John 3:1-3 PODCAST
1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” 3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again." ~ John 3:1-3
Nicodemus was one of the 600 Pharisees in Israel who were religious fanatics. He was a member of the Sanhedrin, the council of 70 men who ran the religious affairs of the nation of Israel. The Pharisees spent their lives studying and applying the Old Testament law to situations of life for those who wanted to know and live God's culture.
Nicodemus began his conversation with the Lord Jesus with: "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him." Notice the word "we": "we know that you are a teacher."
Nicodemus is probably speaking for the rest of the Sanhedrin, or at least for a majority of the members, and he is admitting that the Pharisees, who were rabid opposers to the freedom and liberty that Jesus represented, knew in their hearts that He really was a man from God.
Nicodemus regarded Jesus as a successful teacher, because God put his seal of approval on Him by doing miracles through Him. Many say that Nicodemus came to the Lord Jesus at night to disguise the fact that he was meeting with the Lord Jesus. I differ with this perspective. I believe Nicodemus came with a great deal of respect for Jesus, wanting time alone with Him so that he could have a meaningful conversation.
The Lord Jesus cuts right into Nicodemus' religious heart by saying said to him, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again." The Lord Jesus knew that Nicodemus had really bad theology which caused him to believe that he earned God's favor. Nicodemus did not understand that he could not be good enough, therefore the Lord Jesus tells him that he had to be "born again."
The Apostle John uses a very interesting word here that is translated "again." It is the Greek word, anothen, which has three meanings: It means again to do it a second time; it also means a new beginning; and it also means from above. God must do this.
To "see the kingdom of God" is to be under the influence of God's way of thinking and living. In Luke 17:20-21, the Lord Jesus said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”
When the Lord Jesus came to earth, the Jews were looking for the Messiah to come and elevate the Jewish nation to prominence. Instead of hearing a message of repentance, they anticipated a Political Deliverer who would lead them in a successful liberation of their nation.
“The kingdom” is mentioned 126 times in the Gospels. “Kingdom” is mentioned only 34 times in the rest of the New Testament. The Pharisees failed to discern the spiritual kingdom because not having experienced the new birth, they were dead and blind to it.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Those who fail to recognize the King cannot see His kingdom.
The statement that “the kingdom of God is in your midst” is quite instructive. Entos (midst) literally means “inside.” In its only other appearance in the New Testament, entos refers to the inside of a cup (Matthew 23:26). The Lord Jesus was reinforcing the point that the spiritual kingdom is internal, a matter of the heart, and not manifested by observable signs as the Jews expected.
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Friday, September 06, 2019
Thursday, September 05, 2019
John 2:23-25
JOHN 2:23-25 PODCAST
23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.
John 2:23-25
The goal of John’s Gospel is that we might believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The key verse is found in John 20:31: “These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
In out text, many, including the disciples, observed the Lord Jesus perform miracles and they believed. Yet, as our text indicates, the Lord Jesus did not seem to commit himself to just anyone. How many people have we all known who seem to become believers in Christ and, in time, there seemed to be no reality to their relationship with the Lord. John explains this phenomena here in our text. The Lord Jesus doesn't entrust Himself to everyone because He knows who believes and who does not believe. I guess that explains why I am shocked I continue to believe. The unbeliever is still with me.
They say that 55% of what we communicate is through the non-verbal and 38% through the tone and 7% through the content or the words we use. And, even though we may be able to read others well, we can't read the heart. But, the Lord Jesus can. He has never been deceived. Though some came to Him and said they wanted to follow Him, He could read their hearts and know whether it was real or not.
This brings up something very serious; how do we know when our faith is real? The real belief is believing faith. There will be times in all of our lives that we feel that we no longer believe, but if the faith in us perseveres, well, it is real. And, the reason it perseveres is because it is His faith. We have received it and appropriated it. With time, we are more and more convinced. Someone once said, "you'll never be convinced Jesus is all you need until He is all we have."
The Lord Jesus knows what is in every heart, and He can see when someone believes in a way that is not really believing. He has the ability to know every heart and this leads to the unsettling truth that some belief is not the kind of belief that obtains fellowship with Jesus and eternal life. Some belief is not authentic, saving belief. This means that there are no complete secrets in our lives. The person whose judgment about us is all important knows all. There is one, and only one, who actually and totally knows us.
Now, there is a kind of faith in Jesus that He does not approve. This is the implication of His omniscience. The implication is when He looks into the heart of those who do not believe, He sees something other than the kind of faith that makes one a child of God.
We read in John 1:12, “To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” And here in John 2:23 we read, “Many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing.” And here in John 2:24, “But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people.”
The Lord Jesus withholds Himself from those who do not believe in His saving way. Not all who look faithful are really of faith in the God of the Bible. And, as is suggested in our text, they believed in His signs rather than in Him. It is dangerous to be a sign-seeker, running from one sign to another. The hunger and thirst is a craving for the spectacular.
We would think that someone with this power, the ability to know all, would be able to move through life avoiding anything negative. But it wasn’t Jesus’ plan. He knew what was in man, including Judas (John 6:64). And so He chose when and where and how and why He would die. And He did it for you and me.
If we see Him and His cross as the greatest glory and believe on Him, the Lamb of God takes away all our sins, and we will have eternal life. I like how M. Craig Barnes once put it, "if we try to make a created thing our god, we will soon find that we are holding nothing. Because things find their meaning only in their created origin." Only the Lord Jesus is the God who laid His life down for those who rebelled against Him. The question is this: do we believe and have we received from Him His salvation?
