In John 10, Jesus continues His conversation with the Jewish leaders from John 9.  They are upset HE healed the man born blind, so Jesus begins to describe Himself and His ministry using Shepherding imagery. Jesus calls Himself the door for the sheep and says “I am the good shepherd.”  Jesus goes on to say that HE and the Father are one and that those who are HIS – are eternally secure.  The Jewish leaders sought to stone Him, because He claimed to be God.  He calls them to believe, because He does works that only the Father can do – therefore He is God.  The thing that sticks out to me the most today is Jesus’ usage of the Shepherding imagery when addressing the Jewish leaders.  Jesus literally says, “I am the Shepherd, the good one.”  This was in direct contrast to the Jewish leaders who were supposed to serve as shepherds for the people, yet they did not care that one of their people born blind could now see – thus making them bad shepherds.  They were once again placing their traditions above God’s love for His people.  O Lord, make me a shepherd that follows after The Good Shepherd and cares for your people.

– Bryan McKenzie

We read in the beginning of chapter 9 a story about a man who has been blind from birth. It was significant that he had been blind from birth and we can understand why based on the next couple of verses. The disciples, like most people in that day, believed that if someone had a disability it was due to his or his parents’  sins. Jesus’s response to their question probably showed them a lot about the purpose of Jesus’s ministry. Jesus explains: “that the works of God might be displayed in him [the blind man].” We see the glory of God displayed through the blindness of this man! Jesus heals this man. We see the Pharisees questioning all that Jesus had done, probably because they felt threatened. They questioned the man Jesus had healed and then they needed to verify that he was telling the truth about being blind. So they brought his parents and they confirmed that their son was blind and had been since birth. They went on to reply, saying ask our son how it happened, he’s a grown man. Again, the Pharisees question the blind man, who yet again confirms all that he had told them before, then calls out the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. He accused them of not believing that Jesus was from God. He emphasizes that no where ever before had anyone healed a blind person. Yet the Pharisees do not give this man even a chance to be a prophet to them. Unbelieving and discontent, they kicked the healed man out because  they assumed he was sinful since he was born blind!
Jesus then came back to the man who he had healed. The man responded to Jesus’s declaration that he was the Son of Man by falling down in worship. He understood the magnitude of who Christ was. He was so humbled by Jesus that he fell to the ground to worship. Praise the lord for these displays of power and responses to his Glory. I pray that we give glory to God for his work in our life, and that we would respond with worship and praise to our God!

– Joshua Dawes

In the story of the woman caught in adultery, it’s interesting to consider what Jesus did not do.  He did not excuse her guilt.  He did not find some loophole in the law or call it out of date.  And he did not condemn the Pharisees, who in their hypocrisy condemned themselves.  Instead, he showed the woman mercy and called her to repentance.  In a way, he also called the Pharisees to repentance by showing them His mercy toward the woman.  He also shone the light of truth on their hypocrisy, challenging them to throw the first stone if they were sinless.   Here He gives us an example of what to do when we sin, and what to do when others sin.

 

In the next passage (v12-30), Jesus’ declaration “I am the Light of the world” starts a discussion with the Pharisees that focuses on His relationship and oneness with the Father.  He points out that to know Him is to know the Father, and to know the Father is to know Him.  As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him (v30).

 

In the last passage (v31-59), Jesus is speaking about the freedom that His truth brings.  They think He is talking about freedom from physical slavery, but Jesus says “Everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.”  (Paul later spends an entire chapter – Romans 6 – teaching about the slavery to sin that is  done away with when we are born again.)   In this passage (NASB), the words truth and truly are used 14 times, and Abraham is mentioned 11 times.  Jesus starts by challenging them to do the deeds of Abraham, if they are his descendants.  He ends by telling of His personal knowledge of Abraham, who ‘rejoiced to see My day”, and that He was before Abraham  — “Before Abraham was, I AM” – and in doing so, declaring that He is the same God that said “I AM” to Abraham (Exodus 3:14).

