Grace to Change

John 8:11 - And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

The story we often call The Woman Caught in the Act of Adultery is a powerful story of grace. She was dragged to Jesus by a bunch of legalistic Jewish leaders as simply a tool to get him in trouble. There will multiple witnesses of her inappropriate behavior. There was no doubt of her guilt of the charge that may not mean much in America today but gave grounds for her to be killed by people throwing stones at her under the Jewish Law. Those Jewish leaders reminded Jesus of this. “In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” (John 8:5 ESV)

They knew this would put Jesus in a tough spot. If he said, “Stone her,” he would fulfill the Law, but the message of grace he had been preaching would be nullified. If he said, “Let her go,” he would be violating the Old Testament Law. Instead, on another of his brilliant moves of righteous grace, Jesus responded, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:7 ESV)

As those vicious leaders thought about Jesus’ challenge, one by one they left, because they realized they each were guilty of doing wrong things in their own lives. None of them were eligible to throw that first stone. Once Jesus saw that they all left he uttered the unforgettable words to the woman: “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” (John 8:10-11 ESV)

As the only sinless person to walk this earth, Jesus could have condemned her, but he didn’t. His wonderful promise extends to all of us who come to him. He forgives. He does not condemn, but notice that forgiveness is not a license to continue in the sinful behavior: “Go and sin no more.” (John 8:11 KJV)

Our modern world is often caught between the two bad options the Jewish leaders thought they had limited Jesus to. Either we slam the “sinners” around us with condemnation or we endorse their sin and say there is nothing wrong with doing evil things. There are plenty of well-meaning Christians who have planted themselves on both sides of this dilemma, but Jesus’ way is still best. Let us forgive those who have done wrong (because we all have), yet see that forgiveness as the first step in a new life in which behavior changes because wrong is still wrong. Grace is the gateway to change.

The Light of Christmas

John 7:52 - They answered him, “You are not also from Galilee, are you? Search, and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee.”

The first century Jewish leaders held their scriptures – our Old Testament – in high regard. However, they missed the best part of those scriptures’ message: the true nature of the coming Messiah. They got Jesus’ birth place right (see Matthew 2:4-6). They knew that as Son of David the Christ was to be born in Bethlehem, but they missed a key prophecy from the Old Testament prophet who wrote the most prophecies of all.  

The Prophet Isaiah lived more than 700 years before the First Christmas yet gave many prophecies about the coming of the Christ that were given in so much incredible detail that there is no way Jesus could have fulfilled them by chance or even by his own effort to try and seem like the Christ. The only realistic explanation is that he was the Christ prophesied by Isaiah and many other Old Testament prophets and writers hundreds of years before he came.

Isaiah Chapter Nine contains several of these. Verse One prophesied the exact location his ministry would begin: the Land of Galilee, which was part of the Old Testament tribal land of Naphtali. The Jerusalem-based leaders described in John 7 and 8 had a real snobbery against the low-life Gallileans. That is why the responded the way they did above not realizing that if they had taken to time to study the scriptures, they would have found Isaiah Nine fulfilled that challenge and told not only where the Christ was to come from but also what he was to be like and what he would do.

Verses Six and Seven revealed the unique fully divine/fully human nature of the Christ as memorably put to music by George Frideric Handel in his Messiah:

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end,

on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it

with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Unfortunately, most of those early Jewish leaders got it wrong. They were not willing to take the challenge to search the scriptures for themselves to see that this Jewish was the promised one. Many today are in the same situation, while others have sought and found that Jesus is their Savior.

The greatest gift of Christmas is ours when we do receive his gift. Then we get to discover the wonderful truth Isaiah spoke of between the other two prophecies in Verse Two of Chapter Nine and learn what Jesus came to do for us:

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;

those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.

It is my prayer that his light will shine on you this Christmas and throughout the coming year.

Thirsty?

John 7:37-39 - On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Have you ever been really thirsty? Your body needs water more than any other substance. We can live without food for several weeks. We will die without water in just a couple of days. Our bodies crave water when do not have it.

The Feast of Tabernacles reminded the people of Israel of their forty year long journey from slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land. As they traveled through the desert, more than once they ran out of water and God miraculously provided it for them. (Exodus 15:22-27, 17:2-6; Numbers 20:1-12) On the biggest day of this feast, in front of the largest crowd, Jesus cried out with a loud voice to many who were thirsty. Yet, his invitation went far beyond the desert memories. The invitation did not go to those thirsty for physical water. Instead, he promised – and still promises – living water to meet a much deeper thirst.

Perhaps you have this deeper thirst today. You have a longing for more. You thirst to know why you are on this planet. You are aware of an emptiness inside that no beverage – or person – has been able to satisfy. I still remember very well trying to get my own thirst filled from a variety of sources, but all of them left me even thirstier than before. All of that changed when I met Jesus and experienced the power of the Holy Spirit in me these verses describe. More than three decades later, that living water still flows. There is a real joy that transcends every circumstance I face that I do not produce myself. It is a never ending stream of joy-filled spiritual water. It is my prayer that you would experience it, too, if you have not already. Jesus tells you can here. 

Jesus gives us the first step, “Come to me,” in verse 37. You won’t find this living water anywhere else but from him. The next step is to drink. Many believe in Jesus but hold back in receiving the living water of the Holy Spirit. Some “drink” the living water best with others around them who can pray with them for this filling. Others seek and experience the Spirit’s filling on their own. Either way, come to Jesus and drink of the Spirit. Let your thirst be truly satisfied. 

Hating Jesus

John 7:7 - The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.

Do you ever find yourself caught in the middle of the cultural battle that is raging today? Many loud voices have been calling to reverse some long-held, biblically-based definitions of right and wrong. This is hard for those of us who were taught to believe Jesus’ words that the greatest commandments are to “love God with all your heart, soul, and strength… and to love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39) The ugliness of the battle of words and politics seems so directly opposed to the love we are supposed to live. Yet, we know there is an objective, unchanging standard of right and wrong laid out in the Bible. How can we rectify the conflict of love versus righteousness?