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23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.
John 2:23-25
The goal of John’s Gospel is that we might believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The key verse is found in John 20:31: “These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
In out text, many, including the disciples, observed the Lord Jesus perform miracles and they believed. Yet, as our text indicates, the Lord Jesus did not seem to commit himself to just anyone. How many people have we all known who seem to become believers in Christ and, in time, there seemed to be no reality to their relationship with the Lord. John explains this phenomena here in our text. The Lord Jesus doesn't entrust Himself to everyone because He knows who believes and who does not believe. I guess that explains why I am shocked I continue to believe. The unbeliever is still with me.
They say that 55% of what we communicate is through the non-verbal and 38% through the tone and 7% through the content or the words we use. And, even though we may be able to read others well, we can't read the heart. But, the Lord Jesus can. He has never been deceived. Though some came to Him and said they wanted to follow Him, He could read their hearts and know whether it was real or not.
This brings up something very serious; how do we know when our faith is real? The real belief is believing faith. There will be times in all of our lives that we feel that we no longer believe, but if the faith in us perseveres, well, it is real. And, the reason it perseveres is because it is His faith. We have received it and appropriated it. With time, we are more and more convinced. Someone once said, "you'll never be convinced Jesus is all you need until He is all we have."
The Lord Jesus knows what is in every heart, and He can see when someone believes in a way that is not really believing. He has the ability to know every heart and this leads to the unsettling truth that some belief is not the kind of belief that obtains fellowship with Jesus and eternal life. Some belief is not authentic, saving belief. This means that there are no complete secrets in our lives. The person whose judgment about us is all important knows all. There is one, and only one, who actually and totally knows us.
Now, there is a kind of faith in Jesus that He does not approve. This is the implication of His omniscience. The implication is when He looks into the heart of those who do not believe, He sees something other than the kind of faith that makes one a child of God.
We read in John 1:12, “To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” And here in John 2:23 we read, “Many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing.” And here in John 2:24, “But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people.”
The Lord Jesus withholds Himself from those who do not believe in His saving way. Not all who look faithful are really of faith in the God of the Bible. And, as is suggested in our text, they believed in His signs rather than in Him. It is dangerous to be a sign-seeker, running from one sign to another. The hunger and thirst is a craving for the spectacular.
We would think that someone with this power, the ability to know all, would be able to move through life avoiding anything negative. But it wasn’t Jesus’ plan. He knew what was in man, including Judas (John 6:64). And so He chose when and where and how and why He would die. And He did it for you and me.
If we see Him and His cross as the greatest glory and believe on Him, the Lamb of God takes away all our sins, and we will have eternal life. I like how M. Craig Barnes once put it, "if we try to make a created thing our god, we will soon find that we are holding nothing. Because things find their meaning only in their created origin." Only the Lord Jesus is the God who laid His life down for those who rebelled against Him. The question is this: do we believe and have we received from Him His salvation?
To contribute to BYM, click here
Wednesday, September 04, 2019
John 2:18-22
JOHN 2:18-22 PODCAST
18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” 20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. ~ John 2:18-22
It does not appear that anyone challenged the Lord Jesus when He chased the greedy out of the Temple. As our text indicates, afterward the Jews said to Him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” Instead of seeking the truth, they wanted to enter into a debate with God Himself. This is why mankind is mired in sin, we would rather flaunt our intellect rather than bow our knees to the God who made us.
In Malachi 3:1, not only was John the Baptist predicted to come and prepare the way for the Messiah, also the Lord Jesus was predicted to come to the Temple in this fashion. After the Lord Jesus went into the Temple and cleared it out, the Jews did not recognize Him. The Lord Jesus' answer to their request for a sign was the sign of His resurrection. But everyone missed it, even the disciples. The real temple that He spoke of was not the building, it was His body!"
The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15, "12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied."
The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ stands as the pivotal event in all of human history. It undergirds and validates the prophecies of and claims by the Lord Jesus Christ about Himself. It is the basis for the hope of the Gospel. Many skeptics have tried to put it to rest by dismissing it as hallucination, or explaining it away. Yet when the evidence is faced squarely, it towers above its challengers.
In response to the request of the religious, the Lord Jesus, in John 2:19, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” The response of the Lord was a veiled response. Standing near the physical Temple, aided their short-sighted answer in v.20, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?”
They did not understand that the Lord Jesus was not speaking of the physical building but of His resurrection from the dead. The Jews were already destroying the purpose of the Temple by their desecration of it into a market place. It is ironic that when they crucified the Lord Jesus, they ended the need for the temple.
The Gospel accounts make clear that the Sunday following Jesus’ crucifixion was unlike any other. On that first day of the Jewish week, “an angel of the Lord” appeared “like lightning” and with clothing “white as snow,” rolling the stone away from Jesus’ tomb and causing the earth to quake and the Roman guards to “become like dead men” out of fear (Matt 28:2-4).
The Lord Jesus hung on the cross for six hours. He was buried in a tomb for parts of three days. The disciples for parts of three days listened to sermon after sermon from their fives senses that this Jesus thing was over. BUT, after His resurrection the disciples remembered what He had said and they understood it. The result was a greater understanding and trust in what the Scriptures and Jesus had said. The result was the changed lives of cowards. This is my story. Is it yours?
