Author: Chris Johnson

Re:Verse reading–John 6:52-69 (day seven)

The closer Jesus gets to the cross the smaller the crowds get.  At the point of crucifixion, even His closest disciples deny Jesus.  Judas, one of the twelve, betrays Jesus for silver, and Peter, one of the inner circle, betrays Jesus three times in one night. It is disheartening to see someone drift away from the Christ, but those days come for many.

In our text this week we see crowds not willing to follow Christ into the depth of His teaching: As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” John 6:66-67

May we never drift away from the Christ when life becomes difficult or when His teachings interfere with our creature comforts, instead, let us draw in closer to God seeking Him completely even in spite of ourselves.

Re:Verse passage – John 5:1-24 (day seven)

Jesus said to him, “Do you wish to get well?” The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.” Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk. John 5:6b-9

The sick man has an all too common response to Jesus, “I have no man to put me into the pool…”  This man wanted healing, but he only knew of one physical way it could happen.  Jesus, though, opened his eyes to spiritual realities that bring healing in a way unfathomable to man.  The same story has happened all through the Gospel of John, and continues to happen today. We have failed to learn from these examples of people who limited themselves to the temporal.

The woman at the well said the same thing to Jesus, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep…” John 4:11

Nicodemus likewise said, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” John 3:4

And we repeat the same error, “Jesus the things you say and the way you teach is impossible.”  We always have a good reason to say “no” to Jesus just like this sick man, the woman at the well, and Nicodemus, but thankfully, each one of these doubters move from doubt to belief by the grace of Jesus Christ. If we will but submit, and not doubt, Christ will transform our lives into something we could never fathom.

Re:Verse reading–John 4:4-30, 39-42(day seven)

(our text this week is John 4, however, for Christmas, we will consider Luke 2 today)

And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”
Luke 2:13-14

I hope we do not lose the last phrase of the angel chorus and I hope we do not lose the peace reserved for those with whom God is pleased.  I think we sometimes read John 3:16 and forget that though God’s love is for everyone, not everyone receives it.  There are a couple of other passages in John that help clarify God’s love.

He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him. John 14:21

If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
John 15:10-11

God’s offer of love is universal, our response is not.  May our God find us obedient to him and share His love, joy, peace, and hope with us in the new year.

Re:Verse reading–John 3:1-21 (day seven)

We often talk about Jesus’ miraculous birth this time of year.  Born of a virgin, celebrated by angels, and marked by the stars, Jesus’ birth was unlike any other.  The story is told and celebrated year after year.  Remarkably, there is another miraculous birth we often overlook.

John 3:4 notes the overlooked miraculous birth like this:  Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?”

Your rebirth is a miraculous gift of God.  Sometimes we downplay the life we have in Christ, but to be born of the Spirit is to be born of heaven.  Just as many still have trouble believing Christ was born in a manger, so too Nicodemus could not believe that you have been reborn.  It just isn’t possible.

Re:Verse reading–John 2:1-22 (day seven)

The Jews then said to Him, “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” John 2:18-19

Jesus, literally turning the Jewish world upside down, was flipping tables to reveal a new way under the Christ.  Naturally, those gathering Jewish leaders utilized their perceived authority to card Jesus, “we need to see your i.d.”.  They thought they were keeping order, but they were peons interfering with the work of the King.

Later in the book of John a similar scene occurs: So Pilate said to Him, “You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?” Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above…John 19:10-11a

Neither the Jewish religious leaders nor the reigning politicians could demand anything from Jesus.  Jesus was their superior whether they acknowledged it or not.  May we fully submit our lives to Christ and his Kingdom above any kingdom of this earth.

Re:Verse reading–John 1:1-18 (day seven)

He (John the Baptist) came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him.  He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.  – John 1:7-8

Did you notice that John the Baptist is “a” witness, not THE witness?  To be clear, John the Baptist holds a critical place in the proclamation of the Gospel bridging the gap between the Old Testament and the New, but he is not the only witness, and certainly not the last.  That task has been handed down for millennia through the church.

Following the legal analogy John the Baptist was a critical witness in verifying the truth of Jesus’ case, and so are we.  We carry on that same purpose of testifying to the truth of Jesus Christ as Lord.  We are witnesses of Bethlehem, we are witnesses of Golgotha, we are witnesses of the ever-building Kingdom of God on this earth. To this we testify.