Perhaps you are on the other side. You have been hurt deeply by the words of Christians who have attacked you. In response, you have felt a great deal of negative emotion. Maybe even reading these words raises your heart rate. Some Christians may seem to be hypocrites who fail to live this love that they preach. When that is true, they have got Jesus wrong.

Jesus’ words in John 7:7 above clarify the reality of the conflict of our age.

First, notice the source of the hate. It is the world. The New Testament often uses the Greek word kosmos to describe the system of values, beliefs, and practices held by those in power and opposed to Christianity. It is the system. It is not individuals. Jesus died for people. Jesus loves every person. Jesus commands us to love each one. We need to remember it is the system of values, beliefs, and practices others have adopted that is the problem. We are not to hate the people who espouse them. We must love them even if we do not accept what they say and pray they will change their own beliefs to accept Christ.

Second, notice the target of the hate. It is Jesus. Jesus’ words are to remind us that when we feel the sting of hateful words in these cultural battles, it is really Jesus – his standards, words, and life – that generate the hate. These are not our own words. They are his.

Third, notice the reason for the hate. Jesus said the world’s deeds are evil. Evil is not a popular word in our relativistic age. Our world wants right and wrong to be up to each individual (with the exception of a personal conviction that there is such a thing as right and wrong). How do you feel when someone criticizes you? People want to be free to do what they want, so Jesus words about their deeds causes them to hate. Yet, Jesus’ point is that there is a difference between good deeds and evil deeds. We do not get to decide which is which, and there are consequences to our actions.

Jesus’ battle is not new, but it is real. Do not be surprised by it.

Now or Forever

John 6:66-69 - After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

It is very easy to focus on now. When we want something, we want it now. Our desires are immediate, and when the choice is between satisfying an immediate desire and getting a much longer term benefit, too often the immediate wins. This is why dieting can be so tough. The long term goal of being in better shape has a tough battle against a delicious eclair sitting in front of us.

John 6 shows Jesus gaining then losing a huge crowd. Their initial interest in him was “because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.” (6:2) Perhaps some were bored and wanted to watch a show. Some likely were sincerely seeking the Messiah. Maybe many were sick or had sick relatives they wanted to see healed.

Whatever the reason for initially coming to see Jesus, his feeding of the five thousand spoke to their immediate physical desire and led many to focus there. Who does not enjoy a delicious free lunch? The crowds started to grow even more with the prospect of more free food to come. (6:26) Yet, when Jesus did not generate Free Meal #2 but instead started talking about the more important, longer term nutrition of eternal life that comes from believing in Jesus, most of them turned away. They were not willing to stop looking at the now to gain the forever.

The good news is that not everyone felt that way. When Jesus asked his twelve closest followers if they wanted to leave, too, Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.” They knew what mattered most, and they kept their focus on the long term because they understood Jesus was (and is) the only Holy One of God who can bring eternal life.

May we never make the mistake of trading a lot of forever for a quickly passing now.

Keep the Long Term Focus

John 6:26-27 - Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”

Have you ever received word of a giveaway of a product you really wanted? Did you make it a priority to drop what you were doing to run to the store and grab one before they ran out? That was the case for a huge crowd of Galilean Jews. Five thousand of them had been fortunate enough to eat a free meal Jesus had given them. Even though that meal was in a remote spot, word quickly got to Tiberias, the biggest city in the region, and crowds of people hopped in boats to get to the place Jesus had fed the 5,000. (vs 23) They were hoping for another free lunch that they would be able to experience this time.

However, when they got there, Jesus was gone. Yet, the people were still anxious for the free meal, so they tracked Jesus down to the fishing village of Capernaum. (vs 24) They had not seen him walking on the water, so they asked him when he arrived. (vs 25) Jesus immediately knew what they were after. They wanted another meal, but Jesus urged them to get something that lasts longer, eternal life.

It can be so easy for us to focus on temporary things. Maybe it is your next meal. That will last you a few hours. Maybe it’s your next car. That can last you several years, but it will eventually break down. Even your next house won’t last forever.

The “stuff” of life that we see and touch can captivate all of our time and attention, but there will be a day for each of us when life as we know it now will cease. That is not the end. Jesus urges us, like he urged the hungry crowds, to seek the food he gives that lasts forever – eternal life. Like he said in verse 35, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” Come to Jesus. Believe in him. He is far more fulfilling than all the stuff of earth. Eternal life is worth your focus.

Fear? Gone!

John 6:17b-19 - It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened.

The disciples had good reason to be afraid. Although they had just seen more than 5,000 people miraculously fed, things had changed, and they were scared. You may know what that’s like right now. There were several things John noted about the disciples situation that may apply to yours.

First, it was dark. They had seen the miracle in the daylight. They had no doubt that Jesus was who he claimed to be when they saw that supernatural lunch, but now that it was dark, it was easy to forget the reason for their trust in him.

The second factor contributed to this even more. “Jesus had not yet come to them.” They were alone. The Master they had walked and talked with, the Master who performed the miracle, had left them. They probably felt abandoned. They wondered if he would return. This made the other factors even more frightening.

The natural circumstances around them constituted the third reason for fear. On a small boat in the middle of a big lake, waves and wind can sink one quickly. You probably know what it is like to face challenging circumstances beyond your control that are capable of sinking you in a heartbeat. You may have seen others go down because of lesser storms, and now you face this one alone.

The final cause for their fear was seeing something they did not understand. In Matthew’s account, the disciples assumed Jesus was a ghost. John simply tells us they were afraid when they saw Jesus. It did not make sense that a man could walk on water. This culminated a very scary situation. They seemed to have good reason to be afraid, but what they missed was that this final cause of fear was about to bring them full victory over fear.

Verses 20-21 tell us that Jesus told them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

Jesus showed up in the midst of their fear in a way they did expect, but by receiving him gladly the reasons for their fear were over, and their ultimate goal was achieved.

Whatever may be causing you fear today, look for Jesus’ coming to you in ways you do not expect, remember his words to not be afraid, and receive him gladly.

Are You a “Can’t” Person or a “So Little” Person?

John 6:7-9 - Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?”

