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John 19 - Outer Darkness

All my life I've believed that there is just one punishment for sin - hell. And I still believe that. However, statements like the following make me wonder a bit.

John 19:11 Then Jesus said, "You would have no power over me at all unless it were given to you from above. So the one who brought me to you has the greater sin."

If there is a greater sin, then it goes to reason that there must be a greater punishment.

Perhaps there are degrees of hell, ala the nine circles of hell in Dante's Inferno.

I think the following scriptures somewhat support this theory.

Mathew 25:30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Jude 1:13 They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.

They would imply that there are degrees of discomfort. Outer darkness means that there is also plain darkness, and inner-darkness. Blackest darkness means that there are gradients of darkness below it.

Then again it may be that there is indeed just one punishment for all sin as the following scripture implies.

James 2:10 And the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as the person who has broken all of God's laws.

In ancient Greece there was an infamous ruler by the name of Draco the Lawgiver. He is remembered because he was one of the first to codify in writing, and publicly post, the laws people were to live by. He is infamous because the punishment for most infractions was death. When asked why his penalties were so harsh he answered, "I consider these lesser offenses worthy of death. I have no greater punishment that I can give for more important ones."

If you were God what would you do with the person that threw away the gift that Jesus gave his life for?

Hebrews 10:29 Think how much more terrible the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God and have treated the blood of the covenant as if it were common and unholy. Such people have insulted and enraged the Holy Spirit who brings God's mercy to his people.

I personally don't know what hell is like, whether there are degrees of hell or not, and I don't care. I don't need to be nose deep in the county landfill to know that I'd rather not be there. Just standing at the edge is uncomfortable enough. I choose to stay far away - from both. How about you?

Father, thank you that we do have forgiveness of sins. Thank you that hell is not my destination. May I show others the way to salvation too. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Stay in the Light. Jan
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John 18 - I am

That phrase has always looked a tad intriguing to me, "I am." So, I'm going to dig into it a bit.

A battalion of Roman soldiers arrives, along with Judas and a group of priestly vassals. They confront the group in the garden and ask which of them is Jesus. Jesus steps forward and answers...

John 18:6 And as he said, "I am he," they all fell backward to the ground!

But the translation above, and most others is NOT what the Greek really says. The Greek words that make up the sentence are as follows.

"Hos oun epo autos ego eimi aperchomai opiso kai pipto chamai."

Or in English

"While then said he because I am (or exist) left back-from towards and fell on ground."

There are certain words that we insert in English to help the sentence flow, otherwise it doesn't make much sense to us. Having been raised speaking Czech, I am somewhat accustomed to sentence structure that is unlike English. Alternate meanings sort of peek out at me. Such is the case here.

Let's clean up the Greek just a bit.

"While then he was speaking, and because he said, "I am (or exist)", they left backwards from him and fell on the ground."

Notice that Jesus did not say "I am he". No, he said "I am".

Genesis 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

The power of those words, I AM, was unmistakable. Jesus declared himself to be God.

Father, thank you for Jesus. Thank you that he is God. In his name, Amen.

Worship Him. Jan
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John 17 - Glorifying

We don't really use the word glory outside of church circles. It is a valid dictionary word, not just a religious one. However, its use has fallen from favor. What does this word really mean?

So with that in mind I noticed the following verse.

John 17:4 I brought glory to you here on earth by doing everything you told me to do.

The actual Greek word for glory is doxa. We get the word doxology from it. But I digress.

So, using this definition I see that Jesus revealed God's brightness, splendor, magnificence, majesty, dignity, and worth, causing it to be acknowledged here on earth. He did that by doing everything God told him to do.

We are all supposed to bring God glory. How, by doing everything God tells us to do.

Father, may I always be willing to do your will. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Glorify Him. Jan
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John 16 - Repent!!!

It is such an inflammatory word - Repent. Even as a Christian I tend to bristle a bit at the sound of it. It is so authoritarian, so demanding sounding. So what does it really mean?

