To access the JOHN 12:4-11 PODCAST, click here
4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” 9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him. ~ John 12:4-11
In John 12, we are given a few contrasts, the most pronounced is between Mary, who poured perfume on the Lord Jesus, and Judas, who complained that Mary's worship was a waste. Mary's eleven-ounce flask of perfume was worth about $25,000. Just before the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus, Judas would betray Him for $1000.
Despite the fact Judas said the money from the sale of Mary's perfume could be used to help the poor, he did not care for the poor. As the treasurer appointed by the Lord Jesus, he wanted the money for himself. In fact, Judas often took money from the money box. Judas’ heart valued money more than he valued the Lord Jesus. Judas’ heart contradicted the treasure who is the Lord Jesus.
Mary’s heart was full of gratitude, love and joy overflowing into worship of the One who meant so much to her. Mary loved Jesus. Mary’s heart corresponded with the treasure that is the Lord Jesus. We were created to worship. Our greatest worship is of the Lord Jesus for He is the greatest. Anything that convinces us to worship Him must be valued. Anything which prevents us from this is a curse.
Worship comes from a heart that has been broken and blessed by God. Such a heart expresses its gratitude to the Lord who fills it so full and makes it so rich.
In v.7, the Lord Jesus says, "It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial." We do not know how Mary had come into this costly perfume. Undoubtedly, the Lord provided it for her. As with all things that He gives us, these were all given to be a means of our worship of Him.
Notice Jesus' words v.8, “You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” His bodily presence in the body for them to see, hear and touch will be there only for a short time longer. Mary knows the preciousness of Jesus’s bodily presence, thus the anointing with the very expensive perfume. This was not precious to Judas. His sense of value is measured by money. His reference to the poor was a cover for his greed. He’s a thief. He wants money, not the Lord Jesus. His heart is the opposite of Mary’s.
Our greatest treasure must be the Lord Jesus. Mary was able keep on treasuring the Lord Jesus even after His burial. Mary had experienced intimacy with the Lord Jesus, despite her deep pain. It was through her pain that she was opened up to the Lord's preciousness. She would have not known intimacy with Him without her pain.
Judas was not born of God, despite the fact that he had spent so much time with Him. Judas did not value his ability to know the Lord Jesus with his heart, to see Him with his eyes, to hear Him with his ears, to touch Him with his hands. He never knew the value of John 1:14, "The Word was made flesh and is dwelling among you full of grace and truth."
Mary had seen the glory of the Lord Jesus. Mary had tasted His grace. Mary has gotten a glimpsed of His truth. And Mary’s heart had been formed by this experience. And she had reached for the most valued thing she could find to express the inexpressible: a heart that matches the worth of the Lord Jesus.
In mere seconds, the valuable perfume was dispensed, but she still had her brother. And the Lord Jesus is the one who raised him and He is the reason life is worth living. He is the resurrection and the life. There is no way to calculate the cost of love. There is no way to put the heart in a scale and say, this much love for the Lord Jesus and no more. Jesus is inexpressibly wonderful, and Mary is inexpressibly affectionate.
Judas didn't love the poor, because he didn’t love the Lord Jesus. The love of money, the desire to be rich robs us of real love and real life. It blinds us to the worth of the Lord Jesus. He, the Lord Jesus, is to be desired above all riches. Our preference for money, the things of this world, is preference for death. Our preference for the Creator of life is preference for life.
Friday, November 22, 2019
Thursday, November 21, 2019
John 11:55-12:3
Click here for the JOHN 11:55-12:3 PODCAST
55 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. 56 They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the festival at all?” 57 But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him. 1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. ~ John 11:55-12:3
John 1-11 covers the first three years of the ministry of the Lord Jesus, and John 12-21 covers the final week of His life. In our text today, are contrasted believers with unbelievers, Mary with Judas.
In John 11:55-57, we learn that many (possibly up to three million) people came to Jerusalem for the Passover. Many of these three million wanted to see the infamous Jesus Christ, who was so popular that the religious leaders had issued a warrant for His arrest.
According to John 12:1-2, six days before the Passover, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were with the Lord Jesus in Bethany. Six days before the Passover. Six, the number of man, the incomplete number, is highlighted. This is half of the theme of John's Gospel: The Fullness of God, the Emptiness of Man. This was the last Sabbath, because through His death, burial, and resurrection, the Lord Jesus ratified the New Covenant. The Old Covenant is no longer binding on man.
In Bethany, a group of transformed believers honored the Lord Jesus with a meal. This meal was not being served in the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus, but in the home of Simon the leper. We don't know much about Simon, other than he had been a leper who had been healed by the Lord Jesus.
Filled with gratitude, these who had been transformed by the Lord Jesus, took this opportunity, despite the fact that there was a warrant out for the arrest of the Lord Jesus, to honor the Him. Gratitude is such a key ingredient for worship. Gratitude is the soil within which we bow our all before the Lord Jesus Christ.
Note, in v.2-3, Martha is serving; Lazarus is "with" the Lord Jesus, while Mary anoints His feet with a pound of very expensive perfume and wipes them with her hair. Each of these actions is a form of love and worship. Each did what was most comfortable and natural for them.
Notice, Lazarus, who had recently been raised from the dead, is hardly featured at all. He is content to be "with" Jesus. Never is a word of Lazarus recorded in the Gospels. And, Martha, whose love language was acts of service, is preparing the meal without a complaint.
According to v.3, Mary took a pound of very costly Indian perfume and poured it on the Lord Jesus. Mary's love language was giving gifts. Later, Judas complains about the extravagance of using what, in effect, was the equivalent of a year's pay, to anoint the Lord Jesus. Judas illustrates a very important principle: A man sees in his eyes that which is in his heart.
Mary's heart was so filled with love, joy and gratitude that she breaks the expensive jar full of perfume and pours it upon the Lord Jesus until its fragrance filled the whole house. According to the other gospel accounts, she anointed his head first, and the perfume ran down along his body until it covered his feet. Then she unbound her hair and wiped up the excess perfume with it.
Mary had experienced love from the Lord Jesus through the raising of her brother from the dead. This drilled down deeply into her heart. As a result, she was deeply appreciative of the deep love of the Lord Jesus. So, she expressed her deep love to the Lord Jesus by pouring this expensive perfume on Him.
She spared no expense, she cared nothing for the customs of the day, entering into a supper where women were usually not welcome, letting down her hair in public, an unthinkable act in that culture, and openly expressing her love for the Lord Jesus. But that's how love acts. It is uncaring of cost and expense.
Worship is a heart transformed expressing itself regardless the cost. The transformation of heart included the pain of losing. Simon had lost all of his feeling due to his leprosy. Mary and Martha had lost their brother to death. Lazarus had gotten sick and died. This is service, this is fellowship, this is worship. "We perish for the lack of wonder, not because of a lack of wonders." ~ Chesterton
55 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. 56 They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the festival at all?” 57 But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him. 1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. ~ John 11:55-12:3
John 1-11 covers the first three years of the ministry of the Lord Jesus, and John 12-21 covers the final week of His life. In our text today, are contrasted believers with unbelievers, Mary with Judas.
In John 11:55-57, we learn that many (possibly up to three million) people came to Jerusalem for the Passover. Many of these three million wanted to see the infamous Jesus Christ, who was so popular that the religious leaders had issued a warrant for His arrest.
According to John 12:1-2, six days before the Passover, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were with the Lord Jesus in Bethany. Six days before the Passover. Six, the number of man, the incomplete number, is highlighted. This is half of the theme of John's Gospel: The Fullness of God, the Emptiness of Man. This was the last Sabbath, because through His death, burial, and resurrection, the Lord Jesus ratified the New Covenant. The Old Covenant is no longer binding on man.
In Bethany, a group of transformed believers honored the Lord Jesus with a meal. This meal was not being served in the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus, but in the home of Simon the leper. We don't know much about Simon, other than he had been a leper who had been healed by the Lord Jesus.
Filled with gratitude, these who had been transformed by the Lord Jesus, took this opportunity, despite the fact that there was a warrant out for the arrest of the Lord Jesus, to honor the Him. Gratitude is such a key ingredient for worship. Gratitude is the soil within which we bow our all before the Lord Jesus Christ.