We all see problems. Not everyone sees solutions. Problems are real. Some problems are enormous and without clear ways to overcome them. Problems pervade every area of life. How do you react when you run into a problem? Some refuse to even consider a way out. Others see the reality of the problem and what little they have to respond but to offer it anyway.

John 6 describes a big problem. More than 5,000 people followed to listen to Jesus, and they were hungry. Two of Jesus’ disciples gave two responses to the problem. Neither would have earned an A on the exam of faith. Neither appeared to be a hero. There was only a slight difference between their responses, but that difference made all the difference.

Philip was the “Can’t” person. He saw only the problem with no possible solution. Are you ever like him when a big problem emerges? It is easy to fall into that trap, but that reaction never solves problems.

Where Philip said, “Can’t,” Andrew said, “Here is what we have, but it is so little.” It, too, paled by comparison to the magnitude of their problem, but he offered it to Jesus anyway. That “So Little” became the seed of the miracle of Jesus that impacted the most people in an immediately tangible way while he was here on earth. 5,000 people had a great lunch that day.

The next time you face a big problem, don’t immediately fall into the “Can’t” trap. Though you may only have a little, give it to Jesus, step out, take the risk, and you might see your own miracle happen.

Evidence for Jesus

John 5:32 -There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true.

If you have not yet become a Christian, it makes sense you should want to know for sure Jesus is truly one you can believe in. A life change of that magnitude should have some evidence to back it up, and we have that from Jesus himself. In the last portion of John Chapter Five, Jesus gives four solid sources of evidence for his unique role as the Son of God and Savior of the world.

The first is John the Baptist (John 5:33). If you read through John 1, as well as Matthew 3, Mark 1, and Luke 3, you will see what an impact John’s preaching had on the Jewish people. He came in clear fulfillment of four to seven hundred year old prophecies found in Isaiah 40 and Malachi 4. Yet, he constantly spoke of Jesus who was coming after him yet greater the John himself could ever be. ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ (John 1:30) Jesus was to be “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29) and “the one who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.” (John 1:33) John boldly called Jesus the “Son of God.” (John 1:34) Thousands of Jews heard that acclaim from a man they trusted and respected above all others. That was good evidence, but there was more.

The miracles Jesus did were the second – and even more persuasive – evidence of Jesus’ uniqueness (John 5:36). He healed the sick, made the lame walk, caused the blind to see, cast out demons, and even raised the dead. These works were amazing then. They are still amazing today. Craig Keener’s two volume and well-researched masterwork, Miracles, is my favorite on the subject, but many scientific studies have shown a connection between prayer and healing. I have had the privilege myself of seeing many immediate, medically unexplainable healings in response to believing Christian prayer. Jesus did and does show his divinity through what he does.

God the Father also gave evidence of Jesus as his one and only Son (John 5:37-38). At a few key times, God spoke from heaven to people around Jesus to give witness to his glory and power. At Jesus’ baptism a voice from Heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17) On the mountain while Jesus was transfigured, God said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”  (Matthew 17:5) Later in the day on Palm Sunday, God’s voice came in the presence of Jesus when he was speaking to some Greeks who were curious about him. (John 12:28) Of course, God has given other nonverbal yet unmistakable evidence of Jesus through the dramatic life change he has made in those who have believed in him. I know I fall on that list.

The final source of evidence Jesus points to is found in the Scriptures – what we call the Old Testament (John 5:39) Hundreds of scriptures written hundreds of years before Jesus’ coming could only have been fulfilled by him. We can start in Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22, but the list expands quickly. Jesus’ point remains true. He was not random. He was not an imposter. He was not a legend. He was and is the only savior of the world. Hopefully, you will not be like those Jesus spoke those words to: “You refuse to come to me that you may have life (in spite of the evidence).” (John 5:40) Come to Jesus. He is. This is the best life you can have.

Why the Fuss Over Jesus?

John 5:18  - This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

Jesus can polarize. Talking about Jesus with others can bring one of three reactions: love, hostility, or tempered complacency. The last option comes from those who acknowledge many good things about Jesus – like his commands to love another and help the marginalized and his helping the hurting like the man he healed in John 5 who provoked this conflict. People in the third category like to say Jesus was a good man, but they struggle with what they see as the arrogant claim of Christians that Jesus is the only way to God and eternal life. Although people in the third group try to rewrite history and say Jesus’ exclusiveness was an addition of his later followers, people in the second group get it right. They understand you cannot separate Jesus’ ethical teaching and good works from his claims even if they do not like it.

The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem were in that second group. They understood that Jesus claimed to be God. They understood Jesus considered himself above their law that forbade carrying a sleeping mat on the Sabbath day – an added interpretation of God’s law that missed the point. They understood that even though a man who had been crippled for 38 years was able to go to the temple completely healed for the first time in his life, this Jesus who healed him challenged their entire system, and they were not willing to accept him.

Where do you fall in those three groups? Do you resent this Jesus like the Jewish leaders did or do you just consider him a good man while rejecting what he said about himself? Either of those options has the same bad result. Look what Jesus told them a few verses later: “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” (John 5:24) Jesus explains here that he has the unique role of eternal judge and the ability to set free those who believe in him. As good as his teaching and benevolent actions were, the main reason Jesus came is to change our eternity through his death in our place on the cross. That required him being the only begotten Son of God the Father. It is not our arrogance as Christians to claim Jesus’ exclusivity. It is his nature. He is the only one. He is the way to eternal life.

Whichever of the three groups you started today in, I pray you believe that Jesus was more than just a good teacher. You eternal destiny is at stake. Receive him as the Lord that he is.

Why That Guy?

John 5:6-7 -When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.”

There were a lot of sick and lame people by the Pool of Bethesda the day Jesus showed up. We know he had the power to heal them all, but, based on John’s account, it sounds like only one was healed. He was not the prime candidate for a miracle. He had suffered with his physical issue for 38 years. When Jesus asked him if he wanted to get healed, he didn’t even say yes. Instead, he whined about why he could not get healed. In most of Jesus’ healings, the faith of the one asking and receiving – or at least his or her friends – was specifically stated as the reason the healing happened. That man uttered no words hinting any kind of faith in even the remotest sense. Why did that guy get healed and no one else?

