Jesus tells us that He is teaching.. not what He learned from another human being.. but what has come from the Father in heaven.  "If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from Myself."  Jesus is seeking the Father's glory and not His own. He was sent for that purpose.  He is righteous and true in all He says, because He is doing the Father' s will. We don't need to be questioning.. if we listen to His voice.. we can recognize the truth. 

V. 21-24  It was Moses who taught about circumcision, Jesus said, and the Jews were very adamant about obeying that command.. even if it had to be on a Sabbath.  Yet, Jesus accused them, they were ready to kill Him because He healed a man on the Sabbath. They had their priorities all wrong.. They weren't judging with "righteous judgement".   They were basing their judgement on personal opinions biased by their own desires.  It doesn't have to be a conflict.. God can do anything... whenever He wants!

V28-29  "You both know Me and know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. I know Him; because I am from Him, and He sent Me."  This is a defining statement.. crystal clear.. and we believe it or refuse it.. and our whole life depends on that decision. We do not need to be confused.. just willing to accept His Word. 

V33-39  Jesus talked about the fact that He would not be found after a period of time.  He would return to the Father.  The decision to believe cannot wait until later.. "If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scriptures said, 'From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.'"  The choice needs to be made. "Today" the writer of Hebrews emphasized, "Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts." Now is the time to choose to believe in Jesus.. to "hold fast" to Him.. to be "diligent to enter that rest".. that only He can provide. ( Hebrews 4) 

Our world is just as confused.. as full of questions.. and as conflicted as the people of Israel were in that day.  We are either persuaded and convinced that Jesus is the Son of God, who came from the Father so that He could be our Savior.. or we stay in the dark.. and refuse the gift of eternal life that  only He can give. May we be like the disciples who chose to stay with the One who has "the words of eternal life." May we believe and "come to know that [Jesus is] the Holy One of God."

Father in heaven.. You have drawn us to Jesus.. that we might believe in Him and not perish, but have eternal life. Thank You! Hallelujah!  May Your Truth fill our world so that You will rescue the perishing and bring them into Life eternal. Send Your laborers into the harvest that more will come to Jesus to the honor and glory of Your Name. Amen.  

John 6: 41-71  Jesus said some really difficult things.. never leaving out those truths that are hard to understand.. and this passage contains some of those.. 

Verses 44-45 for example.. "No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.. "   Jesus had made it clear that He only did what He saw the Father doing.. that the works that He did were the works of the Father.  Here He quotes from the prophets to show that even what He is saying.. is exactly what the Father has been saying all along.  Jeremiah wrote, ".. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness." ( 31:3) And, "... they shall not teach again each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying 'Know the Lord,' for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, declared the Lord, for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." (31:34) Hosea wrote, "I led them with cords of a man, with bonds of love, and I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws; and I bent down and fed them." (11:4)  

Even as God the Father has loved and cared for Israel since the beginning.. He was loving them by sending the "true bread".. Jesus Christ.. to bring them Life.  If they truly knew God.. knew the heart of the Father.. then they would know that the Son was sent from Him and be drawn to Him by those same "bonds of love". 

Do you believe that God loves you?  That He has sent His Son to give you life? Jesus repeats it again, "I am the bread of life."  He is the "bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die." He came because God loves us. He came to give us life. 

Living bread that provides eternal Life...  This was such a hard truth for the Jews.  Many fell away when Jesus started talking about them "eating His flesh" and "drinking His blood."  Jesus asked His disciples, "Does this cause you to stumble? What then if you should behold the Son of Man ascending where He was before?"  They would see that very thing..the 11 who believed stood on the mount of Olives and watched Jesus ascend into heaven. Only Judas would not live to see that day... only Judas would not believe and betray Him. The 11 would not go anywhere else, knowing that Jesus had "the words of eternal life." They knew Who He was and believed. They were drawn to Him with the bonds of love. 