Note, in v.2-3, Martha is serving; Lazarus is "with" the Lord Jesus, while Mary anoints His feet with a pound of very expensive perfume and wipes them with her hair. Each of these actions is a form of love and worship. Each did what was most comfortable and natural for them.
Notice, Lazarus, who had recently been raised from the dead, is hardly featured at all. He is content to be "with" Jesus. Never is a word of Lazarus recorded in the Gospels. And, Martha, whose love language was acts of service, is preparing the meal without a complaint.
According to v.3, Mary took a pound of very costly Indian perfume and poured it on the Lord Jesus. Mary's love language was giving gifts. Later, Judas complains about the extravagance of using what, in effect, was the equivalent of a year's pay, to anoint the Lord Jesus. Judas illustrates a very important principle: A man sees in his eyes that which is in his heart.
Mary's heart was so filled with love, joy and gratitude that she breaks the expensive jar full of perfume and pours it upon the Lord Jesus until its fragrance filled the whole house. According to the other gospel accounts, she anointed his head first, and the perfume ran down along his body until it covered his feet. Then she unbound her hair and wiped up the excess perfume with it.
Mary had experienced love from the Lord Jesus through the raising of her brother from the dead. This drilled down deeply into her heart. As a result, she was deeply appreciative of the deep love of the Lord Jesus. So, she expressed her deep love to the Lord Jesus by pouring this expensive perfume on Him.
She spared no expense, she cared nothing for the customs of the day, entering into a supper where women were usually not welcome, letting down her hair in public, an unthinkable act in that culture, and openly expressing her love for the Lord Jesus. But that's how love acts. It is uncaring of cost and expense.
Worship is a heart transformed expressing itself regardless the cost. The transformation of heart included the pain of losing. Simon had lost all of his feeling due to his leprosy. Mary and Martha had lost their brother to death. Lazarus had gotten sick and died. This is service, this is fellowship, this is worship. "We perish for the lack of wonder, not because of a lack of wonders." ~ Chesterton
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
John 11:45-54
Click here to access the John 11:45-54 PODCAST
45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”
49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” 51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life. 54 Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples. ~ John 11:45-54
The raising of Lazarus is the seventh miracle of the Lord Jesus recorded in John's Gospel. It is the greatest of all of the Lord Jesus' miracles. As a result, according to v.45, many believed in Him as their Messiah.
In light of all the Lord Jesus said and did, I find it amazing that many did not believe in Him. Can you imagine the resistance of these people to this miracle? So obstinate and stubborn is human unbelief that it can persist even in the face of overwhelming evidence.
In reaction to those who believed, the Pharisees called an emergency meeting of the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin was made up of two parties, the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The Pharisees believed in the supernatural, while the Sadducees did not.
In v.47-48, we read, “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”
Caiaphas, a Sadducee, was the high priest. He had garnered the office of high priest by being the highest bidder for the job. The Romans had put the office up for sale, so that whoever among the Jews could come up with enough money got the job. As a Sadducee, Caiaphas did not believe in God.
Given his theology, it made sense that he was arrogant. In v.49, his arrogance is put on display. He says to the council, "You know nothing at all!" In effect, he suggests death for the Lord Jesus. This is the approach to life the Atheist takes when being threatened. Solomon, many years before this, said it this way: "There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death."
In the mind of Caiaphas, the substitution was this: We kill Jesus so the Romans won’t kill us. We substitute Jesus for ourselves. In the mind of God, the substitution was this: I will kill my Son so I don’t have to kill you. God substitutes Jesus for His enemies.
In v.51-52, the Apostle John gives the alternative view. Speaking of Caiaphas, the high priest: "He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one." In Isaiah 53, it was predicted many years before: "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."
Mankind can do nothing to thwart the will of God, and God never prevents the free choice of man. Unsaved man is so limited, so ignorant, so blinded, so selfish that, even allowed to exercise free will, he will invariably choose the wrong thing. That is why the exercise of free will only carries out what God has said will happen when a deformed and twisted will is allowed to make choices.
In v.53, we read, "So from that day on they plotted to take his life." They rejected the truth, and they did the bidding of God. When we reject truth, we become unable to see clearly. It is impossible to understand what is happening in life unless we see life from God's point of view. There are factors involved that we will miss, there are realities that we do not see, that nobody sees.
In v.54, we read, "Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples."
The Lord Jesus withdraws some 20 miles northeast of Jerusalem to an obscure village. As best we can tell, John 11 took place in February. Passover comes in early April, so the Lord Jesus had several weeks yet to wait. Thus, He withdraws and teaches his disciples in obscurity.
Note the design! There are no mistakes with God. He allows or causes things to happen to bring about His will. And, His will is best for us for He knows all. In her book, The Hiding Place, Corrie Ten Boom illustrates the point.
Corrie and her sister Betsie had been imprisoned by the Nazis for hiding Jews behind the wall of their Holland home, and Nazi prison conditions pretty well unbearable. Corrie writes:
"Barracks 8 was in the quarantine compound. Next to us--perhaps as a deliberate warning to newcomers--were located the punishment barracks. From there, all day long and often into the night, came the sounds of hell itself. They were not the sounds of anger, or of any human emotion, but of a cruelty altogether detached: blows landing in regular rhythm, screams keeping pace. We would stand in our ten-deep ranks with our hands trembling at our sides, longing to jam them against our ears, to make the sounds stop. It grew harder and harder. Even within these four walls there was too much misery, too much seemingly pointless suffering. Every day something else failed to make sense, something else grew too heavy."
Yet, in the midst of the suffering, the women prisoners around Corrie and Betsie found comfort in the little Bible studies they held in the barracks. Corrie writes they gathered around the Bible "like waifs clustered around a blazing fire…The blacker the night around us grew, the brighter and truer and more beautiful burned the Word of God."
When they were moved to Barracks 28, Corrie was horrified by the fact that their reeking, straw-bed platforms swarmed with fleas. How could they live in such a place?
It was Betsie who discovered God's answer: "'"Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus." That's it, Corrie! That's His answer. "Give thanks in all circumstances!" That's what we can do. We can start right now to thank God for every single thing about this new barracks!'
"I stared at her; then around me at the dark, foul-aired room…" They thanked God for the fact they were together. They thanked God they had a Bible. They even thanked God for the horrible crowds of prisoners, that more people would be able to hear God's Word. And then, Betsie thanked God for the fleas. "The fleas! This was too much. 'Betsie, there's no way even God can make me grateful for a flea.'
"'"Give thanks in all circumstances,"' she quoted. 'It doesn't say, "in pleasant circumstances." Fleas are part of this place where God has put us.' "And so we stood between tiers of bunks and gave thanks for fleas. But this time I was sure Betsie was wrong."
It turned out that Betsie was not wrong; the fleas were a nuisance, but a blessing after all. The women were able to have Bible studies in the barracks with a great deal of freedom, never bothered by supervisors coming in and harassing them. They finally discovered that it was the fleas that kept those supervisors out.
Through those fleas, God protected the women from abuse and harassment. Dozens of desperate women were free to hear the comforting, hope-giving Word of God. Through those fleas, God protected the women from much worse things and made sure they had their deepest, truest needs met.
45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”
49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” 51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life. 54 Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples. ~ John 11:45-54
The raising of Lazarus is the seventh miracle of the Lord Jesus recorded in John's Gospel. It is the greatest of all of the Lord Jesus' miracles. As a result, according to v.45, many believed in Him as their Messiah.
In light of all the Lord Jesus said and did, I find it amazing that many did not believe in Him. Can you imagine the resistance of these people to this miracle? So obstinate and stubborn is human unbelief that it can persist even in the face of overwhelming evidence.
In reaction to those who believed, the Pharisees called an emergency meeting of the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin was made up of two parties, the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The Pharisees believed in the supernatural, while the Sadducees did not.
In v.47-48, we read, “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”
Caiaphas, a Sadducee, was the high priest. He had garnered the office of high priest by being the highest bidder for the job. The Romans had put the office up for sale, so that whoever among the Jews could come up with enough money got the job. As a Sadducee, Caiaphas did not believe in God.
Given his theology, it made sense that he was arrogant. In v.49, his arrogance is put on display. He says to the council, "You know nothing at all!" In effect, he suggests death for the Lord Jesus. This is the approach to life the Atheist takes when being threatened. Solomon, many years before this, said it this way: "There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death."