To help BYM, click here
18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” 20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. ~ John 2:18-22
It does not appear that anyone challenged the Lord Jesus when He chased the greedy out of the Temple. As our text indicates, afterward the Jews said to Him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” Instead of seeking the truth, they wanted to enter into a debate with God Himself. This is why mankind is mired in sin, we would rather flaunt our intellect rather than bow our knees to the God who made us.
In Malachi 3:1, not only was John the Baptist predicted to come and prepare the way for the Messiah, also the Lord Jesus was predicted to come to the Temple in this fashion. After the Lord Jesus went into the Temple and cleared it out, the Jews did not recognize Him. The Lord Jesus' answer to their request for a sign was the sign of His resurrection. But everyone missed it, even the disciples. The real temple that He spoke of was not the building, it was His body!"
The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15, "12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied."
The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ stands as the pivotal event in all of human history. It undergirds and validates the prophecies of and claims by the Lord Jesus Christ about Himself. It is the basis for the hope of the Gospel. Many skeptics have tried to put it to rest by dismissing it as hallucination, or explaining it away. Yet when the evidence is faced squarely, it towers above its challengers.
In response to the request of the religious, the Lord Jesus, in John 2:19, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” The response of the Lord was a veiled response. Standing near the physical Temple, aided their short-sighted answer in v.20, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?”
They did not understand that the Lord Jesus was not speaking of the physical building but of His resurrection from the dead. The Jews were already destroying the purpose of the Temple by their desecration of it into a market place. It is ironic that when they crucified the Lord Jesus, they ended the need for the temple.
The Gospel accounts make clear that the Sunday following Jesus’ crucifixion was unlike any other. On that first day of the Jewish week, “an angel of the Lord” appeared “like lightning” and with clothing “white as snow,” rolling the stone away from Jesus’ tomb and causing the earth to quake and the Roman guards to “become like dead men” out of fear (Matt 28:2-4).
The Lord Jesus hung on the cross for six hours. He was buried in a tomb for parts of three days. The disciples for parts of three days listened to sermon after sermon from their fives senses that this Jesus thing was over. BUT, after His resurrection the disciples remembered what He had said and they understood it. The result was a greater understanding and trust in what the Scriptures and Jesus had said. The result was the changed lives of cowards. This is my story. Is it yours?
To help BYM, click here
Tuesday, September 03, 2019
John 2:13-17
JOHN 2:13-17 PODCAST
13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” John 2:13-17
13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” John 2:13-17
The Lord Jesus went to Jerusalem because the Passover was to be celebrated. The Passover was an annual event commemorating the night when the angel of death passed over the homes with blood on the doorposts (Exodus 12).
This is the first of two times the Lord Jesus went into the Temple to drive the greedy out (see also Matthew 21). It was in the outer courts where the animals used for sacrifice were being sold. This was the only place in the temple non-Jews were allowed to come and pray or offer sacrifices. They did this because this was the only way to be forgiven of one's sin.
The money changers were there with their "proper" coin for paying the temple tax was the Tyrian shekel, which had the purest silver in it. This coin had a picture of Hercules on one side, and the royal eagle on the other, neither of which would have failed to offend devout Jews. Nevertheless, these were the coins that the Jewish authorities required for the tax.
The law of Moses required sacrifices of oxen or sheep or pigeons. Many worshippers would have come a long way and would not have brought their sacrifice with them. So this made these animals readily available for purchase. Everyone over nineteen had to pay a temple tax. But it could be paid only using Tyrian coins (because of the purity of their silver content), so foreigners had to exchange their money for acceptable coinage. Because they had a monopoly on the market, the money changers charged an extremely high fee for their services.
While making a whip of three leather cords, which took some time, the Lord Jesus was able to size up the situation which was nothing short of price gouging. The money changers had grossly over-priced the animals. When the Lord Jesus arrived, the temple didn’t resemble a place of worship; it looked like a shopping center.
When the disciples saw Jesus actions, they remembered something God gave in the Old Testament. In Psalm 69:9 David wrote, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” Jesus was consumed with a great desire for people to be able to worship His Father.
The reality is the Lord Jesus came to replace the sacrificial system, He came to reconnect us with Himself. When He died on the cross, mankind was no longer required to make a sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins. We no longer need a sacrifice of any kind to be made right with God, because God sent His Son to be that sacrifice.
"Love was compressed for all history in that lonely figure on the cross, who said that he could call down angels at any moment on a rescue mission, but chose not to - because of us. At Calvary, God accepted his own unbreakable terms of justice."
Philip Yancey
Monday, September 02, 2019
John 2:11-12
JOHN 2:11-12 PODCAST
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11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. 12 After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days. ~ John 2:11-12
Turning the water into wine was a sign, a miracle. When the Lord Jesus chose to change the water into wine, He was saying I am here to bring joy into your lives. In performing this sign, the Lord Jesus was extending thier celebration. In Isaiah 25:9, we read, "In that day they will say, 'Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.'” This one verse describes this purpose. There will come a day when we will rejoice at our ultimate redemption.
The purpose of turning the water into wine was to reveal Jesus' glory. His glory is the expression of His essence, it is the expression of His person. And the effect of said revelation is to bring us to the point of believing in Him. This relationship renders joy, a joy that is foreign to us. This joy is rendered by Him to the one who is believing. This is why He came.
In John 20:31, the Apostle tells us the reason he wrote this Gospel: “These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” Belief happens when through our story with the Lord Jesus, He manifests His glory to us. This will happen again and again in our lives today. The variable to it all is our willingness to believe.