Father in heaven, draw us nearer! Draw us with the cords of love.. that we will know Jesus more and more.... that we partake of His sacrifice.. His body and His blood.... true food and true drink.. so that we will abide in Him and He in us.  Let the Life and Spirit of Christ Jesus give us eternal life that we might walk with You forever. This is our prayer .. in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

 John 6:26-40   This is such an important lesson!  Listen carefully to what Jesus is telling us!  "Do not work ( be occupied, labor for, be engaged in, or do anything) for food that perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man shall give to you, for on Him the Father, even God, has set His seal."  

You can spend your whole life trying to accumulate enough money to satisfy your physical, emotional, and social self.. and in the end.. you will never be satisfied.  Look around.. our world is full of living proof that this is true.. people who work so much that they hardly know their own family, let alone their neighbors.  People who have more money than they can know what to do with... but who are so unhappy that they resort to drugs or alcohol.. or something else to dull the pain.  People who have gained fame through whatever talent God has gifted them with.. but can't even go out in public without being accosted by strangers, so they hide in their fancy houses and fight depression.  They are occupied.. working for what will perish.  It is true of us "common" people too.  We want to have enough to provide for our families.. or to buy a new car.. or the next big thing.  All our energy is spent on what we want and think we need... 

Jesus is telling us that we need to change focus.  To spend our time and energy on that which will never perish.  The people ask the question for us, "What shall we do, that we make work the works of God?"  What does it mean for us to be occupied.. to spend our time and energy on God's works?  Jesus gives a very simple answer.. "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." 

Believe in Jesus? That's all?  YES!

Well, the people had another question.. "What then do You do for a sign, that we may see and believe You? What work do You perform?"  They had just seen Him take 5 loaves and 2 fish and multiply it to feed over 5000 people!  What more did they want?!  They wanted manna!  They wanted more.. more.. and more.  Oh my!  Aren't we the same? Lord, forgive us!

First Jesus has to set them straight as to the source of the manna. They said it was from Moses.  Jesus tells them, it was His Father who gave them bread.. not just manna.. but  "the true bread our of heaven". "For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven and gives life to the world." Not manna... which was temporary and perished..  but more .. "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."  Jesus is everything we need.  He needs to be everything that we want. He gives Life. Eternal Life. Abundant Life. Real Life. 

These are precious promises!   "All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out."  Jesus tells us that He won't lose us.. "but will raise [us] up on the last day."  We.. who believe in Him.. will be His forever.  This is the Father's will and the Son's purpose for coming down from heaven. 

Father in heaven, thank You for the True Bread from heaven, for Jesus Christ, Whom You sent.. and to Whom You have given us.  We belong to Jesus. He will not lose us. He will not reject us.  He will raise us up!  He is our Life-giver.. our Living Water.. our Bread of life. Jesus alone can satisfy our every need and fill our lives with that which does not perish!  Hallelujah! What a Savior!  May our hearts be encouraged and may we focus our time and energy on You.. hold us fast, Lord Jesus. We love You. We want to abide in You and You in us. Amen! 

 John 6:15-27  Imagine this... Jesus sends His disciples off across the sea.. without Him.  He "withdraws" from the crowd.. up into the mountain.  It is dark out.  A storm comes up. The sea is roaring and the wind is howling.  It is then that Jesus comes to His disciples, walking on the water.. three or four miles out.  Enough to scare them to death!

What kind of dark.. stormy.. and scary places are you walking? Are you there without Jesus?  Look up! Here He comes.. the darkness is not dark to Him. The storm is not overwhelming Him. He is not afraid and He says, "It is I, do not be afraid."   Are you willing, like the disciples, to take Him into your boat? If you do.. He will get you through to the other side! 

The crowd had slept on the shore. When they got up they saw that Jesus was gone.  They found some small boats.. must have been a lot of them for 5000+ people to catch a ride across the waters.. and they went back to Capernaum.. and found Jesus again.  But, Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves, and were filled."