In the mind of Caiaphas, the substitution was this: We kill Jesus so the Romans won’t kill us. We substitute Jesus for ourselves. In the mind of God, the substitution was this: I will kill my Son so I don’t have to kill you. God substitutes Jesus for His enemies.
In v.51-52, the Apostle John gives the alternative view. Speaking of Caiaphas, the high priest: "He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one." In Isaiah 53, it was predicted many years before: "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."
Mankind can do nothing to thwart the will of God, and God never prevents the free choice of man. Unsaved man is so limited, so ignorant, so blinded, so selfish that, even allowed to exercise free will, he will invariably choose the wrong thing. That is why the exercise of free will only carries out what God has said will happen when a deformed and twisted will is allowed to make choices.
In v.53, we read, "So from that day on they plotted to take his life." They rejected the truth, and they did the bidding of God. When we reject truth, we become unable to see clearly. It is impossible to understand what is happening in life unless we see life from God's point of view. There are factors involved that we will miss, there are realities that we do not see, that nobody sees.
In v.54, we read, "Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples."
The Lord Jesus withdraws some 20 miles northeast of Jerusalem to an obscure village. As best we can tell, John 11 took place in February. Passover comes in early April, so the Lord Jesus had several weeks yet to wait. Thus, He withdraws and teaches his disciples in obscurity.
Note the design! There are no mistakes with God. He allows or causes things to happen to bring about His will. And, His will is best for us for He knows all. In her book, The Hiding Place, Corrie Ten Boom illustrates the point.
Corrie and her sister Betsie had been imprisoned by the Nazis for hiding Jews behind the wall of their Holland home, and Nazi prison conditions pretty well unbearable. Corrie writes:
"Barracks 8 was in the quarantine compound. Next to us--perhaps as a deliberate warning to newcomers--were located the punishment barracks. From there, all day long and often into the night, came the sounds of hell itself. They were not the sounds of anger, or of any human emotion, but of a cruelty altogether detached: blows landing in regular rhythm, screams keeping pace. We would stand in our ten-deep ranks with our hands trembling at our sides, longing to jam them against our ears, to make the sounds stop. It grew harder and harder. Even within these four walls there was too much misery, too much seemingly pointless suffering. Every day something else failed to make sense, something else grew too heavy."
Yet, in the midst of the suffering, the women prisoners around Corrie and Betsie found comfort in the little Bible studies they held in the barracks. Corrie writes they gathered around the Bible "like waifs clustered around a blazing fire…The blacker the night around us grew, the brighter and truer and more beautiful burned the Word of God."
When they were moved to Barracks 28, Corrie was horrified by the fact that their reeking, straw-bed platforms swarmed with fleas. How could they live in such a place?
It was Betsie who discovered God's answer: "'"Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus." That's it, Corrie! That's His answer. "Give thanks in all circumstances!" That's what we can do. We can start right now to thank God for every single thing about this new barracks!'
"I stared at her; then around me at the dark, foul-aired room…" They thanked God for the fact they were together. They thanked God they had a Bible. They even thanked God for the horrible crowds of prisoners, that more people would be able to hear God's Word. And then, Betsie thanked God for the fleas. "The fleas! This was too much. 'Betsie, there's no way even God can make me grateful for a flea.'
"'"Give thanks in all circumstances,"' she quoted. 'It doesn't say, "in pleasant circumstances." Fleas are part of this place where God has put us.' "And so we stood between tiers of bunks and gave thanks for fleas. But this time I was sure Betsie was wrong."
It turned out that Betsie was not wrong; the fleas were a nuisance, but a blessing after all. The women were able to have Bible studies in the barracks with a great deal of freedom, never bothered by supervisors coming in and harassing them. They finally discovered that it was the fleas that kept those supervisors out.
Through those fleas, God protected the women from abuse and harassment. Dozens of desperate women were free to hear the comforting, hope-giving Word of God. Through those fleas, God protected the women from much worse things and made sure they had their deepest, truest needs met.
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
John 11:38-44
Click here for the John 11:38-44 PODCAST
38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” 40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” ~ John 11:38-44
Being deeply moved, again, within, according to v.38, the Lord Jesus approaches the tomb of Lazarus' planned death. Remember, the Lord Jesus stayed where He was two more days. His love allowed the death of this beloved brother. He did so, because this illness and death was for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it. This is the point of all our lives experiences.
Faith is not a way to control the outcomes. The story of Lazarus addresses the manipulative nature of our faith. Real faith is patience with the mystery. But, when the mystery unfolds, faith is captivated by the love of this Genius who has been known to make us wait. The love of God is most often proved by His perceived absence. Real faith is the precedent to the insight of hindsight.
Lazarus' tomb was a vertical cave into which one would descend in steps. A stone was laid flat on the ground of its surface. According to v.39 the Lord Jesus instructs the stone to be removed. Martha protests, "But, Lord, by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”
In v.40, notice the response of the Lord Jesus. He does not rebuke Martha, He encourages her with, "Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" The word of God always addresses the obstacle of our doubts. How often do we find that our faith needs encouragement only to be found in His word. In advance, we must believe before we can see His genius. Our faith must always be framed up by the word of God.
In order to do the impossible, the Lord Jesus begins with a simple prayer in v.41-42, which reads, "41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
Notice the combination of human involvement in removing the stone and the prayer of the Lord Jesus. In His prayer, the Lord Jesus brings attention to the fact that this miracle was performed for the growth of those who were observing this miracle. But we only grow when we respond to His word in obedience and trust. Had they not removed the stone, Lazarus would not have come forth.
Then, according to v.43-44, the miracle was done. It is a good thing the Lord Jesus singles out Lazarus, had He not, it is speculated that others would have come forth from their graves. And, that which Mary and Martha had grieved over became the source of great joy. But, joy is mostly found in the context of the glory of the Lord. We experience the greatest of joy when the Lord Jesus is receiving the most glory.
Then, life returns to Lazarus' body and he comes out of the tomb. He comes forth bound in grave clothes, still wrapped in white, staggering about. Then, the Lord Jesus involves the disciples, He tells them to take the grave clothes off of Lazarus. What a picture of ministry. We must never be surprised by the fact that ministry is messy. And, if you aren't willing to get a little messy, you will not be good at ministry. In addition, life is something only God alone can give, but unbinding people is something we can do.
The Lord Jesus raised Lazarus because He is the resurrection. He shows up at the tomb of every Lazarus. And, we all have Lazarus' in our lives. Lazarus' name means the one whom God helps. The resurrection of Lazarus is a preview of our resurrection. The Lord Jesus is coming back to this earth in power and great glory for those who have cried out to Him. And this story is a window into that future event.
38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” 40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” ~ John 11:38-44
Being deeply moved, again, within, according to v.38, the Lord Jesus approaches the tomb of Lazarus' planned death. Remember, the Lord Jesus stayed where He was two more days. His love allowed the death of this beloved brother. He did so, because this illness and death was for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it. This is the point of all our lives experiences.
Faith is not a way to control the outcomes. The story of Lazarus addresses the manipulative nature of our faith. Real faith is patience with the mystery. But, when the mystery unfolds, faith is captivated by the love of this Genius who has been known to make us wait. The love of God is most often proved by His perceived absence. Real faith is the precedent to the insight of hindsight.
Lazarus' tomb was a vertical cave into which one would descend in steps. A stone was laid flat on the ground of its surface. According to v.39 the Lord Jesus instructs the stone to be removed. Martha protests, "But, Lord, by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”
In v.40, notice the response of the Lord Jesus. He does not rebuke Martha, He encourages her with, "Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" The word of God always addresses the obstacle of our doubts. How often do we find that our faith needs encouragement only to be found in His word. In advance, we must believe before we can see His genius. Our faith must always be framed up by the word of God.
In order to do the impossible, the Lord Jesus begins with a simple prayer in v.41-42, which reads, "41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
Notice the combination of human involvement in removing the stone and the prayer of the Lord Jesus. In His prayer, the Lord Jesus brings attention to the fact that this miracle was performed for the growth of those who were observing this miracle. But we only grow when we respond to His word in obedience and trust. Had they not removed the stone, Lazarus would not have come forth.
