JOHN 3:22-30 PODCAST
JOHN 3:22-30 PODCAST
22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.) 25 An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.” 27 To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.” John 3:22-30
In John 3:22 we learn that the Lord Jesus went alone into the countryside with His disciples. Previously, Nicodemus came to be with the Lord Jesus alone, in order to have meaningful conversation with the Lord Jesus. Alone time with the Lord is most essential. In like manner, the Lord Jesus often would go away from the masses of people to be alone with His disciples, to teach them. He invested, most intimately, in twelve men. This is instructive. We are most effective when we carve out personal alone time with the Lord. It is only at this point that we are in a position to invest in the few.
The scene has shifted to the Judean countryside where Jesus and his disciples are baptizing (though John 4:2 says that “Jesus Himself did not baptize, but only his disciples”). In v.22, we discover John the Baptist's disciples were upset that Jesus was now pressing in on John's ministry.
The crowds are now anxiously following the Lord Jesus, instead of clamoring to hear John. John's disciples fell into the trap of the numbers game. God illustrates throughout the scriptures, numbers is not where it is at. In fact, He has been know to cull the numbers down to 300 from 32,000; just ask Gideon. This is God's way ... choosing the weak to shame the strong, choosing the foolish to shame the wise, choosing the things that are not to overturn the things that are. Siding with the poor and the oppressed and the weeping and the hungry and the outcasts.
Then John's disciples get into an argument about the meaning of baptism. Someone questioned the meaning of Jesus' baptism, especially since Jesus was now baptizing. So, John's disciples ask John what this all meant.
John answers in v.27-30, "27 To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less."
John emphasizes that Jesus is not his rival, saying that all power comes only from God. Many think they have earned their way to power by their own efforts, by their intelligence, by their hard work. John highlights this was not the case when he essentially says in v.27-30, "Not my will be done but yours.”
John is saying, "When I see crowds of people leaving me and going to Jesus I am glad because Jesus can do for them what I could never do. For their sakes I am glad. Jesus is the bridegroom come to claim his bride. He is receiving those who believe in him; that is his bride. I am the friend of the bridegroom; I am the best man at the wedding. I have a certain role to fulfill, and I rejoice when the bridegroom claims his bride."
Then John says his most famous words, "He must increase; I must decrease." That is so different from how we ordinarily think. The obvious lesson here is that we treasure the Lord Jesus over everyone and everything else. When the Lord Jesus becomes greater and I become less, my joy increases.
John the Baptist was a humble man. True humility is not thinking lowly of oneself but thinking accurately of oneself. Most often, humility comes into our lives through humiliating experiences. The humble man has made peace with the truth, he has allowed the truth to be true in his life.
Unlike the man who loves darkness and hates light, the man who does the truth “comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.” One of the main birthmarks of the born-again is that he loves for it to be clearly seen that his heart is with God.
Friday, September 13, 2019
Thursday, September 12, 2019
John 3:19-21
Click here to access the JOHN 3:19-21 PODCAST
19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. John 3:19-21
Imagine, we have been brought into the courtroom, and all of mankind has been found to be guilty of sin. This is not imaginary, it is reality. In Isaiah 3:13, we are told, "The LORD takes his place in court; he rises to judge the people." This is also the theme of Romans 3. It is not that God hasn't waded in on our condition, no, no, no. The Apostle informs us in v.19: "Light has come into the world." The wherewithal to recognize the difference between the truth and the lie has been granted through the Lord Jesus. The question is are we willing to see through our admission of guilt.
On the other hand, we trust what we know. This explains why someone would return to an abusive spouse. It explains why someone would choose homelessness over a permanent roof over their heads. It explains why the way of the evil one is embraced over the love of the Creator. We choose what we trust.
Due to our ignorance, most have chosen the darkness over the light. In v.19 we read: "people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.." Nobody wants to admit he is wrong. This is why it is so hard for us to turn to the LORD. You remember those days when we held tightly to our sin, thinking it was good for us. It took brokenness for me to be convince.
Notice in v.21 a contrast is given: "But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God." If we are willing to admit we are wrong, we will find ourselves being drawn to Jesus, for He is the Light.
The light exposes. The light exposes that which is darkness. I was fortunate to have people around me in my early years who shared the light of the Gospel with me. Yet, I automatically knew of this light. I believe we are all born with this capacity to know that what we have known isn't consistent enough to be reality. Therefore, at some point, we begin to seek, we begin to seek the light.
The choice to ultimately trust in Christ starts with a conviction deep within ourselves that we do not like the way we are. We do not like the way we are living; we want to be different. We may not be all that aware of how deep and destructive this conviction is, but it gnaws at us with each passing day. If we will begin to do something else, to pursue truth at whatever level we find it, we will find ourselves being drawn to the Lord Jesus. This was Nicodemus' story and is my story, too.
Hebrews 11:6 says, "Whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him." This verse does not say a word about believing in Jesus or being born again. This verse takes us right where we are in life and says that if, deep in our hearts, there is a hunger for something more, if we would like to be freed from the anguish and shame of what we know to be wrong, and we begin to pursue that, we will be drawn to the Lord Jesus. When we learn of the Lord Jesus, we will be open to receive Him. The sensation of God drawing us is this desire within us to want to be set free from what we innately know is wrong.
In our text, the Lord Jesus is talking with this Pharisee, Nicodemus', who prided himself on his sincere and serious efforts to please God, to obey him with precise execution. He believed that he had to earn his salvation through good works and diligence in keeping the law. Nicodemus knew in his heart that his theology just didn't cut it.
