John 1-21

Who Was Jesus? [John 1]


1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

John's gospel continues to be my favorite book of the Bible because John was the one disciple who really understood that Jesus loved Him and freely received the intimacy that came with that divine love. Using seven of Christ's miracles, John not only told Jesus' story, but also showed how the Father, the Spirit and Jesus work together as One. Here in the opening verses, he lifted Jesus up and showed Him to not only be a special person, but that Jesus was God. In these four verses, he spoke volumes about His beloved Jesus.

Jesus
Was in the beginning
Was the Word
Was With God
Was God
Was in the beginning with God
All things came into being through Him
Apart from Him nothing came into being that came into being
In Him was life
The life was the Light of Men
His Light shines in the darkness
The darkness does not comprehend His Light

I praise you God for manifesting your character through Jesus here on the earth to be my life and my light. Cause me to walk by Your grace in the power of His life and light.

Did Jesus Trust Anyone? [John 2]

 23Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. 24But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, 25and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.


 

In John 2 we see that Jesus began His public ministry at the urging of His mother by turning the water into wine at a wedding in Cana.   At the end of the chapter we see that many believed in His name as they observed His signs (miracles).  And then the odd statement - "But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men." What is that all about?  He knew what was in man so He didn't trust Himself to them. 


I looked at the word entrust and it is the Greek word "pisteuo" and is the verb form of the word used for faith. The same Greek word was used in v.23 and translated believed. It is the same word used in John 1:12, "those who believe in His name" were the ones who were given "the right to become a child of God."


Now I am intrigued.  I am looking forward to understanding what God through John wants us to know about how Jesus lived and what He believed while He was on earth.  Let's see if this thought of Him not entrusting Himself to man is explained further as we read the book of John.  As for today, we can proclaim the truth - Jesus is worthy of our trust, man is not. 

 

I praise You, Lord, that I can trust in Your name.  Cause me to believe today when I see Your power at work.

All Things Are in His Hand [John 3]


 31"He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.32"What He has seen and heard, of that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony.33"He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true.

 34"For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure. 35"The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. 36"He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."

 

Jesus is above all. "For God sent Him and He speaks God words." (Holman, CSB)  If we accept Jesus' testimony we affirm that God is true.  Jesus is calling us to believe that everything He says about the Father is true. 

 

Today, I praise you for being the Father who "loves the Son and has given all things into His hands." Cause me to walk through this day as one who knows that all things are in the hand of the Son that You love. 

I Am the Messiah [John 4]


7There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give Me a drink." 8For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.


 13Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; 14but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."

 15The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw."

 16He said to her, "Go, call your husband and come here."

 17The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You have correctly said, 'I have no husband'; 18for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly."

 19The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20"Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship."

 21Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22"You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23"But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. 24"God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

 25The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us."

 26Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He."

 

Jesus, a Jew, asked this Samaritan woman for a drink from Jacob's well. She is stunned because He is talking to her.  She is woman, she is a Samaritan ("For Jews do not associate with Samaritans" v.9) and she does not have a good reputation (which she finds out that He does know v. 18).  Any of those three things could have kept Him from speaking with her.  But He initiates the conversation and keeps engaging her even when she is defensive.  What a beautiful picture of expressing God's love in an awkward conversation.  He moves past the current objections and points to the future, "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth." He points her to the Father, "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." And He points her to the Messiah by mentioning what is coming.

Why did Jesus take the time to talk to this woman?  Even the disciples were amazed that He was talking to her when they returned.  (v. 27) In the verses following we find the answer, "Open your eyes and look at the fields, for they are ready for harvest."  (v. 35)  He looked past the obvious - a woman, a Samaritan, a sinner.  He saw this woman as someone who needed to know the Messiah. He came to "do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work."  (v. 34) He invited her to become a worshiper of God through believing in the Messiah. She not only responded but she brought others to meet, "the Savior of the world." (v.42)

I praise You, Father, for sending Jesus to be my Savior.  Cause me to worship You today, in spirit and in truth. Thank You for Jesus who explains Your love so beautifully to us and meets us right in our state of need.

Will You Honor Jesus as God? [John 5]

18For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.  

19Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. "For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel. "For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. "For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.  "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.


Marvel with me today about who Jesus is:

  • If God is His own Father, He is equal with God v.18
  • He does nothing of Himself, only what the Father does v.19
  • The Father loves the Son and shows Him everything He is doing v.20
  • In concert with the Father, Jesus raises the dead and gives life to to anyone He wishes v.21
  • The Father has given all judgment to the Son v.22
  • All people will honor the Son just as they honor the Father v.23
  • You cannot honor the Father if you don't honor the Son v.23

Do you want to know that you will not come under judgment?  That you will have life in eternity instead of death?  Would you like to walk around having those issues already settled?  Jesus assures you can.  How?  Hear Jesus' word and believe the Father who has sent Jesus. v.24


Father, I honor Jesus as Lord.  You and He are in complete concert together in all that You do. I praise you that Jesus spoke frankly about how He lived here on earth, "I can do nothing on My own.  I judge only as I hear, and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me." (John 5:30, Holman, CSB.) Cause me to be in concert with You in the same way today.


What Is the Work of God? [John 6]

26Jesus answered them and said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.

27"Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.

28Therefore they said to Him, "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?"

 29Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent."

 30So they said to Him, "What then do You do for a sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform? 31"Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'HE GAVE THEM BREAD OUT OF HEAVEN TO EAT.'"

 32Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. 33"For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world."

 34Then they said to Him, "Lord, always give us this bread."

 35Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. 36"But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. 37"All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. 38"For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39"This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40"For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day. 


 

Jesus had fed the 5000 and now many were following Him, not because they were amazed at the miracle He had done, but because they wanted their physical needs met.  What were they thinking? Maybe they were thinking that if they followed this man maybe He would feed them all the time and they wouldn't have to think about providing their own food. "Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'HE GAVE THEM BREAD OUT OF HEAVEN TO EAT."


Jesus used this opportunity to show them that even the manna in the wilderness was pointing to what God would provide in Jesus, the "true bread of heaven."  Even as Jesus makes the statement, "For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world,"  they immediately realize that this is what their hearts yearn for. "Then they said to Him, 'Lord, always give us this bread.'" (emphasis added.)


It had to be all mixed up in their heads, the physical desire to not have to deal with hunger and the spiritual desire to have that deep longing, that feels like hunger, completely satisfied.  It is sure mixed up in my mind, at least.  Oh, to taste of the Bread of Life, coming to Him and believing in Him in such a way that I am completely satisfied.  So completely content that I don't worry about what to eat,  what to drink, what to wear or what is going to happen in the future.  Being fully persuaded that my Father in Heaven knows what I need and that He will abundantly provide for each need (Matthew 5).

Jesus graciously brought them full circle back to the original question, "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?"  Believe in God, believe in Jesus so you can live with Him eternally - that is the work of God.

Lord, help me with my unbelief.  Cause me to believe You (know, agree and act) as the true Bread of Life so that I will never be hungry and thirsty again.  You are worthy of my complete trust to provide ALL that I need. 

He Is True and Righteous [John 7]

14But when it was now the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and began to teach.

 15The Jews then were astonished, saying, "How has this man become learned, having never been educated?"

 16So Jesus answered them and said, "My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me.

 17"If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself.

 18"He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

 19"Did not Moses give you the Law, and yet none of you carries out the Law? Why do you seek to kill Me?"

 20The crowd answered, "You have a demon! Who seeks to kill You?"

 21Jesus answered them, "I did one deed, and you all marvel.
22"For this reason Moses has given you circumcision (not because it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man.

 23"If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the Law of Moses will not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made an entire man well on the Sabbath?

 24"Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."


 

The Jews were astonished at Jesus' teaching because He had not been educated.  Jesus responded with the truth, "My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me."  He did not receive their compliment with a polite, "thank you," but rather was quick to point to the Father.

He was not seeking His own glory by speaking from Himself, but was "seeking the glory of the One who sent Him." That was how Jesus was true and righteous - He did nothing apart from the Father.

I praise You, Jesus, for living a life that was completely dependent on the Father and for always pointing us to Him.

