They said to the woman, “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 Savior of the world.”

John 4

They said to the woman, “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 Savior of the world.” v42

As a follow up to my post yesterday, other remarkable aspects of Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well include the timing of the encounter and the reaction of the townspeople in v27-42.

MacArthur indicates the divine timing of the encounter writing: "[h]ad the disciples arrived earlier, they would have interrupted and destroyed the conversation; and if they arrived any later, she would have gone and they would not have heard His declaration of messiahship. This feature subtly reveals Jesus' diving control over the situation that was occurring."

We must also remember that each time someone comes to faith it is the hand of God - a miracle (see Ephesians 2:8).  I think about my own testimony and the story of my mom coming to faith at 81 years old even though she was Jewish her entire life up until that point (watch this video starting at 6:00 and ending at 12:43).  As such we have the miracle of faith of the Samaritan woman at the well and the townspeople.
 

 "Many...believed in Him because of the woman's testimony" (v39)...."[a]nd because of His words many more became believers." (v41)

One would think that everyone would have such a reaction to Jesus.  Yet this is not the case.  Of course the Jewish elders, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, etc. and many others' hearts were hardened as were the townspeople in the region of Gadarenes where Jesus heals a man (or two men depending on the account you are reading - see also Matthew 8, Mark 5, Luke 8) from his demons - in this story all accounts indicate that the people of the region "pleaded" with Jesus to leave.  The only exception here is noted in Mark where he indicates that "the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed" (Mark 5:20).

ALL believers have a story to tell that is a miracle - what is YOURS?

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who has performed many miracles in my life with of course the most important being faith itself!  Thank You Jesus!  I am undeserving of such a gift.  I worry, and my sin goes on and on...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 today and every day.

The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)

John 4

The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) v9

In v1-42, we see Jesus talking to a Samaritan women at Jacob's well in Sychar.  

Read more about the significance of Sychar and it's neighboring land Schechem and about the enmity between the Jews and Samaritans.

In my view, the most significant aspect of the story is the compassion Jesus shows for a woman that appears to be ashamed of her unmarried status and beneath the man with whom she is speaking. Jesus demonstrates that everyone is worthy of God's salvation.  Wealth, position, behavior, etc. - NOTHING makes anyone any more or less deserving of God's grace.  The Prison Fellowship ministry is a great example of this.  Luke 23:43 is yet another example - where Jesus saves a criminal crucified with him.  There are many more examples of people who've done bad things (Moses, Paul, etc.) but who were redeemed by God and used for His service. 

We must reach everyone and snatch as many as possible from the fire! 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who loves me - even though You know everything about me, including my sin.  You saved me - while I was still sinning!  You continue to bless me with grace and so much more...thank You Jesus!  I am undeserving.  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. 

He must become greater; I must become less.

John 3

He must become greater; I must become less. v30

I've spent time this weekend with my son Zach and there has been much discussion about the world, desires, and God's will for our lives.  We all have desires but we must surrender our lives and desires to Him and He must come first.  This is counter to the worldly view that we must pursue what we believe is important to ourselves - to follow our dreams.

We must understand that God has a plan for our lives and that we must align ourselves with this plan.  Alignment to God's plan for our lives is a process that involves renewal of the mind through daily study of His Word and prayer.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who loves me and who has a plan for me that is great and I am amazed that You would use me - even though I am broken, etc.  Thank You Jesus.  I am undeserving of such a God.  I worry and I am selfish.  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 God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

John 3

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. v17

Typically, v16 gets most of the attention in John 3 but it is worthwhile to understand v16 in a broader context by unpacking what else John is saying.  In doing so, I am encouraged by the verses that follow.  I am encouraged by knowing that God knows everything about me yet still loves me anyway. Jesus then and most importantly, willingly chose to lay down His life so that my sin, and the sin of all humanity, would be permanently redeemed, and so that humanity would be free from the sting of sin and death.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

See also post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who knows everything about me yet loves me anyway...and You came to save me and give me life...abundantly now and in Heaven!  Thank You Jesus!  I am undeserving of such love...I worry and I am selfish.  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.

Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?

John 3

Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? v11-12

Nicodemus, a Pharisee and member of the Jewish ruling council, comes to Jesus in the night (v1-2) to speak with Him.  God wants us to engage with Him questions of faith - including our doubts, questions, frustration, etc.  Jacob even wrestled with God (see also DesiringGod.com on this topic of wrestling with God).  However, at some point, we must just believe.  

John Piper posits that the story of Nicodemus emphasizes that our faith requires us to be born again - in other words we cannot be "alive to religion" but "dead to God", referencing Luke 9:59-60 to illustrate how one can be dead to God. 

We must recognize and believe in our heart that we all need a Savior, Jesus is that Savior, and that He died and rose to redeem us - faith then becomes a gift from God. 

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.  Romans 10:9-10

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who died and rose for me - thank You Jesus!  I am undeserving of such a gift...I worry far too much!  Please forgive me 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.

But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.

John 2

But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person. v24-25

Jesus had a large following as He performed miracles and healed people (see also here and v23).  Many of those who followed Jesus then and I suspect many who follow Him now are drawn to Him for WHAT He does but not for WHO He is.   What is important to note is that we cannot fake our way through faith - as Jesus knows what is in our heart and nothing is hidden from Him.  Faith requires us to recognize our own limitations - that we all sin - and to believe that Jesus died and rose for our sins. 

From there, our faith only grows in Him when we take time to get to know Him through daily study and prayer.

I know for myself that faith in what Jesus does (without truly knowing who He is) is not really faith at all and John Piper gets to this question here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is so full of patience and grace - thank You Jesus!  I am undeserving of such grace and patience.  I worry and I am selfish.  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.

But the temple he had spoken of was his body.

John 2

But the temple he had spoken of was his body. v21

As Jesus clears the temple courts of the merchants (see also Mark 11), the Jews questioned Jesus' authority to do so, asking Him for a sign that demonstrates such authority (v18).  Jesus warns the Jews of the temple's destruction (see more here and here) and tells them that He will rebuild the temple in three days.  John correctly records how the disciples remembered Jesus' words prior to the crucifixion and resurrection.  Additionally, although many believers and non believers alike focus on the church building (and its adornment/facilities), Scripture warns us to place too much emphasis on the physical church building. See also DesiringGod.com on this topic.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who is always with me and You give me a firm foundation - thank You Jesus!  I am undeserving of such a God.  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.

What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

John 2

What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. v11

For believers, we all reach a place in our journey with Christ where we are confident that Jesus has done or is doing something in our livesn  - belief in Christ.  As a follow-up to my post yesterday, God is always doing something in our lives, yet our own recognition of this is a process that is different for us all.  For myself, it took nearly 10 years of being a cultural Christian before I started reading the Bible regularly.  This then triggered renewal of my mind - allowing me to better see God's activity in my life.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who is always doing something in my life - thank You for always being there in my life and for always doing something for me, in me and through me.  I am not worth such love.  I worry and I am selfish.  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 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.

“Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”

John 2

“Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” v4

God has a plan - He did so when He created the world, when He sent His Son and He has a plan for all of us.  We need to be mindful of this, particularly in the middle of circumstances when we may question whether God exists at all.  When the Jews wandered in the desert in Exodus and found themselves hemmed in by the chasing Egyptians and the Red Sea, they said this: "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?"  

While from time to time it understandable that we doubt God is doing something in our lives, we do need to recognize that God is ALWAYS doing something in our lives and You can be sure it has something to do with bringing Him glory - either through you or in You. This view should make it much easier for You to endure.

Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:16

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens[.] Ecclesiastes 3:1

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and I know You are always doing something in my life - thank You for always being with me!  I am not deserving of such love.  I worry and I stress out.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome my sin and turn 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 to me today and every day.