To this man, the Lord Jesus says, "You love darkness." With the hardness of these words, the Lord Jesus is drawing Nicodemus to place his faith in Him. Then the Lord Jesus says, "But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God." This audience of one is really the bottom line at the end of the day. Who I am, in relationship to God, is the real question. And, Nicodemus knew this. All mankind knows this. This explains why we have made the effort to seek beyond us. But the road that connects us to God runs from God to us, not from us to God. We do not journey through the cross to find God; instead, God has made the trek through the cross to find us. Our role is to receive this free gift that He offers. We have a choice between achieving a life or receiving it. If we make it achieving, our constant companion will be complaint, because we will never achieve enough. If we make our goal receiving, our constant companion will be gratitude for all that God is achieving in our lives. And, gratitude is the prescription to growing more deeply in our relationship with God.
19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. John 3:19-21
Imagine, we have been brought into the courtroom, and all of mankind has been found to be guilty of sin. This is not imaginary, it is reality. In Isaiah 3:13, we are told, "The LORD takes his place in court; he rises to judge the people." This is also the theme of Romans 3. It is not that God hasn't waded in on our condition, no, no, no. The Apostle informs us in v.19: "Light has come into the world." The wherewithal to recognize the difference between the truth and the lie has been granted through the Lord Jesus. The question is are we willing to see through our admission of guilt.
On the other hand, we trust what we know. This explains why someone would return to an abusive spouse. It explains why someone would choose homelessness over a permanent roof over their heads. It explains why the way of the evil one is embraced over the love of the Creator. We choose what we trust.
Due to our ignorance, most have chosen the darkness over the light. In v.19 we read: "people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.." Nobody wants to admit he is wrong. This is why it is so hard for us to turn to the LORD. You remember those days when we held tightly to our sin, thinking it was good for us. It took brokenness for me to be convince.
Notice in v.21 a contrast is given: "But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God." If we are willing to admit we are wrong, we will find ourselves being drawn to Jesus, for He is the Light.
The light exposes. The light exposes that which is darkness. I was fortunate to have people around me in my early years who shared the light of the Gospel with me. Yet, I automatically knew of this light. I believe we are all born with this capacity to know that what we have known isn't consistent enough to be reality. Therefore, at some point, we begin to seek, we begin to seek the light.
The choice to ultimately trust in Christ starts with a conviction deep within ourselves that we do not like the way we are. We do not like the way we are living; we want to be different. We may not be all that aware of how deep and destructive this conviction is, but it gnaws at us with each passing day. If we will begin to do something else, to pursue truth at whatever level we find it, we will find ourselves being drawn to the Lord Jesus. This was Nicodemus' story and is my story, too.
Hebrews 11:6 says, "Whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him." This verse does not say a word about believing in Jesus or being born again. This verse takes us right where we are in life and says that if, deep in our hearts, there is a hunger for something more, if we would like to be freed from the anguish and shame of what we know to be wrong, and we begin to pursue that, we will be drawn to the Lord Jesus. When we learn of the Lord Jesus, we will be open to receive Him. The sensation of God drawing us is this desire within us to want to be set free from what we innately know is wrong.
In our text, the Lord Jesus is talking with this Pharisee, Nicodemus', who prided himself on his sincere and serious efforts to please God, to obey him with precise execution. He believed that he had to earn his salvation through good works and diligence in keeping the law. Nicodemus knew in his heart that his theology just didn't cut it.
To this man, the Lord Jesus says, "You love darkness." With the hardness of these words, the Lord Jesus is drawing Nicodemus to place his faith in Him. Then the Lord Jesus says, "But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God." This audience of one is really the bottom line at the end of the day. Who I am, in relationship to God, is the real question. And, Nicodemus knew this. All mankind knows this. This explains why we have made the effort to seek beyond us. But the road that connects us to God runs from God to us, not from us to God. We do not journey through the cross to find God; instead, God has made the trek through the cross to find us. Our role is to receive this free gift that He offers. We have a choice between achieving a life or receiving it. If we make it achieving, our constant companion will be complaint, because we will never achieve enough. If we make our goal receiving, our constant companion will be gratitude for all that God is achieving in our lives. And, gratitude is the prescription to growing more deeply in our relationship with God.
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
John 3:16-18
Click here to access the JOHN 3:16-18 PODCAST
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. ~ John 3:16-18
Today, we continue our study of Nicodemus' visit with the Lord Jesus one night. There is a faith that results in a personal relationship with God, and there is a faith that results in living under the wrath of God. It is never our faith that makes the difference, it is always the object of that faith. Choosing not to place one's faith in the God of the Bible is the wrong choice. It is the belief that we can decide for ourselves that causes us to spend eternity in hell. John 3:16 reveals a God who "so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son." God sees the world differently than we do. When God looks at our world He sees the hopelessness and hurt, He sees the shame that fills each heart, and the subsequent misery that follows.
God's response to mankind's condition is that of love and not of anger. He is moved with love for the whole world who is trapped in damnation and hopelessness. That little word "so" is an important word: "God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son." The cross of the Lord Jesus defines this two letter word best. The greatest price tag ever placed on us was at the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is how much God loves His creation. The giving of v.16 is God sending His Son into the world on a mission from heaven to die for us, the guilty ones.
Recognize, too, the word "gave" which includes not only the coming of Jesus in the incarnation, but also His choice to be judged on the behalf of anyone who would receive His free gift. God could not just overlook our sin, He had to punish it. If He had overlooked sin, truth would no longer be truth for its foundation would have lost it undergirding. But, there was no one who could measure up, there was no one perfect enough to endure the penalty, except God Himself. The cross of the Lord Jesus Christ is where God forgave us without lowering His standards.
In v.17 we learn that God did not send the Lord Jesus into this world to condemn us but to rescue us through His Son. In 2 Corinthians 5:19, we read, "God was in Christ, making peace between the world and himself. In Christ, God did not hold the world guilty of its sins. And he gave us this message of peace." There is no evidence in the scriptures that God sends man to hell. No, man chooses hell by rejecting the only ransom that will get him into heaven.
