Milo

AUGUST 29

Reading 241

UNCERTAINTY John 7

“Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about Him. Some said, ‘He is a good man.’ Others replied, ‘No, He deceives the people’” (John 7:12).Amid growing uncertainty one basic truth emerges. We each must listen to Jesus, and decide.

Overview

Jesus anonymously joined the crowds at the Feast of Tabernacles, where speculation about Him reached fever pitch (7:1–13). His public teaching aroused opposition (vv. 14–24) and debate over His true identity (vv. 25–44). The rulers, however, remained antagonistic and unbelieving (vv. 45–52).

Understanding the Text

“No one who wants to become a public figure” John 7:1–4.

These words of Jesus’ brothers drip with sarcasm. They impute contemptible motives to one who wanted only to do the Father’s will. And they seem to cast doubt on Christ’s miracles as well. Smirking, the brothers said Jesus ought to go up to Judea and join the festivities, so everyone can witness His miracles rather than simply hear rumors about them. Unbelief has a habit of imputing the worst of motives to the best of acts. Christ’s works of compassion—His healings and feeding a hungry crowd—were dismissed as the publicity-seeking acts of a man hungry for recognition. Jesus found only skepticism and raised eyebrows in His own family! Don’t be surprised if the things you do to serve the Lord are similarly misunderstood. And don’t let the veiled attacks of those who should be supporters deter you. Like Jesus, you and I serve the Lord and seek to please Him. If what we do is motivated by a desire to serve the Lord, what others think is irrelevant. God knows our hearts. “Even His own brothers did not believe in Him” John 7:5. There is a note of encouragement to be found here, in the fact that we can rightly add, “then.” Later Christ’s brothers did believe, and were with the little company of believers when the Spirit fell that first Day of Pentecost (Acts 1:14). Keep on serving the Lord. In time even your critics will understand. “The right time for Me has not yet come” John 7:6–13. Jesus’ purposes were not political, but spiritual. The crowds had already tried once to “make Him King by force” (6:15). There was the distinct possibility that if Christ had gone to the festival publicly, with marching bands of disciples cheering Him along His way, that a populace hungry to throw off Rome’s yoke would have burst into spontaneous rebellion. This scenario is not mere speculation. The history of the time reveals that a number of rebellions and revolts led by pseudo-messiahs had already broken out! Modern political figures realize that most of their supporters actually want to use them rather than follow them. That’s why the reliance on polls. The candidate checks carefully on the strength of “pro-life” and “pro-choice” feelings in his district, or comes to the religious rally and announces his support of a bill guaranteeing the rights of Christian schools. The supporters cheer. They’ll vote for him because he’ll support their cause. The honest politician supports a cause because he or she believes it is right. The rest cynically consult the polls, and sell themselves for votes. Jesus sought no such supporters. Jesus leads, and calls us to follow. He sets the agenda, and His refusal to go up publicly to the feast was a refusal to let Himself be used for political purposes. “Such learning, without having studied” John 7:14–16. This is one verse we had better not apply to ourselves! Of course, in context “the Jews” (e.g., Christ’s “opposition”) were speaking of the well-established system by which one gained recognition as a rabbi, or teacher. This system called for the learner to attach himself to a recognized authority in Jewish Law, and study with him for years. Christ had not gone through this discipling process: yet Christ displayed an amazing mastery of Scripture. Jesus explained that He received His teaching directly from “the One who sent Me.” This was a dual claim: to have been “sent” from God meant to speak with His authority. To have been taught by Him meant that Jesus was a channel of revelation! You and I must settle for study of what has been revealed. Christ had learning “without having studied,” but you and I will never learn unless we apply ourselves to study the Word of God. “If anyone chooses to do God’s will” John 7:17. The word “chooses” here is a strong one. It represents a settled determination to do God’s will. Only such a determination will lead to spiritual understanding and settled faith. If you’ve ever wondered why so many intelligent people can know so much about the Bible, and still not believe in either Christ or the Scriptures, here is one explanation. Finding out that Jesus’ teaching comes from God depends on our commitment to do God’s will. We discover the truth of Scripture not by intellect, but by obedience. Man’s approach to spiritual life has always been learn, that you may do. The divine formula is, “Do, that you may know.” “You are demon-possessed” John 7:18–20. Much in John relies on background found in the other three Gospels. As the last to write, it seems likely John felt no need to restate material in the other, widely distributed, works. We see this reliance on background here. The accusation of the crowd, “You’re demon-possessed,” reflects the charge brought against Jesus by the Pharisees and rulers in an attempt to explain away His undeniable spiritual powers (cf. Matt. 9:34; 12:24; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15). While Jesus knew the opposition was determined to kill Him, rumors to this effect had only begun to circulate among the people (cf. John 7:25). If only folks would stop to think today, they would realize that they must make some decision about Jesus. In the first century His miracles demanded an explanation. Today 2,000 years of the persistent faith of millions that Jesus is the Son of God also demands explanation. How can an obscure carpenter in a tiny, backward district of an empire long turned to dust continue to affect so many human lives? This is perhaps the greatest miracle of all, and any thinking person must be driven to find some explanation. “I did one miracle” John 7:21–24. Jesus had done more than one miracle. But the one that stuck in the craw of the opposition involved the healing of the paralytic on the Sabbath. John gives us another line of biblical reasoning that Christ used to show up the fallacy of strict Phariseeism. Sabbath observance was rooted in the Creation account, and thus was in effect long before the Mosaic Law was given. Yet a child was circumcised on the eighth day, even if that day was the Sabbath! And so, Jesus said, if a rite that marks a person’s purification is permitted in one member of the body on the Sabbath, why should Jesus be criticized for making a sick man well on that day? “Stop judging by mere appearances” is both a rejection of the rulers’ right to stand in judgment on Jesus, and an expression of contempt for their superficial grasp of God’s Word. “The chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest Him” John 7:25–47. Jesus’ teaching had its impact. While many remained uncertain, some “put their faith in Him” (v. 31). Afraid that the Jesus movement would gain momentum, the members of the Sanhedrin sent temple guards to arrest Him. These were Jewish rather than Roman soldiers: Levites, who were trained to keep order in the temple area and to guard its purity. Yet when the detail sent to arrest Jesus heard what Christ said, they “went back to the chief priests and Pharisees” without Him (v. 45). It took courage for these soldiers to disobey orders. They may not have been sure who Jesus was. But their stand, and the Pharisees’ furious response, implies some level of faith. We need to honor these temple guards, and all military men like them, who through the ages have refused to obey orders that violated their beliefs and consciences. And we need to model ourselves on them. Civil disobedience was praised in the ’60s, when the issue was civil rights. The same folks who praised it then now condemn civil disobedience by pro-life forces who picket abortion clinics, and then willingly accept any penalties imposed by the law. The temple guards remind us that, whatever the issue, the believer is responsible to obey conscience first and legally constituted authorities second. “The Pharisees retorted” John 7:47–52. The contempt the Pharisees felt for everyone but themselves comes through clearly. To the rulers, the temple guards, though recruited from the tribe of Levi, weren’t smart enough to listen to Jesus and make up their own minds. The average Jewish person was part of a mob “that knows nothing of the Law—there is a curse on them” (v. 49). And when Nicodemus made a feeble attempt to bring up a point of law in defense of Jesus, the other Pharisees silenced him with ridicule. Note well these characteristics of Christ’s opposition. They still appear today in those who falsely claim spiritual authority. When you sense arrogance, contempt for the spiritual insight of others, dismissal of ordinary folks, and see the use of ridicule to silence others, you can be sure that such leaders do not represent Jesus Christ.