Then, according to v.43-44, the miracle was done. It is a good thing the Lord Jesus singles out Lazarus, had He not, it is speculated that others would have come forth from their graves. And, that which Mary and Martha had grieved over became the source of great joy. But, joy is mostly found in the context of the glory of the Lord. We experience the greatest of joy when the Lord Jesus is receiving the most glory.
Then, life returns to Lazarus' body and he comes out of the tomb. He comes forth bound in grave clothes, still wrapped in white, staggering about. Then, the Lord Jesus involves the disciples, He tells them to take the grave clothes off of Lazarus. What a picture of ministry. We must never be surprised by the fact that ministry is messy. And, if you aren't willing to get a little messy, you will not be good at ministry. In addition, life is something only God alone can give, but unbinding people is something we can do.
The Lord Jesus raised Lazarus because He is the resurrection. He shows up at the tomb of every Lazarus. And, we all have Lazarus' in our lives. Lazarus' name means the one whom God helps. The resurrection of Lazarus is a preview of our resurrection. The Lord Jesus is coming back to this earth in power and great glory for those who have cried out to Him. And this story is a window into that future event.
Monday, November 18, 2019
John 11:17-37
Click here for the John 11:17-37 PODCAST
17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. 21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” 28 After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied. 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” ~ John 11:17-37
The Lord Jesus knew that Lazarus was dead. He had to die. He was well-aware His friend had been buried in a tomb for four days, and his sisters were mourning every moment. Even though He knew this, hope was soon coming and Lazarus would breathe and live once again. Martha and Mary had to go through the pain. They had to, so that they could learn greater faith and love through what they suffered.
Earlier, Thomas had said, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” He didn't then understand what he was saying. But Martha experienced it firsthand. She died with Lazarus, and even before Lazarus was resurrected, she was resurrected because she had gone out to be with the One who is the Resurrection.
Hearing that the Lord Jesus was on His way to her house, Martha goes out to meet Him. Mary, her sister, on the other hand, waits at home. In Luke 10, Martha was preoccupied with work, now she is preoccupied with the Lord. Like Martha, when Lazarus dies in our lives, do we run to find the Lord Jesus, or do we stay at the house, waiting for Him to call for us? Martha has learned to trust the Lord Jesus with the most special things in her life.
Martha greets the Lord Jesus with the phrase, "if you had been here." She realized the message that Lazarus had died did not reach the Lord Jesus until Lazarus was dead. Her response is one of regret.
Then in v.22, Martha said to the Lord Jesus, "But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask." And, the very next word of the Lord Jesus is, "Your brother will rise again." Notice how Martha responds in v.24, "“I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Martha is dealing with her pain and looking for comfort, peace and meaning.
Then, in v.25-26, the Lord Jesus responds, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?" The first word of v.25 is reiterated. Literally, in the Greek, it reads, "I, I am the resurrection and the life." This is the point of all of life: Christ must be the center of our pursuits, only then does our pain make sense.
The believer in the Lord Jesus will pass from limiting time, and we will be, one day, in the realm of eternity where there will be no darkness, no loneliness, no separation, and no limitations. For those who reject the free gift of salvation, there is no hope. There is nothing ahead but darkness, loneliness, separation, and limitations.
In v.27, Martha responds, “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” Then she goes into the house and tells Mary the Lord Jesus was asking for her. And when Mary learns of this, she goes quickly to the Lord Jesus, followed by her comforters. What a picture! The purpose of our pain is to get us to seek Him, and then that example is to be delivered to those who are watching.
Though Mary greets the Lord Jesus with the same words as Martha, she does so in a totally different way. When the Lord Jesus saw her, she was weeping, and all those who came with her were weeping. When Martha came to Him she was handling her brother's death better. But when Mary comes, she is trying to deal with a broken heart. Our broken hearts are in their best spot when they are seeking the Lord Jesus.
"When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled." The word for "deeply moved in spirit" is a word that only occurs four times in the New Testament, and in each place it describes anger. The Lord Jesus is not angry at death, He is angry at the effects of sin. What made Him weep was his friend's pain.
The Lord Jesus wept not because he lacked faith, but because he was full of love. In love, He weeps with those who weep. John 11:35 is the shortest verse in all of the Bible, but one of its most powerful, and insightful. Rightly was this tiniest of sentences assigned its own number. In His tears we see that God does not stand aloof to our pain. He has taken on flesh and blood. He has not called us to a humanity that He himself was unwilling to take on. We have not been abandoned to a painful world where He can not be found.
17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. 21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” 28 After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied. 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” ~ John 11:17-37
The Lord Jesus knew that Lazarus was dead. He had to die. He was well-aware His friend had been buried in a tomb for four days, and his sisters were mourning every moment. Even though He knew this, hope was soon coming and Lazarus would breathe and live once again. Martha and Mary had to go through the pain. They had to, so that they could learn greater faith and love through what they suffered.
Earlier, Thomas had said, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” He didn't then understand what he was saying. But Martha experienced it firsthand. She died with Lazarus, and even before Lazarus was resurrected, she was resurrected because she had gone out to be with the One who is the Resurrection.
Hearing that the Lord Jesus was on His way to her house, Martha goes out to meet Him. Mary, her sister, on the other hand, waits at home. In Luke 10, Martha was preoccupied with work, now she is preoccupied with the Lord. Like Martha, when Lazarus dies in our lives, do we run to find the Lord Jesus, or do we stay at the house, waiting for Him to call for us? Martha has learned to trust the Lord Jesus with the most special things in her life.
Martha greets the Lord Jesus with the phrase, "if you had been here." She realized the message that Lazarus had died did not reach the Lord Jesus until Lazarus was dead. Her response is one of regret.
Then in v.22, Martha said to the Lord Jesus, "But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask." And, the very next word of the Lord Jesus is, "Your brother will rise again." Notice how Martha responds in v.24, "“I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Martha is dealing with her pain and looking for comfort, peace and meaning.
Then, in v.25-26, the Lord Jesus responds, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?" The first word of v.25 is reiterated. Literally, in the Greek, it reads, "I, I am the resurrection and the life." This is the point of all of life: Christ must be the center of our pursuits, only then does our pain make sense.
The believer in the Lord Jesus will pass from limiting time, and we will be, one day, in the realm of eternity where there will be no darkness, no loneliness, no separation, and no limitations. For those who reject the free gift of salvation, there is no hope. There is nothing ahead but darkness, loneliness, separation, and limitations.
In v.27, Martha responds, “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” Then she goes into the house and tells Mary the Lord Jesus was asking for her. And when Mary learns of this, she goes quickly to the Lord Jesus, followed by her comforters. What a picture! The purpose of our pain is to get us to seek Him, and then that example is to be delivered to those who are watching.
Though Mary greets the Lord Jesus with the same words as Martha, she does so in a totally different way. When the Lord Jesus saw her, she was weeping, and all those who came with her were weeping. When Martha came to Him she was handling her brother's death better. But when Mary comes, she is trying to deal with a broken heart. Our broken hearts are in their best spot when they are seeking the Lord Jesus.
"When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled." The word for "deeply moved in spirit" is a word that only occurs four times in the New Testament, and in each place it describes anger. The Lord Jesus is not angry at death, He is angry at the effects of sin. What made Him weep was his friend's pain.
The Lord Jesus wept not because he lacked faith, but because he was full of love. In love, He weeps with those who weep. John 11:35 is the shortest verse in all of the Bible, but one of its most powerful, and insightful. Rightly was this tiniest of sentences assigned its own number. In His tears we see that God does not stand aloof to our pain. He has taken on flesh and blood. He has not called us to a humanity that He himself was unwilling to take on. We have not been abandoned to a painful world where He can not be found.
Friday, November 15, 2019
John 11:5-16
Click here for the John 11:5-16 PODCAST
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” 8 “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. 10 It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.” 11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” 12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. 14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” ~ John 11:5-16
The Lord Jesus deliberately waited going to Bethany. And, Mary and Martha's hearts were breaking. Had the Lord Jesus been there with them, presumably, He would have prevented Lazarus from dying. Yet, it was God's will for Lazarus to die. And, according to v.5, "Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus." What an odd way to express love!