According to v.18, condemnation is the unforgiven persons state right now. The wrath of God is the absence of His love, and the wrath of God abides on those who have not believed and received the Lord Jesus' free gift. If we do not choose to leave condemnation, we remain in it. Believing is the answer. It means that what the Lord Jesus did on that cross satisfied the righteous demands of God. "Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Believing means embracing something as true, it means to trust in Him. Believing is receiving. Our receiving isn’t based on another person’s faith; it’s based on our faith, and our believing is evidenced by our receiving. In reference to believing, receiving is the application of intimacy with God. And, when we receive the very presence of God we are equipped to see Him, to recognize Him, with our hearts. This intimacy is made possible through the abiding Holy Spirit.
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
John 3:8-15
John 3:8-15 PODCAST
8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” 9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. 10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” ~ John 3:8-15
Today, we continue our study of the gospel according to John. In this passage the Lord Jesus was meeting with Nicodemus, one of the religious leaders of Israel. Nicodemus came to the Lord Jesus at night in order to ask of Him certain questions about eternity. In response the Lord Jesus used the wind as an illustration of the activity of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The Greek word used for "wind" is pneuma which is also translated "spirit" in the Scripture. God’s pneuma is the source of life. As the Lord Jesus emphasized to Nicodemus, when we realize that we do not measure up spiritually, when we understand that we can not solve our problems, when we admit we need God's help, the Holy Spirit guides us to believing in and receiving the Lord Jesus. It is at this moment that the Spirit imparts His life to us. His newfound presence in our lives means we will never be the same. As John suggests, without the Holy Spirit awakening our spirit, we remain dead to God in our sin. It is the performance of the Holy Spirit in our lives that is unknown to us.
The activity of the Holy Spirit is much like the get stream. We on a daily basis know where the jet stream is, but we cannot say where it will be tomorrow. It goes where it wants; nobody has been able to control it. We cannot even figure out what makes it move. No one is able to predict the purposes of God in an individual life. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. The Christian life is an adventure. Following the Lord Jesus isn’t about escaping the sin of this world, it is about learning to experience a personal relationship with God whose ways are so different than ours. So different that we have little idea what He may do next in our lives. This paradox occurs because the Christian life is supernatural and not natural for fallen man.
Once again, in v.9, Nicodemus is puzzled. "How can this be?" he asks. To this man who has given his life to studying the Old Testament, the Lord Jesus, in v.10, says to him, “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?"
The Lord Jesus gives Nicodemus a gentle rebuke in v.11-12, saying, "Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?"
The word "know" in v.11 is the Greek word "oida" which means recognition or seeing. The idea is that of being able to see God through the lens of scripture. Having studied the scripture, Nicodemus should have recognized the Lord Jesus more readily because he had long studied the scripture which has as its central subject the Lord Jesus, Himself.
In v.13, the Lord Jesus describes His incarnation. In the Lord Jesus, God Himself came to earth as a man. The one who came down from heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ, testified to and explained the truth of God to man.
Then in v.14, the Lord Jesus uses a story from the book of Numbers to make reference to Him going to the cross. In Numbers 21, when the people of Israel were being bitten by poisonous snakes which suddenly appeared in the camp in the wilderness, and were dying by the scores. God told Moses to take a pole and put on it a brass serpent. That serpent would itself do nothing whatsoever for the people, it was merely a symbol, but they were told if they would look at it (and thus make a personal application of its meaning to their own lives), they would find themselves healed from the serpent's bite.
The Lord Jesus is saying, "That is a picture of me. I will be made sin (the serpent always represents sin), lifted up to die. When that happens, if you will look at me and believe that I am dying for you, in your place, God will forgive your sins and you will receive the life of God."
8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” 9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. 10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” ~ John 3:8-15
Today, we continue our study of the gospel according to John. In this passage the Lord Jesus was meeting with Nicodemus, one of the religious leaders of Israel. Nicodemus came to the Lord Jesus at night in order to ask of Him certain questions about eternity. In response the Lord Jesus used the wind as an illustration of the activity of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The Greek word used for "wind" is pneuma which is also translated "spirit" in the Scripture. God’s pneuma is the source of life. As the Lord Jesus emphasized to Nicodemus, when we realize that we do not measure up spiritually, when we understand that we can not solve our problems, when we admit we need God's help, the Holy Spirit guides us to believing in and receiving the Lord Jesus. It is at this moment that the Spirit imparts His life to us. His newfound presence in our lives means we will never be the same. As John suggests, without the Holy Spirit awakening our spirit, we remain dead to God in our sin. It is the performance of the Holy Spirit in our lives that is unknown to us.
The activity of the Holy Spirit is much like the get stream. We on a daily basis know where the jet stream is, but we cannot say where it will be tomorrow. It goes where it wants; nobody has been able to control it. We cannot even figure out what makes it move. No one is able to predict the purposes of God in an individual life. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. The Christian life is an adventure. Following the Lord Jesus isn’t about escaping the sin of this world, it is about learning to experience a personal relationship with God whose ways are so different than ours. So different that we have little idea what He may do next in our lives. This paradox occurs because the Christian life is supernatural and not natural for fallen man.
Once again, in v.9, Nicodemus is puzzled. "How can this be?" he asks. To this man who has given his life to studying the Old Testament, the Lord Jesus, in v.10, says to him, “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?"
The Lord Jesus gives Nicodemus a gentle rebuke in v.11-12, saying, "Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?"
The word "know" in v.11 is the Greek word "oida" which means recognition or seeing. The idea is that of being able to see God through the lens of scripture. Having studied the scripture, Nicodemus should have recognized the Lord Jesus more readily because he had long studied the scripture which has as its central subject the Lord Jesus, Himself.