Even after the healing took place that guy manifested an attitude. He blamed Jesus for his own ”breaking of the Sabbath” (by the Pharisees’ definition) through carrying the pallet he lived on for those 38 years (5:11). Then, after at first not knowing who Jesus was then being checked up on by Jesus, he turned him in to the authorities (5:15-16). Certainly, there had to be a nicer, more deserving person Jesus could have healed that day by the pool. Why did he pick that guy? Perhaps a related question more relevant to us is, “Why does Jesus do some really good things for some really (seemingly) undeserving people?”

If you took five minutes, I am sure you could put some names on that list: the high school deadbeat who is now a millionaire business owner, the jerk who dumped you but now has a happy family, and that guy who cut you off in traffic this morning and beat the red light you did not. Why is God so unfair?

The answer is that we are upset when God does not meet our own definition of fairness. Look closer at the text and you can see that Jesus knew that man had been suffering a physical distress for 38 years. Can you imagine that? That is almost a lifetime. Perhaps he had been suffering longer than all others. Maybe that’s why he had such a bad attitude.

Also, he probably did not know who Jesus was when he gave that initial hopeless response. Yet, notice what he did do. He obeyed Jesus when the Lord told him to pick up his mat and go home. That took real faith. It was in his action the healing came. What looked like a man lacking faith was not so lacking after all.

It may feel like it is easy to judge the fairness of what happens to others. In some cases earthly benefit is not well earned, but we do not always get to know why God does what he does. Let us not be too quick to judge God’s fairness since he knows and see so much we do not. I know I have been that guy more than once.

On Whose Terms?

John 4:49-50 - The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.

A lot of us think we know how things should be done. We are convinced that if we push the right buttons - or if the right other person pushes the right buttons – we will get the desired outcome. The government official in the town of Cana was like that. He had a problem. His son was dying. He had heard what Jesus had done for others. Perhaps he had been at the wedding where Jesus changed the water to wine in his town. He believed Jesus had the power to heal his son, but he believed it would happen a certain way.

So, the official came to Jesus and asked him to come down and heal his son before he died. (John 4:47) After Jesus did not say he would come, the man asked again, “Come down before my son dies.” (vs 49) The man believed Jesus could heal his son but only if he was there.

Jesus did not follow the man’s terms. He did not go down. However, Jesus did care, and he did act. He told the man, “Go; you son will live.” At exactly the moment he spoke those words, the official’s son got healthy. (vv 51-53) It did not happen the way the man expected. It did not happen the way he was convinced it must happen, and yet it still happened. It happened on Jesus’ terms.

Often God will do exactly what we in just the way we ask, but quite often he will achieve what it is we really want or actually need in quite unexpected ways. Let’s let him act on his terms and not always expect him to comply with ours.

Steps to Believing

John 4:39-42 - Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

How do you believe? Believing is the core action in becoming a Christian. In the most quoted verse of the bible, Jesus said, “Whoever believes in him (Jesus) will receive eternal life.” (John 3:16). That means those who do not believe in Jesus do not receive eternal life. There is a lot at stake in this thing called believing. Yet, many people struggle believing. “I can’t believe it.” “It is hard to believe.”

Believing and seeing others believe does not have to be that difficult. We may feel that we have to understand perfectly before we believe in Jesus. We may think we have all our questions answered before we can even take the first step. Thank God that is not the case. We simply need to respond to what we know, however small that amount is, to begin this process of believing. (Matthew 13:31-32)

The people of the town of Sychar in John 4 show us how belief starts and develops. The story begins with a rejected woman who had a conversation with Jesus in which “he told me everything I ever did.” Jesus showed his transcendent knowledge to the woman to prove himself to her. He did not answer every theological question she had. He did not perform every miracle he could have. He simply showed her he knew some of her life struggles and challenges and that he offered a better way – “living water.”

This woman’s response was to run back to town to the people who had rejected her and invite them to come meet Jesus. She was not an eloquent speaker with a PhD in Theology. She had just met Jesus and invited others to do the same, and they came. They believed Jesus first because they saw a change in her. They were willing to drop the important things they were doing to see this man who had changed the town reject’s life.

The townspeople, too, did not get all their questions answered immediately, but over the next two days spent with Jesus, they came to believe in him on their own. Their faith developed step by step: 1) Hearing the woman’s words about Jesus, 2) Coming to Jesus, and 3) Getting to know Jesus. See what they said in verse 42: “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

Where are you in the process of belief? If you have made it this far in my blog, you are at least at step one. You have heard my story of faith. If you would like to hear more, please reply to me. However, the better step is to come to Jesus. Spend time with him and his people and let him reveal himself to you. As that happens, you will experience what the people of Sychar and over a billion others through history have: you will know indeed this Jesus is the Savior of the world.

Marriage Redefined?

I Corinthians 6:9-10 - Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Today, June 26, 2015, the United States Supreme Court rendered a decision that makes marriage between two members of the same sex legal in every state. I know some of my friends are rejoicing. I know many of you have looked and longed for this decision. Some of you may have even fought for the opportunity to seek government sanction on what you hope to be a fulfilling life-long relationship with someone you have deep attraction to and want to make a commitment with. You may have looked at couples like Keira and I with envy or even vindictiveness that we could have what you could not, and you see today’s decision as justice.

Yet, at its core, this issue goes beyond what either you or I think. It even goes beyond what our Supreme Court decides. The core question is, what is our basis of determining what is right and what is wrong? Is there an unchangeable standard of moral truth? To some, a majority opinion makes that decision. Note that the Supreme Court decided on a five/four split. They each rendered their opinions. Opinions can change.

For others, emotion has made this an issue. Homosexual couples feel deep attraction to each other. Should they be allowed to act on that feeling? Many things in America today are justified on emotion.

As a Christian, I believe that right and wrong is external to either our emotions or our opinions. Right and wrong for many issues has been established by the Creator God who has revealed them, along with himself, to us. The Bible becomes our basis for authority.

The first Christians lived in a culture and under a government that had many laws that disagreed with the standards God had given. They obeyed the law whenever it did not contradict God’s law, and they showed love and grace to everyone around them, whether or not they held to God’s belief and behavior standard. However, they did not compromise their own behavior, even when it cost them their lives.

