When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled....Jesus wept.

John 11:28-37

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled....Jesus wept. John 11:33,35

I continue my study of John and today I focus on John 11:28-37, where we continue the story of Lazarus, whom we know from the larger story arc is ill and dies, and that Jesus raises him from the dead.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method. 

• What do we learn from the text about God?: After learning of Lazarus' illness earlier in chapter 11, and then staying where He was for two more days, Jesus is now seen approaching the village where Martha, Mary, and Lazarus lived.  In response to Mary falling to Jesus' feet in grief over her brother's death (vv32), Jesus "was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled...[and He also] wept" (vv33,35).  Jesus sympathizes with us and our cares, concerns and worries.  Believers should understand that because Jesus took on flesh as the Incarnate Son of God, "we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15-16).     
• What do we learn from the text about people?: In v32, Mary reacts first in worship towards Jesus, as she falls to Jesus' feet.  Similar to her sister Martha (v21), Mary then expresses frustration towards Jesus as she believes that if Jesus had come earlier He would have healed Lazarus (v32) - this is frustration yes but also faith because Mary was definitive that "if you had been here, my brother would not have died."  The Jews in the village and with Mary and Martha consoled and loved them, and wept with them (vv31, 33) - this is a great example of how we are to love others (second greatest commandment).  Some of the Jews marveled at Jesus' love for Lazarus, while others questioned the extent of Jesus' authority and power as He recently healed the blind man (chapter 9), but He was not to keep Lazarus from dying (vv36-37).  There will always be people who doubt who Jesus is - but believers should never doubt that Jesus is God, and Lord and Savior - Creator and King of Kings - able to do anything (Colossians 1:15-17).    
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Do not doubt Jesus and who He is.  Claim the promise that He saves, is able to do anything, loves us and sympathizes with us.  Follow the example of Mary who worshiped Jesus and saw Him as able to heal her brother.  Love others as the Jews consoled and wept with Mary and Martha.  Believe and have faith.        

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an amazing God who loves, saves, and sympathizes with us.  Thank You Jesus for all that You do.  I am not deserving of how You bless and save.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

Mark 12:28-34

Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ Mark 12:29-30

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 12:28-34.  Excerpts from the commentary's introduction and the first (of three) division (vv28-30):

• The title of this chapter of the commentary covering this text is "Two Great Commands/Two Great Loves" and the main idea for the entirety of the text (vv18-27) is "[c]itizens of Christ’s kingdom are called to love God supremely and to love their neighbor unselfishly." 
• "Our response to [the] two [greatest] commandments exposes our hearts, lays bare our souls, and reveals what matters most to us." We are challenged with understanding and confronting what is that we cherish and value the most in our lives? Is it Jesus?  
• The title of the first division per the commentary is "We Are Commanded to Love God Supremely." 
• "So, without malice, [one of the scribes] asked Jesus a question that was often batted around in religious circles: “Which command is the most important of all?” This is not as easy as it sounds. The rabbinic tradition had identified 613 commands in the first five books of the Bible. Of these, 365 were negative, and 248 were positive. Some were “light,” making less demand, while others were viewed as “heavy,” with severe repercussions for disobedience. So this scribe asked Jesus to “declare Himself.” Our Lord gladly obliges, and His answer takes us to the core of what really matters in life."   
• "Jesus quotes what Israel called the “Shema,” found in Deuteronomy 6:4-5: “Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” This confession was recited by every devout Jew morning and evening. Edwards explains, “It was and is as important to Judaism as is the Lord’s Prayer or the Apostles’ Creed to Christianity” (Edwards, Mark, 371)."  
• "Our God is God alone, and our worship, love, devotion, and allegiance must be exclusively to God or He will not accept it. Teachers and theologians could debate all they want, but Jesus begins by bringing them back to the fundamentals, the nonnegotiables of the faith. We should love this God because of who He is: He is our God."   
• "What kind of God is He? Exodus 34:6-7 describes Him as perfect in His gracious love and His pure justice."  
• "Furthermore, the context of the Shema is instructive. To love God is to obey His commandments and statutes “all the days of your life” (Deuteronomy 6:2). To love God means you will teach these commandments to your children and grandchildren (Deuteronomy 6:2), when you sit, walk, lie down, and rise up throughout the day (Deuteronomy 6:7), remembering He is the God “who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery” (Deuteronomy 6:12). To love God supremely means you must “not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you, for the Lord your God [Yahweh your Elohim], who is among you, [because Yahweh] is a jealous God” (Deuteronomy 6:14-15)."  
• "The repetition of the word “all” (four times in Mark 12:30) emphasizes the comprehensive nature of how we are to love Yahweh our Elohim, the Lord our God. It calls for a total response of love and devotion to God."  
• "The heart speaks to our emotions, the real me on the inside (see Exodus 20:3). The soul speaks to the spirit, the self-conscious life (see Psalm 42:1-2). The mind speaks to our intelligence and thought life (see 2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Strength speaks to our bodily powers, perhaps even the will (see Romans 12:1). 