DEVOTIONAL

Grab a Yellow Pad(John 7:25–43)

One of my most important tools is a pad of yellow, lined paper. I use it to make lists of things I have to do each day. And I use it to help in making tough decisions—pros on one side, cons on the other. Listing on yellow pads helps me sort through almost any issue. The folks who listened to Jesus speak at that Feast of Tabernacles seem to have needed one of my yellow pads. Or maybe they were using one mentally, totaling up pros and cons and options. Pros? Well, Jesus was out there preaching, and the authorities had done nothing to stop Him. Maybe the rulers knew He is really the Christ (v. 26). And those miraculous signs: Jesus sure had performed a bunch (v. 31). And His teaching: what power and authority (vv. 40–41). Cons? Some said the authorities were trying to kill Him. They wouldn’t kill a real prophet, would they? (v. 25) Isn’t the Christ supposed to appear suddenly, out of nowhere? (v. 27) And look, this Jesus is from Nazareth. Micah said the Christ was to be born in Bethlehem (v. 42). Options? What choices do we have? Well, Jesus could be demon-possessed (cf. v. 20). He could be a charlatan; a deceiver who deserved death (v. 25, cf. v. 12). He could be nothing more than a good Man (cf. v. 12). He could be the prophet predicted by Moses (v. 40). He could be the Christ (vv. 31, 41). And it really was just like this, as most people of Judea struggled with uncertainty that Tabernacles week, and endlessly discussed pros and cons. But there were a few people who threw their yellow pads away. These folks listened to Jesus “and put their faith in Him.” I suspect this is the best pathway to faith, for us and for those we witness to. Put away the yellow pad. Abandon listing pros and cons and options. Instead, simply listen to Jesus. And let our hearts tell us who He is.

Personal Application

To find freedom from uncertainty, always listen to God’s Word with your heart.

Quotable

“In all my perplexities and distresses, the Bible has never failed to give me light and strength.”—Robert E. Lee

AUGUST 28

Reading 240

THE BREAD OF LIFE John 6

“The bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (John 6:33).Participation in Christ as source and sustainer of eternal life is our assurance of heaven.

Background

Bread.

Bread was the staple food in Palestine. It was so basic in the diet that “bread” is a synonym in Scripture for “food”; that which sustains physical life. The bread of the well-to-do was made of wheat; that of the poor, of barley. But rich and poor viewed bread as the basic element in the daily diet. It was the woman’s task to grind grain daily, mix it with water and olive oil, and to cook the day’s supply of bread. Bread was baked in a variety of ways: inside a hollow hivelike oven, or in flat cakes on its sides. Jesus could have found no more powerful way to affirm that He was the source and sustainer of spiritual life than to compare Himself to the bread that sustained the physical life of all his listeners.

Overview

Jesus fed a multitude with a few loaves and fish (6:1–15). That evening the Twelve saw Him walk on water (vv. 16–24). When the crowds found Him they demanded a sign (vv. 25–31), but were exhorted to feed on Him as the “Bread of Life” (vv. 32–59). Many adherents deserted Him at this point, but the Twelve remained, convinced He is “the Holy One of God” (vv. 60–71).