Our country has just made another step back toward the first century. Let’s be sure our behavior and belief meets God’s standards, not the world’s. Homosexual behavior is only one item on the list of things to avoid found in I Corinthians 6, many of which are far more prevalent in our world today and every one of which needs and can receive the grace and forgiveness that Jesus died on the cross for. Let’s share his grace in love with all while living in holiness and truth.

More Filling

John 4:31-34 - Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.”

Are you hungry? If so, what is your top priority? For most of us, it is to get food. Watch a hungry dog, cat, or child. They will beg and plead to be fed with food, but just like the nameless woman came to the Sychar well to get water for her thirsty body but found more satisfying living water from Jesus, Jesus denied his physical hunger to pursue the more filling food of fulfilling God’s purpose for him.

The disciples did not understand this. They only recognized their and their leader’s own physical hunger. They missed a deeper need in front of them. They also missed the opportunity to see an entire community transformed, but Jesus did not miss it. Dozens of people in that town had their lives changed by believing in Jesus. It all started because Jesus was willing to put his own physical needs lower on the list than helping someone he happened to come across.

I wonder how many times each of us has missed a chance like that. Far too often I have allowed my own hunger and selfish need to keep me from being aware of the deeper needs of those around me. Yet, when I have chosen to act, I have found Jesus’ words true: Helping others is far more fulfilling than meeting my own needs. 

Most Essential

John 4:10 - Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”

We are told that water is the most essential ingredient of life. Although we can live forty or more days without food, most people cannot live more than three days without water, especially if exposed to heat or sunlight.

Jesus headed home from Jerusalem to Galilee by passing through the region of Samaria, filled with people the Jews considered half-breed outcasts. Jesus’ disciples left him at a well while they got food. There Jesus met the outcast of outcasts. She did the most social of women’s activities – getting water – alone and in the heat of the day because she had the most scandalous reputation in town.

Yet, she still needed water. She needed water to survive.

When she got to the well that day, Jesus asked for a drink to start a conversation. Ultimately, though, he wanted to show her a way to get an even more essential ingredient that the physical water she came to draw. He offered her living water.

In verse 14 Jesus said this living water that only he could give leads to eternal life. The woman believed him. She left the jug she brought for physical water and ran back to town to tell everyone that she had found the Messiah – the one with living water. She risked everything because she found something even more important. The people believed her, in spite of her previous life. They came to Jesus. They found living water for themselves. They were never the same.

What are you pursuing today? I am sure it is important. We need physical water. We need our incomes. We need to fulfill our daily responsibilities, but please make sure you do not miss the most essential of all ingredients. Jesus offers the living water that can spring within you to eternal life. Believe in him. Receive his gift. You will be forever grateful.

The Greater Good

John 3:26, 29b-30 - And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” John answered, “This joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Can you celebrate with another who wins at your expense? This is a very un-American thing to do. Our socio-economic system is built on competition. Individuals pursue winning, however it may be defined. Sometimes we team together we others, but it is because we want to be on the winning team. “No time for losers,” it is often said.

In many games there is only one winner. In the case of tennis, there is one loser for every winner. In a race – running, cars, bikes, horses, or motorcycles – there can be dozens of non-winners for every winner. Only the winner is celebrated. Only the winner takes home the trophy. So, we strive to win – win for ourselves and maybe our team.

Yet, what if someone else winning is better for the overall good? John the Baptist closes out his time in John’s Gospel with some very un-capitalistic words: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John had been the big hero. In Chapter One, all the crowds were coming to see him. He had the megachurch and the front page headlines. Everyone wanted to invest in his stock.

By Chapter Three, it was a different story. A new hero had emerged and all were “going out to him.” I imagine most of us would have been discouraged. Perhaps we would have wanted to throw in the towel on our efforts. We might have felt like failures. It is especially hard to lose when you have only ever known victory.

Something greater was at stake, and John knew it. Jesus, the Savior of the world, had come. He must become greater. John was willing to take a back seat.

Most of us who are Christians would say we would gladly take a back seat to Jesus, but what about another who can more effectively accomplish what we once did? Can we celebrate with them? Are we willing to hand over the reins to another whose time has come? Can we do it with the joy that John expresses?

I have met many who have this attitude. After seeing great personal success, they willingly step out of the way to give others the chance to lead.  They celebrate when an ostensible competitor outdoes them because they know, in the end, we are all on the same team. Having John’s commitment to the greater good, even at personal expense, is tough. It is certainly un-capitalistic, it may even be un-American, in a sense, yet it is the best way to be.

Getting Good

John 3:19-21 - And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Do you have any bad habits? Is there anything you do you know you should stop? If so, you are not alone. Here at the end of one of the most famous conversations in history, Jesus gives some insight into why many people do bad things and what it takes do good.

During a night visit in Jerusalem with the Jewish leader Nicodemus, Jesus explained that we must be “born again” by water and the Spirit to enter the Kingdom of God. He also uttered those powerful and often repeated words of verse 16 expressing God’s love for the world in offering his only begotten Son so that “whoever believes in him may not perish but have everlasting life.” Jesus did not come to the world to condemn the world but to save it (vs 17). So, salvation is available because of Jesus. Everyone who believes in him is assured of not going to Hell but spending eternity with God in Heaven. So why doesn’t everyone do this?

The answer is in verse 19: People love the darkness. Their deeds are evil, and they know it, but they do not want to stop. If they come to the light of Jesus, they know they will need to change. It isn’t that God can’t or won’t forgive them. Jesus already explained he came to save us from our sin, and believing in him is all we need to do.

Some of us may see the destructiveness in our evil behavior yet still be unwilling to surrender. Like the alcoholic who lost his driver’s license, then his job, then his family who is still not willing to get help to stop drinking, it may be tempting to stay hiding in the darkness with our evil deeds and outcome, but is that really want we want?

Jesus wraps it up in verse 21 with words of incredible hope. Those who come to the light can do what is true and good because they do it “in God.” This means what we cannot do by ourselves, we can accomplish as we allow God to work through us. Life controlling addictions lose their power. Despair becomes hope. Uncontrolled rage becomes joyful love. This all happens when we come to Jesus in faith and willingly let go of our hidden junk. Let him work in you. It is much better in the light.