What are our motives in seeking Jesus?  Do we seek Him because of Who HE is?  or because of what He does?  Are our prayers about knowing Him.. or about Him filling us with what we want?

"Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man shall give to you, for on Him the Father, even God, has set His seal."  To work.. to be occupied..  What is occupying your time?  That which is temporary.. earthbound..and perishing..  or that which is eternal and set in heaven above?  Let's start asking Him for the "food which endures to eternal life"!

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:19-21)  Jesus taught.   Paul's letter to Timothy helps us to understand  a little bit more about how to do that. "Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed."  (I Timothy 6:17-19) 

We are building our mansions in heaven..for eternity.. much better than anything we can ever build here in our lifetimes.  We do it by giving everything to Jesus and following Him. As Jesus told the rich young ruler, " If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." 

May we seek Jesus.. and follow Him because He is the Son of God, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords.  He gave His life for us. He wants all of our heart, our soul, our spirit, and our strength. He wants to be our treasure and our one desire. Seek Him and His kingdom.. and He will provide everything else that you need.  Hallelujah!  What a Savior!

Father in heaven, we hallow Your Name and pray that Your Kingdom will come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  We ask for daily bread, for forgiveness of every sin, for deliverance from the evil one, and for the love and grace to forgive others, do good.. to store up treasures in heaven, according to Your commands.  We desperately need You, Jesus. Fill us with Your Spirit and guide us in Your path we pray. Amen. 

 John 6:1-14  Jesus went to the other side of the sea.. and the multitude followed. They were desperate for Him. They would have gone anywhere to hear Him.. to find healing.. to be in His Presence.  The one thing they didn't have.. was food.  They didn't take the time to pack a picnic.. they didn't have time to stop by the drive-thru and get a meal to go.. they just went.. 

Jesus saw them coming. He already knew their needs.. He intended to meet that need in a way that none of them could have imagined.  There was not enough money to buy food for all of them.. and there was nowhere to buy it anyway.  But, one young boy had "five barley loaves and two fish".  And he gave it to Jesus...

Jesus took the bread and fish.. and He gave thanks for it.  Then He broke it.. and distributed it.... and it was enough to fill everyone there plus 12 baskets full left over!

The first thing that this makes me think about is this.. am I desperate enough for Jesus to follow Him without hesitation?  Can I just leave everything else go.. and seek His Presence.. His Word.. His touch? I know it is always worth it when I do.. May God give you and me that desire and desperation for Jesus!

The second thing I want to meditate on here is that.. though I don't have much.. I can give it to Jesus and He will make it something much, much more! If 5 loaves and 2 fish can feed 5000 plus people and have 12 baskets left over.. then anything I give to Jesus.. He can use in ways that I can't even imagine.  What do we have that we can put in His hands.. and watch Him work?

Father in heaven, thank You for such a wonderful Savior, the King of kings and Lord of lords.. who became the Bread of life.. broken for us.. that we might have life. Amazing grace..amazing love. We praise You and give You thanks, O Lord. For You are so good.  Your mercies are new every morning and You are always faithful and true.  Help us to have that desperate desire for Jesus that we will seek Him every day.  Help  us to give everything to Him.. and to see what He does.. and give Him glory! Amen. 

 John 5:18-32  Jesus had healed the man at Bethesda and was answering the accusations thrown at Him by the Jewish leaders... He had healed on the Sabbath and He had called God- His Father, which in their eyes was making Himself something that He had no right to do... 

Jesus has a lot to tell them.. and us.. about who He is.. 

The Father was at work.. and so was He.

What the Father did.. He did too.

The Father loved Him and showed Him everything He did. 

The Father raised the dead.. and so would Jesus. 

The Father had given Him the authority to judge. 

He was meant to be honored as the Father was honored.

His words were to be believed.. for they would lead to eternal life. 

Life or judgement.  Both of these things are given into the hands of Jesus.  He acted on these according to the Father's will. He was sent for this purpose. He wants us to believe and be saved. But, if we refuse we will face judgement. We need to understand this! We need to act according to the truth. 