 

– David Stanley

In John 7, Jesus’ brothers mockingly encourage Him to go up to Jerusalem to make himself known through His works, Jesus refuses because His time had not yet come.  Jesus then goes up later in private and then in the middle of the feast of Booth Jesus begins teaching in the Temple and the Jews question His authority.  Some people begin to question whether of not Jesus is the Christ and others want Him arrested.  Jesus during the water ceremony of the Feast of Booths promises the Holy Spirit will indwell those who believe.  Jesus’ teaching causes division as some think He is he the Christ and other want Him killed.  The thing that stuck out the most this morning was Jesus confronting the Jews about their complaining of Him healing on the Sabbath.  Jesus says if the Law requires a male to be circumcised on the 8th day and the circumcision happens on the Sabbath – no one has a problem.  However, if Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath they have a problem with that.  Jesus says that they do not judge with right judgment.  Followers of Christ need to be those who judge with right judgment by getting all the correct information before making a judgment.  When we make judgments without getting correct facts, we are being prejudice (pre-judge).  Prejudice is a great time saver, it allows us to come to a conclusion without having of the facts.  Lord, help me be diligent in getting all the facts before making a judgement – so that You will be glorified.  

– Bryan McKenzie

In John 6 Jesus feeds 5,000 people displaying His power, HE walks on water displaying His power specifically before His 12 disciples, HE speaks of Himself as the bread of life, teaches that the Father gives people to Him and those who are given come to Him.  The Jews who had been apart of His feeding of the 5,000 (possibly 20,000 with women and children) misunderstand His teaching and thought it to be too hard, therefore many of them (majority) quit following Him. Jesus ask the 12 if they were going to leave as well to which Peter responded, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words to eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.”  Peter understood who Jesus was and that it was through Him and His words that eternal life would come.  Unfortunately many today who claim to be followers of Christ, listen to the words of many others who do not have eternal life.  Lord, You have the words of eternal life, I have no place else to go.  Help me only listen to your words and evaluate everything through Your words.

– Bryan McKenzie

In John 5 Jesus heals a man who was lame on the Sabbath and the Jews were mad at the man for carrying his mat on the Sabbath and were mad at Jesus for healing on the Sabbath. Jesus claims to be God, He speaks of 2 different resurrections, Jesus speaks of 4 witness as to who He is – John the Baptist, Jesus’ works, the Father, and the Scriptures.  The thing that strikes me is that the Jewish leaders were more concerned about the Sabbath day than they were about the man who was healed.  Lord, continually remind me to value your people over a day set aside for the to serve man.

– Bryan McKenzie

This chapter begins in Samaria with the story of the woman at the well.  Jesus approaches this well, after his disciples went into town to buy food, and sits down to rest because he is tired.  The fact that they are in Samaria is a shocker to any Contemporary Jew of the era, since the area of Samaria was avoided  at all costs by a good, self-respecting Jew.  But, Jesus had a plan and a great lesson for all of us when he chose to pass through this land.  At the well, a Samaritan woman comes to get water.  Jesus asks her for a drink, and she is shocked that a Jewish man would speak to her, a lowly Samaritan woman.  He then speaks to her of the living water which “will become in [her] a well of water springing up to eternal life”.  He is speaking of His salvation, and, much like the well-learned Nicodemus in chapter 3, she takes Jesus literally, not understanding His eternal message of salvation.  He then reveals His power in calling out her shameful sin of unfaithfulness.  Upon hearing her sins, she recognizes that Jesus must be someone special, claiming “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet”.  She asks Him some questions about where to worship the Lord, then proclaims that she believes a Messiah is coming.  Jesus tells her that He is the Messiah.
 
The disciples returned and are shocked that Jesus would be speaking to a Samaritan woman.  He reads their minds and speaks to them about the harvest of souls:  “Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.”  This interaction with the Samaritan woman was placed to show the disciples and show us that we must go into the fields and reap the harvest of souls for the kingdom! 
 
So what was the immediate result of this interaction in Samia?  The woman went into town and told people to come and see Jesus “who told me all the things I have done” proposing that He might possibly be the Christ.  Verses 41 through 42 show us that the people were drawn to Jesus when the woman was speaking to them, but it was really when they heard the word of Christ that the knew He was the savior of the world!  That is our mission, share the word of Christ that others may be drawn to Him.  Be excited!  You have some amazing news!  The Savior of the world has spoken to you, He knows your innermost being and He loves you unconditionally.  He has given you living water which will become in you a well of water springing up to eternal life.
 