Born Again

John 3:3 - Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Nicodemus had a lot to lose. He was in a position of great influence in the Jewish society. He knew that publicly endorsing Jesus might cost him his social standing. Yet, he also knew there was something different about Jesus. He had seen Jesus work miracles he knew could not happen apart from God, so he came to him at night to try to determine who Jesus really was and what that meant for him.

Jesus immediately shocked Nicodemus with what he took to be an outlandish statement: “Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” The Greek word translated again in most of our bibles has a range of meanings. While it literally means “from above,” it can convey that idea literally, temporally, or spatially. It can also identify a connection with or a separation from the source or compared item. What that means here is that Jesus could be focusing on a second birth in time contrasted to the first birth or a birth from above contrasted with that from below. It seems like Nicodemus is focused on the first meaning while Jesus is stressing the second.

Nicodemus asks, “How can a man… enter his mother’s womb a second time?” (vs 4) He is focused on the “again” without realizing the “different” that Jesus intended by the birth “from above.” It takes both the normal human birth of the infant accompanied with lots of water for the first, but the second, new birth that makes us spiritually alive is completely different from that physical birth:

1) It is spiritual, not physical (vs 6)

2) It is mysterious and not fully understood (vs 8)

3) It leads to life eternal (vv. 15-16)

4) It sets us free from the judgment we deserve (vv 17-20)

5) It leads to a dramatic life change that is obvious to all (vs 21)

Charles Colson was President Nixon’s hatchet man, willing by his own admission to “run over his grandmother to get the president reelected.” He sabotaged the careers of many to make himself and his president look good but found himself caught in the Watergate Scandal. Although not directly involved in Watergate himself, he was placed on trial and convicted to serve time in federal prisons. Before those trials began, though, he was introduced to a friend who told him about Jesus Christ. Colson made a commitment of faith that radically changed his life. He shared that faith with many who were in prison with him, and he saw the miraculous life changing power Jesus promised. As a result, he founded Prison Fellowship and many other ministries, impacting millions around the world. He wrote an autobiography just after his release from prison and named it after this passage: Born Again.

What Colson experienced, what Nicodemus experienced, what I have experienced, and what hundreds of millions of others have experienced is best described by these two words: born again. Life can be new. Life can better. Life can be eternal. The key to this new birth is believing in Jesus (John 3:16). He invites you to experience this new life today. 

It’s Friday. What’s So Good About It?

John 19:17-18, 30 (NAS) They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha. There they crucified Him, and with Him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between… Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit. (NAS) 

It used to baffle me that this day is called Good Friday. It celebrates an innocent man condemned to be executed by one of the cruelest forms of torture ever developed. How can it be good that one who did no wrong was killed to preserve the security of corrupt officials and an unfair system? When is such seemingly needless cruelty and violence ever good?

Yet, Good Friday was and is good. It is good because we have no hope without it. Every one of us is corrupt ourselves. In spite of all of humanity’s technological advances, we have not found a way to eliminate selfishness, greed, abuse, lying, lust, or a hundred other wrongs that characterize our species. We each have done wrong, and we each have to pay the price for these wrongs unless one who did no wrong was willing to take our place.

Good Friday is good because Jesus Christ, who is the only one worthy to pay for all mistakes, was willing to suffer a violent death so you and I would not have to.

Good Friday is good because when Jesus said, “It is finished,” the work of paying for the sins of mankind was, once and for all, finished.

Good Friday is good because any of us, no matter how evil and corrupt we have been, can, like the thief on the cross next to Jesus, be forgiven and assured of our place in heaven when we truly repent.

Good Friday is good because it demonstrates God’s unfailing love for us, even when we do not deserve it.

Good Friday is good because there is no other way we can have our sin removed than receiving the gift of forgiveness that came Jesus’ death on the cross.

Good Friday is good, indeed. Very good. May it be good for you.

In Whom Do You Trust?

John 2:23-25 (ESV) Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.

Many people claim to be unbelievers. Not only would they would say they do not believe in God, but many would claim not to believe in anything. The reality is, though, that we all believe in something. Every time we take a breath we believe the air around us will provide necessary oxygen to our lungs. Every time we take a drink we believe the water or coffee will provide necessary hydration. Ultimately, we all believe in more than just physical necessities. If you get engaged to be married, in a real sense, you are believing that your fiancée will reciprocate your love and commitment. If you take a new job, you believe your employer will pay you in exchange for your labor.

The sad reality is that although we have to believe in others to one extent or another to survive on this planet, not everyone is worth believing in. Ask any jilted lover. Ask one on the receiving end of a breached contract. There are real problems in a lot of people. Jesus knew this.

John 2:23-25 presents a contrast that is not immediately obvious in most English translations, including the ESV above. Verse 23 shows many people believing in Jesus because of the miraculous “signs” he performed. These were inexplicable healings and other miracles like turning water into wine earlier in the chapter that gave solid evidence Jesus was not an ordinary man. In verse 24, though, John uses the same Greek verb (his favorite) episteuen to explain that Jesus did not himself believe in them. The ESV and others use the phrase “entrusted himself to them” to try to convey this concept of trusting without supernatural belief, but it is easy to miss John’s point because of this.

Who do you trust most? In whom do you believe above others? Jesus did not “believe” in people because “he knew what was in them.” He knew, ultimately, we are not all trustworthy. We make mistakes. Many of us tend to selfishly use others for our advantage. Many of us do not keep our promises and commitments. (Just ask your friendly neighborhood collections bureau.) John’s point is that in contrast to the frail, imperfect, sinful people of this world, Jesus is worth believing in. He is good for it. He keeps his promises.

It may not be realistic or even wise to live without trusting other people at all, but ultimately trusting in Jesus is the safest and best way to go.

Sacred

John 2:16 (ESV) And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade."

In centuries past, there was a big distinction between the sacred and the secular. Things, places, and people dedicated to God were held in great reverence. Even the word “sanctuary” connotes a place set apart for God and God’s purposes only. This helped people gain a real “fear” of God and be mindful of how much greater he is than we are.

