May 18, 2015
Jesus came that we might have life. The Greek word is ζωή (zóé), which speaks of both physical and spiritual life. This life originates with, and is sustained by Jesus, who is Life. “Zoe” life is described both by its quantity (eternal), and its quality (abundant). Receiving Jesus, we receive His life. Many focus on the eternal nature of this life, but miss Christ’s emphasis on its “abundance” for the present. In Christ we are to thrive, living life to the full, bearing spiritual fruit, and exploding with vibrance all around!
May 16, 2015
“Abide (to stay, remain, wait, continue, endure, live) in My word.” Having already believed the word of Christ, we are to “abide” in it, showing that we are truly His followers. Believing His word, we are saved. Abiding in His word, we continually die to self and live to God. How do we abide in His word? Hearing, reading, meditating, memorizing and especially applying His Word, we begin to “abide” in the Vine, yielding the Spirit’s fruit.
May 13, 2015
Making reference to the Scripture where Moses struck the rock in the wilderness and water gushed forth, Jesus claimed to be able to make the same miracle take place in human hearts. Jesus invited them to come, drink, and believe. These three verbs in series act to intensify response to Christ’s call. When we come to the Rock and drink, we find ourselves not only fully satisfied, but we become conduits of God’s torrent of grace to others.
May 10, 2015
This is one of the seven “I AM” statements of Jesus in the gospel of John. John loved sevens (the number of completion). In the Greek, Jesus used the emphatic “ἐγώ εἰμι” (ego eimi), which might be translated “I, I am.” To Jewish ears, this was a clear reference to God’s name, “Yahweh” (I AM). As for calling Himself bread, the Jews considered bread the main sustenance of life and the major symbol of both their release from Egypt (Passover bread) and survival in the wilderness (manna). Jesus is the fulfillment of both the manna and the Passover bread. For God gave Jesus to us, so that those who believed and received Him would have eternal life.
May 8, 2015
Jesus described the four-fold witness that attested to His identity as the Christ, the Son of God: 1) John the Baptist, 2) His works, 3) the Father, and 4) the Scriptures. In order to reject Jesus, one must reject all four of these witnesses. Today, I am a witness to Christ’s identity. I affirm the four witnesses’ testimony and bear witness of His salvation work in me and in mine. Can you bear witness with us?
May 7, 2015
Honoring (worshiping) Jesus is the only way to offer acceptable worship to God. There is no lack of clarity in this. All other worship is vain. Jesus is the glory of God revealed to us. He is God’s fullest and final revelation. Rejecting Jesus is to reject God. Receiving Jesus is to receive all that the Father has for us, so that we may worship Him in Spirit and in Truth, receiving eternal life and adoption into God’s family. Honor Jesus.
May 5, 2015
Born again hearts and transformed minds required. Man-made worship will not do. Only the blood of the Lamb applied can prepare us for acceptable worship. Not time nor place. Not the style of music nor clothes you wear. No, to please God, we must worship in the way He prescribes– in spirit and in truth. God is seeking true worshipers.
May 4, 2015
When John’s followers worried that more people were going to follow Jesus than to John, he rebuked them. He recognized that God determined spiritual results. And he also understood that his ministry was to prepare the way for Christ’s ministry. As John said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). To be jealous of another’s ministry or blessing, is to accuse God of wrong. Having a competitive spirit towards other churches and ministries is to misunderstand God’s work in our cities and world. Instead, rejoice that God is blessing His work through whomever He will. Because after all, it is His work to bless, not yours.
May 3, 2015
The message concerning Jesus is the good news that God loves us and desires to save us through His Son. He was not sent to “condemn the world.” For the world has been under condemnation ever since Adam’s sin. Jesus came to rescue us from the condemnation that is already present upon us. Not everyone will recognize this. Some will prefer the darkness, blindly stumbling in sin’s chains towards judgment. However, a few will cry out to Jesus, finding themselves not only pardoned, but adopted into God’s family.
May 2, 2015
This is the first of seven “signs” that the apostle John recorded in his gospel. John calls them signs and not miracles because signs point to something other than themselves. On a recent trip to see the Grand Canyon I noticed “Grand Canyon” road signs all along the way as we drove up from Phoenix. Yet, we didn’t fly from NC to AZ to see these signs. We didn’t stop driving until we stood before the Canyon itself! Many during Jesus’ day were attracted to his miracles, but his true disciples saw them as signs that pointed to Him. Jesus turned the water into wine at a wedding in Cana. The master of the feast and the wedding guests were enthralled with the taste of the new wine that Jesus had made, but the disciples were focused on the wine’s Maker. The whole creation is a miraculous sign pointing to the Creator, yet many worship the former without recognizing the latter (Rom. 1:19-25).