Luke 13:3 I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

I like the way the God's Word version of the Bible translates the word 'repent'. They substitute it with, "change the way you think and act". I like that. It is nowhere near as harsh sounding, and it accurately describes the effect or desired result. However, there is a problem.

We have grown up in a culture that is almost completely ignorant of Biblical culture and moral standards.

For instance, according the Bureau of Health and Human Services, 41% of American women ages 15-44 have cohabited (lived with an unmarried different-sex partner) at some point. Looking at US Census Bureau numbers shows that the number of unmarried couples living together increased 72% between 1990 and 2000.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), someone dies every 30 minutes on our nation's roads due to alcoholism.

Research by the Alan Guttmacher Institute showed that 22 million legal abortions were reported worldwide in 1987. The numbers are not going down. It is now up to 42 million per year.

And if those numbers are not enough, one in five people living in the US have a Sexual Transmitted Disease (STD). Two thirds of those people are twenty-five years old or younger.

So what does a person have to repent of if they don't believe they are doing anything wrong? They don't think there is anything to change.

That is where a brilliant shining light from today's reading comes bursting in.

Jesus is talking to his disciples about the fact that he will soon leave. Then he says that he's going to send them the Holy Spirit. Notice what the Holy Spirit will do.

John 16:8 And when he comes, he will convince the world of its sin, and of God's righteousness, and of the coming judgment.

Unless a non-Christian understands what God's standards are, and that he doesn't measure up; unless he understands that God is righteous, and he is not; unless he understands that there is a coming judgment, why change the way he acts and thinks?

So what is sin?

John 16:9 The world's sin is unbelief in me.

As I learned from author John Bevere, to believe is synonymous with obedience. So if I don't obey Jesus, I don't truly believe him.

We must get back to the basics, to be saved means there must be a danger of something. It is not a "feel good" moment. It is a time when we realize that there is nothing that we can do to earn or deserve mercy; it is a time when we understand that we deserve hell, but nevertheless mercy is being proffered. It is when we grasp this, that we truly grasp what it means to be saved. And it is only by the convincing power of the Holy Spirit that it will happen.

1 Corinthians 12:3 So I want you to know how to discern what is truly from God: No one speaking by the Spirit of God can curse Jesus, and no one is able to say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.

Father, may I not water-down the gift you give. May I tell the whole truth. Help me to explain what we are saved from, so that your Holy Spirit may convict and draw the lost to you. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Jesus is Lord. Jan
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John 15 - Fruit Inspector

Growing up in a Christian environment I'd always heard "Don't judge." Often the person would add, but you can "inspect the fruit." In this chapter, which we are currently studying in-depth in my men's group - Wildmen, I see the concept of fruit inspecting showing up. Starting with the second verse, Jesus explains that the quantity of fruit we produce is relevant. The Father's desire is that we produce fruit. In verse eight Jesus explains that we bring glory to God by bearing much fruit.

John 15:8 My true disciples produce much fruit. This brings great glory to my Father.

So it is not enough to just be a disciple, we are to produce fruit, and not just fruit, much fruit. After all, our very existence is to bring glory to God. In verse eight we have a clear statement on how to do just that. Shouldn't we then endeavor to do it?

There are many people that look good, even sound good for a while. So how do you know if they are doing God's work, if they are in his will?

Matthew 7:15-20 Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep, but are really wolves that will tear you apart. You can detect them by the way they act, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit. You don't pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles. A healthy tree produces good fruit, and an unhealthy tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, the way to identify a tree or a person is by the kind of fruit that is produced.

It is only a matter of time. A tree, bush, or vine will produce some sort of fruit. If the time for bearing fruit comes and none is produced, that speaks volumes too. Clearly Jesus is telling us in the passage above to inspect the fruit. Otherwise we might be partaking in poison or at the least something that is displeasing.

What do we say, is our speech pleasing to the Lord?

Matthew 12:33,35 A tree is identified by its fruit. Make a tree good, and its fruit will be good. Make a tree bad, and its fruit will be bad...

A good person produces good words from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil words from an evil heart.