Jesus, Brilliant Teacher [John 8]

1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them. 3The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court,4they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act.5"Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?"6They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground.7But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."8Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.9When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court.10Straightening up, Jesus said to her, "Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?"11She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "I do not condemn you, either Go From now on sin no more."]

I always imagined that this event took place apart from other people, however, according to John, Jesus was in a public venue. He was seated in the temple teaching all the people who were coming to Him when "the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery and having set her in the center of the court." Jesus, then, proceeded to very quietly and brilliantly use this situation as an object lesson for His teaching for the crowd that were gathered to learn from Him. He wasn't flustered or angry and with just a few words to the scribes and Pharisees and then to the woman, the situation was defused and the crowd had a powerful object lesson. So what lessons were learned by those who watched this situation unfold before them? First, they learned that Jesus was peaceful and calm in contrast to the scribes and Pharisees who not only disrupted His teaching, but were inciting Jesus and the crowd to participate in a  stoning there in the temple. Second, they learned that the scribes and Pharisees were not as innocent as they led people to believe. And, finally, they saw the compassion and forgiveness that Jesus offered to the scribes and Pharisees and to the adulterous woman. Jesus was not like their other leaders and this whole situation backfired on those religious leaders and gave a setting for Jesus to shine in their darkness.

We praise you that you are a brilliant teacher full of calm compassion and forgiveness. Cause us to daily sit at your feet and learn the lessons you are teaching us and to see how you use the things in our lives as object lessons for us, too.

Jesus Gives Sight to the Blind [John 9]


  35Jesus heard that they had put him out, and finding him, He said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"36He answered, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?"37Jesus said to him, "You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you."38And he said, "Lord, I believe." And he worshiped Him.39And Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind."40Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, "We are not blind too, are we?"41Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, 'We see,' your sin remains.

After the Pharisees grilled the blind man that Jesus healed on the Sabbath and kicked him out of the synagogue, Jesus heard what happened and went looking for him. Once again, I see that Jesus cared about each individual, as well as for the masses who came to Him. Just imagine how hard it would have been for Jesus to find time to follow up on a man he had encountered one time for a few minutes when thousands were following Him with huge needs. But He did look for and found that healed blind man and then Jesus invited him to be part of a new community, the budding community of Jesus followers. Jesus wanted all those who were blind to see, however, He was more interested in spiritual blindness. In the case of the physically blind man, Jesus used the physical healing to lay the foundation for spiritual healing. In the end, however, only those who know they are spiritually blind will be able to receive the spiritual sight that Jesus has to offer. When the blind man accepted the truth about Jesus, His spiritual eyes were opened and He became part of the kingdom. But to continue to walk with our spiritual eyes open involves a daily going to Jesus through the Word and prayer and fellowship with other believers (Romans 12:1-2).

God we praise you that you give spiritual sight through Jesus. Cause us to know even though you have opened our eyes and we are part of Your kingdom, that we continually need you to keep on opening our eyes day after day so that we walk in Your Light.

Jesus, My Shepherd, Is God [John 10]


22At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem;23it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon.24The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, "How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly." 25Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father's name, these testify of Me. 26"But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. 27"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;28and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29"My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.30"I and the Father are one."31The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him.32Jesus answered them, "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?"33The Jews answered Him, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God."

John is my favorite book in the Bible and chapter 10 is one of my favorite chapters in John. From his opening words, John made it clear throughout the book that Jesus is God. I like things to be clear so that when people challenge me concerning Jesus, I can take them to John as well as other places and show them how Jesus demonstrated and explained His deity. He was not just a good man and He was not a liar, nor was He crazy. He said He was God and He backed it up with not just one miracle, but with so many that John said at the end of the book that if all that Jesus did were written, he supposed that "not even the world itself could contain the books that would be written." (John 21:25)

Jesus
Did works in the Father's name
The works testified about Him
His sheep know His voice and follow Him
He knows His sheep
He gives eternal life to His sheep
His sheep will never perish
No one will snatch them out of His hand.

The Father
The Father has given the sheep to Jesus
He is greater than all
No one is able to snatch the sheep out of the Father's hand
Jesus and the Father are one

The Jews listening to Jesus speak these words that winter in the temple in the portico of Solomon understood that Jesus was claiming to be God. Just look at their response.