Jesus gives four testimonies that confirm that He is who He is.. 

John testified.. that was why he was born.. to bear witness of Jesus.

The works.. the miracles that Jesus did.. those are proofs of Who He is.

The Father.. God Almighty.. "has borne witness of Me" Jesus said.  If you know God.. you will know Jesus.

Scripture also bears witness of Jesus.. every book in the Bible speaks of Him.. Look and you will find it true! Moses, the revered prophet, spoke of the One who would come.. and though the Jews thought they knew Moses.. they didn't even believe his testimony.. 

What will it take for you to believe? Do you look for signs like the Jews did?  Or will you chose to accept the testimonies that are presented here in the Bible?  Will you believe that Jesus wants you to trust Him and live according to the truths that He has shared?  I pray so.. 

Father in heaven, we live in a world that is so skeptical and lost.. so full of selfishness and self-centeredness... people unwilling to believe in the very One who died for their sins so that they can have life for eternity.  O Lord, send revival! Send forth Your Spirit to fill Your people that we might bear witness of Jesus.. and bring others to come and see Who Jesus is!  We ask this in His powerful and precious Name. Amen. 

 John 5  There is a story here that leads to great truths...  There was place in Jerusalem where there was a special pool of water called "Bethesda".. the House of Mercy.  Around it were many people.. sick with diseases," blind, lame, and withered".  The people waited at the pool because they wanted to be healed.  Every so often the waters would be stirred up by "an angel of the Lord" and the first person to enter the pool would be made well.  In the middle of all these people was one man. He had been there for 38 years.  He couldn't move fast enough to get to the water.. he was stuck.. without help and without hope.  Of all the people who needed help.. Jesus chose to go to this man and ask, "Do you wish to get well?"

One man that day was made well.. Jesus said to him,"Arise, take up your pallet and walk."  And he did! After 38 years, this man was able to walk, to carry his bed, to go to the temple to worship.  And... the first thing that happens is that he is condemned for carrying his pallet.. for it was the Sabbath.  He didn't even know who Jesus was.. but he knew that Jesus had healed him and that he was carrying his pallet because Jesus made it possible. The Jews didn't care...

"Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him,'Behold you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse may befall you.'" 

This started the persecution of Jesus by the Jews.  They resented Him for healing on the Sabbath. They resented Who He was. They resented His words and His power. They refused His teaching.  Yet, Jesus had so much to teach them about Himself and about the Father, who they claimed to serve.  

"My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working."  Jesus told them.  This is a profound truth that we need to understand.  Jesus goes on to unveil these truths.. 

"Truly, truly, I say to you the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner."   There is purpose in what Jesus does.. all He does is for the purpose of revealing the Father.  He came from the Father to reveal "grace and truth".   The Jews thought of God as the Rule giver and they were His enforcers.  They were so caught up in their own ways that they had lost sight of God.  They had gone so far from the truth that they didn't even know Him any more. They forgot about compassion and love and forgiveness.  They forgot about what really mattered, so sure of their own ways that they couldn't see what was happening right before their eyes.. A man who hadn't been able to walk for 38 years was standing before them.. perfectly healed!  Yet, the only thing they cared about was a rule that they had was not being followed... not about a person who had suffered so long and was now whole. 

Do we forget too?  Do we not see that God  Is working and that Jesus is working too?  Are we so caught up in our own ideas that we don't see the truth right before our eyes? Are we missing the miracles because we want our own ways?

Father, open our eyes.. we want to see You. We want to know the Son and receive Him fully into our lives. Let Your Spirit flow.. living water without end.. so that we can walk in obedience to Your Word and do the things that reveal Your grace and truth  to the lost and hurting ones in our world.  May we be more and more like Jesus in all we say and all we do.. by His power at work in and through us.  In His name and for His glory.. we ask this. Amen.