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 4, 2014
This was John the Baptist’s confession concerning Jesus, “Anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life.” John said this in response to his own disciples who were concerned that more people were being baptized by Jesus than John. In fact, Jesus wasn’t baptizing. His disciples were. No matter. John rightly understood the point. His disciples were jealous of another’s ministry growth. John rebuked them. He recognized that his ministry wasn’t to build a following to himself, but to prepare the way for the Lord Jesus. He said, “I must decrease and He must increase.” If only more ministry leaders today understood this. Our ministries don’t exist to exalt ourselves. They exist to make Jesus famous! For Christ is the only One who can give us eternal life.
May 3, 2014
Some who know about the gospel, question how God can judge those who haven’t heard it. They offer this question as their own excuse for not believing. Yet, Jesus told Nicodemus that this attitude is based not on reason, but on their passion for darkness and sin. Those who hear the gospel about Jesus and reject it are already under God’s judgment. They have loved darkness and rejected the Light, so God has rejected them. What we do with Jesus has everything to do with what God does with us.
May 3, 2013
Jesus tried to explain being born of the Spirit to Nicodemus by comparing the Spirit to the wind. But Nick didn’t get it. At least not at first. Jesus often used “earthly things” to help explain heavenly ones. Earthly things like: sheep, soil, weeds, wheat, chaff, farmers, sons, coins, fields, barns, houses, rocks, virgins, lamps, banquets, weddings, etc. These things represented greater things. Scientists describe things by subtraction, by autopsy they identify down to the inanimate and unintelligent parts. Earthly things lose their wonder on the mortician’s table. Yet, when Jesus speaks of earth and heaven, those of us who believe, become wide-eyed like a child at God’s creation again.
May 3, 2012
As the bronze snake was a symbol of suffering, so Jesus foretold His intent to take on Himself the source of suffering for the world, which is man’s sin, by being lifted up on the cross.
May 4, 2011
What John the Baptist said when asked about Jesus. I like the KJV for this: He must increase, but I must decrease.” Let’s pray this prayer together today: “Lord, I want less of me and more of You.”
May 3, 2011
The kingdom of God is only perceived with spiritual eyes. Those who haven’t been born again are blind to spiritual things. Only Christ can give us eyes to see and ears to hear. Born again people have been made alive spiritually.