Man can fill water jars, but only God can turn the water into wine, the best wine! Men do the ordinary, but God touches it, and brings it to life. We must not lose sight of the fact that Jesus used water jars which had as its purpose purification. In their religious culture cleansing was a must. This is why the Lord Jesus came: to be the Purifying One. That is the meaning of this sign. It gives us a peek into what the Lord Jesus can do for those who have run out of their own resources.
Now, notice v.11 again, it reads, "What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory..." Through this sign, "he revealed his glory." This is the purpose of His signs and miracles. There are times when He pulls back the curtain and reveals in a special way His divinity.
As a result of revealing His glory, "his disciples believed in him." They believed, here is One who could take the ordinary, and make of it something special. This belief places the spotlight on the One whom we are trusting. All other objects of our trust are like the fig leaves that Adam and Eve placed on themselves after disbelieving in God in the Garden, lacking. The revelation of His glory is God trying to persuade us to believe in Him.
According to v.12, after the miracle in Cana, the Lord Jesus and His mother and brothers and disciples walked seventeen miles to Capernaum. I see a subtle message here. God performs miracles in order to reveal Himself to us, so that we would believe in Him more intimately. The result to all of this? A deeper and more intimate relationship with Him. This group who traveled with the Lord Jesus illustrates His desire for revealing His glory to you and me: an intimate personal relationship with Him, like the relationship these family members and disciples had with Him.
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11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. 12 After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days. ~ John 2:11-12
Turning the water into wine was a sign, a miracle. When the Lord Jesus chose to change the water into wine, He was saying I am here to bring joy into your lives. In performing this sign, the Lord Jesus was extending thier celebration. In Isaiah 25:9, we read, "In that day they will say, 'Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.'” This one verse describes this purpose. There will come a day when we will rejoice at our ultimate redemption.
The purpose of turning the water into wine was to reveal Jesus' glory. His glory is the expression of His essence, it is the expression of His person. And the effect of said revelation is to bring us to the point of believing in Him. This relationship renders joy, a joy that is foreign to us. This joy is rendered by Him to the one who is believing. This is why He came.
In John 20:31, the Apostle tells us the reason he wrote this Gospel: “These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” Belief happens when through our story with the Lord Jesus, He manifests His glory to us. This will happen again and again in our lives today. The variable to it all is our willingness to believe.
Man can fill water jars, but only God can turn the water into wine, the best wine! Men do the ordinary, but God touches it, and brings it to life. We must not lose sight of the fact that Jesus used water jars which had as its purpose purification. In their religious culture cleansing was a must. This is why the Lord Jesus came: to be the Purifying One. That is the meaning of this sign. It gives us a peek into what the Lord Jesus can do for those who have run out of their own resources.
Now, notice v.11 again, it reads, "What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory..." Through this sign, "he revealed his glory." This is the purpose of His signs and miracles. There are times when He pulls back the curtain and reveals in a special way His divinity.
As a result of revealing His glory, "his disciples believed in him." They believed, here is One who could take the ordinary, and make of it something special. This belief places the spotlight on the One whom we are trusting. All other objects of our trust are like the fig leaves that Adam and Eve placed on themselves after disbelieving in God in the Garden, lacking. The revelation of His glory is God trying to persuade us to believe in Him.
According to v.12, after the miracle in Cana, the Lord Jesus and His mother and brothers and disciples walked seventeen miles to Capernaum. I see a subtle message here. God performs miracles in order to reveal Himself to us, so that we would believe in Him more intimately. The result to all of this? A deeper and more intimate relationship with Him. This group who traveled with the Lord Jesus illustrates His desire for revealing His glory to you and me: an intimate personal relationship with Him, like the relationship these family members and disciples had with Him.
Friday, August 30, 2019
John 2:5-10
John 2:5-10 PODCAST
5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” ~ John 2:5-10
Jesus was invited to a wedding in Cana. Those who planned the wedding wanted Jesus to be present. The presence of the Lord Jesus was desired by His friends. The Lord Jesus imparted truth to His friends through meaningful relationship. This tells me that Jesus was no party killjoy.
Our text today begins with Jesus' mother telling the servants to do whatever Jesus tells them. This is the goal of every servant, to do whatever the Lord Jesus tells us. It has taken me thirty-eight years to figure this out. Not that any of us will ever be perfect this side of heaven, but it is wise to do whatever the Lord Jesus tells us to do. This is wisdom. You and I will never be about His work on this earth until we see ourselves as His servants.
This was an unscheduled miracle. From time to time, the Lord Jesus was known to deliver a miracle that He seemed not to be about to do. His mother expected the Lord Jesus to do something. Like the woman who intercepted the Lord Jesus as He was on the way to go to Jairus' house to help his twelve year old daughter. On His way, the woman with a twelve year issue of blood begged the Lord Jesus for help. And, the Lord Jesus delivered her. This is the point of Jesus' miracles, He always works in the context of expectation.
According to v.6, there just so happened to be six stone water jars that could hold up to thirty gallons of water each. These jars were not used for drinking. They were used for bathing, for purifying, for washing of the hands. It is no coincidence that at this point in Jesus' ministry, there were six disciples. Keep in mind the number six is the number of man, and the number for incompleteness. This miracle underscores man's emptiness and Jesus' fullness.
In v.7, the Lord Jesus orders the servants to, "'Fill the jars with water.'" And they filled them to the brim. Then Jesus said, "Now draw some out, and take it to the master of the banquet." At some point between being taken to the master of the banquet, the water became the best of quality wine.