“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

John 1

“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” v48

In v29-50, we see Jesus baptized by John (see also accounts in the other Gospels here), and Jesus' calling of the first disciples.  Although at this point in Jesus' ministry there are indications these men had a sense of who Jesus is (see v41, 45, 49), there are other indications later in John and in the other Gospels that demonstrate these men have an incomplete awareness and understanding of what it meant to follow Jesus.  My sense is that this is true today even for most new believers save those who might live in persecuted locations where it is dangerous to follow Jesus.  

Jesus says we must deny ourselves and give up everything as the cost of our faith.

Yet for those believers who have taken the time to allow Jesus into their heart and lives through daily study and prayer, we know there is a surpassing worth of Jesus vs the world.

Part of this surpassing worth of knowing Jesus are the Fruits of the Spirit, and of course eternal life.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who gives me life - to the full...in this life and in Heaven!  Thank You Jesus!  I am undeserving of such gifts.  I worry, and I stress, too much...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 spouse 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 baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know".

John 1

“I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know". v26

In his description of John the Baptist's (JB) role in proclaiming the coming of Jesus, John the apostle describes the Pharisees reaction (v24) to John the Baptist's baptisms in the Jordan River, and JA in v26 notes JB's response to the Pharisees.

All of this drove me this morning to better understand the purpose of baptism.  Of course we have the modern day (and New Testament) definition of baptism and it's role in our faith and in the church. Yet I think it is important to also understand the Jewish and Old Testament origins of baptism as context to better understand why JB was baptizing people before Jesus even arrived on the scene.

This post provides a good overview of the role of ritual washing in the Old Testament.  A more comprehensive listing (and brief description) of Old Testament ritual washings is available here.

Peter also uses the Great Flood as a reference to baptism:


After being made alive, he [Jesus] went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits—to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. 1 Peter 3:19-21

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who gives me a path of reconciliation to God the Father - thank You Jesus!  I am undeserving of being Your child - yet You give me this right anyway.  Thank You Jesus.  Please forgive me for my worry, etc.  Help me turn from such 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.

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

John 1

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. v12-13

In verses 6-8, John (the apostle) tells us about John the Baptist (John the Baptist is not John the apostle (author of John, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John and Revelation) - the messenger sent by God to "prepare the way" for Jesus and His coming ministry (see also Matthew 3, Isaiah 40:3, Mark 1, Luke 3).  

In v9-13, John then shares with us that: Jesus is the light of the world, Jesus came into the world to both be with us (to minister and teach to us, then to die for us), and that many did not recognize or believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah.  John then gives us this great truth about this "right" that Jesus gave us "to become children of God". 

What an amazing right!  We ALL want to be part of something - something that gives us community, love, etc.  When we believe in and receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are grafted into His family.  We must also understand that if we do not believe and receive, we are not His children - listen to John Piper on this.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who Has grafted me into His family!  Thank You Jesus for inviting and receiving me into Your family!  You are a great God - I love You Jesus! I am undeserving of such a God.  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.   

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. v1-5

According to BibleOverview.com, "John is the fourth and last Gospel (an account of Jesus’ life and ministry) in the new Testament. John focuses on the deity of Christ more so than the other four: we see Jesus as the Word of God, the Son of God, and God Himself. Jesus is a great miracle worker, an omniscient teacher, a compassionate provider, and a faithful friend".

BibleOverview.com also indicates that, unlike the other (synoptic) gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), "John does not aim to chronicle the whole life of Christ—in fact, John doesn’t think the world could contain such a document (John 21:25). Instead, John presents a few signs and teachings that should compel us to believe in Jesus".

Verses 1-5 are a great place for us to start regarding who Jesus is.  I am excited to dive into my study of John.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an amazing God You are!  You are Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit!  You live in my heart, and Your live in Your Word and my study of Your Word allows me to hear from You and learn about and from You - thank You Jesus for all of this!  I am undeserving of such a God.  I worry and I am full of stress.  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.