Now, since the Lord Jesus loved this family, according to v.6, He stayed up north two days longer. When we come to God for help which we feel we need, our hearts are broken when God doesn't work according to way we think He should. The question at this point is: who is God in this context?
Sometimes God says, "yes", and sometimes, "no." Sometimes He doesn't immediately answer, He delays. And, most often we conclude God's delays are His denials. Sometimes, if we wait, He has been known to do the unbelievable. In this context, very often we conclude prayer doesn't work.
To my shame, I have to admit that I have reached the wrong conclusion about God from time to time. In fact, I did it this past February when my middle son flatlined and was in a coma for two days. I have learned that there is a good part of this. It is this: this is how we grow, sometimes by failing. And, the beauty is there is a loving God who doesn't give up on us. No, He trains us to grow in our trust in Him.
This is one of the many expressions of God's love. The delay helps us. It will not hurt us. It will make us stronger. So the Lord Jesus deliberately delayed because He loved them and knew this would strengthen their faith as they learned the ultimate outcome when God would raise Lazarus from the dead.
This is a hard lesson to learn. I have struggled over this many times myself, but it is true. Painful experiences are God's gifts to drive us to His heart, to increase our capacity for Him. Once seized, the disciplines are useful to us, helping others find their way in their pursuit of the Lord Jesus.
When the messenger returned, he delivered the message from the Lord Jesus. He said, "This sickness will not end in death." Yet, Lazarus had already been dead for two days. On that day, doubt probably was at an all time high in Bethany. Obviously the Lord Jesus was mistaken. We have all been there. The disappointment is crippling to our faith. And yet, we must arrive in this place from time to time.
In v.7, the Lord Jesus then said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea." According to v.8, the disciples balked at His words. To this in v.9-10, the Lord Jesus emphasizes the key to success. The key is the light. And, this type of light is made more prominent to us in the darkest of times.
In v.10-16, we learn the disciples are baffled by the Lord Jesus' actions. They had just left Judea, a week or so before, because of the fear that the Jews were about to put the Lord Jesus to death. Leaving must have relieved them. But now the Lord Jesus wants to go back.
In v.11-16, according to the Lord Jesus, death is a form of sleep. Death is not final. It is a doorway to a greater experience. Death leaves us heart-broken and lonely, but it is a must to get us to view life from the viewpoint of eternity.
In v.15, the Lord Jesus says He was glad He was not there when Lazarus died. Notice why; "for the sake of the disciples." The Lord Jesus delayed going to Bethany so that His followers' faith might be strengthened by the delay. Their doubts and questions would serve their faith, but they had to go through the pain before God showed up.
Notice Thomas' words in v.16, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” We are just like Thomas. When God does not work according to the way we think He should, we get sarcastic. The arrogance of the human mind that thinks it knows better than the Almighty, never fails to amaze me. The antidote to this: believe His word. Trust His word. It will not fail.
To help BYM, click here
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” 8 “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. 10 It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.” 11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” 12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. 14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” ~ John 11:5-16
The Lord Jesus deliberately waited going to Bethany. And, Mary and Martha's hearts were breaking. Had the Lord Jesus been there with them, presumably, He would have prevented Lazarus from dying. Yet, it was God's will for Lazarus to die. And, according to v.5, "Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus." What an odd way to express love!
Now, since the Lord Jesus loved this family, according to v.6, He stayed up north two days longer. When we come to God for help which we feel we need, our hearts are broken when God doesn't work according to way we think He should. The question at this point is: who is God in this context?
Sometimes God says, "yes", and sometimes, "no." Sometimes He doesn't immediately answer, He delays. And, most often we conclude God's delays are His denials. Sometimes, if we wait, He has been known to do the unbelievable. In this context, very often we conclude prayer doesn't work.
To my shame, I have to admit that I have reached the wrong conclusion about God from time to time. In fact, I did it this past February when my middle son flatlined and was in a coma for two days. I have learned that there is a good part of this. It is this: this is how we grow, sometimes by failing. And, the beauty is there is a loving God who doesn't give up on us. No, He trains us to grow in our trust in Him.
This is one of the many expressions of God's love. The delay helps us. It will not hurt us. It will make us stronger. So the Lord Jesus deliberately delayed because He loved them and knew this would strengthen their faith as they learned the ultimate outcome when God would raise Lazarus from the dead.
This is a hard lesson to learn. I have struggled over this many times myself, but it is true. Painful experiences are God's gifts to drive us to His heart, to increase our capacity for Him. Once seized, the disciplines are useful to us, helping others find their way in their pursuit of the Lord Jesus.
When the messenger returned, he delivered the message from the Lord Jesus. He said, "This sickness will not end in death." Yet, Lazarus had already been dead for two days. On that day, doubt probably was at an all time high in Bethany. Obviously the Lord Jesus was mistaken. We have all been there. The disappointment is crippling to our faith. And yet, we must arrive in this place from time to time.
In v.7, the Lord Jesus then said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea." According to v.8, the disciples balked at His words. To this in v.9-10, the Lord Jesus emphasizes the key to success. The key is the light. And, this type of light is made more prominent to us in the darkest of times.
In v.10-16, we learn the disciples are baffled by the Lord Jesus' actions. They had just left Judea, a week or so before, because of the fear that the Jews were about to put the Lord Jesus to death. Leaving must have relieved them. But now the Lord Jesus wants to go back.
In v.11-16, according to the Lord Jesus, death is a form of sleep. Death is not final. It is a doorway to a greater experience. Death leaves us heart-broken and lonely, but it is a must to get us to view life from the viewpoint of eternity.
In v.15, the Lord Jesus says He was glad He was not there when Lazarus died. Notice why; "for the sake of the disciples." The Lord Jesus delayed going to Bethany so that His followers' faith might be strengthened by the delay. Their doubts and questions would serve their faith, but they had to go through the pain before God showed up.
Notice Thomas' words in v.16, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” We are just like Thomas. When God does not work according to the way we think He should, we get sarcastic. The arrogance of the human mind that thinks it knows better than the Almighty, never fails to amaze me. The antidote to this: believe His word. Trust His word. It will not fail.
To help BYM, click here
Thursday, November 14, 2019
John 11:1-4
Click here to access the John 11:1-4 Podcast
1 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” 4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” ~ John 11:1-4
This, the seventh miracle in John's Gospel, is without a doubt, the greatest of the miracles of the Lord Jesus. Similar to the healing of the paralytic at the pool of Bethesda in John 5, and the opening of the eyes of the man born blind in John 9, the raising of Lazarus from the dead, results in people believing the Lord Jesus as the Messiah.
Mary, Martha and Lazarus were very good friends of the Lord Jesus. Mary and Martha's brother, Lazarus, was really sick. So sick, he could die. And, these two women send a message to the Lord Jesus: "Lord, the one you love is sick." You will remember that He had traveled back to the northeast, about a two-day journey from Jerusalem.
In v.2, the sister of Lazarus, Mary, is going to, in the next chapter, anoint the Lord with her hair. The Apostle John is reaching forward to use a remarkable moment in the life of this woman who’s going to love Jesus in a unique way. This is John's way of pointing us to one of the two main themes in this story.
This is what our pain does for us, if we let it. Our pain modulates our hearts in such a way that we begin to see how big God's heart is for us. Not many think this way, but we must. I'm convinced, most theological shallowness that we see in modern day christianity is due to the fact that we do not value pain appropriately.
Our pain potentially puts us in a posture to grow in our understanding of God's love. And, His love postures us to give glory to God. When we encounter unwanted pain, when life does not go the way we think or want, He is positioning us to go deeper with Him. Love is not a minor theme in this story, it is huge in this story. And, our understanding of God's love for us is crucial for the depth that God wants to forge into our souls.
When the message from these two sisters reached the Lord Jesus, He said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it." Now, Lazarus was already dead when the message reached the Lord Jesus, and it took two days for the messenger to get to the Lord Jesus. So when He returned to Bethany, Lazarus had been dead four days. This is why He said, "This sickness will not end in death."
The answer of the Lord Jesus smacks in the face of the claim by many that sickness is never the will of God for the believer. They say, "it is wrong for the believer to be sick. The sickness is due to lack of faith, some hidden sin or judgment from God." No, trouble is one half of our deepening, and its absence is undermining to our heart's ability to see God.