Understanding the Text

“Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” John 6:1–7 Jesus’ miracles drew large crowds to Him. John selected one occasion, near a Passover festival, when some 10,000 came. (John mentioned 5,000 “men,” but Matthew tells us that there were also a great many women and children, so 10,000 is a conservative estimate: Matt. 14:21.) Jesus drew Philip’s attention to the crowd, and asked how they might be fed. Philip took a quick survey, and came back with statistics. “It’ll take approximately eight months wages [200 denarii] to buy bread for this many!” Philip reminds me of many folks in modern ministries. Let’s take a survey. Let’s gather data. And all too often, when the results are in, we end up saying, “Well, I guess it’s impossible. It’s surely too big a job for our little congregation!” But John observes that Jesus “already had in mind what He was going to do” (6:6). When we see a need, the thing we may need to do is not take a survey, but in prayer seek the way Jesus intends us to meet it. “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves” John 6:7–15. Andrew took a different approach. He surveyed the available resources, and offered them to Jesus. There wasn’t much. Certainly not enough to feed 10,000 people! Or so it seemed. The miracle of the feeding of the multitude, with 12 basketsful left over, reminds us that God is well able to multiply whatever resources we may have—as long as we offer them to Him. It’s not what we have. It’s what God can and will do with what we have that counts! “A strong wind was blowing” John 6:16–24. Evening breezes still whip up strong waves on the Sea of Galilee between Bethsaida and Capernaum. The disciples, heading into the wind, made slow progress: three and one half miles is only halfway there (cf. Mark 6:47). The disciples saw a shape walking on the water toward them, and at first were frightened of what they took as a ghost. But they recognized Jesus’ voice and took Him aboard. The text says, “Immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading” (John 6:21). This was a “private miracle” witnessed only by the disciples. As such it helped to build their growing faith in Christ, so that they remained faithful later, even though they did not understand everything He said. But there’s a special reminder for us in the story. Like the disciples, we often find ourselves laboring hard, and making little progress. Yet Jesus is nearby, however strong the winds that buffet us. We need to recognize Him, and invite Him to become involved. We may not reach shore “immediately.” But we will find strength to keep on. “Because you ate the loaves and had your fill” John 6:25–29. The crowds Jesus had fed were surprised to find Him in Capernaum. They’d been looking. But for the wrong reason. Jesus had satisfied their physical hunger. They sought Him because of what He could do to meet material needs. So much in our relationship with Jesus remains rooted in materialism. We trust Him, hoping He’ll keep us healthy. Or get us a job. We even pray for the Lord to give us the numbers so we can win Lotto! Or we send in money to the media evangelist who promises that God will reward us a hundredfold. If $10 will get you $1,000, why not send in $1,000 and get $100,000-or at least a lifetime of free vacations! It’s not that God doesn’t care about our material needs. God does. And He meets them, providing our “daily bread.” The thing is that God cares most about our spiritual needs: the truly vital and important needs that every human being has. As long as we seek to “use” relationship with God to gain material blessings, we’ll miss the spiritual blessing that He so abundantly provides. “The works God requires” John 6:28–29. The twin of materialism is seen in these verses. It is the foolish assumption that, whatever God may require, we can do. Jesus had the definitive answer. The true work of God is simply to believe in the One God has sent. We cannot “do the works God requires” at all. Our only hope is to rely on what Christ has done. “Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert” John 6:30–36. Earlier John reported that those Jesus fed began to speculate that Jesus was “the Prophet who is to come” (v. 14). The reference is to Deuteronomy 18, where Moses spoke of a Prophet like himself who would speak the words of God to Israel, and to whom the Jewish people must listen. The reason for the identification was Jesus’ feeding of the multitude. Moses provided Israel with manna during the Exodus period. Jesus fed the crowds. Perhaps He was another Moses! When Jesus called on the crowd to simply believe in Him, however, they demanded a “sign from heaven.” I suspect this was more manipulation than doubt. Moses gave Israel bread from heaven—for 40 years! Jesus provided a miraculous meal, for one afternoon. Perhaps by demanding a sign the whole nation could “go on the dole” for decades! But Jesus came to provide the “true” bread. The word, alethinos, means “genuine” or “original.” Material bread sustains physical life. But human beings are not merely animals. True bread must sustain the inner life that exists when biological life ends. And Jesus is the one and only source of this life. We will never find satisfaction if our life is focused on the material world alone. Jesus is the true bread, because He satisfies that aspect of human nature which transcends the material and is eternal. Jesus is not just “bread.” He is the “Bread of Life.” Our true selves are fed and sustained only by that faith in Him which appropriates what He supplies. “Many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him” John 6:60–71. The word “disciple” is used in various ways in the Gospels. Here it simply means “adherent”: someone who attached himself or herself loosely to Jesus and trailed along with Him. When Jesus spoke of Himself as the Bread of heaven, and spoke symbolically of eating His flesh and drinking His blood, that “hard saying” made many such “disciples” turn away. They couldn’t understand that Jesus meant accepting Him as a person accepts a meal: trusting its wholesomeness and value and taking it in, to be assimilated as part of one’s very being. The Twelve, Jesus’ closest followers, undoubtedly didn’t understand it all either. But when asked if they would leave too, Peter answered: “We believe and know that You are the Holy One of God.” We don’t understand it all. But “we believe and know You.” This is Christianity in its essence. Believing and knowing Jesus Christ.