Clearly Jesus is saying that bad fruit comes from a bad heart.

In the short book that bears his name, Jude wrote about people who are misleading the flock of God. These are people with a bad heart.

Jude 1:12 When these people join you in fellowship meals celebrating the love of the Lord, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you. They are shameless in the way they care only about themselves. They are like clouds blowing over dry land without giving rain, promising much but producing nothing. They are like trees without fruit at harvesttime. They are not only dead but doubly dead, for they have been pulled out by the roots.

So what is does God do with people like those above? Notice that Jude said they are pulled out by the roots. Jesus spoke to a similar condition in the following passage.

Luke 13:6-7 Then Jesus used this illustration: "A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. Finally, he said to his gardener, 'I've waited three years, and there hasn't been a single fig! Cut it down. It's taking up space we can use for something else.'

Jesus, being the gardener, gives the aberrant tree one more chance. I'm not sure I would.

Luke 13:8-9 The gardener answered, 'Give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I'll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. If we get figs next year, fine. If not, you can cut it down.'

So what causes someone who has been planted by the gardener, who has been watered, who has been nurtured to produce no fruit, or bad fruit?

In his latest book Walking with God, John Eldredge says, "You will know them by their fruit." He says this in relation to the things that cross our minds and the attitudes that we adopt; the things that would sway our course of action. What would the fruit be of doing or acting out the thought or attitude? Would it glorify God or not? If not, then the "tree" that it is coming from is the devil. We need to cut it down.

Something that we learned in Eldredge's book Waking the Dead, was that not every voice we hear in our minds is our own. Satan will sound just like us, making us believe that a thought or attitude is ours. If we accept the lie, the poison, we will produce fruit based upon that. Just like radiation will mutate a plant, Satan's subtle lies will mutate our fruit into something bad.

Likewise, the Spirit of God whispers thoughts into our minds, our hearts. But the effect of his voice on the fruit we produce is much different.

Galatians 5:22-23 But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Determine the fruit and you know what type of tree it came from. If it is good fruit, it came from a good tree. If it is bad, then a bad tree was the source.

So I join with Paul in charging you to produce good fruit.

Philippians 1:11 May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation – those good things that are produced in your life by Jesus Christ – for this will bring much glory and praise to God.

Yes, may you bring much glory and praise to God!

Father, let this be true in my life. May I live in a constant awareness and vigil of the fruit that is growing. If it is good, may it mature, if bad, may it be cut off quickly. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Perhaps it is time for some fertilizer? Jan
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John 14 - Because...

I see an progression of logic in a verse that I want to explore a moment.

John 14:21 Those who obey my commandments are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them, and I will love them. And I will reveal myself to each one of them."

So, to love Jesus means obeying his commandments. And if I obey his commandments his Father will love me. Because his Father loves me, Jesus will love me. And as a result he will reveal himself to me.

Right?

Close, but faulty logic. We are not loved by the Father because of obedience.

OK, one more time...

I demonstrate love by obeying. Because I'm demonstrating love for Jesus, Jesus' Father loves me. Because Jesus' Father loves me, Jesus will love me and reveal himself to me.

Yeah, I think that one sums it up.

Lord, may I obey out of a willing and grateful heart. May my life demonstrate that I do love your son, and as a result you. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Because I can. Jan
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John 13 - Full Extent of Love

I truly enjoy the New Living Translation of the Bible. It brings some passages to light in ways I'd never seen before. Today is a perfect example.

John 13:1 Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He now showed the disciples the full extent of his love.

Jesus showed his "disciples the full extent of his love." What a statement!

Wouldn't you want to receive the full extent of someone's love? It is a rare thing. In fact, if you think about it, this passage indicates that up to this point Jesus hadn't done so.

Jesus then proceeds to wash their feet. He then explains why he did it.

John 13:14-16 And since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other's feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. How true it is that a servant is not greater than the master. Nor are messengers more important than the one who sends them.

He's giving them an example. The fulfillment of that example, the reason for the example, is in these verses.