In v.13, the Lord Jesus describes His incarnation. In the Lord Jesus, God Himself came to earth as a man. The one who came down from heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ, testified to and explained the truth of God to man.
Then in v.14, the Lord Jesus uses a story from the book of Numbers to make reference to Him going to the cross. In Numbers 21, when the people of Israel were being bitten by poisonous snakes which suddenly appeared in the camp in the wilderness, and were dying by the scores. God told Moses to take a pole and put on it a brass serpent. That serpent would itself do nothing whatsoever for the people, it was merely a symbol, but they were told if they would look at it (and thus make a personal application of its meaning to their own lives), they would find themselves healed from the serpent's bite.
The Lord Jesus is saying, "That is a picture of me. I will be made sin (the serpent always represents sin), lifted up to die. When that happens, if you will look at me and believe that I am dying for you, in your place, God will forgive your sins and you will receive the life of God."
Monday, September 09, 2019
John 3:4-7
4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ ~ John 3:4-7
Nicodemus seeks by asking the Lord Jesus a question. In Ecclesiastes we read, “God has placed eternity in our hearts.” This explains why we either turn to God or blame Him when the tragic pays a visit to our souls. Some apologize for questioning God. There is no need to apologize because God knows that questions are far more important than the answers.
Questioning is the art of learning and relating. Learning to ask the right questions is the best activity for advancing understanding and relationship. Questioning far surpassing the temporary endorphins of a correct answer.
Questioning is the art of learning and relating. Learning to ask the right questions is the best activity for advancing understanding and relationship. Questioning far surpassing the temporary endorphins of a correct answer.
In v.4, Nicodemus asks, "How can someone be born when they are old?" The response of the Lord Jesus in v.5 shows clearly, there is a difference between natural and spiritual birth. And spiritual birth is essential for a relationship with God.
After Adam and Eve rejected God's definition of things in the Garden of Eden, sin made mankind dead to God. Our ability to be connected to God and thus receive His definition of things was tarnished. This is part of the reason why the Lord Jesus highlights the difference between physical birth, "born of water," and spiritual birth, "born of the Spirit." The reference of being "born of water" is a reference to the breaking of the mother's water when a baby is born.
According to v.6, when we are "born of the Spirit," we are made alive to God and His culture. In Ephesian 2:1, we read, "God made us alive who were dead in trespasses and sins." Only God can make us alive to Him by imparting His Spirit to awaken our dead spirits. That is what Jesus is telling Nicodemus in our text. Apart from God, we are spiritually dead in our selfishness and rebellion. And, as a result, we are by nature children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3).
That night, Nicodemus was motivated by the intrigue the Lord Jesus presented to him. There was no spiritual life in Nicodemus. Spiritually, he was not alive to God. He needed life, not more religious activities or more religious determination. The Lord Jesus is saying, real life happens at new birth. This is not religious activity or discipline or decision, this is being reunited with the One who created us through His Spirit.
The new birth is supernatural, not natural. It cannot be explained by things that are already found in this world. The Spirit of God is the One who brings about the new birth. In John 6:63, we read, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all.”
The life that the Spirit gives is done in connection with the Lord Jesus. Union with the Lord Jesus is where we experience this supernatural life. In John 14:6, we read, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." The role we play in being "born again" is we place our faith in the Lord Jesus and we, by faith, follow Him on a daily basis. Following Him includes practicing His presence (talking and listening to Him), following His leading that He gives us through His word and His indwelling Spirit, and being defined by Him. Our spiritual life and faith in Him come into being together, simultaneously.
The Christian life is not that we have been born again and then put in the position to get life right a second time. The Christian life is not about getting better. The Christian life is learning to give in to this new life that has apprehended us. It is not that we have learned to be more disciplined or determined. No, it is a new relationship, it is being made alive to God. This relationship that is now a reality to us, enables us to listen for and to Him. This new life is about learning to communicate honestly and authentically to and with Him. As a result, we are learning His way of thinking and living. And, we are experiencing the life of God in, to and through us.
Finally, we even fail in our attempts to walk with Him. And, God uses all of these bumps and bruises that we experience that doubt brings and faith answers to develop us in relating to and with Him. We do this for the purity of our faith, our heart's ability to see and know God. And, another great benefit of our struggling and clarifying faith is we are able to clearly and meaningfully tell others about what it means to be born again, to have a personal relationship with God.
To invest in BYM, click here
The Christian life is not that we have been born again and then put in the position to get life right a second time. The Christian life is not about getting better. The Christian life is learning to give in to this new life that has apprehended us. It is not that we have learned to be more disciplined or determined. No, it is a new relationship, it is being made alive to God. This relationship that is now a reality to us, enables us to listen for and to Him. This new life is about learning to communicate honestly and authentically to and with Him. As a result, we are learning His way of thinking and living. And, we are experiencing the life of God in, to and through us.
Finally, we even fail in our attempts to walk with Him. And, God uses all of these bumps and bruises that we experience that doubt brings and faith answers to develop us in relating to and with Him. We do this for the purity of our faith, our heart's ability to see and know God. And, another great benefit of our struggling and clarifying faith is we are able to clearly and meaningfully tell others about what it means to be born again, to have a personal relationship with God.
To invest in BYM, click here
Friday, September 06, 2019
John 3:1-3
Click here for the John 3:1-3 PODCAST
1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” 3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again." ~ John 3:1-3
Nicodemus was one of the 600 Pharisees in Israel who were religious fanatics. He was a member of the Sanhedrin, the council of 70 men who ran the religious affairs of the nation of Israel. The Pharisees spent their lives studying and applying the Old Testament law to situations of life for those who wanted to know and live God's culture.