The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.”

Luke 23

The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” v47

I can imagine what it was like to see Jesus in real life as the centurion did - it is not surprising to see the centurion react to Jesus' crucifixion - see also Matthew 27 and Mark 15 as he did.  Matthew Henry indicates that there are some accounts that this centurion was named Longinus and that he was healed of an eye disease by drops of blood that flowed from the wound in Jesus' side cause by the spear piercing inflicted by the centurion soldiers.

The centurion's reaction contrasts with the reaction of the Sanhedrin who in Acts 6 seized Stephen, and although they "looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel", their hearts were hardened and perhaps grew more hardened by Stephen's speech (Acts 7), and they ultimately stoned Stephen.

We should not let our hearts be hardened - in any area of our life.  We should continue to pray for soft hearts and humility.  We need to allow Jesus to work in our hearts and lives so that OTHERS can see Jesus in us. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who died for me - suffering beyond my comprehension.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such an act.  I am selfish, etc. and I daily miss the mark.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me over come 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 turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ Then“‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’ v28-30

Luke 23

Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ Then“‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’ v28-30

On the way to Golgotha, or "the place of the skull" as referred to by Luke in v33, Jesus responds to those mourning and wailing for Him (v27).  It is of course understandable that those in the moment who knew and loved Jesus would be distraught over His imminent crucifixion.  For believers in present and future days, Jesus' response is clear - be more concerned over your own fate and those of whom you love...and all God's children for that matter.  

We must snatch others from the fire and play our part in the Great Commission.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who snatched me from the fire and others in my life - thank You Jesus!  Yet I am undeserving of such love.  I worry...far too much...please forgive me Jesus and help me 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.

He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.

Luke 23

He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will. v25

While all of the gospels (Matthew 27, Mark 15, John 19) include the account of Jesus before Pilate, only Luke includes this language that Pilate "surrendered Jesus to their will" and my focus is on use of the word "will" because typically this word is used to describe God's will for our lives and how we can determine and follow God's will for our lives.  

I started this morning by looking for the Greek words of the text - found here which indicates the Greek word used here for "will" is θέλημα (pronounced thay-lay-ma-ti).

When "will" is used in the context of people following their "own" vs God's will for their lives - it implies either a weak personal or no personal relationship with Jesus as the definition for will includes following a human "desire" or "pleasure" vs finding joy and fulfillment through Christ.

There is NOTHING in this world that can fill the holes in our heart that ONLY Jesus can fill.

I have previously posted on God's will for our lives and used Romans 12:2 to illustrate how daily study of God's Word serves to renew our minds and direct our thoughts towards God.

John Piper has an OUTSTANDING post on this topic.

Dallas Willard should also be considered.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has transformed my heart, mind and life - thank You Jesus for doing a work in my life!  I know You are not done and I need more of You in my life - my sin of course persists!  I worry, etc. 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.

That day Herod and Pilate became friends—before this they had been enemies.

Luke 23

That day Herod and Pilate became friends—before this they had been enemies. v12

This verse struck me as odd - there is no indication in scripture that I know of why Herod and Pilate were enemies and there is also no indication in scripture that I know of why the two men became friends.  Yet this commentary points us to Acts 4:27 which takes us to Peter and John's questioning before the Sanhedrin, their release, and their subsequent prayer, which in turn takes us to Psalm 2:1-2 as we learn how the union of Herod and Pilate fulfills prophecy (confirmed in Acts 4:27).

Jesus HAD to go to the cross to both fulfill prophecy AND because there was no other way for us to commune with God as our sin permanently separates us from God and Christ's death on the cross permanently and for all of mankind provides us with reconciliation to God through Christ the Son.

Thank You God for sending Your One and Only Son (John 3:16).