DEVOTIONAL

Assurance: The Father’s Will(John 6:39–59)

The sermon on the Bread of Life did confuse doubters. But it confirmed the faith of the believers. That sermon offers Jesus’ own assurance that we possess, now, eternal life. I’ve talked with folks who “hope” they have eternal life. I’ve talked with folks who “trust they will have” eternal life. And I’ve talked with folks who get angry and insist that it’s presumptuous to claim to have eternal life now. “How can you know until you’re dead?” some will say. Others will say, “What makes you think you’re so much better than me?” The fact is, though, that Jesus made an issue of assurance. He wants us to know, now, that eternal life is ours. Period. “Whoever comes to Me I will never drive away,” Jesus said (v. 37). In the same verse He reminds us that God’s powerful invitation moved us to come in the first place. Having responded to God, He will keep us safe, forever. Jesus went on to speak of the Father’s express will. “I shall lose none of all that He has given Me,” Jesus said, “but raise them up at the last day. For My Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day” (vv. 39–40). A little later Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life” (v. 47). Not “will have.” Not “may have.” And not “maybe has.” It’s “does have.” And finally, “The one who feeds on Me will live because of Me” (v. 57). So if you’ve come to Jesus and believe on Him, don’t be an uncertain Christian. Jesus says you have eternal life. And you can take His Word for it.

Personal Application

Assurance isn’t presumption; it’s promise.

Quotable

“John Wesley, founder of Methodism, received this witness at a meeting on Aldersgate Street, London, as he listened to one reading Luther’s Preface to the Book of Romans: ’About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart, through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust Christ, Christ alone, for salvation: and an assurance was given to me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death’ (Wesley’s Journal, May 24, 1738). “For some this confidence dawns gradually. For others, it is a sudden discovery at the moment of faith. EACH OF US CAN BE ASSURED OF OUR ACCEPTANCE WITH GOD!”—“Four Great Emphases of United Methodism”

AUGUST 27

Reading 239

WITNESSES TO JESUS John 5

“I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given Me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent Me” John 5:36.Those who reject Christ do so despite the evidence, not because of it.

Overview

Jesus healed a paralytic at the pool of Bethesda (5:1–15). Jesus responded to critics by claiming Deity (vv. 16–18) and explained His relationship with God the Father (vv. 19–30). And He identified five witnesses that supported His claim (vv. 31–47).