Nicodemus began his conversation with the Lord Jesus with: "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him." Notice the word "we": "we know that you are a teacher."
Nicodemus is probably speaking for the rest of the Sanhedrin, or at least for a majority of the members, and he is admitting that the Pharisees, who were rabid opposers to the freedom and liberty that Jesus represented, knew in their hearts that He really was a man from God.
Nicodemus regarded Jesus as a successful teacher, because God put his seal of approval on Him by doing miracles through Him. Many say that Nicodemus came to the Lord Jesus at night to disguise the fact that he was meeting with the Lord Jesus. I differ with this perspective. I believe Nicodemus came with a great deal of respect for Jesus, wanting time alone with Him so that he could have a meaningful conversation.
The Lord Jesus cuts right into Nicodemus' religious heart by saying said to him, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again." The Lord Jesus knew that Nicodemus had really bad theology which caused him to believe that he earned God's favor. Nicodemus did not understand that he could not be good enough, therefore the Lord Jesus tells him that he had to be "born again."
The Apostle John uses a very interesting word here that is translated "again." It is the Greek word, anothen, which has three meanings: It means again to do it a second time; it also means a new beginning; and it also means from above. God must do this.
To "see the kingdom of God" is to be under the influence of God's way of thinking and living. In Luke 17:20-21, the Lord Jesus said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”
When the Lord Jesus came to earth, the Jews were looking for the Messiah to come and elevate the Jewish nation to prominence. Instead of hearing a message of repentance, they anticipated a Political Deliverer who would lead them in a successful liberation of their nation.
“The kingdom” is mentioned 126 times in the Gospels. “Kingdom” is mentioned only 34 times in the rest of the New Testament. "Kingdom" is mentioned approximately 55 times in Matthew, 20 times in Mark, 46 times in Luke, and only 5 times in John. Matthew used the phrase "kingdom of heaven" while the other gospels mostly use "kingdom of God."The Pharisees failed to discern the spiritual kingdom because not having experienced the new birth, they were dead and blind to it.
In 1 Corinthians 2:14, the Apostle Paul wrote, "A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised." Those who fail to recognize the King cannot see His kingdom.
The statement that “the kingdom of God is in your midst” is quite instructive. Entos (midst) literally means “inside.” In its only other appearance in the New Testament, entos refers to the inside of a cup (Matthew 23:26). The Lord Jesus was reinforcing the point that the spiritual kingdom is internal, a matter of the heart, and not manifested by observable signs as the Jews expected.
To help BYM, click here
1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” 3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again." ~ John 3:1-3
Nicodemus was one of the 600 Pharisees in Israel who were religious fanatics. He was a member of the Sanhedrin, the council of 70 men who ran the religious affairs of the nation of Israel. The Pharisees spent their lives studying and applying the Old Testament law to situations of life for those who wanted to know and live God's culture.
Nicodemus began his conversation with the Lord Jesus with: "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him." Notice the word "we": "we know that you are a teacher."
Nicodemus is probably speaking for the rest of the Sanhedrin, or at least for a majority of the members, and he is admitting that the Pharisees, who were rabid opposers to the freedom and liberty that Jesus represented, knew in their hearts that He really was a man from God.
Nicodemus regarded Jesus as a successful teacher, because God put his seal of approval on Him by doing miracles through Him. Many say that Nicodemus came to the Lord Jesus at night to disguise the fact that he was meeting with the Lord Jesus. I differ with this perspective. I believe Nicodemus came with a great deal of respect for Jesus, wanting time alone with Him so that he could have a meaningful conversation.
The Lord Jesus cuts right into Nicodemus' religious heart by saying said to him, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again." The Lord Jesus knew that Nicodemus had really bad theology which caused him to believe that he earned God's favor. Nicodemus did not understand that he could not be good enough, therefore the Lord Jesus tells him that he had to be "born again."
The Apostle John uses a very interesting word here that is translated "again." It is the Greek word, anothen, which has three meanings: It means again to do it a second time; it also means a new beginning; and it also means from above. God must do this.
To "see the kingdom of God" is to be under the influence of God's way of thinking and living. In Luke 17:20-21, the Lord Jesus said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”
When the Lord Jesus came to earth, the Jews were looking for the Messiah to come and elevate the Jewish nation to prominence. Instead of hearing a message of repentance, they anticipated a Political Deliverer who would lead them in a successful liberation of their nation.
“The kingdom” is mentioned 126 times in the Gospels. “Kingdom” is mentioned only 34 times in the rest of the New Testament. "Kingdom" is mentioned approximately 55 times in Matthew, 20 times in Mark, 46 times in Luke, and only 5 times in John. Matthew used the phrase "kingdom of heaven" while the other gospels mostly use "kingdom of God."The Pharisees failed to discern the spiritual kingdom because not having experienced the new birth, they were dead and blind to it.
In 1 Corinthians 2:14, the Apostle Paul wrote, "A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised." Those who fail to recognize the King cannot see His kingdom.
The statement that “the kingdom of God is in your midst” is quite instructive. Entos (midst) literally means “inside.” In its only other appearance in the New Testament, entos refers to the inside of a cup (Matthew 23:26). The Lord Jesus was reinforcing the point that the spiritual kingdom is internal, a matter of the heart, and not manifested by observable signs as the Jews expected.
To help BYM, click here
Thursday, September 05, 2019
John 2:23-25
JOHN 2:23-25 PODCAST
23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.