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who send His One and Only Son for me - thank You Jesus!  The greatest gift of all time.  I am undeserving of such a gift.  I worry, I am harsh with my words and actions, etc.  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.

And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Luke 22

And he went outside and wept bitterly. v62

We all know the passage of how Peter denies Jesus three times before the roster crows, just as Jesus indicated to Peter the prior evening.  Peter is obviously feeling threatened and understandably denies Jesus out of fear for his life.  The question becomes - what would each of us do when perhaps confronted with a "gun to our head" by someone seeking to do harm to Christians?  While it may be difficult to tackle this question hypothetically, John Piper takes a crack at it here.

Piper refers to Matthew 10 where it says: "[b]ut whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven" (v33) and "[a]nyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me" (v37). 

Another question arises which is: can I lose my salvation once saved? Piper takes a crack at this also. 

I am not going to resolve these questions this morning, but I am nonetheless encouraged by the scripture referenced by Piper in his posts:

If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 1 Peter 4:14

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Matthew 10:28

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who sustains and protects me every day from harm of all kinds - thank You Jesus!  I am undeserving of Your love and protection.  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.  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.

But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.

Luke 22

But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him. v51

I have previously posted on hardened hearts, including recently.  I find it striking here that Peter (see John 18) would cut off the ear of one of the high priest's servants and then in response to Jesus' amazing grace - He immediately heals the man even though the mob came to arrest Him - the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders' hardness of heart persisted with Jesus' arrest and ultimate crucifixion.  I know Jesus HAD to go to the cross, but I can't help but wonder about the extent to which the Jewish leaders' hearts were pricked even a tiny amount by Jesus, His teachings, and His ministry. Both Nicodemus and Gamaliel strike me as Jewish leaders who both AT LEAST acted in an open-minded manner to Jesus - check out this commentary that discusses the leadership of both these men as models for church leadership.  Also, in poking around, I found that the Catholic church recognizes Gamaliel as a saint, and Gamaliel is portrayed in a very famous painting "Saint Stephen Mourned by Saints Gamaliel and Nicodemus".

For us, we should ALL be mindful to our own hardness of heart, not just about Jesus but also about any hardness of heart that may exist in AREAS of life as even believers can have stubborn pockets of this hardness in our lives.

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus thank You for continuing to prick my heart and working to prevent me from hardness of heart.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of Your love and grace.  I daily miss the mark and I know I am stubborn and closed minded in at least several areas of my life.  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 spouse 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.

He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

Luke 22

He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. v41-44

John Piper refers to Jesus' prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane as "The Greatest Prayer in the World".  This prayer serves as an excellent reminder that prayer works, as Jesus prayed for strength to be obedient in going to the cross. Verse 43 tells us that "[a]n angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him".  Luke's account here and the other Gospel accounts of this prayer also tell us that: (1) we should pray with passion and fervor, and that we should demonstrate our complete dependence on Him for the needs and concerns we have (Luke 22:44),  and that (2) we should be persistent in our prayer, demonstrating trust that God hears our cries and will respond (Jesus prayed three times see Matthew 26 and Mark 14).  

On a similar note on prayer: Jesus' "High Priestly Prayer" is also highly instructive in terms of how we should approach prayer.  I found this post particularly relevant as it discusses how Jesus' prayer in John 17 gives us a blueprint for prayer during the teen years - it ends with:

"When parents pray over an open Bible, the words of Scripture wrap themselves around the desires of our hearts and give us the words we don’t have. Jesus ends his prayer for his disciples by offering himself, totally set apart for the Father’s will. Perhaps this is what our teens need most: parents with a single-minded determination to follow him. We will not do so perfectly, but our own stumbling progress toward discipleship puts us on the same road as our teens — and what a joy it is to be traveling toward Christ together."

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus You are an awesome God and I need You desperately - I cannot live without You - You sustain me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of Your love and grace.  I worry and I lash out at others - 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 spouse 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.