Understanding the Text

“Do you want to get well?” John 5:1–6

The pool of Bethesda was a gathering place for the infirm, hoping to benefit from its healing waters. John focused on a man who had been paralyzed for most of his life. While the story is not symbolic, the situation and dialogue between Jesus and the man are filled with implications for us. Consider Jesus’ question, “Do you want to get well?” We might answer for the man, “Of course!” But think about it. For some 38 years the paralyzed man had lived a dependent life. He’d lived by begging, for he could earn no wages. If he were healed, who would give him food? It was considered a good deed in Judaism to give alms to the disabled. But not to the able-bodied, who were expected to work! Getting well would mean the man would have to take care of himself. So the question was a penetrating one. It’s a question we have to ask ourselves as Christians. Do we want Christ to heal the areas in our lives where we’ve been damaged? Or do we want to keep feeling anger and resentment, or bitterness, or hurt and betrayal? Too many Christians hold on tightly to the things that paralyze them spiritually. Christ can heal us of these things. But if He does, we’ll be left without excuses for the choices we make in the future—and the choices we made in the past. We’ll no longer be able to delude ourselves and cry, “My life isn’t my fault: others are to blame.” And so Jesus’ question echoes in our today: “Do you want to get well?” “I have no one to help me” John 1:7–9. The man did not answer Jesus’ question. Instead he offered an excuse. “I’m all alone. I have no one. There’s no one here to help me.” We can certainly feel for the paralyzed man. Over the decades the family into which he’d been born had died. Friends had left him. If he’d ever had a wife or children, they were gone too. And somehow, paralyzed as he was, he’d never grown close to anyone. Yet, while what the man said was true, this too was also an excuse. “There’s no one to help me” means “I can’t help myself.” And it also means “God isn’t here for me either.” Jesus paid no attention to the excuse. He told the man, “Get up and walk.” At once the cure came, and he got up and walked. It’s like this with us today. Jesus doesn’t come to us with a maudlin sympathy that accepts all our excuses, and moans “poor you” in harmony with us. He comes to us with a message of life and vitality. His message to us is, “Get up and walk!” In Christ, the cure is ours. In Christ, we do have Somebody. Not someone to drag us here and there on our mats. But someone who can bring life to our own limbs, and who therefore commands, “Get up and walk.” The man obeyed. And in obeying, he experienced the healing that was his. How many of us have in fact been healed by Jesus Christ, but because we have not obeyed His command, “Get up and walk,” have never experienced the healing? God’s work in our life is accomplished by God and grace alone. But it is experienced only as we obey. “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat” John 5:1–14. In John’s Gospel “the Jews” is John’s name for the Pharisees and those experts in the written and oral law of Israel who were Christ’s primary opponents. While the term is a pejoritive, it is not anti-Semitic in any sense. So it was “spiritual leaders” who jumped all over the restored paralytic for carrying his mat on the Sabbath. The act was not a violation of the Old Testament itself, but it was a violation of the rabbinic rulings which guided first-century Jewish practice. The restored paralytic had an answer for his critics. “The Man who made me well said to me, ’Pick up your mat and walk.’ ” The ecclesiastical establishment had done nothing to restore the paralytic’s health. He would obey the Man who had healed him. When John Wesley began to preach an evangelical message in England, the established church was scandalized. Soon Wesley was denied access to church pulpits—and so he began to preach outdoors. For 50 years Wesley crisscrossed the British Isles, and hundreds of thousands came to know the Saviour. Wesley, like the paralytic, is an example of a person who was undeterred by the opposition of the ecclesiastical establishment. He too determined to obey the Man who had healed him. So must we all. “My Father is always at His work to this very day” John 5:16–17. When the Jewish leaders criticized Christ for healing on the Sabbath, He had a fascinating answer. God doesn’t suspend His activities on the Sabbath! Natural laws continue to operate. If a person cuts himself, healing begins at that moment. In healing the paralytic Jesus was acting in complete harmony with the way God, His Father, operates! How often “religion” makes the simple complicated, and confuses human rulings with the gracious operations of God. Let’s trust in Jesus, and respond spontaneously to the needs of others. In nearly every case any “religious rules” that would block such a response will be as opposed to godliness as were the first-century rabbinic rules governing Sabbath observance. “Calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God” John 5:18–30. Jesus’ answer infuriated “the Jews” (i.e., the religious leaders). They understood Him to claim equality with God. And He did! In His next words Jesus went on to define His relationship with His Father! Yesterday two Jehovah’s Witnesses appeared at our door with an “Awake” tract. My wife called out from the living room, “We’re Christians. We don’t want it.” One of the two answered, “We’re Christians too. We believe in Jesus Christ as our Saviour.” That’s good. As far as it goes. But the next question that needs to be answered is, “Which Jesus?” There are many Jesuses in vogue today. There’s the “good man Jesus,” who was misunderstood and killed, and whose teachings are still wonderful. There’s the “liberation Jesus,” who calls for the oppressed to take up weapons and kill their oppressors. There’s the “Jewish rabbi Jesus,” who never thought of himself as God and was later dubbed with a title he would have hated by his enthusiastic followers-especially Paul. There’s the “a god” Jesus of several cults, who is either a sort of high angel, or a human being lifted to a higher spiritual plane. And then there is the God Jesus of John’s Gospel, who is equal to God in nature, and who from the beginning was God and is God. Here in these verses, in Christ’s own words as reported by John, is the Jesus of Scripture. He is: vv.     17–18: the equal of God the Father v.     18: the Son, not identical with the Father, but unified with Him v.     19: in total harmony with the Father in all His works, and submissive to His will v.     20: loved by the Father, with full knowledge of His plans and purposes v.     21: empowered by the Father, and able to give life as the Father has and does v.     22: entrusted with authority to judge v.     23: equal in honor with the Father v.     24: determiner of human destiny: the object of a faith that transfers from the realm of death to that of life v.     25: able to raise the dead v.     26: one who like the Father is uncreated, having life in Himself v.     27: as Son of man, God enfleshed It does make a difference which Jesus we believe in. How wonderful it is to know that the Jesus we believe in is the eternal Son of God. One of the earliest creeds of the church, the Nicene Creed, puts it this way: I believe in . . . one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried, and the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end. This is the Jesus of the Bible. This is the Jesus in whom we believe!

DEVOTIONAL

Jesus on Trial(John 5:31–47)

Every Christmas Miracle on 34th Street shows up on TV again. You know the story. A jolly little man goes to work as a department store Santa, and it turns out he’s the real Santa Claus. Persecuted by nasty folks, he’s put on trial, and the hero “proves” he is Santa by getting post office employees to deliver bags of “Santa” letters to him in the courtroom. Cute. But more a case of legal sleight of hand than hard evidence. In a way, though, the story parallels Scripture. There a young Healer and Miracle worker appears. He comes in conflict with nasty religious leaders, is persecuted, and claims to be the “real” God of Israel! But this time there’s no legal sleight of hand. He actually has witnesses to support His claim! In fact, in this passage in John, Jesus produced five witnesses to His deity! The first witness (v. 31) was Jesus Himself. While self-witness was not valid in Jewish courts, Jesus’ testimony counted, for He knew “where I came from and where I am going” (8:14). The second witness (5:32–35) is John the Baptist. John had heard God’s voice speak, and seen the Spirit descend. And John had told his disciples that Jesus was the Son of God (1:19–34). The third witness (5:36) was that of the miracles Jesus performed (cf. 10:25–14:11). The Gospel of John lists seven, each of which shows Christ’s power in a different arena of life (water to wine, 2:1–11; heal official’s son, 4:43–54; heal paralytic, 5:1–15; feed multitude, 6:1–14; walk on water, vv. 16–21; cure blind man, 9:1–41; raise Lazarus, 11:1–44). Each was a sign demonstrating Jesus’ power and His authority, and together they authenticated His claims of Deity. The fourth witness (5:37–38) is the Father Himself, speaking through but distinguished from Jesus’ miraculous works. The fifth witness (vv. 39–41) is the Scripture, for the Law and the Prophets both predict Jesus’ coming, and describe His ministry. For those who actually heard Jesus speak, the fifth witness was the most telling. For if the Jews had only believed Moses, they would have recognized Jesus and believed in Him. Even as, today, we who believe the Word of God accept its testimony, and through the Scriptures have come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Personal Application

We can trust the Word about the Word.