John 2:23-25
The goal of John’s Gospel is that we might believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The key verse is found in John 20:31: “These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
In out text, many, including the disciples, observed the Lord Jesus perform miracles and they believed. Yet, as our text indicates, the Lord Jesus did not seem to commit himself to just anyone. How many people have we all known who seem to become believers in Christ and, in time, there seemed to be no reality to their relationship with the Lord. John explains this phenomena here in our text. The Lord Jesus doesn't entrust Himself to everyone because He knows who believes and who does not believe. I guess that explains why I am shocked I continue to believe. The unbeliever is still with me.
They say that 55% of what we communicate is through the non-verbal and 38% through the tone and 7% through the content or the words we use. And, even though we may be able to read others well, we can't read the heart. But, the Lord Jesus can. He has never been deceived. Though some came to Him and said they wanted to follow Him, He could read their hearts and know whether it was real or not.
This brings up something very serious; how do we know when our faith is real? The real belief is believing faith. There will be times in all of our lives that we feel that we no longer believe, but if the faith in us perseveres, well, it is real. And, the reason it perseveres is because it is His faith. We have received it and appropriated it. With time, we are more and more convinced. Someone once said, "you'll never be convinced Jesus is all you need until He is all we have."
The Lord Jesus knows what is in every heart, and He can see when someone believes in a way that is not really believing. He has the ability to know every heart and this leads to the unsettling truth that some belief is not the kind of belief that obtains fellowship with Jesus and eternal life. Some belief is not authentic, saving belief. This means that there are no complete secrets in our lives. The person whose judgment about us is all important knows all. There is one, and only one, who actually and totally knows us.
Now, there is a kind of faith in Jesus that He does not approve. This is the implication of His omniscience. The implication is when He looks into the heart of those who do not believe, He sees something other than the kind of faith that makes one a child of God.
We read in John 1:12, “To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” And here in John 2:23 we read, “Many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing.” And here in John 2:24, “But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people.”
The Lord Jesus withholds Himself from those who do not believe in His saving way. Not all who look faithful are really of faith in the God of the Bible. And, as is suggested in our text, they believed in His signs rather than in Him. It is dangerous to be a sign-seeker, running from one sign to another. The hunger and thirst is a craving for the spectacular.
We would think that someone with this power, the ability to know all, would be able to move through life avoiding anything negative. But it wasn’t Jesus’ plan. He knew what was in man, including Judas (John 6:64). And so He chose when and where and how and why He would die. And He did it for you and me.
If we see Him and His cross as the greatest glory and believe on Him, the Lamb of God takes away all our sins, and we will have eternal life. I like how M. Craig Barnes once put it, "if we try to make a created thing our god, we will soon find that we are holding nothing. Because things find their meaning only in their created origin." Only the Lord Jesus is the God who laid His life down for those who rebelled against Him. The question is this: do we believe and have we received from Him His salvation?
To contribute to BYM, click here
23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.
John 2:23-25
The goal of John’s Gospel is that we might believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The key verse is found in John 20:31: “These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
In out text, many, including the disciples, observed the Lord Jesus perform miracles and they believed. Yet, as our text indicates, the Lord Jesus did not seem to commit himself to just anyone. How many people have we all known who seem to become believers in Christ and, in time, there seemed to be no reality to their relationship with the Lord. John explains this phenomena here in our text. The Lord Jesus doesn't entrust Himself to everyone because He knows who believes and who does not believe. I guess that explains why I am shocked I continue to believe. The unbeliever is still with me.
They say that 55% of what we communicate is through the non-verbal and 38% through the tone and 7% through the content or the words we use. And, even though we may be able to read others well, we can't read the heart. But, the Lord Jesus can. He has never been deceived. Though some came to Him and said they wanted to follow Him, He could read their hearts and know whether it was real or not.
This brings up something very serious; how do we know when our faith is real? The real belief is believing faith. There will be times in all of our lives that we feel that we no longer believe, but if the faith in us perseveres, well, it is real. And, the reason it perseveres is because it is His faith. We have received it and appropriated it. With time, we are more and more convinced. Someone once said, "you'll never be convinced Jesus is all you need until He is all we have."
The Lord Jesus knows what is in every heart, and He can see when someone believes in a way that is not really believing. He has the ability to know every heart and this leads to the unsettling truth that some belief is not the kind of belief that obtains fellowship with Jesus and eternal life. Some belief is not authentic, saving belief. This means that there are no complete secrets in our lives. The person whose judgment about us is all important knows all. There is one, and only one, who actually and totally knows us.
Now, there is a kind of faith in Jesus that He does not approve. This is the implication of His omniscience. The implication is when He looks into the heart of those who do not believe, He sees something other than the kind of faith that makes one a child of God.
We read in John 1:12, “To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” And here in John 2:23 we read, “Many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing.” And here in John 2:24, “But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people.”
The Lord Jesus withholds Himself from those who do not believe in His saving way. Not all who look faithful are really of faith in the God of the Bible. And, as is suggested in our text, they believed in His signs rather than in Him. It is dangerous to be a sign-seeker, running from one sign to another. The hunger and thirst is a craving for the spectacular.
We would think that someone with this power, the ability to know all, would be able to move through life avoiding anything negative. But it wasn’t Jesus’ plan. He knew what was in man, including Judas (John 6:64). And so He chose when and where and how and why He would die. And He did it for you and me.
If we see Him and His cross as the greatest glory and believe on Him, the Lamb of God takes away all our sins, and we will have eternal life. I like how M. Craig Barnes once put it, "if we try to make a created thing our god, we will soon find that we are holding nothing. Because things find their meaning only in their created origin." Only the Lord Jesus is the God who laid His life down for those who rebelled against Him. The question is this: do we believe and have we received from Him His salvation?