This miracle is a picture of the overall theme of this gospel account: God's fullness, man's emptiness. In Genesis 1 we see God’s fullness overflowing into the emptiness. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light” (Gen. 1:1-3). The rest of Genesis 1 displays God’s creative power to destroy the emptiness and dispel the darkness.
5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” ~ John 2:5-10
Jesus was invited to a wedding in Cana. Those who planned the wedding wanted Jesus to be present. The presence of the Lord Jesus was desired by His friends. The Lord Jesus imparted truth to His friends through meaningful relationship. This tells me that Jesus was no party killjoy.
Our text today begins with Jesus' mother telling the servants to do whatever Jesus tells them. This is the goal of every servant, to do whatever the Lord Jesus tells us. It has taken me thirty-eight years to figure this out. Not that any of us will ever be perfect this side of heaven, but it is wise to do whatever the Lord Jesus tells us to do. This is wisdom. You and I will never be about His work on this earth until we see ourselves as His servants.
This was an unscheduled miracle. From time to time, the Lord Jesus was known to deliver a miracle that He seemed not to be about to do. His mother expected the Lord Jesus to do something. Like the woman who intercepted the Lord Jesus as He was on the way to go to Jairus' house to help his twelve year old daughter. On His way, the woman with a twelve year issue of blood begged the Lord Jesus for help. And, the Lord Jesus delivered her. This is the point of Jesus' miracles, He always works in the context of expectation.
According to v.6, there just so happened to be six stone water jars that could hold up to thirty gallons of water each. These jars were not used for drinking. They were used for bathing, for purifying, for washing of the hands. It is no coincidence that at this point in Jesus' ministry, there were six disciples. Keep in mind the number six is the number of man, and the number for incompleteness. This miracle underscores man's emptiness and Jesus' fullness.
In v.7, the Lord Jesus orders the servants to, "'Fill the jars with water.'" And they filled them to the brim. Then Jesus said, "Now draw some out, and take it to the master of the banquet." At some point between being taken to the master of the banquet, the water became the best of quality wine.
This miracle is a picture of the overall theme of this gospel account: God's fullness, man's emptiness. In Genesis 1 we see God’s fullness overflowing into the emptiness. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light” (Gen. 1:1-3). The rest of Genesis 1 displays God’s creative power to destroy the emptiness and dispel the darkness.
We are told the master told the bridegroom that it was not customary to save the best wine till the end of the ceremony. We are not told what the bridegroom said in response. He just went with it. This must be our response, to go with it. To ride the wave. He is the answer and we are in desperate need of His presence, His filling.
Finally, the first miracle of the Lord Jesus here on earth was turning water into wine at a wedding. His first miracle valued the commitment of marriage. This wedding had run out of wine, just like mankind has run out of its source of life. As a result, His commitment is to a greater marriage. He is always committed to bringing those who have been separated back together. At the very end of time as we know it, He will be the Groom at the marriage supper of the Lamb. This is the ultimate reconciliation of that which was once separated from its creator. My question to you is this: will you be the bride?
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Finally, the first miracle of the Lord Jesus here on earth was turning water into wine at a wedding. His first miracle valued the commitment of marriage. This wedding had run out of wine, just like mankind has run out of its source of life. As a result, His commitment is to a greater marriage. He is always committed to bringing those who have been separated back together. At the very end of time as we know it, He will be the Groom at the marriage supper of the Lamb. This is the ultimate reconciliation of that which was once separated from its creator. My question to you is this: will you be the bride?
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Thursday, August 29, 2019
John 2:1-4
1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” 4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” ~ John 2:1-4
John 1:16 sets the tone for all of John's Gospel. It reads, “And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” The fullness of Christ addresses all of mankind's emptiness only if we turn to the Lord Jesus for the free gift offered. And, that free gift is a personal relationship with Him.
In John 2:1, we discover that on the third day, Jesus and his new friends attend a wedding. Since it was a two-day walk to Cana from Bethsaida, the Lord Jesus and his six disciples arrived in Cana on the morning of the third day. The number three is important throughout the scriptures, ultimately pointing us to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. It was on Friday that the Lord Jesus was buried, and He was raised on Sunday, the third day.
The first miracle performed by the Lord Jesus at Cana was a miracle which emphasizes going from emptiness to fullness. Also, the miracle illustrates bringing life out of death. This is the significance of all of the miracles of the Lord Jesus, this is the significance of Zoe or eternal life.
Unlike weddings in America, in Middle Eastern weddings the groom is most prominent. He is the featured one; the bride merely shows up for the wedding.
Not only is the groom the featured person, but he also pays for all of the wedding! Some of those weddings went on for as long as a week, with all the relatives of both sides of the family joining together for a big celebration. This is the kind of wedding John is describing in our text.
The Lord Jesus had just called six disciples to himself, and they had then walked two days from Judea. So, the disciples come with Jesus as unexpected guests. This explains, of course, why the wine ran out. A wedding celebration called for so much wine, and when an additional six people show up, well, the wine runs out. Such is the plight of man who has turned his back on God.
Mary, Jesus mother, seized the occasion to tell the Lord Jesus, “They have no more wine.” Mary brings to the Lord Jesus a problem and expects him to do something about it.
