Treasures From John's Gospel - 10

Our Compassionate Savior

 

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.     Matt. 11:28

 

The Lord Jesus is grieved by the misery that sin brings to men and women who are caught in its grip. He met the woman of Samaria at a place where she felt most vulnerable – alone by the well where she should have been enjoying the friendship of other women. He approached her in grace with a message of freedom from sin's degradation. At the pool of Bethesda Jesus gave new life to a helpless man who knew he needed the strength of another, but could find no one to assist him. And to the blind beggar Jesus gave the gift of sight so he could see, and enjoy, the Light of the world.

 

Jesus found them; He granted them life and strength and light – this is His heart toward mankind.

 

We find another sinful woman, another helpless man and another blind man in the Gospel of Luke. However, this time Jesus did not go to them – they came to Him. Luke 7:36-50 records the story of a sinful woman who was so desperate to see Jesus that she went, uninvited, to a dinner at a Pharisee's house. Ordinarily she would avoid contact with the high and mighty Pharisees, but her sense of the Lord's grace made her bold. She poured her heart out to Jesus while pouring perfume onto His feet. Luke also tells of a paralyzed man who was lowered from the roof into a crowded house right in front of Jesus. Jesus recognized his faith and his need; He forgave the man's sins and strengthened his body (Luke 5:18-26). Finally, a blind beggar sitting by the roadside heard Jesus passing by and called out for mercy. Jesus heard the heart-cry of faith and gave the man sight (Luke 5:18-16).  

 

In Luke's gospel we see that sinners are welcome to come to the Savior – those who come, believing, find Him to be a willing Savior. John shows that Jesus does not always wait for us to recognize our need of Him. He is ready to come to us with a heart full of compassion – eager to free us from the misery of sin and to bring us into His rest.

 

. . .  the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.     John  6:37b

 

You did not choose Me but I chose you . . .     John 15:16

‘Disciples of Moses’ vs The Blind Man

  'Disciples of Moses' vs The Blind Man

John 8:59 - 9:41

 

As Jesus walked away from the agitated religious leaders, He came upon a man who was blind from birth. We are all born with spiritual blindness – but the religious leaders of Jesus' day did not recognize their blindness. Entrenched in their religious traditions, they thought they were "Moses' disciples." 

 

Since a disciple is someone who learns from the life of another, we could ask, "What does Moses teach by his life?" In a nutshell: Moses attempted to avenge his people in Egypt using his own wisdom and strength (Ex 2:11-14).  God sent him to the desert for 40 years to empty him of his perceived abilities. At the end of those years Moses expressed his new, humble self when he balked at the mission the Lord presented to him (Exodus 4). Hebrews 11:24-28 tells us that Moses acted "by faith" in bringing the Hebrews out of Egypt; however, it is not a life of faith the Pharisees refer to when they say "we are disciples of Moses.' Instead, their lives demonstrate the same pride as the Israelites who presumed they could keep the law when they said, "All that the Lord has spoken, we will do" (Ex 19:8; 24:3). They were blind to the fact that no matter how good their intentions, or how hard they tried, they would not be able to please God by their own efforts.

 

Jesus was sent by the Father to give sight to those who are blinded by the world – and to those who are blinded by the religion of self-effort.  He continually dealt with the Jewish leaders because their religion kept them, and those they influenced, from responding to God in faith. They thought they could 'see,' but were spiritually blind. So blind were they, that they cast the man right into the presence of Lord because

Jesus heard they had cast him out . . . and He found him . . .     Jn 9:35

Manna in the Shape of Loaves and Fish

Manna in the Shape of Loaves and Fish

John 6:1-9

 

This crowd of hungry people – 5,000 men, plus women and children (Matthew 14:21) – brings to mind the Old Testament multitude settling down to life in the wilderness after they escaped the slavery of Egypt. In both situations, no food was naturally available to feed the hungry throng. John tells us that Jesus was testing the disciples (vs 6). Just as the Israelites of old were being schooled in the wilderness, the disciples are getting an education on the mountain.   

 

Isn't it true that when we face a problem, we immediately go into 'problem solving mode?'  That is exactly what Philip and Andrew did here. Philip does a quick calculation and concludes that they could never buy enough food for this crowd. Andrew locates some food – but states that, after all, it is minuscule, and of what use could it be? Would they realize that the Lord was their only resource?

