Author: Scott Lane

Re:Verse passage – John 21 (day five)

In the middle of restoring Peter, Jesus has amazing words of comfort and clarity for His followers and those who would lead them. It’s the pronoun Jesus uses when He commissions Peter (My). Jesus leaves no doubt or confusion about the ownership and belonging of His sheep.  They/we belong to Jesus. There is such security and confidence in His statement.  We belong to Him. He takes this facet of our relationship with Him seriously. So much so, that He provides under-shepherds to feed and lead His sheep.  But, make no mistake, the sheep belong to Christ.  What joy!  What Peace!  What encouragement!  To rest in the knowledge and understanding that we belong to Jesus!

Re:Verse passage – John 20:1-21 (day five

And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

Believers often point to the empty tomb in celebration of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.  The empty tomb is not the biggest indicator of Jesus’ resurrection.  That is why Mary was so upset rather than elated or overcome with joy when she saw the empty tomb. Too many possibilities for an empty tomb. Resurrection was probably last on the list.

What really convinced Mary that Jesus was alive?  His voice- encouraging, penetrating, missionary, and relational.

It’s the same with us. What convicts and convinces us that Jesus is alive? It is His voice- personal, prophetic, powerful. He calls us by name and we are awakened to the reality and glory of a resurrected Savior

When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. John 10:4

Re:Verse passage – John 19:1-30 (day five)

Then He *said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour the disciple took her into his own household.

With these instructions for John, Jesus begins a new paradigm for relationships and ministry within the community of faith- the responsibility of loving and caring for one another.  The custom would have been for Jesus to place his mother in the care and provision of his brothers.  Keep it in the family. Jesus has a new model for love and care- the family of God. We are meant to find encouragement, love, provision, and great care in our church family.  Have you received this kind of  kindness and concern from brothers and sisters in Christ? Do you show it to others in your Bible Study group?  Circle of 6? Network of church friends?

As we live together in our community of faith, let us do (Body Life) loving and caring for each other in the Body of Christ.

Re:Verse passage – John 14:15-31 (day five)

“These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” 14:25-26

Jesus’ words reveal how the scriptures would be written and protected- with and through the Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul will write later, “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit.”  1  Corinthiams 2:12-13

The Holy Spirit would remind and make clear to the disciples the words and actions of Jesus. The Spirit inspired John to remember and teach what he had seen and learned.

We should come to the scriptures amazed and expectant. Ask the Spirit who inspired their writing to illuminate their reading. 

Re:Verse passage – John 13: 1-17 (day five) 

John 13:1b having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.

Jesus does many amazing things all in this particular act of love. It was definitely a teaching moment. It was also an empowering moment. But above all, it was an act of love- selfless love. What would cause Him to pause as He continued deeper and deeper into the shadow of the cross? Love.

He is also teaching them so many lessons: no one is above serving, no one is below being served, a pattern for selfless love, Jesus is the source to be able to love like that. 

I wonder if they “got it” while it was happening?  I suspect as they reflected later and realized how close this event was to the crucifixion it made even more of an impact.

This kind of sacrificial love and service points directly to the gospel. Only a gospel transformation of one’s heart and nature can cause us to humbly and lovingly serve others like this. 

Re:Verse passage – John 12:20-37, 42-50 (day five) Jesus had hard but honest words for the Greeks.  Same honest and hard words for us.  The christian life is difficult, counter cultural and counter intuitive.  The illustrations He chooses are not the feel-good pictures that would be considered market friendly-  dying like a grain of wheat, hating our life in this world, following Jesus on a path to suffering, and becoming a servant. However, these pictures are not the end of the story.  Jesus also has glorious promises for those that will die, devalue their own life, follow, and serve.  They will bear fruit, find eternal life, be near and close to Jesus, and will be honored by God.

What we learn is that the christian life is not easy, but it is productive,  intertwined with the presence and power of Jesus, and eternal.  Anyone want to live that kind of life (now and in eternity)?

Re:Verse reading–John 9:1-7, 13-41 (day five) Jesus heard that they had put him out, and finding him…  John‬ ‭9:35‬ ‭

It may be the sweetest part of this interaction with Jesus, the second encounter  between Jesus and the man who was formerly blind. The first interaction resulted in physical healing, courage, and boldness. That encounter also caused stress, trouble, and conflict. The scripture says “they put him out”.  Do you sometimes feel it too?  See John 15.  “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.”

So in the midst of the difficulty and isolation Jesus finds him (again).  Sound familiar? “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.”Psalm 46:1   “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6

Maybe an encounter with the Living God (again) is just what we need today. Whatever the need or circumstance, ask Him to come near and find you to continue that work in your heart and mind!

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

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.

Jesus makes a deep and profound connection between the Spirit and the Word of God. It is the Spirit that makes us alive through the Word of God. The wisdom, power, and promises found in the scripture are greater than any other faith system or pattern of thought designed to find happiness and meaning.

Are there difficult teachings?  Are there passages that challenge the human heart and mind to think and approach life in a way that seems unnatural (not of the flesh)? YES!  But beyond the seeming confusion and frustration there is enough clarity in the scriptures to bring hope, life, and faith.

Peter didn’t deny the difficulty of Jesus words. He had heard and understood enough of Jesus other words to find life and hope. There is life and eternal truth to be found in the scriptures.  Enough to cling to in times of confusion, difficulty, and uncertainty. 

Re:Verse passage – John 5:1-24 (day five) When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He said to him, “Do you wish to get well?” John 5:6 

Same remarkable facet of the nature of Jesus we read in John 4 last week- the knowledge of Jesus. Come meet the man who told me all the things that I had done. Jesus knew the paralytic perfectly well. Jesus knew the woman perfectly well. Jesus knows each of us perfectly well. There is no occasion for Him to discover more about us.  No need to better understand us. No information lacking to diagnose us.  He already knows it all. And He acts perfectly with all His knowledge and understanding.  With wisdom and grace, Jesus questions, challenges, convicts, convinces, encourages, and empowers. 

This should fill us with awe, so that we sin not; with courage, so that we fear not; with delight, so that we mourn not. -Spurgeon.