The response of the Lord Jesus is, “Woman, why do you involve me?” “My hour has not yet come.” In addressing His mother this way, the Lord Jesus uses a common title of respect. He addresses Mary from the cross in the same way, "Woman, behold your son!" (John 19:26) This was a term of endearment.
When he says, "why do you involve me?", He is simply saying, "You don't understand. Doing this will not accomplish what you are hoping. It will not persuade the nation that I am the Messiah." Of course, miracles were part of God's plan, especially for the Jews, but the miracles never changed the hearts of the nation.
In v.4, the Lord Jesus says, “My hour has not yet come.” Jesus’ hour was the hour of his death, when, He, as the Lamb of God, would take away the sin of the world. This response of the Lord Jesus and the fact that He went on to do what His mother asked of Him shows that He was a man under authority.
The fifth command of the Ten Commandments is: "Honor your father and your mother." There are two sections found in the Ten Commandments: the first section addresses our relationship with God, while the second addresses our relationship with other people.
Now, the first commandment of the second section of the Ten Commandments is about respecting our fathers and mothers. The reason God instructed us accordingly is that the habit of respecting our parents provides for us the infrastructure in our souls that will enable us to be successful for the remainder of our lives. Study after study shows that the most successful people in the world have the ability to relate well with others, especially those who are in the authority structure of our lives.
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
John 1:47-51
JOHN 1:47-51 PODCAST
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” 48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” 49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” 50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.” ~ John 1:47-51
The Lord Jesus knew that "Nathanael was an Israelite in whom there is no deceit." This meant Nathanael was straight up and authentic. He was not two-faced. What you saw is what you got. Keep in mind, the Lord Jesus isn’t commenting about Nathanael’s sinlessness, He is commenting on Nathanael’s heart. The Lord Jesus knows all there is to know about us, especially our hearts. He knows us better than we do.
I find it comforting that the Lord Jesus knows me like this. Comfort comes in the context of safety. I have this safety and comfort because of what the Lord Jesus has accomplished on my behalf. His death on that tree on Calvary's hill procured perfection for me in the eyes of God. As a result, I no longer fear failure or rejection from God. The opposite has been rendered: freedom that propels me into a life of faith, a life of seeking Him in everything on a daily basis. This is what the early disciples experienced.
In v.49, Nathanael acknowledges the Lord Jesus as the Son of God. Nathanael is illustrating that when we come to know Jesus we have come to know God.
The disciples of the Lord Jesus were ordinary men, there was nothing unique about them. They were not unusually intelligent men. They were just like us, ordinary. The secret was not to be found in these men. No, the secret was and is found in the Lord Jesus who understands all of His creation, especially mankind. He uses whoever and whatever to accomplish His purposes. And, He has been known to shock us in the ways He does things.
This makes me think of Romans 8:28 which reads, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." It sounds that we earn the reality that all things work together for our good, but this is not so. In order to recognize that all things work together for our good, we must be in the habit of giving our hearts to the Lord Jesus. All things will work together for our good, the question really is whether we will be able to see it or not.
I find it instructive that the Lord Jesus never handled any two disciples alike. Andrew was cautious, Peter was impetuous, Philip was shy, Nathanael was guileless. Jesus spoke differently to each of them. He understood them. He took them for what they were. He did not try to make them all fit a pattern or a mold. He treated them all differently.
Finally, He has called us to be His disciples, can you imagine?. This means He knows best what to permit in our lives. Following Him means that we accept whatever He decides. We look for meaning and purpose according to the wisdom that He grants. We trust and follow Him. This is what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.
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47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” 48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” 49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” 50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.” ~ John 1:47-51
The Lord Jesus knew that "Nathanael was an Israelite in whom there is no deceit." This meant Nathanael was straight up and authentic. He was not two-faced. What you saw is what you got. Keep in mind, the Lord Jesus isn’t commenting about Nathanael’s sinlessness, He is commenting on Nathanael’s heart. The Lord Jesus knows all there is to know about us, especially our hearts. He knows us better than we do.
I find it comforting that the Lord Jesus knows me like this. Comfort comes in the context of safety. I have this safety and comfort because of what the Lord Jesus has accomplished on my behalf. His death on that tree on Calvary's hill procured perfection for me in the eyes of God. As a result, I no longer fear failure or rejection from God. The opposite has been rendered: freedom that propels me into a life of faith, a life of seeking Him in everything on a daily basis. This is what the early disciples experienced.
In v.49, Nathanael acknowledges the Lord Jesus as the Son of God. Nathanael is illustrating that when we come to know Jesus we have come to know God.
The disciples of the Lord Jesus were ordinary men, there was nothing unique about them. They were not unusually intelligent men. They were just like us, ordinary. The secret was not to be found in these men. No, the secret was and is found in the Lord Jesus who understands all of His creation, especially mankind. He uses whoever and whatever to accomplish His purposes. And, He has been known to shock us in the ways He does things.
This makes me think of Romans 8:28 which reads, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." It sounds that we earn the reality that all things work together for our good, but this is not so. In order to recognize that all things work together for our good, we must be in the habit of giving our hearts to the Lord Jesus. All things will work together for our good, the question really is whether we will be able to see it or not.
I find it instructive that the Lord Jesus never handled any two disciples alike. Andrew was cautious, Peter was impetuous, Philip was shy, Nathanael was guileless. Jesus spoke differently to each of them. He understood them. He took them for what they were. He did not try to make them all fit a pattern or a mold. He treated them all differently.