"31The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him.32Jesus answered them, "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?"33The Jews answered Him, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God."

We praise You Jesus that you and the Father are One and that we can know your voice and follow you and be eternally protected in Your hand. Cause us to walk in the truth of who You are, hearing Your voice and following You and in the power of your protection.

Jesus Is the Resurrection and the Life [John 11]

18Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off;19and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother. 20Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary stayed at the house.21Martha then said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.22"Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You."23Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."24Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day."25Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies,26and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?"27She said to Him, "Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world."

I loved my brother and can relate to the pain that Martha, Mary and Jesus felt when Lazarus died. When I was 19, my 21 year old brother and one of my closest friends, Rick, was in a motorcycle wreck. His roommate called me to tell me he was hurt and in the hospital. I was in a city four hours away and a friend drove with me to the hospital. We weren't able to reach my parents until the next day. When we arrived, some orderlies were wheeling my brother to the ICU. I spent the next three days by myself next to his bed in the ICU holding his hand and talking to him. He never answered me because he was in a coma. Amazingly, except for the bandage on his head, he had no other visible injuries. My parents arrived on the third day and made me go to the motel with them that evening. My brother died that night and I never saw him again.

I wasn't a Christian at the time and it was years before I was able to process the deep hurt. My pain was not wasted though because that hurt from Rick's death was one of the major things that drove me to Christ several years later. And now I know that even though I wasn't aware of Him, Jesus was there with me through it all. He had numbered my brother's days and had even exposed Him to the truth of the gospel. I don't know if he was saved, but I do know that I have his Bible and that he had a Sunday School teacher who told him about Jesus at some point in his life. And I also know that Jesus is the resurrection and the life and that I won't be too surprised if I see my brother again when Jesus comes to gather His church. Meanwhile, Jesus comforts my sadness as I think about Rick and He always is willing to carry my pain when I give it to Him.

Jesus, I praise you that you are the resurrection and the life and that life and death are in your hands alone. I praise you that you weep at my pain and loss and can carry it for me. Cause me to walk in the comfort that You alone can give.

Jesus Shows Us the Father [John 12]

44And Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me.45"He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me.46"I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness.47"If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.48"He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.49"For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak.50"I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me."

One of my favorite things about the book of John is how clearly I can see the Trinity or three persons of our one God (The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit). Up until now in John, the emphasis has been the relationship between the Father and Jesus. However, in just a few more chapters, Jesus introduces the Holy Spirit and His role.

Relationship Between Jesus and the Father
If you believe in Jesus, you believe in the Father who sent Jesus.
If you see Jesus, you see the Father.
Jesus came as God's light into this dark world to save the world.
If you reject Jesus and His sayings, you will be judged by Jesus' words in the last day.
Jesus' word were not His own, but the Father's words
The Father's commandment is eternal life and Jesus speaks just as the Father told Him.

I praise you Father for sending Jesus to show us who You are and to speak Your words of eternal life. Cause us to walk in Your light as we get to know Your Son through the Word.

Owner of All Things Washed Feet [John 13]

3Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, 4got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.5Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.

If I were in Jesus' place (I know that is a gigantic stretch of the imagination) and knew all of the things that Jesus knew; that the Father had given Him everything, that He had come from God and was going back to God, the last thing I would do is wash other people's feet! This act was a powerful statement to all who were present and continues to astound people who read about this through the ages. Just imagine President Obama or Queen Elizabeth or members of the G20 doing some equally humiliating and menial task for those around them. And these people, who are so influential on the world stage today, don't even come close to the majesty of our God and King, Jesus the Messiah. What a surprising and amazing God we have!

Jesus
Knew the Father had given all things into His hands
Knew He had come forth from God
Knew He was going back to God (after a horrible death at the hands of the people He came to save)
Laid aside His garments and washed the feet of His disciples on the eve of His death

I praise You, Jesus, for demonstrating majesty and humility. Cause me to walk in the truth of your Sovereign majesty and in humility with others by your grace.

Parting Words of Comfort [John 14]

27"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.
  1"Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.