Notice the end of v.4, "No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it." This sickness was not a sign of some sin in Lazarus' life, or a lack of faith on the part of Mary and Martha or Lazarus. It was allowed to spotlight the glory of God. That is not saying, of course, that there is no such thing as sickness that results from sin. Other passages indicate that some sickness does result from sin. But we must never take the position that all illness is a sign of unbelief and a lack of faith. This response is not biblical.
The unwanted pains of this life will not make sense if we have ourselves at the center of our world. If we are our treasure, we will miss the brilliance of God. On the other hand, if God is our treasure, we will grow in His wisdom. We will understand what love is because we understand His glory. And, His glory will increasingly show up at the center of our lives.
Our problem is with our trust of God. Does He really have our best in mind? And, this trust is crucially linked to our definition of love and glory. Love is not the removal of pain. It’s not the removal of death. We were made for the glory of God, not just the removal of pain. If we walk through life thinking that minimizing pain is the essence of love, God will be foreign to us. The glory of God in the Lord Jesus is the only thing that can satisfy our souls. We were made for this. Sometimes God must take away our health for us to see this.
BYM Praise/Prayer Update
1 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” 4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” ~ John 11:1-4
This, the seventh miracle in John's Gospel, is without a doubt, the greatest of the miracles of the Lord Jesus. Similar to the healing of the paralytic at the pool of Bethesda in John 5, and the opening of the eyes of the man born blind in John 9, the raising of Lazarus from the dead, results in people believing the Lord Jesus as the Messiah.
Mary, Martha and Lazarus were very good friends of the Lord Jesus. Mary and Martha's brother, Lazarus, was really sick. So sick, he could die. And, these two women send a message to the Lord Jesus: "Lord, the one you love is sick." You will remember that He had traveled back to the northeast, about a two-day journey from Jerusalem.
In v.2, the sister of Lazarus, Mary, is going to, in the next chapter, anoint the Lord with her hair. The Apostle John is reaching forward to use a remarkable moment in the life of this woman who’s going to love Jesus in a unique way. This is John's way of pointing us to one of the two main themes in this story.
This is what our pain does for us, if we let it. Our pain modulates our hearts in such a way that we begin to see how big God's heart is for us. Not many think this way, but we must. I'm convinced, most theological shallowness that we see in modern day christianity is due to the fact that we do not value pain appropriately.
Our pain potentially puts us in a posture to grow in our understanding of God's love. And, His love postures us to give glory to God. When we encounter unwanted pain, when life does not go the way we think or want, He is positioning us to go deeper with Him. Love is not a minor theme in this story, it is huge in this story. And, our understanding of God's love for us is crucial for the depth that God wants to forge into our souls.
When the message from these two sisters reached the Lord Jesus, He said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it." Now, Lazarus was already dead when the message reached the Lord Jesus, and it took two days for the messenger to get to the Lord Jesus. So when He returned to Bethany, Lazarus had been dead four days. This is why He said, "This sickness will not end in death."
The answer of the Lord Jesus smacks in the face of the claim by many that sickness is never the will of God for the believer. They say, "it is wrong for the believer to be sick. The sickness is due to lack of faith, some hidden sin or judgment from God." No, trouble is one half of our deepening, and its absence is undermining to our heart's ability to see God.
Notice the end of v.4, "No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it." This sickness was not a sign of some sin in Lazarus' life, or a lack of faith on the part of Mary and Martha or Lazarus. It was allowed to spotlight the glory of God. That is not saying, of course, that there is no such thing as sickness that results from sin. Other passages indicate that some sickness does result from sin. But we must never take the position that all illness is a sign of unbelief and a lack of faith. This response is not biblical.
The unwanted pains of this life will not make sense if we have ourselves at the center of our world. If we are our treasure, we will miss the brilliance of God. On the other hand, if God is our treasure, we will grow in His wisdom. We will understand what love is because we understand His glory. And, His glory will increasingly show up at the center of our lives.
Our problem is with our trust of God. Does He really have our best in mind? And, this trust is crucially linked to our definition of love and glory. Love is not the removal of pain. It’s not the removal of death. We were made for the glory of God, not just the removal of pain. If we walk through life thinking that minimizing pain is the essence of love, God will be foreign to us. The glory of God in the Lord Jesus is the only thing that can satisfy our souls. We were made for this. Sometimes God must take away our health for us to see this.
BYM Praise/Prayer Update
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
John 10:40-42
Click here to access the John 10:40-42 PODCAST
40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, 41 and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.” 42 And in that place many believed in Jesus. ~ John 10:40-42
The Jewish religious leaders saw the confirmation of the word of God in the works of the Lord Jesus. Yet, they concluded He was of the Devil. I find it interesting that nobody today ever seriously makes the claim that the Lord Jesus was a mad man! I have never seen any serious attempt to claim that He was out of His mind. The rightful conclusion is that He is who He claims to be: the Son of God become man.
The sad irony of this is that the rejectors of the gift of eternal life will spend eternity in a place quite the opposite to heaven. And at the moment of their final breath, God will honor their request: “Get away from me, you who do evil. I never knew you” (Matthew 7:23). This verse escorts us to the most somber of Christian realities: hell.
Hell is most awful. Those who penned the Scriptures utilized the darkest of ink to describe its nature. It is described as the “blackest darkness” (Jude 13), “everlasting destruction” (2 Thessalonians 1:9), “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12).
As mentioned yesterday, John 10 ends across the Jordan where, before, the people believed. And, why did John not end the chapter with the unbelief of the rejectors? He ends John 10 with the faith of those on the other side of the tracks. With this, John is giving us a clue to what opens the door to a personal relationship with God.
The key is the greatest onslaught on that which inaugurated sin. The key is humility, the kind of humility which prompts us to cry out for a personal relationship with the God of the Bible. This kind of humility gives way to the growth of faith, which, when appropriated correctly in the God of the Bible, results in eternal life.
In John 10:40-42, John the Baptist is referenced. His ministry was unpretentious. He did not exist for the fame that causes members of the US congress to clamor for the fame of TV time. He cast the spotlight utterly on Jesus. And wherever that mindset is admired and embraced, faith in the Lord Jesus flourishes. It didn’t flourish in Jerusalem. They rejected John and his message.
But where John’s humble, self-effacing mindset was embraced, people recognized the Lord Jesus. They heard His voice, and as a result, they became His sheep. They end up uttering that most famous saying of John the Baptist, "Jesus Must Increase, I Must Decrease."
The Lord Jesus Christ emerged from Satan’s domain with this declaration: “I have the keys of Hades and of Death” (Revelation 1:18). He is the warden of eternity. The door He shuts, no one opens. The door He opens, no one shuts (Revelation 3:7).
Thanks to the Lord Jesus, this earth can be the nearest we come to hell. But apart from the Lord Jesus, this earth will be the nearest we'll come to heaven.
This past Spring, I reconnected with a young man who had grown up in a Christian home, yet he was not a believer. He had concluded that there was no God. To make a long story of a wandering ragamuffin short, I saw this young man go from the darkness to the light, partly as the result of my middle son flat-lining and spending a day over a week in the hospital. This once atheist is now studying to be a minister of the Gospel at Columbia International University.
Contrast the Christ-deniers with the Christ-followers, and what do we get? The religious leaders made no secret of their disbelief in the Lord Jesus, whereas the Christ-followers can not wait to tell others of the life-changing encounter they have had with the risen Lord Jesus. I know of no better reality to invest my life. I trust you have passed from the darkness to the light.
If you have not, let me encourage you to talk to Him right now about it. Admit to Him that you are a sinner who has rebelled against Him, and ask Him to come into your life to be your Savior and your constant companion. If you prayed this prayer, please send me an email to this fact. My email is byoungministry@gmail.com
40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, 41 and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.” 42 And in that place many believed in Jesus. ~ John 10:40-42
The Jewish religious leaders saw the confirmation of the word of God in the works of the Lord Jesus. Yet, they concluded He was of the Devil. I find it interesting that nobody today ever seriously makes the claim that the Lord Jesus was a mad man! I have never seen any serious attempt to claim that He was out of His mind. The rightful conclusion is that He is who He claims to be: the Son of God become man.
