John – Be Still…

John 1:1-18 – This is Him!

Was your mind blown just a little bit by this reading? We’re starting the Gospel of John, and right away we meet Jesus. But Jesus’ name is not directly mentioned here. He’s first introduced to us as the “Word.” Before he was known as Jesus, He was the Word. He has always been God.

How fitting that God would choose an earthly relative of Jesus to be the one preparing the way. John the Baptist wasn’t any random person, but Jesus’ own cousin. We’re told this messenger spoke of Jesus as the “light.” Jesus wasn’t just any light coming from a lamp or a lightbulb. Remember, there was no electricity at that time, so the idea of light would have been much different. Continue reading “John 1:1-18 – This is Him!”

John 1:1-14 – The Word and The Light

Read John 1:1-14

This is one of my favorite Christmas texts that seems to become richer in meaning with each passing year. Who is the Word? Jesus is who we recognize here. Feel the thrill when you picture Jesus so active in creation. There is such an intimacy at work as we meet our Savior as also the light who created us. We know Jesus’ humanity, but here we see clearly his divinity.

God’s design and purpose for each of us is so perfect. We are the ones who mess it up when we choose our own way. Even those who could have personally met Jesus when he walked the earth, rejected him. What a tragic loss for them and for anyone who denies Jesus as Lord of their lives. Continue reading “John 1:1-14 – The Word and The Light”

John 20:1-31 – How We’re Set Apart

Read John 20:1-31

As believers, we’re set apart by the promise from our risen Savior. We “will have life by the power of his name.” This Resurrection story beautifully recounts what happened to Jesus’ followers just days after he was brutally killed. Jesus’ death was on purpose; it had to happen because God loved us so much. Because Jesus was God, He could not stay dead. The impact of his resurrection from the dead is huge, and without it our faith would be meaningless. The apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:14, “And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless.”

This was a long reading, and there are so many nuggets of truth and wisdom for us to meditate on. We see Mary and his disciples at the tomb, angels, several appearances of Jesus, a doubting disciple, and so much more. Can you imagine how hard it would have been to make sense of what had happened that weekend? Jesus had died, and then he was back. The fear of association, the doubts, would have been crippling. And yet everything Jesus had told them was coming true. We can all learn from this that Jesus’ word is to be trusted. Continue reading “John 20:1-31 – How We’re Set Apart”

John 17:1-26 – When Jesus Prays

Read John 17:1-26

After all that Jesus shared with his disciples, he closes in prayer. This is significant because usually Jesus would go off by himself to pray. Here, his disciples are an audience to hear how Jesus prays to the Father. In this instance, Jesus prays for himself and for others.

Jesus knows what is coming next, such a pivotal time in history. Jesus’ work on earth will soon be finished, and his emotions are on high alert. He opens the prayer with his cry of intent to bring glory to God in these final moments, while at the same time craving the glory of the LORD, his accustomed surrounding. Jesus anticipated great pain before that moment in glory. Continue reading “John 17:1-26 – When Jesus Prays”

John 14:15-29 – What a Promise!

Read John 14:15-29

Our reading today kicks off our new theme of “The Holy Spirit & Prayer.” We hear directly from Jesus as he promises the Holy Spirit to his disciples. You can imagine those close friends were a bit perplexed about the whole notion of an Advocate like this. Little did they know as they heard these words that this would be their last meal with Jesus.

This whole passage is full of wisdom Jesus wanted to make sure he shared. We’ll be discussing this very passage as part of our Bible study with the orphanage youth group tomorrow night. I am always excited when I can encounter the same passage more than once in the same week. There is likely a very profound message for me in this text. Let’s explore it together. Continue reading “John 14:15-29 – What a Promise!”