 

How quickly do we recognize that there is nothing we can do and then turn to the One with all the resources of heaven?  We don't even see that we are making a choice to tackle the situation without Him. We see a problem and try to find a way to solve it while the Lord is standing by, waiting to reveal Himself to us in our troubles. We claim to belong to Him – saying that without Him we can do nothing – and yet treat Him as if He is both powerless and uncaring towards us.

 

The Jews in the wilderness, and the disciples on the mountain, picture the feeble heart of mankind. Those wilderness Jews, having just experienced God's power to free them from Egyptian bondage, even making a way for them  to cross the Red Sea on dry ground, could not find it in themselves to trust Him to feed them. Instead they complained. The disciples – having witnessed one miracle after another – had no thought that Jesus could, or would, provide for the hungry crowd without their help.

 

 Picture this: faith-filled wilderness Jews saying, "Wow, what will happen next? A God who can part the sea will surely provide food for us!" And the disciples, full of expectation,  saying, "Hey everyone take a seat, you're about to see something really spectacular – this is the Son of God!"

 

As with the disciples, difficulties expose the poverty of our faith, while at the same time they reveal the greatness of the resources in the Lord.    ~Hamilton Smith

Do You Want to Be Made Whole?

Do You Want to Be Made Whole?

John 5:1-16

 

The Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.   John 1:17

 

An ailing man, confined to his pallet for 38 years, was enslaved by a disease that rendered him too weak to get up. His only hope was to be the first one into the pool when the angel stirred up the water – but he was absolutely incapable of accomplishing this feat. His 'hope' was no hope at all!

 

Jesus saw the man lying by the pool when He was in Jerusalem for a Jewish feast. He felt sympathy for the helpless man and asked him, "Do you want to become well?"  It seems odd that Jesus would ask a question with such an obvious answer; however, it allowed Jesus to make a most important point when the man revealed that he had the desire, but not the strength, to get into the pool.  

 

. . . the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.   Rom. 7:18b

 

Jesus did not speak to this man about his corrupt nature, as He did with Nicodemus; nor did He expect him to realize that he was under the power of sin, as with the Samaritan woman. Jesus did not stress the importance of believing His word, as He had done with the nobleman. In this encounter the spotlight is on the man's absolute inability to act for himself. Generally, the infirmed man illustrates that mankind is powerless to overcome sin without help; and specifically, he represents the Jew who has repeatedly proven an inability to keep God's law.

 

What the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son. . . Rom. 8:3a

Sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.  Rom. 6:14

 

Do we truly understand the substance of God's grace? It is this: God sees our need and has sent His Son to meet it. He knows that our 'disease'(sin) will keep us from Him eternally and He is not willing for that to happen. The Lord's question to us is, "Do you want to be free from sin and its effects?" If we say yes, we must set aside all personal effort and receive everything Christ wants to give us for life and godliness.

 

His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness . . .  2Pet. 1:3a

A Dying Boy and a Living Faith

A Dying Boy and a Living Faith

John 4:45-54

We walk by faith, not by sight. 2Cor. 5:7

 

Jesus left the Samaritan community and returned to Cana of Galilee. The Galileans did not suspiciously question Jesus, like the Judeans; nor did they embrace Him as Savior like the Samaritans. They welcomed Him because they wanted to see more signs and wonders (vs 45). When the nobleman found Jesus, he begged Him to come to his house to heal his dying son. It seems as though this man was acting in faith, believing that Jesus could save the boy, but the Lord knows the man's heart and defines his motive for us when He says, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe."

 

We need to compare the story of the Samaritans with this story in order to understand this reproof. What sign did the Samaritans see before they would believe that Jesus was their Savior? There was no sign – only His word about who He was. The woman was amazed that He knew everything about her, but this is not a sign. Some believed because of her story, but many more believed because of His own word (John 41). In contrast, the nobleman wants to see Jesus heal his son –  but Jesus will not accommodate him.

 

Even as the man repeats his request for Jesus to "come down" at once, the Lord tells him to go home –  "your son lives." Finally, the man believes because of the Lord's words, and goes his way. The word believe means that he put his confidence in the character, motives and ability of Jesus (W.E. Vine). However weak his faith might have been, the man put one foot in front of the other and started home. Before he arrived home his faith was further strengthened by the news that his son was healed. His whole household believed as well.