2"In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.

 3"If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

 4"And you know the way where I am going."

 5Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?"

 6Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.


 

I had to put verse 27 first because that is the way these verses came tumbling out as my mom, my sister and I sat around my father's bed shortly after he died a year and a half ago.  The promise was first - "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you;" It was beautiful how our voices, first timid, gradually growing stronger, spoke those verses in unison.  Our hearts sang together those precious words of our Lord.

"Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me." Throughout this whole chapter Jesus reminded his disciples of  truth that should comfort their souls, in preparation of His upcoming death and resurrection.

"I go to prepare a place for you." v.2

"I will come again and receive you to Myself" v.3

"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." v.6

"If you know Me, you also know the Father" v.7

"I will give you another Counselor to be with you forever (He is the Spirit of truth)" v.16

"I am coming to you" v. 18

"Because I live, you will live too" v. 19

"I leave My peace with you"  and it won't look anything like the peace the world has to offer you!

 

Lord, we praise You for leaving us with such words of comfort.  Thank You that because we love You, we are loved by the Father and by You.  You are revealing Yourself to us today.  Cause us to see You today and to embrace Your words of comfort.

Abide in Me and Have Full Joy [John 15]

1"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2"Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.

3"You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.  4"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
5"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.  6"If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. 7"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.  8"My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.

9"Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. 10"If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.

 11"These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.


 

What is Jesus calling us to when He invites us to abide in Him? Abide the same way a branch abides in the vine to bear fruit.  The branch cannot bear fruit by itself. It has to be connected to the vine which has a root system. Jesus is the vine in which He is calling us to abide (remain, sojourn).


John has been weaving this them throughout the book.  He has been showing the idea the Jesus and the Father are one.  They do everything together. "For God sent Him and He speaks God's words" John 3:34. "I do nothing on my own" John 8:28.  Now He is inviting us to be part of that union - remaining in the One who produces fruit "because you can do nothing without Me."


abide in Me

My words abide in you

abide in My love, abide in My Father's love

My joy in you - your joy is overflowing


Jesus, I praise You that You are calling me to sojourn with you and You have provided the way for that to happen.  I want to respond to Your invitation to stay connected to You through Your Spirit ministering Your words to me. Cause me to remain in your love so that Your love can spring out of me as fruit springs forth from the branch.

He Left Us With His Holy Spirit [John 16]

5"But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, 'Where are You going?'

 6"But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.

 7"But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.

 8"And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment;

 9concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me;

 10and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me;

 11and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

 12"I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

 13"But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.

 14"He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.

 15"All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.


 

Jesus recognized that the words He was telling His disciples in the upper room was causing them sorrow.  They did not want Him to go away to the Father, they wanted Him to stay with them.  They could not believe that it would really be to their advantage if He went away.  Didn't Jesus just say how great it was going to be to abide with Him?


What they didn't understand was while Jesus was on earth, He could only physically be in one place at a time.  When He was with Peter, James and John, He was not also with the others.  He was limited in presence.  What He wanted them to know was that it was going to be a greater benefit to them to have His Spirit living in them than for Him to stand among them. "...or if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you."  What is the Helper (One who comes alongside to help) going to do?


For God's children the Holy Spirit:

He is the Spirit of truth

He will guide you into all truth

Whatever He hears from Jesus (which is also from the Father) He will disclose it to you

He will glorify (give the correct estimation) Jesus


For the world the Holy Spirit:

He convicts the world concerning sin ("concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me")

He convicts the world concerning righteousness ("because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me")

He convicts the world concerning judgment ("because the ruler of this world has been judged.")


Father, we praise You for sending Jesus to earth to make it possible for us to become Your children.  We praise You that You loved us so much that You did not leave us stranded, as orphans.  You gave us Your Spirit of truth who will lead us into all truth.  We are asking that You cause us to abide with You as we listen to Your Spirit in us.

At One With Him [John 17]

13"But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves.

14"I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.15"I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.16"They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.17"Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. 18"As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.19"For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. 20"I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; 21that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.