Finally, He has called us to be His disciples, can you imagine?. This means He knows best what to permit in our lives. Following Him means that we accept whatever He decides. We look for meaning and purpose according to the wisdom that He grants. We trust and follow Him. This is what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.
To help BYM, click here
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
John 1:43-46
John 1:43-46 PODCAST
43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip. ~ John 1:43-46
In biblical days Jewish boys were instructed to become disciples. Discipleship included several steps. By the age of ten, they would have memorized the Torah. Then, many of these boys would then go and learn their family trade, but the best of the group would continue to the second level of discipleship where they would spend four or five years learning and memorizing the rest of the Hebrew Scriptures, Joshua through Malachi.
At the age of fourteen, many more of these students would learn the trade of their families, but the best of the best would seek out a Rabbi and apply to be one of his disciples. The Rabbi would then grill the potential disciple to find out what he knew because the Rabbi wanted to know if he had what it took to follow him, to be like him. And many would be turned down. Only the best of the best of the best were invited to come and follow that Rabbi. And he would leave EVERYTHING behind – his family, their trade, his home and village – and he would devote his entire life to being like his Rabbi, learning to do what his Rabbi does. This is what it meant to be a disciple.
Something unique happened when Jesus came to earth, He gave these men a second shot at being a disciple. For these disciples of Jesus, their ship had come in.
Jesus found Philip who came from the same city as Andrew and Peter (and, probably, James and John, since they all came from the same area). Mentioned seven times in the Gospels, Bethsaida means "house of fish." This was the place in which Jesus performed several miracles.
Philip was the sort of man who wasn't as quickly noticed as the others. In fact, this is his only appearance in the Gospel of John; the other gospels simply list him as one of the disciples. He asked some perceptive questions of Jesus later but he is virtually unnoticed. Because Philip was so unnoticeable, the Lord Jesus had to go out and find him.
At the end of v.43, Jesus said to Philip, "Follow me." That is great advice for someone who wants to be spiritual. Philip was intelligent, and spiritually hungry. The Lord Jesus saw him and addressed to him the words that captured Philip's heart: "Follow me." This is the absolute key to growing in one's faith and spirituality.
One of the fascinating things about being a Christian is that we do not have to plan what we are going to do or be in life. Our part is to follow the leading of the Lord Jesus. Following the Lord Jesus includes reading and obeying His word, interacting with Him as often as we can, and expecting Him to speak to us and direct us throughout a given day.
In Matthew, Mark and Luke, Nathanael, also known as "Bartholomew" is always listed after Philip in the list of the Twelve. In the Gospel of John, Bartholomew is not mentioned at all; Nathanael is listed instead, after Philip. Likewise, Nathanael's presence with other disciples at the Sea of Galilee after Jesus’ resurrection suggests that he was one of the original Twelve (see John 21:2).
Philip appeals to Nathanael in v.45: "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Nathanael came from Cana of Galilee, a little village just over the hill from Nazareth, about two miles away (where the next scene in this gospel takes place, the changing of water to wine). Cana, in those days, was the center of commerce, while Nazareth was a dusty little village with a bad reputation.
Nazareth was a small town populated by about two thousand people. The Old Testament is clear that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem of Judea (Micah 5:2) which the Lord Jesus was as seen in Matthew 2:1.
Nathanael responds to Philip’s announcement in v.46: “"Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip's answer is very wise: "Come and see." In other words, give this man a chance. Judge him by his person, not by his home town. The fact the disciples followed Him to their deaths, speaks volumes.
43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip. ~ John 1:43-46
In biblical days Jewish boys were instructed to become disciples. Discipleship included several steps. By the age of ten, they would have memorized the Torah. Then, many of these boys would then go and learn their family trade, but the best of the group would continue to the second level of discipleship where they would spend four or five years learning and memorizing the rest of the Hebrew Scriptures, Joshua through Malachi.
At the age of fourteen, many more of these students would learn the trade of their families, but the best of the best would seek out a Rabbi and apply to be one of his disciples. The Rabbi would then grill the potential disciple to find out what he knew because the Rabbi wanted to know if he had what it took to follow him, to be like him. And many would be turned down. Only the best of the best of the best were invited to come and follow that Rabbi. And he would leave EVERYTHING behind – his family, their trade, his home and village – and he would devote his entire life to being like his Rabbi, learning to do what his Rabbi does. This is what it meant to be a disciple.
Something unique happened when Jesus came to earth, He gave these men a second shot at being a disciple. For these disciples of Jesus, their ship had come in.
Jesus found Philip who came from the same city as Andrew and Peter (and, probably, James and John, since they all came from the same area). Mentioned seven times in the Gospels, Bethsaida means "house of fish." This was the place in which Jesus performed several miracles.
Philip was the sort of man who wasn't as quickly noticed as the others. In fact, this is his only appearance in the Gospel of John; the other gospels simply list him as one of the disciples. He asked some perceptive questions of Jesus later but he is virtually unnoticed. Because Philip was so unnoticeable, the Lord Jesus had to go out and find him.
At the end of v.43, Jesus said to Philip, "Follow me." That is great advice for someone who wants to be spiritual. Philip was intelligent, and spiritually hungry. The Lord Jesus saw him and addressed to him the words that captured Philip's heart: "Follow me." This is the absolute key to growing in one's faith and spirituality.
One of the fascinating things about being a Christian is that we do not have to plan what we are going to do or be in life. Our part is to follow the leading of the Lord Jesus. Following the Lord Jesus includes reading and obeying His word, interacting with Him as often as we can, and expecting Him to speak to us and direct us throughout a given day.