John 13:34-35 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.

How did Jesus love them? By humbling himself as a servant. So just as he did, by willingly doing the most menial task possible, we should likewise be willing to do whatever our Lord asks.

Do I love to the full extent? Most of the time the answer is sadly no. Most days I think I'm loving to the barely-there, or perhaps the quarter-there mark. However, I do have days where I let the Lord lead, days where I empty myself and he fills me to overflowing. It is those days when the full extent of love is truly evident.

Father, thank you for Jesus' example of the full extent of love. I will try to do better, please strengthen me, fill me with you as I empty myself. In Jesus' name, Amen.

To what extent are you loving? Jan
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John 12 - Gradients

A gradient is a graded change in the magnitude of some physical quantity or dimension. Some examples would be; smooth to rough, light to dark, dark to light, easy to hard, 1 to 10, a ramp leading up or down, and so on.

I see gradients in the perception of Jesus by the people in this chapter.

John 12:10-11 Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus, too, for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them and believed in Jesus.

John 12:12-13a The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A huge crowd of Passover visitors took palm branches and went down the road to meet him...

Jesus triumphantly enters Jerusalem. The response is as follows.

John 12:19 Then the Pharisees said to each other, "We've lost. Look, the whole world has gone after him!"

He tells the crowd the he will die for them.

John 12:34 "Die?" asked the crowd. "We understood from Scripture that the Messiah would live forever. Why are you saying the Son of Man will die? Who is this Son of Man you are talking about?"

As soon as Jesus is gone from their sight, the crowds thinned out.

John 12:37 But despite all the miraculous signs he had done, most of the people did not believe in him.

Ultimately they choose man over God. The following verses say it well.

John 12:42-43 Many people, including some of the Jewish leaders, believed in him. But they wouldn't admit it to anyone because of their fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.

We go from, many people, to a huge crowd, to the whole world believing in Jesus. Immediately that is contrasted with, the crowd, to most of the people, to some people, to many leaders not believing in Jesus.

All of this happens in a few short paragraphs. Seems amazing that opinion could fluctuate like that; that allegiance to Christ is so transitory.

But am I that different? My morning started with prayer and with reading my Bible. I prayed with my family. I listened to Christian music in my car. I was clearly aligning myself with Jesus.

Driving I exceeded the speed limit... Hmm, Jesus said something about obeying the laws of the land, and if I love him, I'll keep his commandments... That girl I passed, the one waiting at the bus stop. I didn't take a second glance, but I wanted to. Where does my allegiance lie? What does it say about the condition of my mind? That "technological fact" that I made up in the break room while getting coffee... Sounded like a half-truth to me, which makes it a whole lie... That project I completed and emailed everyone. Was I truly asking for comments, or was I merely looking to stroke my ego?... Ouch!

Which group am I part of? Am I with Christ, or am I not? Am I on a gradient leading up to our Lord? Am I climbing toward the celestial city, or am I on the slippery slope heading down?

What about you?

Father, please forgive my double and triple minded ways. I want to be wholly devoted to you. I need you like I need air. Please help me to follow Jesus better. In his name, Amen.

Climb, claw your way upward. Jan
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John 11 - Inspired

An interesting word - inspired. One dictionary definition is: "To affect, guide, or arouse by divine influence." In case anyone is wondering, divine means God.

I read the following passage and was jarred a bit by the thought that Caiaphas was inspired by God to do anything.

John 11:51-52 This prophecy that Jesus should die for the entire nation came from Caiaphas in his position as high priest. He didn't think of it himself; he was inspired to say it. It was a prediction that Jesus' death would be not for Israel only, but for the gathering together of all the children of God scattered around the world.

The Greek word used is "Propheteuo". It should be pretty clear that this is a derivative of the Greek word for prophecy or prophet. So the scripture is staying that God did inspire Caiaphas.

Something I've recently learned in other contexts is that oftentimes God honors the office, not necessarily the one holding it. This would be an example of just that principle.