 

When I was a 20 year, deeply in love and wondering what scripture to have read at my wedding, Jesus' prayer for me in John 17 seemed exactly what I wanted.  "...that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us."  It was this oneness that I was anticipating and longing for. Thirty five years later as I read this passage again I am reminded of the oneness that the Father and Jesus shared together, the oneness that They are inviting me to share.  I realize that I have had glimpses of what oneness is in my marriage.  The moments when I surrender my plan and together we move in the same direction.

 

I know you've had moments like this.  I am arm and arm with Dick, we are really together, listening to each other, being in touch with what each other is thinking and feeling.  We are walking through the mall and without words, his nudge directs me into a shop.  We walk in spontaneously together, in harmony.  It is no longer me, an individual walking into the shop I want to go in, pulling him along. We are so in tune with each other, we have surrendered our individual wants and plans, and move together as one.


Jesus showed us over and over how that oneness happens.  Have you caught the numerous times He has said that He says only what the Father speaks, He does what the Father wills, He judges as the Father judges?  As we have read about His everyday life in the book of John, there is a sense of the instantaneous, not premeditated, moving in synch with the Father.  “I do nothing on my own initiative.”  He surrendered, moment by moment, to the Father.  We see it vividly when He prayed, "Not My Will, but Your will."


 

Lord, I praise You that You have invited me into this union with You.  Cause me to surrender to Your leading today, moment by moment.  I want to walk through the day, arm in arm with You, not me tugging to do things my way. Only Your Spirit can keep me mindful of this oneness we have. Keep m in Your truth.

 

What Is Truth? [John 18]

33Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?"
34Jesus answered, "Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?"

 35Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?"

 36Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm."

 37Therefore Pilate said to Him, "So You are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."

 38Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?" And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, "I find no guilt in Him
39"But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover; do you wish then that I release for you the King of the Jews?"

 40So they cried out again, saying, "Not this Man, but Barabbas." Now Barabbas was a robber.


In His trial by Pontius Pilate in the last hours of His life, Jesus states very clearly why He was born and why He was on earth.  He came to testify of the truth.  Pilate asks the question he has been struggling with his whole life, "What is the truth?"


If Pilate would have listened to Jesus' words, he would have known his answer - hearing Jesus voice means you have truth.  If you want truth, listen to Jesus.  God the Father declared at the beginning of Jesus' ministry, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" (Matthew 17:5, NIV).


He has shown us the Father. "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." (John 14:6).

What truth did you hear from Jesus today as you spent time abiding in His words? 


 

Jesus, I praise You that You are the Truth.  You are a king but Your kingdom is not of this realm.  Thank You, for being willing to speak the truth even as You faced incredible pain and suffering.  Thank You for being willing to lay down Your life so that I might hear the truth and be set free.  I praise You that I have Your Spirit of Truth in me.  Jesus, You are my King.

 

It Is Finished! [John 19]

6So when the chief priests and the officers saw Him, they cried out saying, "Crucify, crucify!" Pilate said to them, "Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no guilt in Him."

 7The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and by that law He ought to die because He made Himself out to be the Son of God."

 8Therefore when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid;

 9and he entered into the Praetorium again and said to Jesus, "Where are You from?" But Jesus gave him no answer.

 10So Pilate said to Him, "You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?"

 11Jesus answered, "You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin."

 12As a result of this Pilate made efforts to release Him, but the Jews cried out saying, "If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself out to be a king opposes Caesar."

 13Therefore when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha.

 14Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour And he said to the Jews, "Behold, your King!"


28After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, to fulfill the Scripture, said, "I am thirsty."

 29A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of hyssop and brought it up to His mouth.

 30Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.


 

We praise You, Jesus for the finished work of redemption!

Jesus the Miracle Worker [John 20]


30Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples,which are not written in this book;31but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

John, the disciple that Jesus loved, summed up all that he had written in the Gospel of John in one powerful little sentence in John 20:30-31. Our Jesus, the God/man, walked this earth, suffered and died for one purpose, that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah resulting in eternal life.

