Living in Tension

Re: Verse reading–John 19:28-42 (day five)
John 19 “And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.” Luke 9 58  “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

In Luke Jesus says the phrase “lay His head”.  John uses the phrase “Jesus bowed His head”.  Same Greek words in both verses.  No doubt John remembers Jesus’ words in Luke as He taught about the sacrifice and realities of knowing and following Jesus on the earth.  Mission and Ministry are more important than earthly comforts and treasures.

John observes that Jesus found the place that He did not have during His life on earth, when He gave up His life.  Culture and earthly desires fly in the face a soul that loves the Lord and yearns for Heaven. We live constantly in this tension- To embrace the mission and journey on earth, and also to be in a place of ultimate peace and rest.  Jesus models the perfect pattern for holding onto both ends of this rope.

Truth

Re: Verse reading–John 19:28-42 (day four)  Verse 36 says, “For these things came to pass to fulfill the Scripture…”  God’s Word is truth.  There is no promise, no principle, no prophecy in God’s Word that is not true or will not come about.  Isaiah 55:11 says, “ So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”  Everything about Jesus and His life had been prophesied and planned…His bones weren’t broken, His side was pierced, His body was laid in a new, borrowed tomb.  We can trust God’s Word!  Can you think of any promises in Scripture that could apply to you?  Can you identify any principle that you need to live by?  Are you living your life in the truth of God’s Word?  It applies to our lives, today, in 2015…just as true as when it was written.  Live in His truth!

Testimony

Re: Verse reading—John 19:28-42 (day three)
“The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true.”  The testimony of the church is that the Bible is the written word of God, infallible and trustworthy.  But the Bible didn’t just drop in from heaven.  Rather, “men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”  That is to say, it came to us through the eyes, ears, and minds of human beings.  It’s for human beings because it’s by human beings.  It’s what they heard.  It’s what they saw.  It’s what they knew.  It’s the truth.  The glory of the sovereign, triune God’s creative, redemptive work of unspeakable grace got written in a way that human beings can read it and understand it and find salvation through it.  The Bible: the mysteries of heaven revealed through a voice we recognize as one of our own.  Trust it.

The Last Word

Re: Verse reading–John 19:28-42 (day two) 

Complete, finished. It is no coincidence that scripture records seven statements of Christ on the cross. Seven is the number of perfection, of completion. When Jesus uttered these words, it did not carry the weight of agony that he had cried earlier when he said “why have you forsaken me?” No, indeed, when the Savior of mankind uttered “It is finished”, he was unilaterally declaring that the goal of his incarnation was now completed. All the prophecy that had been written about the Messiah was now fulfilled. He came divinely, lived and suffered perfectly, and now the task was complete. With as much anguish as his previous thoughts carried, this word was one of absolute victory. Thanks be to God!

Unfinished Business

Re: Verse reading–John 19:28-42 (day one) 
“When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ ”  It is one of my favorite Bible stories.  No words adequately describe this holy moment.  John remembers the last word coming from the Savior’s lips.  Finished!  (It is actually just one word in Greek)  His assignment from God was completely accomplished.  Jesus’ heart knew a deep satisfaction. Were these words spoken/shouted with a smile through parched and bloody lips?  Likely.  All of us can hope the same words will be ours at the end.  Even so, we must be careful lest the case be overstated.  The Lord is still VERY ACTIVE in our world!  Who intercedes for the saints?  The Lord! (see Hebrews 7:25) Who opens hearts to hear the word? (see Acts 16:14)  Who adds to the church those who are being saved? (see Acts 2:47)  Until His glorious return, the Lord will be actively involved with the world!  He has unfinished business with us.

His sharp knife

Re: Verse reading—John 15:1-17 (day seven)
” You have already been cleansed (pruned) by the word I have spoken to you”–v 3.  Truth hurts!  Sometimes.  Maybe this is why the Bible describes the Glorious Christ as having a “sharp two-edged sword coming out of his mouth”–Revelation 1:16.  What He has to say is usually not pleasant to hear!  In another place, the Bible describes itself with the same words.  “The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword”–Hebrews 4:12.  None of us should be surprised, then, if hearing Christ is uncomfortable.  The disciples had certainly experienced this discomfort.  His words had pruned their attitudes and values, challenged their unbelief and self-centeredness.  In the same way, His word convicts us and calls us to reach toward the eternal purposes of Holy God.  Comfortable?  No.  Loving?  Yes.  He uses His sharp knife to cut away all that is inconsistent with His glory and our good.  And all the people said, “Ouch”!

Addition and subtraction

Re: Verse reading—John 15:1-17 (day six)
“He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit.  Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more”–v 2.  “The Lord was ADDING to their number day by day those who were being saved”–Acts 2:47.  It is a familiar face of God to us.  Giver.  Provider.  He ADDS people to our congregation, friends to our lives, money to our bank account.  Do we also recognize Him when He SUBTRACTS?  When He removes things from our lives so that we do not grow self-sufficient or proud?  (see 2 Corinthians 12.)  When He prunes away parts of our lives, creates discomfort–all in the pursuit of greater fruitfulness?  “The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord”, said Job in the midst of his heartbreak.  (Job 1:21.)  May we be as quick to recognize our Father’s hand in times of change and difficulty.  He adds and subtracts.  We trust Him, either way.

Asking

Re: Verse reading—John 15:1-17 (day five)

 Vs. 7- If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

What a strange statement.  “Ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you”.  Is God some sort of genie granting any and all wishes to people?  Answer- NO!!  Can these words be true?  Yes, because they are only a part of this verse and teaching of Jesus.

Jesus and scripture certainly do teach a confidence and boldness to our prayers and petitions.  (I am SO glad)  The first part of this verse frames 2 truths as the context for His promise.  (Abide in Me, My words abide in you)  Both have to do with what shapes the human heart and causes it to become supernaturally focused and aware.  First, is the promise that a close, strong, and vibrant relationship with Jesus shapes the human heart to desire the things of God.  Second, is the power of the scripture to influence and affect our thoughts, desires, and priorities.  Thank You Father for Your Promises and Power!!

Abide in Me

Re: Verse reading—John 15:1-17 (day four)  Verse 4 – “Abide in Me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.”  If you separate the branch from the vine, it will die.  The same is true for the believer.  Once you enter into a saving relationship with Jesus, you must remain in Him.  How do we do that?  We spend time in God’s Word regularly…we pray and communicate with God…we obey…we share fellowship with other believers.  Many try to live the Christian life based on a relationship that they had years ago.  They have allowed their relationship to God to grow stale and have attempted to access the power of God in their lives without the character, love, and wisdom of Jesus having sanctified their lives.  Native knowledge cannot sustain the relationship…the branch severed from the vine dies up…the life that has lost the relationship with Christ will shipwreck on the rocks of life.  “Abide in Me!”

Capable

Re: Verse reading—John 15:1-17 (day three) 
“I chose you.”  Every action that a person carries out takes place in a world in which God has already acted.  Before anyone else loved the world, God loved the world, John tells us (both in his gospel and later on in his first letter), and so when we attempt to love someone, we do not do so alone and unaided, for then it would be impossible for us to love.  Rather, we do so as a person who has received love from God, and therefore we can love another person.  In the same way, before anyone else believed the human race capable of making something good out of the good universe God placed us in, Jesus believed it.  Only with his soul-saving power will that happen, but it will happen.  He was the first to declare it so.