-Ben Craft

John 3 – containing what quite possibly is the most well-known verse of the Bible, John 3:16“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” I’ve had this verse memorized since the time I was taught it in the 2nd grade during Sunday School. You probably have too. 

 

However, let’s consider the context a bit. Verses 14-15 say, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life.”

 

If you go back to Numbers 21:4-9 you can reread the story. As you do so, I’d encourage you to ask yourself what it meant to “believe.” It seems to me that “believing” was certainly not just some sort of mental assent, but this belief called people to action – to respond. If you were bit by a snake, then you could look upon Moses’ serpent to be saved, however there was a huge crowd of people who would have been clamoring for this position. Each of them had venom coursing through their bodies and grew weaker with every step. “Belief” meant lots of effort in spite of the odds – in spite of their own emotions and strength. Belief was a battle for position to look upon the serpent. 

 

Isn’t this what were are called to? Our belief in Jesus should motivate us to action. We should clamor for a position to look upon Jesus. Nothing is of greater importance. The venom of sin coursing through our bodies requires immediate and complete commitment. We must be saved. We must look upon Him. In spite of our emotional state, our strength, our reputations – in spite of the odds against us, we are called to look upon Him for salvation. Let us LOOK intently without distraction – unhindered.

In John 2 we see the “first sign” of Jesus.  He comes to a wedding and performs a miracle during the wedding by turning the water into wine.  He gave his disciples an opportunity to see his power.  John 2:11 says “This the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory.  And his disciples believed in him.”  Jesus had given his disciples some physical proof to allow their belief to be strengthened.    Jesus would continue to do this time and time again for these disciples.  It is such a blessing that God chose to allow us to see these things written down to help us be encouraged and strengthened in our faith.  The second half of this chapter in John we are then shown Jesus exercising his authority.  He comes into the temple and clears it of those who had “turned it into a den of robbers”.  We see a righteous God so frustrated with the fact that people had used, an important tradition and ritual that pointed people toward god, as a way of exploiting peoples need for the required elements.  Jesus turns this conversation into one focused on his sacrifice that was to come by saying “Destroy this temple in three days I will raise it up.”  The people did not understand his claim but praise be to God we see his death, burial and resurrection of that temple in Jesus’s sacrifice.  Finally we see the discernment of Jesus.  Jesus saw people who “believed” these miracles were of God but didn’t believe in Jesus Christ.  “But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people”  Jesus knew that they were impressed by his miracles but were not willing to put all faith in him as the messiah and as complete lord of their life.  We see this laid out for us, that just an intellectual knowledge or belief of Jesus and his miracles is not enough for our salvation.  Only through true belief and repentance do we receive salvation.  He must become Lord of our life.

 

-Joshua Dawes

John 1 is packed with one of the biggest theological statements in all of Scripture. It’s message? Jesus is God. The Creator of the universe stepped into time and space and, taking on human flesh, would give his life for his creation. John tells us “in Him is life.” We read, however, in this passage as well as in Romans 1, that the creation rejected its creator and worship and served the creation instead. A statement that stands out to me though is what John says in verse 5- “The light shines in darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” The life that Christ gives is light to all men and darkness has not overcome it. In John’s time, people who professed Christ were being persecuted, imprisoned, and killed. The Jewish leaders of the day, along with other governing authorities, were seeking to have the light stamped out. But John gives us great encouragement–the darkness hasn’t won. And for us, 2,000 years later, it is still true- the darkness hasn’t overcome the light. Today, ISIS would seek to destroy the Christian faith and eradicate Christians from the globe. But Christ’s Church will not be overpowered by these tyrants for the gates of hell will not prevail against this Kingdom. Take comfort in knowing that whatever persecution we may face, whatever darts the enemy may hurl, we are more than conquerers and the light of life will not be overcome. 

– Jarrod Manning