John focused on Jesus' miracles in telling the story of Jesus. However, only seven of Jesus' miracle made it into John's gospel message. John must have prayed and thought long and hard about which ones to include making the ones he did include special in some way or fashion. But I am intrigued by John's statement that "many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciple , which are not written in this book." That statement is clarified in the next chapter (John 21:24-25) in his closing remarks. There he says: 24This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true.25And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.

Can you imagine how many miracles Jesus must have done in His short three years of ministry, if they were written in detail, as were the seven John covered in his book, that he supposed "that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written."
Jesus was the ultimate miracle worker! It is in His very nature to do supernatural acts that minister to people. And we know that He is alive today continuing in that miracle working through His Spirit in us. Perhaps after over two thousand years, the universe may not contain all of the detailed accounts of all the miracles He has wrought through believers through all of those years.

We praise you Jesus for your miracles that show us your supernatural nature and character and for the gift of faith and eternal life. Cause us to continue to follow you through your Spirit and be a little part of a huge story of miracles on the face of this earth.

Do You Love Me More Than These? [John 21]

 15So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You " He said to him, "Tend My lambs."16He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Shepherd My sheep." 17He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You " Jesus said to him, "Tend My sheep.

  18"Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go."19Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me!"20Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had leaned back on His bosom at the supper and said, "Lord, who is the one who betrays You?"21So Peter seeing him said to Jesus, "Lord, and what about this man?" 22Jesus said to him, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!" 23Therefore this saying went out among the brethren that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?"

My heart goes out to this man, Peter,  maybe because he reminds me of me.  He really wanted to do the right thing.  He had such good intentions but as soon as the going got rough his intentions fall flat. (Wasn't he sure he could follow Jesus even to death? But in the heat of the battle, he denied even knowing Jesus three times.)  What emotions he must have experienced as he watched Jesus being crucified and buried.  How timid he must have felt waiting to see Jesus after he heard that He was indeed alive.  

If it were me I would have replayed everything in my mind wondering why I was so stupid to deny Him.  Why couldn't I have stayed awake in the garden to pray with Him?  Would He ever forgive me for failing Him so many times?  What now? Was the last three years a total waste?

In the midst of his sadness Peter must have remembered how tenderly Jesus had understood him and loved him. Did he remember that Jesus had seen his willing spirit but had known how weak his flesh was in those final hours?  Jesus gently yet firmly invites Peter to a restored relationship after the resurrection:

In John 21  We see that Peter got tired of waiting around (It has been eight days and Jesus has only appeared twice to them.)  So he he decided to go fishing.  The others joined him and they went fishing and caught nothing.  Jesus was on the shore and told them to try casting their net on the other side. So they did and caught a large number of fish.  They realized it was the Lord and Peter plunged into the sea.  It was Peter who hauled the net to shore when Jesus asked them to bring some of the fish to shore.

After they had eaten breakfast Jesus directs his questions to Peter, “Peter (full name), do you love (agape) me more than these? Each time Peter answered that he did love (phileo - brotherly love) Him. Jesus responded, “Tend My lambs, shepherd My sheep, tend My sheep.” Peter was grieved that the Lord asked him the third time, using his own word ,
"Simon, son of John, do you love (phileo) Me?"

I have been pondering this morning why Jesus didn't just tell Peter how much He loved him but instead asked him did he love Jesus? He gave Peter the opportunity to see what was in his own heart; how he had not received the love Jesus was offering him. But even as Peter was not receiving that love, Jesus showed him that nothing had changed.  He was still inviting Peter to follow Him.  He was also giving him purpose - "Shepherd My sheep." Jesus graciously moves him from the past he is pondering and points him to the future. 

How sweetly the Lord met Peter in his hour of need.  Now, we see a man who is ready to wait for the coming Holy Spirit.  A man who is ready to walk by the Spirit instead of by his flesh.  We will see that transformation when we read the book of Acts. It is no wonder that Peter later writes a letter to the scattered believers about believing the gospel in the midst of suffering (1 Peter)!  What growth in confidence in God's forgiveness, mercy and love.

Lord, I praise you for asking me the question that really gets down to the heart of the matter, "Do you love Me more than these things?" (Everything I put my hope in.)  I praise You for Your forgiveness and love that points me forward instead of backward.


 



 









Verna McCrillis, 2/1/2010