Father, may I be inspired to do your will, not just proclaim your word. In Jesus' name, Amen.

How inspired are you? Jan
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John 10 - Listening to the Shepherd

I've read and re-read this chapter numerous times looking for something new, a fresh perspective. I think I'm on to something. This chapter starts with the words, "I assure you...". Who is Jesus assuring?

For that answer I needed to back up one chapter and then add on today's.

John 9:40-41, 10:1-5 The Pharisees who were standing there heard him and asked, "Are you saying we are blind?"

"If you were blind, you wouldn't be guilty," Jesus replied. "But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.

"I assure you, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! For a shepherd enters through the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they recognize his voice. They won't follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don't recognize his voice."

What had happened just prior to this narrative?

Jesus had performed a miracle that nobody could ignore, he'd given sight to a man that had been born blind. The religious crowd had the following response to the healed man.

John 9:28-29 Then they cursed him and said, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know God spoke to Moses, but as for this man, we don't know anything about him."

They didn't know the voice of the shepherd. They refused to follow him. Now look at the healed man's interaction with Jesus subsequent to the rejection of the Pharisees.

John 9:35-38 When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"

The man answered, "Who is he, sir, because I would like to."

"You have seen him," Jesus said, "and he is speaking to you!"

"Yes, Lord," the man said, "I believe!" And he worshiped Jesus.

The man heard Jesus, recognized his voice, and worshiped him - he followed the shepherd.

Most bibles make it seem as though verse twenty-two of chapter ten is a new thought, a new narrative. I believe it is a continuation of the same conversation that started in chapter nine. Otherwise why would this be there?

John 10:25-27 Jesus replied, "I have already told you, and you don't believe me. The proof is what I do in the name of my Father. But you don't believe me because you are not part of my flock. My sheep recognize my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

Jesus explains that those who don't believe what he's said, and even more incredibly, don't believe in the visual incontrovertible proof of the miracles, clearly are not of his flock.

John 10:37-38 Don't believe me unless I carry out my Father's work. But if I do his work, believe in what I have done, even if you don't believe me.

Jesus speaks even when he isn't speaking. He does it through his signs and wonders. Pity that the religious crowd was not listening or following. No, instead they were trying to steal, kill and destroy.

John 10:31,39 Once again the Jewish leaders picked up stones to kill him... Once again they tried to arrest him, but he got away and left them.

Father, thank you for adopting me as one of your own sheep. May I stay close to my shepherd, always watching and listening for his voice. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Can you hear him now? Jan
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John 9 - Occluded

I was going somewhere different with this chapter and God scrapped it. I saw something different. Something I hadn't seen before.

Jesus and his dudes are walking along and come across a guy that is blind - has been since birth.

John 9:1 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth.

The guy doesn't beg, doesn't ask for anything, he's just there. We have no record of him saying anything.

Jesus tells his disciples that he is the light of the world.

John 9:5 But while I am still here in the world, I am the light of the world.

One property of light is that it enables us to see. I recently discovered that under dim light we only see in shades of gray, not color. It was startling to realize that in forty-four years I'd never known this.

Back to the narrative. Jesus spits on the ground, makes some mud and tells the guy to wash it off. Suddenly he can see - people notice.

John 9:11 He told them, "The man they call Jesus made mud and smoothed it over my eyes and told me, 'Go to the pool of Siloam and wash off the mud.' I went and washed, and now I can see!"

He gets questioned again about what happened.

John 9:15 The Pharisees asked the man all about it. So he told them, "He smoothed the mud over my eyes, and when it was washed away, I could see!"

Eventually the religious crowd get exasperated because they have no way to refute the man's claims. They throw him out of the church.

John 9:34 "You were born in sin!" they answered. "Are you trying to teach us?" And they threw him out of the synagogue.

He had gone most of his life believing the same as Jesus' disciples, that either he or his parent's sin had caused his blindness. He was a man feeling the weight of condemnation daily. Now just when the weight has been lifted, when light came flooding into a once darkened soul, he was condemned again as a sinner. He was literally thrown out into the street.