Yet, those in power can use the sacred/secular distinction to further strengthen their power and personal gain. In an ironic way the first century Jewish leaders had done just that. They held the power to determine what animals to be sacrificed were “unblemished” – good enough for God – so they could reject any brought to them and require worshippers to purchase theirs. Of course, those leaders claimed the profit. They could have also argued that a much larger percentage of the Jewish population no longer derived their income from agriculture, so they provided the sale of animals at the Temple as a convenience so the worshipper could be sure they offered a holy enough sacrifice.

Jesus was deeply offended by the Jewish leaders’ use of the sacred Temple for the secular function of buying and selling (the Greek word here in John 2 is emporium) at an unfair profit (the other gospels show Jesus overturning the tables again at the end of his earthly ministry and calling them robbers). Even though the ostensible purpose of the marketing was to help the people be sacred, its real purpose was the secular gain of the priests. Some have speculated that the two Temple cleansings at the beginning and end of his public ministry did more than anything to provoke the Jerusalem leaders’ hatred of Jesus.

We no longer sacrifice animals at a temple to cover our sins. As Jesus hints in the following verses, the temple itself has changed (vv 19-21). As the true temple, Jesus became the one sacrifice for all time and the real presence of God among us. We no longer need mediating priests to stand between us and God. Yet, does that mean there is no longer a place for the sacred in our lives and worship? More than a place or a thing, the sacred is Jesus himself. How casually do we treat him? Has he become a means for our own profit and benefit and his name an expletive of disgust, or we do remain zealous for him? He is holy. I hope we never forget that.

Believing

John 2:11 (ESV) This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

Jesus’ first miracle was turning water into wine at a wedding. There are many curious things about this miracle. What I find most interesting is how few there actually knew what happened. The way John tells it, only Jesus’ mother, disciples, and the servants asked to draw the water had any idea of the miracle that took place. Even the chief steward’s comments belie surprise at the excellent quality of the wine that far into the party but not the source of the wine.

Jesus’ miracles served three purposes: 1) They proved his Messiahship and the coming of the Kingdom of God, 2) They built faith in those who observed, and 3) They were a compassionate alleviation of people’s suffering. Of course, we should add a fourth that applies only for his resurrection: victory over death and Hell. It is hard to argue that 3) or 4) apply in the case of wine for a party (except the shame of the hosts). Yet, if 1) or 2) was the goal, wouldn’t it seem that Jesus would want as many possible to know a miracle had taken place? His ministry could have been launched with the bang that waited for the later, more public miracles, like the feeding of the five thousand or the numerous public healings at his hands. However, here at Cana only his disciples “believed in him” in response to the miracle.

Although the text does not tell us why Jesus only let the disciples and a few others know what was happening, John gives an interesting description for what took place: he “manifested his glory.” This was a phrase reserved for God alone in the Old Testament. This miracle showed Jesus’ disciples that he was more than a man. They would be challenged from all sides to support Jesus during his earthly ministry and after his ascension. They needed a secure faith.

Another interesting thing about this encounter is that the disciples (at least most of them) already believed in Jesus to an extent by the end of Chapter One (See John 1:41, 45, 49 & 50). Yet, John says they believed here. Jesus revealed his identity to a greater extent when his disciples were ready for it. Throughout his ministry, Jesus revealed more of his true self and his disciple’s faith grew.

The same is true for us. Believing in Jesus is not a onetime event, and faith does not come and grow in all people equally or in the same way. I pray Jesus reveals more of his glory to you today.

What’s It to Me?

John 2:4 (ESV) And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”

Every day people around you have problems. These are not your problems. You did not cause them. You will not suffer anything if they are not resolved. You can go your happy way to deal with your own problems when they arrive and let other people suffer from their own problems. Yet, there are many times that you could help others overcome their problems. Maybe you have a set of jumper cables in your trunk that could start the car parked next to you with the dead battery. Perhaps the three dollars in change in your pocket could buy the homeless man on the corner a burger rather than add to the growing stack of coins on your dresser. These truly are not your problems, but you could be part of the solution if you choose.

In John 2, Jesus and his first disciples joined his mother at a wedding. Whether because of bad planning or too many guests, the hosts ran out of wine. Jesus was just a guest. He was not there to get drunk, so it did not matter to Him personally that they ran out of wine. When Jesus’ mother told him about the problem, his reply, translated literally, was, “What is that to you and me?” In other words, “This is not my problem or your problem.” Yet, although it was truly not Jesus’ problem and he did not have to do anything, he chose to help.

Mary seemed to know in advance Jesus would do something, because in the next verse she told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Sure enough, even though a lack of wine did not matter to Jesus, it mattered greatly to the hosts, who would forever be ridiculed for inadequate hospitality in a culture where how you took care of your guests was the measure of your character. Jesus saved the day, not because he needed to for Himself, but simply because he could help others overcome their problem.

Today, why don’t you and I both not just try to solve our own problems but try to take notice and action when we can help others solve theirs? Let’s be more like Jesus.

What Would it Take for You to Believe?

John 1:47-50 (ESV) Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.”

A friend and I had some conversations about Jesus. I could tell this was not his favorite topic, but, fortunately, our friendship was strong enough that we could deal with the uncomfortable topics as well as the easy ones and still look forward to our next time together. One day in the midst of one of these talks I realized something. He had decided he would not consider believing in Jesus no matter how persuasive an argument I or anyone else presented. I asked him, “What would it take for you to believe?”

He replied, “I cannot believe. There is nothing you can say or do that would change that.”

He was correct in his statement. If he had made the decision beforehand, he closed himself off to the possibility of any other consideration. Yet, think of the implications. Suppose you were the chief account of a multinational bank who started in your role in the late 1960s, but you still (in 2015) refuse to allow any of your staff to use computers for any activities because you “do not trust them.” Instead, you demand all your accountants all over the world to make hand written notations and mail them to the head office. Think how inefficient and risk-prone your methods would be. Your entire company would be at a competitive disadvantage because you were unwilling to even consider the possibility that a computer could improve your work.