To contribute to BYM, click here
Wednesday, September 04, 2019
John 2:18-22
JOHN 2:18-22 PODCAST
18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” 20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. ~ John 2:18-22
It does not appear that anyone challenged the Lord Jesus when He chased the greedy out of the Temple. As our text indicates, afterward the Jews said to Him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” Instead of seeking the truth, they wanted to enter into a debate with God Himself. This is why mankind is mired in sin, we would rather flaunt our intellect rather than bow our knees to the God who made us.
In Malachi 3:1, not only was John the Baptist predicted to come and prepare the way for the Messiah, also the Lord Jesus was predicted to come to the Temple in this fashion. After the Lord Jesus went into the Temple and cleared it out, the Jews did not recognize Him. The Lord Jesus' answer to their request for a sign was the sign of His resurrection. But everyone missed it, even the disciples. The real temple that He spoke of was not the building, it was His body!"
The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15, "12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied."
The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ stands as the pivotal event in all of human history. It undergirds and validates the prophecies of and claims by the Lord Jesus Christ about Himself. It is the basis for the hope of the Gospel. Many skeptics have tried to put it to rest by dismissing it as hallucination, or explaining it away. Yet when the evidence is faced squarely, it towers above its challengers.
In response to the request of the religious, the Lord Jesus, in John 2:19, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” The response of the Lord was a veiled response. Standing near the physical Temple, aided their short-sighted answer in v.20, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?”
They did not understand that the Lord Jesus was not speaking of the physical building but of His resurrection from the dead. The Jews were already destroying the purpose of the Temple by their desecration of it into a market place. It is ironic that when they crucified the Lord Jesus, they ended the need for the temple.
The Gospel accounts make clear that the Sunday following Jesus’ crucifixion was unlike any other. On that first day of the Jewish week, “an angel of the Lord” appeared “like lightning” and with clothing “white as snow,” rolling the stone away from Jesus’ tomb and causing the earth to quake and the Roman guards to “become like dead men” out of fear (Matt 28:2-4).
The Lord Jesus hung on the cross for six hours. He was buried in a tomb for parts of three days. The disciples for parts of three days listened to sermon after sermon from their fives senses that this Jesus thing was over. BUT, after His resurrection the disciples remembered what He had said and they understood it. The result was a greater understanding and trust in what the Scriptures and Jesus had said. The result was the changed lives of cowards. This is my story. Is it yours?
To help BYM, click here
18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” 20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. ~ John 2:18-22
It does not appear that anyone challenged the Lord Jesus when He chased the greedy out of the Temple. As our text indicates, afterward the Jews said to Him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” Instead of seeking the truth, they wanted to enter into a debate with God Himself. This is why mankind is mired in sin, we would rather flaunt our intellect rather than bow our knees to the God who made us.
In Malachi 3:1, not only was John the Baptist predicted to come and prepare the way for the Messiah, also the Lord Jesus was predicted to come to the Temple in this fashion. After the Lord Jesus went into the Temple and cleared it out, the Jews did not recognize Him. The Lord Jesus' answer to their request for a sign was the sign of His resurrection. But everyone missed it, even the disciples. The real temple that He spoke of was not the building, it was His body!"
The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15, "12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied."
The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ stands as the pivotal event in all of human history. It undergirds and validates the prophecies of and claims by the Lord Jesus Christ about Himself. It is the basis for the hope of the Gospel. Many skeptics have tried to put it to rest by dismissing it as hallucination, or explaining it away. Yet when the evidence is faced squarely, it towers above its challengers.
In response to the request of the religious, the Lord Jesus, in John 2:19, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” The response of the Lord was a veiled response. Standing near the physical Temple, aided their short-sighted answer in v.20, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?”
They did not understand that the Lord Jesus was not speaking of the physical building but of His resurrection from the dead. The Jews were already destroying the purpose of the Temple by their desecration of it into a market place. It is ironic that when they crucified the Lord Jesus, they ended the need for the temple.
The Gospel accounts make clear that the Sunday following Jesus’ crucifixion was unlike any other. On that first day of the Jewish week, “an angel of the Lord” appeared “like lightning” and with clothing “white as snow,” rolling the stone away from Jesus’ tomb and causing the earth to quake and the Roman guards to “become like dead men” out of fear (Matt 28:2-4).
The Lord Jesus hung on the cross for six hours. He was buried in a tomb for parts of three days. The disciples for parts of three days listened to sermon after sermon from their fives senses that this Jesus thing was over. BUT, after His resurrection the disciples remembered what He had said and they understood it. The result was a greater understanding and trust in what the Scriptures and Jesus had said. The result was the changed lives of cowards. This is my story. Is it yours?
To help BYM, click here
Tuesday, September 03, 2019
John 2:13-17
JOHN 2:13-17 PODCAST
13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” John 2:13-17
13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” John 2:13-17
The Lord Jesus went to Jerusalem because the Passover was to be celebrated. The Passover was an annual event commemorating the night when the angel of death passed over the homes with blood on the doorposts (Exodus 12).
This is the first of two times the Lord Jesus went into the Temple to drive the greedy out (see also Matthew 21). It was in the outer courts where the animals used for sacrifice were being sold. This was the only place in the temple non-Jews were allowed to come and pray or offer sacrifices. They did this because this was the only way to be forgiven of one's sin.
The money changers were there with their "proper" coin for paying the temple tax was the Tyrian shekel, which had the purest silver in it. This coin had a picture of Hercules on one side, and the royal eagle on the other, neither of which would have failed to offend devout Jews. Nevertheless, these were the coins that the Jewish authorities required for the tax.
The law of Moses required sacrifices of oxen or sheep or pigeons. Many worshippers would have come a long way and would not have brought their sacrifice with them. So this made these animals readily available for purchase. Everyone over nineteen had to pay a temple tax. But it could be paid only using Tyrian coins (because of the purity of their silver content), so foreigners had to exchange their money for acceptable coinage. Because they had a monopoly on the market, the money changers charged an extremely high fee for their services.