Notice that Jesus knew about the man's condition, that he had been rejected by those that should be rejoicing. And notice that Jesus went looking for him.

John 9:35-38 When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"

The man answered, "Who is he, sir, because I would like to."

"You have seen him," Jesus said, "and he is speaking to you!"

"Yes, Lord," the man said, "I believe!" And he worshiped Jesus.

Something that I'd never noticed before is that Jesus answers the man's question with something that the man had never heard before. He told him "You have been him."

Imagine the power of that moment, never having seen anything up to that day, and now beholding the face of the healer, the redeemer, the one that has declared you not-guilty.

So many of us live life in a partial light. I did for many years. I just barely made out the features of the one that could bring me life. He had long since put the mud on my eyes, all I had to do was to wash, to rid myself of the filth. But I resisted. As a result my world was lacking color, lacking depth. My vision was occluded.

But glory be to God. He does not leave us as he found us. The mud began to harden, my vision and world began to contract and disappear around me. Finally, thankfully, I cried out to him. In his mercy he sent the rain.

Titus 3:5 He saved us, not because of the good things we did, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins and gave us a new life through the Holy Spirit.

Yes, he washed the mud off my eyes. Color, life, depth, oh what joy resulted! I will never be the same.

Father, thank you for cleansing. Thank you for the washing and regeneration that comes only through you. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Time for the spin dry. Jan
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John 8 - True

Repeatedly in this book I see the word 'true'. I wrote about it in chapter four. Here it is again. In the following verses it is very prominent.

John 8:31-32 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, "You are truly my disciples if you keep obeying my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

John's concluding statements toward the end of his book show that the repeated use of this word is because he was attempting to show, via proof, that Jesus is indeed the Messiah.

John 20:30-31 Jesus' disciples saw him do many other miraculous signs besides the ones recorded in this book. But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life.

By continually documenting, according to Jewish law via two or three witnesses, John established that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. He proved the truth.

Father, thank you for the diligence of John. His words of truth point everyone to the Truth. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Truly. Jan
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John 7 - God's schoolmaster

I love the following statement about Jesus.

John 7:15 The Jewish leaders were surprised when they heard him. "How does he know so much when he hasn't studied everything we've studied?" they asked.

It shows that Jesus did not apparently attend the Jewish religious schools. The Rabbis would certainly have known if he had. Something my wife pointed out is that when Jesus first appeared on the scene as an adult, immediately he was referred to as a Rabbi - a learned teacher.

Move forward to Peter and John before the high council after Jesus' death.

Acts 4:13 After they found out that Peter and John had no education or special training, they were surprised to see how boldly they spoke. They realized that these men had been with Jesus.

They recognized the wisdom, power, message and style of Peter and John's Rabbi being exhibited in these men. They understood that they had learned from Jesus.

Where did any of these three men get their wisdom, power and knowledge?

Paul, although well schooled in all of the Jewish laws and traditions still started out as a persecutor of the church. So what changed him? Where did he learn about the right way?

Galatians 1:12 For my message came by a direct revelation from Jesus Christ himself. No one else taught me.

All of them received knowledge and wisdom through the indwelling on the Holy Spirit. He is the way that Jesus speaks to us today. And he is still here. He wants to teach us. He wants others to know that we've been with Jesus.

Jesus showed us that this is something that he desires for everyone. But they must invite him in.

John 5:37-38 And the Father himself has also testified about me. You have never heard his voice or seen him face to face, and you do not have his message in your hearts, because you do not believe me—the one he sent to you.

The obvious implication of this statement is that if we do believe in Jesus, we will have the Father's message in our hears.

Father, help me to speak your words to those around me. Help me to listen to your voice, the voice of the the Spirit. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Peace, Jan
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John 6 - What to do?

Jesus spoke to a crowd and they asked him the universal question. It is the one question that any of us ask when confronted with the fact that there is something wrong with our view of our condition or our reality. They asked, "What should I do?"

John 6:28 They replied, "What does God want us to do?"