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves....thank You Jesus! I am not deserving of my salvation, nor any of the blessings You pour out for me.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Mark 12:28-34

Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:29-31

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, I focus on an unassisted review of Mark 12:28-34:, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary. Observations of the text based on the Sword Bible Study Method: 

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: We see Jesus understanding scripture - and following both keys aspects of the greatest commandments to love God with all of your mind (v30) and understanding (v30) God gives You, and to love others (vv31, 33).  Jesus understands that all of the ten commands (Exodus 20) "depend on" on these two greatest commandments (Matthew 22:40).  Jesus is also obedient - perfectly.  He not only ultimately follows God's will to die on the cross, but He also fulfilled all prophecy to build a church (through His ministry described here in Mark and elsewhere) to share the gospel to all corners of the earth throughout all redemptive history.     
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: We see at least one of the scribes understanding God's will - given this understanding from God - that God does not want "whole burnt offerings and sacrifices" as empty rituals.  The ceremonial law (vs moral law) goes away with Jesus.  Jesus seeks for us to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1).  Building on this command, Jesus seeks for us - as an overflowing expression of His love for us and ours for Him - to bring glory to God in all that we do (1 Corinthians 10:31).  In v34, the one scribe questioning Jesus "not far from the kingdom of God" - meaning perhaps moving closer to being an ally of Jesus or believing in Him.  Yet going forward Jesus' crucifixion is not far off because they cannot trap Jesus into blasphemy (no more questions to be asked), but the Jewish leaders still want to destroy Jesus so they proceed with condemnation and murder of an innocent man.  Broken sinful people (the scribes, Jewish elders, etc.) are used by God to be part of His plan.  This includes us and others both unwillingly and unwittingly.  
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid,Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Love God - with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength - and love others.   

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My Prayer: Father God, You are good, true, and perfect. Thank You for the blessing of Your Word and for my salvation.  I am not deserving of either.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as Your Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning...My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

1 John 3 and John 2

 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.  Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning...My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 3:7-8, John 2:1-2

This morning, my focus is DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, where John Piper seeks for believers to prepare our hearts for Christmas.  Today's Solid Joys daily devotion marks day 25 of Advent, and today John Piper marks Christmas day by describing three gifts all believers have in Jesus Christ:

1. A clear purpose for living.  Using 1 John 3:23 where it says (Piper highlights how John does so as a single commandment) "believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us."  Piper shares how this commandment - expressed by Jesus as two (and the greatest) commandments in Matthew 22:34-40 - as the "sum of the Christian life". 
2. Hope that our failures will be forgiven.  Piper describes how our hope that our failures will be forgiven is HOW we overcome sin - we continue to fight because we know and have faith that our battle is not for naught.
3. Christ will help us.  Piper uses 1 John 4:4 where it says "He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." Jesus has already defeated sin and death and He gives us the Holy Spirit, His Word, etc. as the full armor of God to defeat sin. He will also never leave or forsake us.

Merry Christmas indeed!  Embrace these truths!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are great indeed and the presents You provide are incredible as You alone are worthy of worship like no other!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such gifts.  My sin is great and it continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Romans 13

Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. v9

In Romans 13:8-10, Paul pivots to how we are repay our debts, and he moves on to the importance of love.  Although many Bible scholars believe Jesus new covenant focuses on moral vs ceremonial law, there is still much in moral law for us to follow.  Yet both Jesus and Paul remind us how love (of God and for others) is most important.

Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40 

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and You love me - more than I can ever imagine or understand.  I am grateful that You love me, because I am undeserving of Your love and for the countless ways You bless me and for Your grace.  Thank You.  Yet I worry and I have much sin - please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

John 13

I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. v15-17

During John's account of the Last Supper, Jesus washes the disciples feet and emphasizes the importance of putting others ahead of yourself.  This point is counter-intuitive.  A worldly interpretation would focus on self-needs aren't getting met if we put others above ourselves.  Yet Jesus' words here must be read together with Matthew 22:37:40 regarding the greatest commandments.  If we love God first, then we will see how God takes care of all our needs - He provides.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God and I love You - You provide for all of my needs.  Than You Jesus.  I am not deserving of such care and love.  I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

Habakkuk 2

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. v14

As the Lord responds to Habakkuk's plea for justice - see post yesterday - God promises punishment for the wicked.  In v9-19, God promises woe for those who disobey God and seek gain and glory for themselves above God.  We are to love God first and foremost and then others as God loves us.

Ten Commandments
Greatest Commandment(s)
"Love one another" as Jesus loves you

One way or another every knee will bow and every tongue will acknowledge the Lord of Lords - Jesus Christ.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who has helped me grow in my faith - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love.  I daily miss the mark.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind, and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness.

1 John 2

Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. v9

Hate implies anger and other emotions that harden our heart.  Any hardening of our hearts prevents us from loving God and loving others - the two most important commandments in the Bible.

As I posted Saturday, we are to live as Jesus did so that others can see Jesus in us and we can draw others to Him.  Bottom line, we exist to glorify Him and for His purpose.

They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, for the display of my splendor. Isaiah 60:21

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and You are love - everything You are and all that You do is out of love...perfect love, perfect justice...yet You chose me, knowing everything about me, then suffered and died for me so that I can find freedom from the sting of sin and death and eternity in Heaven with You.  What a great God You are!  I am not worth such love....I am lazy, selfish, and I worry.  Please forgive me and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself strength and wisdom.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, the church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.