In Matthew, Mark and Luke, Nathanael, also known as "Bartholomew" is always listed after Philip in the list of the Twelve. In the Gospel of John, Bartholomew is not mentioned at all; Nathanael is listed instead, after Philip. Likewise, Nathanael's presence with other disciples at the Sea of Galilee after Jesus’ resurrection suggests that he was one of the original Twelve (see John 21:2).
Philip appeals to Nathanael in v.45: "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Nathanael came from Cana of Galilee, a little village just over the hill from Nazareth, about two miles away (where the next scene in this gospel takes place, the changing of water to wine). Cana, in those days, was the center of commerce, while Nazareth was a dusty little village with a bad reputation.
Nazareth was a small town populated by about two thousand people. The Old Testament is clear that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem of Judea (Micah 5:2) which the Lord Jesus was as seen in Matthew 2:1.
Nathanael responds to Philip’s announcement in v.46: “"Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip's answer is very wise: "Come and see." In other words, give this man a chance. Judge him by his person, not by his home town. The fact the disciples followed Him to their deaths, speaks volumes.
Monday, August 26, 2019
John 1:40-42
John 1:40-42 PODCAST
40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone). (John 1:40-42)
Andrew said to his brother, "We have found the Messiah." Andrew is the one who is always bringing others to the Lord Jesus. He brought Peter to Jesus, he brought the boy with five loaves and two fish to Jesus. And, he brought to donkey that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on to Jesus.
When Andrew and Simon Peter came to Jesus, Jesus, in v.42, looked at Andrew's brother, and said, "You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Rock). The name Simon means listener. Simon was tuned to what everyone around him was saying. He was defined by the opinions of others. Their opinion mattered too much to Simon. We are defined by that which we worship.
When the Lord Jesus changed Simon's name to Cephas (Peter), which means rock, He was saying: Cephas (Peter) is going to arrive upon the truth that the Lord Jesus is God and upon that immovable foundation others will arrive at that conclusion because of Peter. The Lord Jesus is saying Cephas will become a steadying influence to everyone around him. The Lord Jesus instantly read Simon's weakness, but He saw the possibility of his greatness. By the way, Peter is "rock" in the Greek language, while Cephas is "rock" in Aramaic. And since the Gospels were originally spoken in Aramaic, Peter is called Cephas.
The first time the word "worship" is mentioned in the Bible is the first time the word "love" appears in the Bible, in Genesis 22. When coupled together, these words teach us that what we love we worship and what we worship we love. And, what we love and worship defines us.
Remember the story near the end of the gospels when, as Peter stood by a fire when Jesus was being tried, a young woman came up to Peter and said, "Haven't I seen you with him?" Immediately Peter is affected by what he hears, and he denies his Lord. This is the natural temperament of Peter. But by the end of Peter's life, he wilts not under such pressure, because he is gradually being convinced in the sovereign lordship of Jesus Christ.
There are many in today's world who have this great capacity for strength, not so if we are defined by the wrong things. We must learn to listen to the right voice, otherwise we will be defined by the wrong voice. In the will of the Lord Jesus, we can become solid and steady like a rock. When we listen to the right voice, and follow the Lord Jesus above all other voices, we become like Peter: strong, solid, dependable, like a rock! Like Peter, we must go through stuff to get there.
40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone). (John 1:40-42)
Andrew said to his brother, "We have found the Messiah." Andrew is the one who is always bringing others to the Lord Jesus. He brought Peter to Jesus, he brought the boy with five loaves and two fish to Jesus. And, he brought to donkey that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on to Jesus.
When Andrew and Simon Peter came to Jesus, Jesus, in v.42, looked at Andrew's brother, and said, "You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Rock). The name Simon means listener. Simon was tuned to what everyone around him was saying. He was defined by the opinions of others. Their opinion mattered too much to Simon. We are defined by that which we worship.
When the Lord Jesus changed Simon's name to Cephas (Peter), which means rock, He was saying: Cephas (Peter) is going to arrive upon the truth that the Lord Jesus is God and upon that immovable foundation others will arrive at that conclusion because of Peter. The Lord Jesus is saying Cephas will become a steadying influence to everyone around him. The Lord Jesus instantly read Simon's weakness, but He saw the possibility of his greatness. By the way, Peter is "rock" in the Greek language, while Cephas is "rock" in Aramaic. And since the Gospels were originally spoken in Aramaic, Peter is called Cephas.
The first time the word "worship" is mentioned in the Bible is the first time the word "love" appears in the Bible, in Genesis 22. When coupled together, these words teach us that what we love we worship and what we worship we love. And, what we love and worship defines us.
Remember the story near the end of the gospels when, as Peter stood by a fire when Jesus was being tried, a young woman came up to Peter and said, "Haven't I seen you with him?" Immediately Peter is affected by what he hears, and he denies his Lord. This is the natural temperament of Peter. But by the end of Peter's life, he wilts not under such pressure, because he is gradually being convinced in the sovereign lordship of Jesus Christ.
There are many in today's world who have this great capacity for strength, not so if we are defined by the wrong things. We must learn to listen to the right voice, otherwise we will be defined by the wrong voice. In the will of the Lord Jesus, we can become solid and steady like a rock. When we listen to the right voice, and follow the Lord Jesus above all other voices, we become like Peter: strong, solid, dependable, like a rock! Like Peter, we must go through stuff to get there.
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