Peter gave an impassioned, Holy Spirit inspired monologue to the crowd in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. Their response was the same.

Acts 2:37 Peter's words convicted them deeply, and they said to him and to the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?"

Jesus' hearers argued with him when he answered - amazing. Peter's hearers were greatly convicted and changed when he replied.

Which crowd am I part of daily? For I need to understand that this question is expected of me every day, all day long. However, am I even asking? And if perchance I do ask, am I arguing, or listening and obeying?

Father, may I ask - often. And may I listen for your answer and obey. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Go ahead, ask. Jan
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John 5 - Pop goes the Para-dig-um

Yes, I know that it is spelled paradigm. However, I'm finding something in this chapter that is spoiling my neatly wrapped, packaged, merciful God of love.

Jesus finds a guy that has been crippled for thirty-eight years and heals him. Then he sends him on his way. A short time later Jesus runs into the guy again and gives him some parting instructions.

John 5:14 But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, "Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you."

Whoa Nellie! Did Jesus, meek and mild, the Jesus of John 3:16 just say that sin brings punishment?

Move ahead a few chapters. Jesus and his homeboys run across a guy that's been blind since birth. They ask Jesus, "Who's sin caused this, his or his parents?"

John 9:3 "It was not because of his sins or his parents' sins," Jesus answered. "He was born blind so the power of God could be seen in him."

Notice that Jesus did not say, "People are not punished in this life for their sins." Nor did he say, "God does not punish children for their parent's sins."

In fact if we look ahead to the book of Acts I find that the Holy Spirit immediately kills a couple of people who lied to him.

Acts 3:3-5 Then Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren't lying to us but to God."

As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified.

A short time later the scene was repeated with the man's wife. Ouch! Sin resulted in instant judgment. I would certainly call this punishment for sins.

This is New Testament stuff here, not doom, gloom, wrath and destruction from Moses' and the Prophets' time.

Being raised in the culture of grace we quickly forget that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is not some doting old man who looks like Santa Claus at the mall.

In the words of the song, 'Our God is an Awesome God!' He is a warrior.

Father, may I live my life in proper balance with your holiness and your mercy. Please forgive the times that I don't get it right. In Jesus' name, Amen.

You dig? Jan
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John 4 - True Truthful Worshipers

Welcome to another installment of Greek exegesis with Professor Jan. No, not really. However, I did find something interesting in this chapter that the Greek translation brings out amazingly well.

John 4:23-24 But the time is coming and is already here when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for anyone who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.

There are three instances of the the word 'truth' or a variant thereof in the verses above.

The word 'truth' appears twice. It is the Greek word 'Aletheia', which means, "what is true in any matter under consideration", and "that candor of mind which is free from affection, pretence, simulation, falsehood, deceit."

Note, the word 'affection' is referring to a presupposition or bent toward something. It is not saying that you are lacking love.

The last part of the definition really says it well; no pretence, not simulated, nothing fake or deceitful.

Now for the other variant of the word 'truth'.

The word 'true' in verse twenty-three is the clincher. It is the Greek word 'Alethinos'. It means, "that which has not only the name and resemblance, but the real nature corresponding to the name, in every respect corresponding to the idea signified by the name."

The opposite of that word is 'Lanthano'. It means, "to be hidden, to be hidden from one, secretly, unawares, without knowing."

If I were to rewrite the thought being expressed by Jesus in the two verses above, it would read as follows.

Jan 5:14:2008 The Father desires worshipers that in every way truly are worshipers. They don't only resemble worshipers, they embody the very word in all that they do and think, worshiping openly for all to see, wholeheartedly with no pretence or artifice. There are many alive now, and more on the way, that are true worshipers. Will you join them? (JBT)

Lord, may I be an alethinos worshiper. May I embody worship and praise to you. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Worship Him, Jan
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John 3 - Belief and Obedience

Recently my men's group studied John Bevere's book, The Bait of Satan. In it the author shows that belief and obedience are synonymous. To believe means that you obey; and if you obey, that means you believe. I see that exact thing in the last verse of this chapter.