Quotable

“It were better to have no opinion of God at all than such a one as is unworthy of Him; for the one is only unbelief—the other contempt.”—Plutarch

AUGUST 26

Reading 238

WOMAN AT THE WELL John 4

“We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this Man really is the Saviour of the world” (John 4:42).Testimony helps. But to “know,” we have to come to Jesus for ourselves.

Overview

Jesus identified Himself to a Samaritan woman (4:1–26). He expressed satisfaction at doing God’s will (vv. 27–34), and spoke of the harvest His disciples would share (vv. 35–38). Many Samaritans came to hear Him (vv. 39–42). Back in Galilee Jesus healed a nobleman’s son (vv. 43–54).

Understanding the Text

“He left Judea and went back once more to Galilee” John 4:1–3.

The other Gospel writers focused on Jesus’ ministry in Galilee, and did not mention an early ministry in Judea. The early popularity of Jesus stirred up the Pharisees, leading Jesus to return to Galilee. John didn’t explain why Jesus left. “A Samaritan woman came to draw water” John 4:4–9. The Samaritans were descendants of pagan peoples settled by the Assyrians some 700 years before on land that had been part of the ancient Northern Kingdom of Israel. They had adopted Yahweh who was viewed as the god of that land, but maintained many of their pagan practices. The centuries-old hostility between the two peoples, whose religion the Jews viewed as apostate, was still intense in the first century. This partly explains the woman’s surprise that a Jewish rabbi should ask her for a drink. Most religious Jews would view her as unclean, and would feel contaminated by any contact with her. We need to surprise people today with our willingness to reach out to “sinners.” Jesus here reminds us that God calls no person unclean, and that the godly person is not contaminated by ministering to sinners. The Samaritan woman came to the well but was ignored by the other women. This was unusual, as drawing water at the community well was a time for socializing in the ancient East. Perhaps this woman, who was sexually promiscuous (4:16–18), was an outcast in her own village. Jesus knew who and what she was, and still took time to lead her to faith. Let’s be guided in relationships with others by His example. “Go call your husband and come back” John 4:16. The instruction was socially correct. In that culture no rabbi would speak with a woman without her husband present. But Jesus had another purpose in mind. He wanted to get beyond mere conversation (vv. 10–15) to touch her deepest emotions, and lead her to face her need for redemption. While attending the University of Michigan I worked in a mental hospital. During that time I witnessed frequently to another ward attendant, who was in the Master’s program there. After leaving to go to seminary, I wrote him a letter in which I spoke very personally—and insulted him to the extent that I never heard from him again. Yet another person I witnessed to, a patient, responded to the personal approach. Though once a Sunday School superintendent in a conservative church, he shared his story of years of alcoholism and marital unfaithfulness, and turned back again to the Lord. I had the joy—against hospital policy—of contacting his wife, and helping the family build a new and different life together. In one case the personal approach led to the slamming of a door; in another to the rebuilding of broken lives. That’s what is so powerful about being open and personal in our witnessing. As we build a relationship, becoming personal breaks through the barriers of superficiality that people erect to isolate themselves. We need wisdom from the Lord as to how and when to attempt a breakthrough. And at times the personal approach will be rebuffed. Yet we need to help people deal with the basic issue of life to which the Gospel so powerfully speaks. “They are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks” John 4:19–26. The woman tried to change the subject by bringing up a theological red herring (v. 20). Be alert, for almost every time you are close to touching a person’s heart, he or she will try to change the subject to theology! Jesus was undeterred. The question was set aside, and the issue pressed. God is Spirit, and seeks worshipers who will come to Him in spirit and truth (v. 24). It’s best to understand these words as a promise. God is looking for worshipers. All He asks is that we turn our hearts toward Him, and come to Him without pretense. The woman at the well knew the truth about herself: she was a sinner. God knew too and still sought her as a worshiper! Would she face the truth about herself, and come to God as she was? What a wonderful promise to share with others. God is looking for you! He’s seeking worshipers! Come as you are, not trying to hide your flaws. Turn your hearts toward heaven, where God awaits. “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming” John 4:25–26. This woman, who claimed not to know the difference between Mount Zion where the Jews worshiped and Mount Gerazim, where her people went, did know one thing. God had promised to send a Saviour, and He would have all the answers! That’s all we need to know today. It’s not our theological acuteness that saves us. It’s not our mastery of obscure Old or New Testament texts. It’s the simple belief that God has sent a Saviour, and He has the answers. You and I want to study and grow in our faith. But all we must know as we start each day is that God has sent us our Saviour. And He has the answers we need in order to live our today in God. “I have food to eat that you know nothing about” John 4:27–34. When the disciples returned, the woman was just leaving. They urged Jesus to eat something. And they didn’t understand His reply. What Jesus said shows us how to find what our constitution guarantees we can pursue: happiness. Jesus found His deepest satisfaction in doing the Father’s will. And so will we. “They are ripe for harvest” John 4:35–38. God’s field is perpetually ripe. Each day is the “today” when some will welcome the Gospel and find salvation. Your part may be sowing the seed. Or encouraging its growth. Or perhaps gathering in a crop over which someone else has labored. No matter. Whenever a person is gathered into God’s kingdom, all are filled with joy. “We have heard for ourselves” John 4:39–42. As a college student I sold encyclopedias for a time. I was enthusiastic when I began, and sold 11 of my first 13 presentations. But then I began to think about what I was saying as I followed the script for my presentation. And I realized that much of what I was saying just wasn’t true. After that, though I kept on trying for a while, I could make no sale at all. That’s one thing that’s so exciting about presenting Jesus to others, as the Samaritan woman did. We can share with enthusiasm, for God’s promised benefits are assured. Whoever comes to see for himself or herself will be saved. “A certain royal official” John 4:43–54. Historians note that Herod tended to recruit Gentiles as royal officials, and so suggest perhaps this man was one of them. If so, the three stories found in John 3 and 4 prefigure the spread of the Gospel: to Nicodemus the Pharisee, a Jew (Acts 2; 4)-to the woman at the well, a Samaritan (Acts 8)-and to the royal official, a Gentile, representing the whole world (Acts 10–11; 13ff). If so, these three representative persons illustrate John’s theme. God gave His Son that the whole world might know salvation. “Whosoever will” includes everyone (John 3:16).