While making a whip of three leather cords, which took some time, the Lord Jesus was able to size up the situation which was nothing short of price gouging. The money changers had grossly over-priced the animals. When the Lord Jesus arrived, the temple didn’t resemble a place of worship; it looked like a shopping center.
When the disciples saw Jesus actions, they remembered something God gave in the Old Testament. In Psalm 69:9 David wrote, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” Jesus was consumed with a great desire for people to be able to worship His Father.
The reality is the Lord Jesus came to replace the sacrificial system, He came to reconnect us with Himself. When He died on the cross, mankind was no longer required to make a sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins. We no longer need a sacrifice of any kind to be made right with God, because God sent His Son to be that sacrifice.
"Love was compressed for all history in that lonely figure on the cross, who said that he could call down angels at any moment on a rescue mission, but chose not to - because of us. At Calvary, God accepted his own unbreakable terms of justice."
Philip Yancey
Monday, September 02, 2019
John 2:11-12
JOHN 2:11-12 PODCAST
To donate to BYM, click here
11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. 12 After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days. ~ John 2:11-12
Turning the water into wine was a sign, a miracle. When the Lord Jesus chose to change the water into wine, He was saying I am here to bring joy into your lives. In performing this sign, the Lord Jesus was extending thier celebration. In Isaiah 25:9, we read, "In that day they will say, 'Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.'” This one verse describes this purpose. There will come a day when we will rejoice at our ultimate redemption.
The purpose of turning the water into wine was to reveal Jesus' glory. His glory is the expression of His essence, it is the expression of His person. And the effect of said revelation is to bring us to the point of believing in Him. This relationship renders joy, a joy that is foreign to us. This joy is rendered by Him to the one who is believing. This is why He came.
In John 20:31, the Apostle tells us the reason he wrote this Gospel: “These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” Belief happens when through our story with the Lord Jesus, He manifests His glory to us. This will happen again and again in our lives today. The variable to it all is our willingness to believe.
Man can fill water jars, but only God can turn the water into wine, the best wine! Men do the ordinary, but God touches it, and brings it to life. We must not lose sight of the fact that Jesus used water jars which had as its purpose purification. In their religious culture cleansing was a must. This is why the Lord Jesus came: to be the Purifying One. That is the meaning of this sign. It gives us a peek into what the Lord Jesus can do for those who have run out of their own resources.
Now, notice v.11 again, it reads, "What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory..." Through this sign, "he revealed his glory." This is the purpose of His signs and miracles. There are times when He pulls back the curtain and reveals in a special way His divinity.
As a result of revealing His glory, "his disciples believed in him." They believed, here is One who could take the ordinary, and make of it something special. This belief places the spotlight on the One whom we are trusting. All other objects of our trust are like the fig leaves that Adam and Eve placed on themselves after disbelieving in God in the Garden, lacking. The revelation of His glory is God trying to persuade us to believe in Him.
According to v.12, after the miracle in Cana, the Lord Jesus and His mother and brothers and disciples walked seventeen miles to Capernaum. I see a subtle message here. God performs miracles in order to reveal Himself to us, so that we would believe in Him more intimately. The result to all of this? A deeper and more intimate relationship with Him. This group who traveled with the Lord Jesus illustrates His desire for revealing His glory to you and me: an intimate personal relationship with Him, like the relationship these family members and disciples had with Him.
To donate to BYM, click here
11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. 12 After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days. ~ John 2:11-12
Turning the water into wine was a sign, a miracle. When the Lord Jesus chose to change the water into wine, He was saying I am here to bring joy into your lives. In performing this sign, the Lord Jesus was extending thier celebration. In Isaiah 25:9, we read, "In that day they will say, 'Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.'” This one verse describes this purpose. There will come a day when we will rejoice at our ultimate redemption.
The purpose of turning the water into wine was to reveal Jesus' glory. His glory is the expression of His essence, it is the expression of His person. And the effect of said revelation is to bring us to the point of believing in Him. This relationship renders joy, a joy that is foreign to us. This joy is rendered by Him to the one who is believing. This is why He came.
In John 20:31, the Apostle tells us the reason he wrote this Gospel: “These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” Belief happens when through our story with the Lord Jesus, He manifests His glory to us. This will happen again and again in our lives today. The variable to it all is our willingness to believe.
Man can fill water jars, but only God can turn the water into wine, the best wine! Men do the ordinary, but God touches it, and brings it to life. We must not lose sight of the fact that Jesus used water jars which had as its purpose purification. In their religious culture cleansing was a must. This is why the Lord Jesus came: to be the Purifying One. That is the meaning of this sign. It gives us a peek into what the Lord Jesus can do for those who have run out of their own resources.
Now, notice v.11 again, it reads, "What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory..." Through this sign, "he revealed his glory." This is the purpose of His signs and miracles. There are times when He pulls back the curtain and reveals in a special way His divinity.
As a result of revealing His glory, "his disciples believed in him." They believed, here is One who could take the ordinary, and make of it something special. This belief places the spotlight on the One whom we are trusting. All other objects of our trust are like the fig leaves that Adam and Eve placed on themselves after disbelieving in God in the Garden, lacking. The revelation of His glory is God trying to persuade us to believe in Him.
According to v.12, after the miracle in Cana, the Lord Jesus and His mother and brothers and disciples walked seventeen miles to Capernaum. I see a subtle message here. God performs miracles in order to reveal Himself to us, so that we would believe in Him more intimately. The result to all of this? A deeper and more intimate relationship with Him. This group who traveled with the Lord Jesus illustrates His desire for revealing His glory to you and me: an intimate personal relationship with Him, like the relationship these family members and disciples had with Him.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)