John 3:36 And all who believe in God's Son have eternal life. Those who don't obey the Son will never experience eternal life, but the wrath of God remains upon them.

I had never read this verse in the New Living Translation, or if I had I did not notice the words, 'believe' and 'obey' being used as they were. I am more accustomed to the traditional translation.

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (KJV)

So I looked up the two words. The first is the Greek word 'Pisteuo'. It corresponds well to our interpretation of the word 'belief', or "commit to one's trust." It comes from the Greek word 'Pistis' which means "conviction of the truth of anything, belief."

However, the second word for 'belief' jumped out at me. It is the Greek word 'Apeitheo'. It means "to believe not, or to be disobedient." Ok, so there are two possible meanings. That doesn't clear it up much.

But wait, there's more! This Greek word comes from the root word, 'Apeithes'. There is no ambiguity there. It means "disobedience."

So a good way to look at it would be, not obeying something because you don't believe it to be true.

It looks like the NLT got it right.

This begs the question, "Does that mean that salvation is earned?" No, you don't earn salvation. That comes from accepting God's free gift - through faith, through belief. But if you don't show evidence of salvation by your obedience, then your belief probably isn't real.

Thank you Father for salvation. May I demonstrate my allegiance to you by obeying your commands. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Do you believe? Jan
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John 2 - First Display of Glory?

John says that when Jesus made 120 - 180 gallons of wine, it was the first display of his glory.

John 2:11 This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was Jesus' first display of his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

I don't think so. It may have been the first public display. But it certainly wasn't the first display. Look again at the what brought about the miracle.

John 2:3-5 The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus' mother spoke to him about the problem. "They have no more wine," she told him.

"How does that concern you and me?" Jesus asked. "My time has not yet come."

But his mother told the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."

Mary had to know that Jesus could do something about the lack or wine or she would never have approached him about it. Further she would not have told the servants to do what he said if there was nothing he could do.

We are all cracked pots when it comes to containing God's light. Some of us shine brighter than others. Jesus' earthen body certainly could not hide his power or nature from the one who raised him - his mother.

What about us, will we do whatever he tells us? Will we allow him to do a miracle through us?

Reveal his glory, Jan
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John 1 - I didn't know

I find the following verses perplexing.

John 1:31 I didn't know he was the one, but I have been baptizing with water in order to point him out to Israel.

John 1:33-34 I didn't know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, 'When you see the Holy Spirit descending and resting upon someone, he is the one you are looking for. He is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Son of God.

What I don't get is how can John not know that Jesus is the one?

They are cousins, and even before his birth John the Baptist recognized Jesus as being sent from God. Below is the account of their first encounter.

Luke 1:41-44 At the sound of Mary's greeting, Elizabeth's child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, "You are blessed by God above all other women, and your child is blessed. What an honor this is, that the mother of my Lord should visit me! When you came in and greeted me, my baby jumped for joy the instant I heard your voice!"

As cousins, they would have had some contact with each other growing up. Family units tended to stick together. So wouldn't Jesus have exhibited signs of his true lineage early on?

But wait, that isn't the entire picture.

Matthew 2:14-15 That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, and they stayed there until Herod's death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: "I called my Son out of Egypt."

So there was a period of time, about seven years, that Jesus lived in Egypt. Contact with Elizabeth, Zechariah and their son John was cut off.

Their intent was to return to Bethlehem after their sojourn in Egypt. However, an angel warned them to instead settle back in Nazareth.

Matthew 2:23 So they went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what was spoken by the prophets concerning the Messiah: "He will be called a Nazarene."

I guess the answer to why John didn't know lies in this verse from Luke's gospel.

Luke 1:80 John grew up and became strong in spirit. Then he lived out in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.

It is probable that by the time Jesus and his parents returned from Egypt, that contact was lost with the family. We may never know. But it certainly is an interesting question.

Thank you Father for interesting mysteries, ones that we can dig into, but ultimately you must solve. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Peace, Jan
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