DEVOTIONAL

The Dilemma of Faith(John 4:43–54)

Nobody ever said having faith was easy. Certainly the Apostle John didn’t say so. In fact, this story shows just how difficult it is. Just glance through the story and you see first of all a frantic father hurrying to find Jesus. His son was close to death, and the only one who could possibly save him was Jesus! When he finally did find Jesus, Christ didn’t seem very sympathetic. “Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders,” He said, “you will never believe.” The saying wasn’t a rebuke. Jesus didn’t question the frantic father’s motives. In fact, the saying is intended to stimulate faith! For when the father begged Him again to come, Jesus simply said, “You may go. Your son will live” (v. 50). This is the dilemma of faith. God, in response to our desperate appeals, speaks to us and says, “You may go.” In other words, “It’s done. Go home and you’ll find the sick healed.” And what is there for us to do? If we keep begging Jesus to come with us, we display unbelief. But to go means to head home with no evidence at all that the promised healing has taken place! How terrifying a choice. Do we keep asking after Jesus has said, “You may go”? Or do we leave, trembling, believing despite the lack of proof? The royal official made the choice of faith. On the way excited messengers met him. His son was recovering. The fever had broken—at the exact hour Jesus had told him, “You may go.” Faith is still very much the same. We come to God desperate for salvation. And all He says is, “You may go.” The work is done, your healing accomplished. And, though we lack evidence then, if we are wise we turn, in faith, and walk away as Jesus said. But later we discover to our joy just how completely Jesus has performed His miracle within.

Personal Application

Believe. And go.

Quotable

“It is the heart that senses God, and not the reason. That is what faith is. God perceptible to the heart and not to reason.”—Blaise Pascal

AUGUST 25

Reading 237

GOD SO LOVED John 3

“God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).John summed up Jesus’ talk with Nicodemus in the most famous verse in the Bible: the “Gospel in a nutshell,” John 3:16.

Overview

Jesus explained “born again” to a leading member of the Sanhedrin (3:1–14). John summed up the Gospel, and defined the critical role of faith (vv. 15–21). He reported the Baptist’s delight in Jesus’ growing popularity (vv. 22–30), and commented on the primacy of Jesus Christ (vv. 31–36).

Understanding the Text

“A man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus” John 3:1.