The sad irony of this is that the rejectors of the gift of eternal life will spend eternity in a place quite the opposite to heaven. And at the moment of their final breath, God will honor their request: “Get away from me, you who do evil. I never knew you” (Matthew 7:23). This verse escorts us to the most somber of Christian realities: hell.
Hell is most awful. Those who penned the Scriptures utilized the darkest of ink to describe its nature. It is described as the “blackest darkness” (Jude 13), “everlasting destruction” (2 Thessalonians 1:9), “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12).
As mentioned yesterday, John 10 ends across the Jordan where, before, the people believed. And, why did John not end the chapter with the unbelief of the rejectors? He ends John 10 with the faith of those on the other side of the tracks. With this, John is giving us a clue to what opens the door to a personal relationship with God.
The key is the greatest onslaught on that which inaugurated sin. The key is humility, the kind of humility which prompts us to cry out for a personal relationship with the God of the Bible. This kind of humility gives way to the growth of faith, which, when appropriated correctly in the God of the Bible, results in eternal life.
In John 10:40-42, John the Baptist is referenced. His ministry was unpretentious. He did not exist for the fame that causes members of the US congress to clamor for the fame of TV time. He cast the spotlight utterly on Jesus. And wherever that mindset is admired and embraced, faith in the Lord Jesus flourishes. It didn’t flourish in Jerusalem. They rejected John and his message.
But where John’s humble, self-effacing mindset was embraced, people recognized the Lord Jesus. They heard His voice, and as a result, they became His sheep. They end up uttering that most famous saying of John the Baptist, "Jesus Must Increase, I Must Decrease."
The Lord Jesus Christ emerged from Satan’s domain with this declaration: “I have the keys of Hades and of Death” (Revelation 1:18). He is the warden of eternity. The door He shuts, no one opens. The door He opens, no one shuts (Revelation 3:7).
Thanks to the Lord Jesus, this earth can be the nearest we come to hell. But apart from the Lord Jesus, this earth will be the nearest we'll come to heaven.
This past Spring, I reconnected with a young man who had grown up in a Christian home, yet he was not a believer. He had concluded that there was no God. To make a long story of a wandering ragamuffin short, I saw this young man go from the darkness to the light, partly as the result of my middle son flat-lining and spending a day over a week in the hospital. This once atheist is now studying to be a minister of the Gospel at Columbia International University.
Contrast the Christ-deniers with the Christ-followers, and what do we get? The religious leaders made no secret of their disbelief in the Lord Jesus, whereas the Christ-followers can not wait to tell others of the life-changing encounter they have had with the risen Lord Jesus. I know of no better reality to invest my life. I trust you have passed from the darkness to the light.
If you have not, let me encourage you to talk to Him right now about it. Admit to Him that you are a sinner who has rebelled against Him, and ask Him to come into your life to be your Savior and your constant companion. If you prayed this prayer, please send me an email to this fact. My email is byoungministry@gmail.com
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
John 10:31-39
Click here for the John 10:31-39 PODCAST
31 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” 33 “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’? 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? 37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” 39 Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp. ~ John 10:31-39
In the middle of the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah), when the people consecrated and rededicated the Temple to the Lord, the Lord Jesus tells the people that He was consecrated and set apart by the Father to be the Messiah.
In John 10:31, the Jewish religious leaders are out to get the Lord Jesus once again, and since the Law directed the Jews to put to death anyone claiming to be God, they pick up stones.
Then, in v.32, the Lord Jesus asks them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” With these words, He wisely disarms them in their tracks. Of course, they could not stone Him. And, do not miss the fact that these religious leaders do not negate the fact that He was producing good works.
The Lord Jesus quotes Psalm 82 v.34-36, where He says to the religious leaders, "you are “gods”’? 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?"
At the end of v.35 there is a great claim for which we should be ever grateful. Notice it. It reads, "—and Scripture cannot be set aside." The word of God cannot be nullified. This means that which is true and substantive, that which we are dependent upon, will endure.
The implications of this are huge, because this is why we have such hope, despite the fact that there are times when our hope looks threatened. We live in a world wherein that which is a lie appears to be winning. God is subtly telling us to hold onto the truth which will not be set aside. We can absolutely trust Him to do what is right for us and those whom we love.
The whole point of Psalm 82 is that earthly judges must act with impartiality and true justice, because even judges must stand someday before the Judge. This is a warning to human authorities that they, too, will be judged. God has appointed men to positions of authority in which they are considered as gods among the people. They are to remember that, even though they are representing God in this world, they are mortal and must eventually give an account to God for how they use that authority.
Here in John 10, the Lord Jesus is claiming to be God by saying He is the Son of God. And, the Jews clearly understood His claim, therefore they wanted to stone Him for blasphemy. Then, in v.37, the Lord Jesus gives these religious leaders evidence for His claim.
In v.37-38, the Lord Jesus brings attention to His ability to do the works of God. He is extraordinary and to ignore Him is to embrace rebellion in the darkness. These religious leaders are fixated on killing Him, and He responds to their absurdity by offering them one more opportunity to believe in Him.
During Hanukkah, the Jews rededicate the Temple to God to celebrate God’s forgiveness. It was a type of the ultimate forgiveness which came in the arrival of the One who was sacrificed on the cross. The cross of Christ is God's way of taking away all of our accusations, excuses, and arguments. “Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us, we have to see it as something done by us.” (John Stott) This obviously was the problem for these religious leaders.
Sadly, our text ends with opposition and unbelief. The more the Lord Jesus proved His deity to these religious leaders, the more hard-hearted they became. They simply did not want His light to shine on them or their deeds. They wanted Him to go away and they were prepared to kill Him to make that happen.
Finally, John could have stopped here and turned to the story of Lazarus in chapter 11. But he didn’t. For some reason, the apostle gave another snapshot of the Lord Jesus going back to the Jordan River, to the northeast where many had believed in Him. We will consider tomorrow why this happens.
31 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” 33 “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’? 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? 37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” 39 Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp. ~ John 10:31-39
In the middle of the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah), when the people consecrated and rededicated the Temple to the Lord, the Lord Jesus tells the people that He was consecrated and set apart by the Father to be the Messiah.
In John 10:31, the Jewish religious leaders are out to get the Lord Jesus once again, and since the Law directed the Jews to put to death anyone claiming to be God, they pick up stones.
Then, in v.32, the Lord Jesus asks them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” With these words, He wisely disarms them in their tracks. Of course, they could not stone Him. And, do not miss the fact that these religious leaders do not negate the fact that He was producing good works.
The Lord Jesus quotes Psalm 82 v.34-36, where He says to the religious leaders, "you are “gods”’? 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?"
At the end of v.35 there is a great claim for which we should be ever grateful. Notice it. It reads, "—and Scripture cannot be set aside." The word of God cannot be nullified. This means that which is true and substantive, that which we are dependent upon, will endure.
The implications of this are huge, because this is why we have such hope, despite the fact that there are times when our hope looks threatened. We live in a world wherein that which is a lie appears to be winning. God is subtly telling us to hold onto the truth which will not be set aside. We can absolutely trust Him to do what is right for us and those whom we love.
The whole point of Psalm 82 is that earthly judges must act with impartiality and true justice, because even judges must stand someday before the Judge. This is a warning to human authorities that they, too, will be judged. God has appointed men to positions of authority in which they are considered as gods among the people. They are to remember that, even though they are representing God in this world, they are mortal and must eventually give an account to God for how they use that authority.
Here in John 10, the Lord Jesus is claiming to be God by saying He is the Son of God. And, the Jews clearly understood His claim, therefore they wanted to stone Him for blasphemy. Then, in v.37, the Lord Jesus gives these religious leaders evidence for His claim.
In v.37-38, the Lord Jesus brings attention to His ability to do the works of God. He is extraordinary and to ignore Him is to embrace rebellion in the darkness. These religious leaders are fixated on killing Him, and He responds to their absurdity by offering them one more opportunity to believe in Him.
During Hanukkah, the Jews rededicate the Temple to God to celebrate God’s forgiveness. It was a type of the ultimate forgiveness which came in the arrival of the One who was sacrificed on the cross. The cross of Christ is God's way of taking away all of our accusations, excuses, and arguments. “Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us, we have to see it as something done by us.” (John Stott) This obviously was the problem for these religious leaders.