Nathanael started off hardened toward considering Jesus to be anything other than an ordinary man. He was not inclined to believe. Note his response when Phillip invited him to check Jesus out: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (vs 46) Yet it took just three verses for Nathanael to become a believer. Jesus’ accurate foreknowledge of Nathanael sitting under a tree was all it took for him to decide Jesus was the Son of God. You might need more than that. Jesus even gives allowance for those who need a little more: “You will see greater things than these.” The real question is are you willing to consider who Jesus is. We have to be willing to believe.

If you have not yet fully trusted Christ, I sincerely ask you today to answer the question for yourself, “What would it take for you to believe?” Be willing to ask for it and look for it. He sure beats a pen and paper.

Come and See

John 1:38-41 (ESV) Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ).

Have you ever been lost for words because of your awe of the person you just met? I wonder how many celebrities are greeted by, “You’re Lebron James!” (or whatever celebrity it happens to be). Do they always reply, “Yes, I am!”? I think of the stupid things I said to the girls I had crushes on as a teen but were too scared of to say anything coherent in their presence. Perhaps that’s what prompted Andrew and his friend to ask Jesus a crazy question.

They did not know Jesus yet, but they had been following John the Baptist for quite a while. They had heard John say over and over he was not the Christ but that he was preparing the way for Him. They were there the day that Jesus first came and John identified Him as, “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” When Jesus came by again the next day, Andrew and his friend followed Jesus, perhaps out of curiosity of what made this person so amazing that their hero John felt unworthy to even untie His sandals. Maybe they were whispering to one another, not sure what to do, when Jesus turned and caught them following Him. He asked them, “What are you seeking?”

Perhaps, being caught, they said the first thing they could think of: “Where are you staying?” Maybe it was just a point of conversation. Whatever they meant by their question, Jesus took it as a request for an invitation He was very glad to give: “Come and see.” They spent the whole day with Jesus at the place he was seeing. If they were simply curious to know what kind of room the proclaimed Messiah rented, I am sure they got their answer. In reality, though, they got much more than that. They did not come back to the rest of their traveling companions talking about accommodations. They returned convinced of the identity of their Host. Andrew told his brother Simon (later called Peter), “We have found the Messiah!”

Notice what it took to convince Andrew. It was not arguments. It was relationship. Even if Andrew’s question was rash, Jesus’ invitation to come and see was not. It was all Andrew needed. Jesus extends the invitation to you and me, as well. Spend a day with Him and see for yourself.

Witness

John 1:6-7 (ESV) There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.

If a crime is committed and a suspect identified, he will not be (or at least should not be) condemned without a fair trial. That will usually involve a judge, likely a jury and a prosecuting attorney, and unless the suspect serves as his own counsel, a defense attorney. Yet, no decision can be rendered without evidence. Physical evidence may be presented, but the most common kind of evidence presented in courts throughout history is testimony, usually of eyewitnesses – those who saw the crime personally or have some personal knowledge of what had happened. The guilty are convicted and the innocent set free (it is hoped) on the basis of these witnesses. This is the way the Greek legal system worked centuries before Jesus’ incarnation, and it is the original core meaning and use of the Greek word, martyr.

In his Gospel, John the Apostle uses this word of another John – John the Baptist. It describes his mission in verse seven: “He came as a witness…” His whole purpose in life was to take the stand in the world’s courtroom about what he knew and had seen concerning the Light of the World (Jesus Christ). Seven times in this one chapter, the noun or verb form of witness is used about John the Baptist’s role. Two other times he uses the similar legal term confess (vs 20) – not the confession of guilt, but a swearing of certainty and truth.

John the Baptist was not expected to talk about what he had not experienced or seen. He did not come as a philosopher. He spoke as an honest witness, and that was enough. People came to hear him. People changed their lives because of what he said and were willing to be baptized as a public “confession” of their commitment to change. The first century Jewish world was ready for Jesus’ arrival because one man had the courage to talk about what he had experienced.

Even today, advertisers love to use “testimonials” because one person’s bearing witness to their personal experience is usually more persuasive than reams of scientific data. Your story of what you have experienced is powerful. Don’t be afraid to talk about it.

Word

John 1:1-3 (ESV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

In English the word “word” has a relatively simple meaning. It is one verbal thought; the most basic part of speech. You are reading several right now; letters together separated from others by a space. Sometimes we give word a metaphorical use, such as a “message,” like “Like what’s the word from the boss?” In the 1980’s urban slang began the expression “word up,” later shortened to “word,” to express agreement with others. Yet all of these pale to what John sought to express in the opening of his Gospel. I believe there are no words to adequately express what John means by “word” (logos in Greek).

To the secular Greek and Roman world of John’s day, logos was loaded with meaning. The great scholar Gerhard Kittel said to the Greeks (and the Romans who, although they controlled the political and military power of the First Century Mediterranean World were dominated by Greek though and culture) the word logos was “symbolic of the Greek understanding of the world and existence.” It represented so much more than just a saying. It encompassed understanding things as they are. It represented the goal of philosophy: the ultimate understanding of existence and its meaning.

John chose this powerful word to personify Christ to connect with the most deeply held values of the secular word of his day, but it also connected deeply into the heart of his Jewish readers. The Hebrew word for “word,” dabar, and its many synonyms, occurs thousands of times in the Old Testament. The Word of the LORD was to be the guide for life, the passionate pursuit of every heart. In the biggest connection with John 1, it was the word of God that created the universe. (“God said, ‘Let there be light, and there was light.’” Genesis 1:3)

Yet as powerful and meaning laden as the Greek logos and Hebrew dabar were, John took logos much farther. The Word was not just the spoken revelation of the deity. The Word was not just philosophical understanding. The Word was a person. The Word became flesh. The Word is and was God. The Word was the agent of creation. The Word existed and exists forever, yet “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14)

The Apostle John, who saw and walked with Jesus, took the most powerful word he could to communicate the unprecedented, preexistent glory of Jesus Christ to open his story of this Word, who alone in all history was creator yet lived among us (John 1:14). He is the ultimate goal of life for everyone, those with religious backgrounds and those with no religion. He encompasses the greatest need of mankind and our greatest joy. He came. He lives. He loves you.