Nicodemus reminds us that while the Pharisees were generally ranged against Jesus, there were good and godly men among them. Through this interview Nicodemus remained courteous, though obviously puzzled. Later references to Nicodemus suggest that he became one of Jesus’ followers (7:45–52; 19:38–42). It’s a mistake to judge individuals by their class alone. In Jesus’ time most people had intense respect for the Pharisees. Jesus showed that those of this class who opposed Him were hypocrites. Yet Nicodemus was honest in his desire to please God, as were many other Pharisees who later became Christians (cf. Acts 15:5; 23:6). As John pointed out in this chapter, the great dividing line between human beings is not race or class, but whether or not they believe in Jesus Christ (John 3:18). “He came to Jesus at night” John 3:2. We shouldn’t make too much of this phrase, though some have suggested Nicodemus sneaked in to see Jesus for fear of criticism. Social visits often took place in the late evening: most folks in first-century Judea worked during the daylight hours. What’s important is Nicodemus’ admission that “we know You are a Teacher who has come from God.” Even the few miraculous healings Jesus performed in the early stages of His ministry were recognized by the ruling class as a divine authentication. Jesus’ miracles did not produce faith. Later, members of the ruling counsel condemned Jesus to death despite many more miracles! What the miracles did was to win Jesus a hearing. They produced a kind of “pre-faith”: a realization that this Man must be heard. There’s a miracle that wins us a hearing today too. It’s the miracle God works within us, making us loving, caring people who reflect Jesus’ concern for others. This miracle will win a hearing for the Gospel. But don’t be surprised if the message of Jesus provokes opposition as well as faith. “Born of water and the Spirit” John 3:5. The meaning of this phrase has long been debated, with some insisting the “water” refers to water baptism. It does. But it refers to the baptism of John, in which water was a symbol of repentance. God saves no one against his or her will. While the new birth is a work of God within us, God just doesn’t grab folks around the neck and make them hold still while the Spirit inserts new life! No one can give themselves new life, but each person must acknowledge his or her sins, as John’s baptism symbolized. By a change of heart and mind we must open ourselves to God’s work within us. And so we are born again, by water and the Spirit. We acknowledge our sins and turn to the Lord. And He works His miracle within us. “As Moses lifted up the snake” John 3:11–14. Jesus told Nicodemus the source of His authority to promise a new birth: He had come down from heaven, and so He knew. To help Nicodemus understand what He had said, Jesus referred to an Old Testament incident. Once during the Exodus the Israelites disobeyed God, and were punished by an infestation of poisonous serpents whose bite was fatal. Moses made a bronze snake—a symbol of their judgment—and raised it on a pole. The people were then urged to simply look at the serpent, and were promised life. Soon Christ would Himself be lifted up on another pole, at Calvary. His death would symbolize the judgment all human beings deserve. And ever afterward, all people would be urged simply to look to Jesus, and receive new life. As the hymn writer says, “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow!” “Whoever believes in Him is not condemned” John 3:15–18. Here the Apostle John left off his report, and on his own commented. “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This, undoubtedly, is the most famous verse in Scripture. It links what God has done with what we must do. God has provided eternal life in Jesus. Our part is to believe. In John 1:12 the apostle defined “believe” in terms of “receive.” In John 3:15 “believe” is defined in terms of “repent.” Other images follow in this book that has been called the “Gospel of Belief.” Both repenting and receiving are aspects of a true belief in God. Biblical belief is turning from ourselves and our old ways to God, and trusting God enough to open our hearts to the gift He wants to give us. If you have turned to God and you trust His promise to give you new life in Jesus, you have eternal life, now! “Whoever does not believe stands condemned already, because he has not believed” John 3:18. Don’t suppose God condemns a person because he or she hasn’t believed. That’s not John’s point. John said a person “stands condemned” because he hasn’t believed. Suppose you and a friend are standing on a train track, and the train is coming. You jump off and live. He doesn’t move and is killed. In one sense he was killed because he didn’t get off the track. That would have saved him. But in another sense he was killed because he stood on the track in the first place. John wasn’t saying that God punishes people for not believing. He says that people who deserve punishment can avoid it only by faith in Christ. Sin puts people on the track along which God’s judgment is coming. Belief in Jesus gets them off the track and out of the way. If they are condemned it won’t be for not believing. But it will be because they did not believe. Don’t let folks confuse you on this. Jesus didn’t come to condemn anyone. He came that all who would believe might be saved. “Men loved darkness instead of light” John 3:19–21. Why, when people hear the Good News of God’s gift of eternal life, do so many of them not believe? John said that they love darkness. To come to Jesus means repentance: it means admitting that our deeds are evil and that we need to be born again. Some people are repelled by the Gospel because the evil within them dreads exposure. How foolish. And how tragic. One day every man’s deeds will be exposed anyway. And those who have not found forgiveness in Jesus will be condemned. “He must become greater; I must become less” John 3:22–30. How great a protection John’s attitude is from the Christian’s greatest temptation: pride. Even the little man is tempted to be proud that he’s so humble. And the Christian who knows success is in danger indeed! John wasn’t concerned about the smaller crowds that came to hear him when Jesus was preaching in the same district. His great joy was that Jesus become greater, and he himself less. The person who is ready to accept a John—like role in life will, like John, find himself often “full of joy” (v. 29). “Placed everything in His hands” John 3:31–36. Again the author broke off his report to comment. Why did Jesus deserve the priority that John the Baptist acknowledged? What a list of reasons he gave! Jesus has priority because He is above all (v. 31). Because He comes from heaven (v. 31). Because He knows by experience what He is speaking about (v. 32)-and all who accept His words discover personally just how truthful He is (v. 33). Jesus has priority because He speaks the words of God (v. 34). Because God gives Him an unlimited supply of the Spirit (v. 34). Because the Father loves Him (v. 35) and has placed everything in His hands (v. 36). Because He is the source of eternal life for all who believe (v. 36), the only way to escape the coming wrath (v. 36). This Jesus, who is preeminent, must have priority in our lives.

DEVOTIONAL

You Must Be Born Again(John 3:3–10)

This passage is the source of what today is the prime evangelical catchphrase: “Born again.” Most folks don’t really understand, though polls show a large percentage of our population claims a “born-again experience.” Running up against it for the first time, Nicodemus was totally confused. Yet according to Jesus, he should have understood (v. 10). As “teacher of Israel” this member of the supreme Jewish council should have grasped the meaning of Old Testament prophecies about the new birth. Take for instance Ezekiel 36:26–27. There God said, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow My decrees and be careful to keep My laws.” This is what it means to be “born again.” It means to experience a spiritual rebirth: to know an inner transformation of the sin-hardened heart; a redirection of the life toward God. Only a supernatural work by God the Holy Spirit within us can accomplish so dramatic a change. And so when Jesus says, “You must be born again,” He simply means that to enter His kingdom, you and I must let God into our lives, to work there as He pleases. When we do, eternal life will be ours—now—and through the miracle of the new birth our life on earth will become fresh and new.

Personal Application

Don’t simply accept new life in Jesus. Live it!

Quotable

“The elect are the ‘whosoever wills’; the nonelect are the ‘whosoever won’ts.’ “—D.L. Moody