Sadly, our text ends with opposition and unbelief. The more the Lord Jesus proved His deity to these religious leaders, the more hard-hearted they became. They simply did not want His light to shine on them or their deeds. They wanted Him to go away and they were prepared to kill Him to make that happen.
Finally, John could have stopped here and turned to the story of Lazarus in chapter 11. But he didn’t. For some reason, the apostle gave another snapshot of the Lord Jesus going back to the Jordan River, to the northeast where many had believed in Him. We will consider tomorrow why this happens.
Monday, November 11, 2019
John 10:22-30
To access the JOHN 10:22-30 PODCAST, click here
22 Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.” John 10:22-30
After the previous encounter with the religious leaders at the Temple in Jerusalem, about three months has elapsed. The events of John 10 took place in Jerusalem in connection with the Feast of Tabernacles (which is held in early October), while the opening words of our text today are, "Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter." That Festival is known today as "Hanukkah," which is celebrated in late December.
Most likely, the Lord Jesus had returned to Galilee to minister there, as indicated by Luke in his gospel account.
In v.22 we discover the record of a quick return trip to Jerusalem which the Lord Jesus made, following which he traveled to the area of Perea, in the region of the Jordan River, between Galilee and the Dead Sea. It was the Feast of the Dedication at Jerusalem.
To this day, winter is the rainy season in Israel. "Solomon’s Colonnade" was a large roofed-in enclosure supported by beautiful columns that filled one side of the temple arena. There, sheltered from the rain, the Lord Jesus resumed his teaching ministry during the Feast of Hanukkah which celebrates the rededication of the temple.
According to v.24 the Jews are wondering if the Lord Jesus was about to plainly and opening announce that He was the Messiah. He answered in v.25-26, telling them, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep."
The Jews deliberately encircle Him, forcing Him to answer their question about His identity. I find it interesting that He never plainly said, "I am the Messiah." He did say to the woman at the well and to the man who was born blind, "I am the Son of God," but to these Jewish leaders, these Pharisees, he had never said, "I am the Messiah."
The reason, of course, they pictured the Messiah as a conquering hero who would drive out the Romans. But He wasn't here to do that. To say to them, "I am the Messiah" would have stirred up false hopes in their minds.
His answer in v.25-30, provides three reasons the religious leaders did not believe in Him.
First, these experts in the Law, had such a twisted idea of what the scriptures said about the Messiah. They did not let God define Him for them. Somewhere along the way, they defined God, which is always dangerous. They expected a military leader who would free them from the rule of Rome, but He came as the Suffering Servant to give Himself on behalf of the sins of man and break through the stranglehold of evil which Satan has upon our race.
Second, in v.25, we read, "I did tell you, but you do not believe." Though He had told them, they had rejected the evidence He gave. They only believe what they wanted to believe.
The third reason is found in v.26-27: "you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. " This is the reason why many people never find God, because they refused to investigate with an open heart.
Had these religious leaders honestly come to Him, they would have found Him.
In v.27, we discover the three signs that we are believers in the Lord Jesus. First, we read, "My sheep hear my voice." We believe that what He says is the truth, and we long to hear more.
The second, "I know them." When we hear His Word and we continue to hear His word, we know we have a personal relationship with Him. Learning to hear God with our hearts is what faith really is about. This ability comes to us as a result of the abiding Holy Spirit leading us and training us to hear the Father's voice. As this happens, we grow in the assurance that we are children of God.
The third, "They follow me." This does not mean that we always follow Him, there are times when we lose sight of Him. We do not follow the world, we follow the Lord. When the choice is made, it is a choice in favor of obeying the Lord Jesus.
In v.28-30, the Lord Jesus highlights three things that He has done that causes His sheep to follow Him. This is not a chronological succession here; it is an explanation of what lies behind the actions of the sheep. We do not earn these things, they are givens for us.
First, "I give them eternal life." This sentence is written in the present indicative tense. Literally it reads, "I keep on giving to them eternal life." This eternal life is Him, and it includes His peace, His joy, His heart. And, it produces the sense of inner security, forgiveness, belonging and family.
Second, "they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand." This means our relationship with Him will never end. We live in a world that is perishing, a world that is headed for judgment, for ultimate destruction. We have either eternal life or eternal death.
Third, "My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all." The Lord Jesus came to reveal to us the Father's heart. The Father is one third of the Godhead. The Father sent the Son to lay down His life for the sheep. The resurrection of the Lord Jesus was the Father's way of authenticating all of the truths that were declared by the Lord Jesus.
22 Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.” John 10:22-30
After the previous encounter with the religious leaders at the Temple in Jerusalem, about three months has elapsed. The events of John 10 took place in Jerusalem in connection with the Feast of Tabernacles (which is held in early October), while the opening words of our text today are, "Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter." That Festival is known today as "Hanukkah," which is celebrated in late December.
Most likely, the Lord Jesus had returned to Galilee to minister there, as indicated by Luke in his gospel account.
In v.22 we discover the record of a quick return trip to Jerusalem which the Lord Jesus made, following which he traveled to the area of Perea, in the region of the Jordan River, between Galilee and the Dead Sea. It was the Feast of the Dedication at Jerusalem.
To this day, winter is the rainy season in Israel. "Solomon’s Colonnade" was a large roofed-in enclosure supported by beautiful columns that filled one side of the temple arena. There, sheltered from the rain, the Lord Jesus resumed his teaching ministry during the Feast of Hanukkah which celebrates the rededication of the temple.
According to v.24 the Jews are wondering if the Lord Jesus was about to plainly and opening announce that He was the Messiah. He answered in v.25-26, telling them, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep."
The Jews deliberately encircle Him, forcing Him to answer their question about His identity. I find it interesting that He never plainly said, "I am the Messiah." He did say to the woman at the well and to the man who was born blind, "I am the Son of God," but to these Jewish leaders, these Pharisees, he had never said, "I am the Messiah."
The reason, of course, they pictured the Messiah as a conquering hero who would drive out the Romans. But He wasn't here to do that. To say to them, "I am the Messiah" would have stirred up false hopes in their minds.
His answer in v.25-30, provides three reasons the religious leaders did not believe in Him.
First, these experts in the Law, had such a twisted idea of what the scriptures said about the Messiah. They did not let God define Him for them. Somewhere along the way, they defined God, which is always dangerous. They expected a military leader who would free them from the rule of Rome, but He came as the Suffering Servant to give Himself on behalf of the sins of man and break through the stranglehold of evil which Satan has upon our race.
Second, in v.25, we read, "I did tell you, but you do not believe." Though He had told them, they had rejected the evidence He gave. They only believe what they wanted to believe.
The third reason is found in v.26-27: "you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. " This is the reason why many people never find God, because they refused to investigate with an open heart.
Had these religious leaders honestly come to Him, they would have found Him.
In v.27, we discover the three signs that we are believers in the Lord Jesus. First, we read, "My sheep hear my voice." We believe that what He says is the truth, and we long to hear more.
The second, "I know them." When we hear His Word and we continue to hear His word, we know we have a personal relationship with Him. Learning to hear God with our hearts is what faith really is about. This ability comes to us as a result of the abiding Holy Spirit leading us and training us to hear the Father's voice. As this happens, we grow in the assurance that we are children of God.
The third, "They follow me." This does not mean that we always follow Him, there are times when we lose sight of Him. We do not follow the world, we follow the Lord. When the choice is made, it is a choice in favor of obeying the Lord Jesus.
In v.28-30, the Lord Jesus highlights three things that He has done that causes His sheep to follow Him. This is not a chronological succession here; it is an explanation of what lies behind the actions of the sheep. We do not earn these things, they are givens for us.
First, "I give them eternal life." This sentence is written in the present indicative tense. Literally it reads, "I keep on giving to them eternal life." This eternal life is Him, and it includes His peace, His joy, His heart. And, it produces the sense of inner security, forgiveness, belonging and family.
Second, "they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand." This means our relationship with Him will never end. We live in a world that is perishing, a world that is headed for judgment, for ultimate destruction. We have either eternal life or eternal death.
Third, "My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all." The Lord Jesus came to reveal to us the Father's heart. The Father is one third of the Godhead. The Father sent the Son to lay down His life for the sheep. The resurrection of the Lord Jesus was the Father's way of authenticating all of the truths that were declared by the Lord Jesus.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)