 

Wherever there is faith Jesus is ready to save the life of those who are ready to perish.  J.N. Darby

 

The boy was physically perishing because of sickness – and the household was spiritually perishing because of sin . . . until they put their confidence in Christ.

The River of Life Comes to Samaria

The River of Life Comes to Samaria

John 4:3-30

 

He who believes in the Son has eternal life [has it here and now and for eternity].      John 3:36 ATR

 

Late in the day, a woman goes to draw water in her town and she sees a man resting by the well. It is unusual to see anyone by the well at this time of day, for all the other women had come earlier to fill their water pots and socialize.  She avoided those women, knowing that they would not tarnish their reputations by even speaking to her – for she had been married five times and now lived with a man who was not her husband. Yet this Jewish man, began speaking to her.

 

He asked her for a drink – How odd! He didn't look down on her like the others, instead, He asked for her help. Then He spoke of living water – water bubbling up to permanently quench her thirst.  She wanted to avoid the well and the daily reminder of her humiliation, so she asked for this water. He began talking to her about her sinful life – but not in a way that made her feel low and rejected  – instead, she was drawn to Him, even as He exposed her sin.  She felt at ease in His presence, so she questioned Him about the proper place to worship.

 

This man told her that true worshipers will no longer worship the Father in a place, they will worship a Person. He said, I who speak to you am He. Living Water is a Person! A Person who would flood the dark wilderness of her heart with life – life here and now and for all eternity! She abandoned the task of drawing water for herself as she ran off to tell the townspeople that she had met the Savior.

 

Jesus had gone to the well to wait for the woman. He won her confidence at the same moment He exposed her sin – not to others – but to her own heart. He came into the world to meet with sinners; not to bludgeon them with their weakness and failure, but to win them with the promise of eternal life.

 

For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. John 1:16

Nicodemus – A Question Answered

Spiritual Treasure from John's Gospel

Nicodemus – A Question Answered

John 3:14-21

 

Nicodemus was told that he needed a new nature in order to be a part of God's kingdom. That naturally leads him to ask this question; "How does this come about?" (vs9)  Jesus didn't lecture Nicodemus about changing his distorted religious practices, nor did He speak of specific sins. He addressed the larger matter of the sin nature – the fallen nature that compels a man to cover himself with a fig leaf and run for the bushes when God comes calling. It is this nature that causes a man to love darkness because the light exposes the wilderness that exists in his heart. Still, Jesus doesn't force Nicodemus into the light, He invites him in. Nicodemus will be inclined to walk into the light if he understands that Jesus came to express the Father's love and to bring eternal life.

 

Jesus does mention condemnation and its result (man will perish) – but He focuses on what the Son has done so that man will not experience judgment (3:16-18). At the cross we see the awful wrath of God toward our sin at the very same moment we see His mercy and love, for "God so loved, that He gave. . ."   The Father sent His beloved Son to be lifted up on the cross so that the sinner will be lifted out of the corruption of his fleshly nature.  Jesus invites us into the light, for that is where we see our need for a savior and the gift of life He offers. Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

 

We live in a world that is estranged from God, but we can participate in the things of God as we habitually live in the light and practice the truth. As we do, the world will see that our deeds are rooted in dependence upon God (3:21) . . .

And His glory will be seen on earth!

Nicodemus and the Spiritual Conundrum

 Spiritual Treasure from John's Gospel

 

Nicodemus and the Spiritual Conundrum

John 3:1-13

 

Nicodemus was drawn to Jesus – there was something about Him – something worth pursuing. Under cover of darkness, Nicodemus found Jesus and began to speak to Him as one teacher to another. He was prepared to begin an intellectual discussion with someone who obviously had worthy credentials (vs 2). But the Lord Jesus, using the Jewish leader's desire to be part of the kingdom of God, began to draw him out of the darkness of human reason and into the light of spiritual truth. Jesus told him, "If you are not born from above, you cannot participate in the kingdom of God."

 

Nicodemus responded to the Lord with a question that exposed his natural, fleshly thinking: he asked how a grown man could enter a second time into his mother's womb. This religious leader is the quintessential example of 'that which is born of the flesh.' Human reason is fleshly, it will not lead to the knowledge of God or comprehension of the things of God.

 

Jesus came from heaven to testify about what He has personally seen there (vs 11-13), and yet these things are not understood by men because flesh cannot understand spiritual things. The flesh might find Jesus appealing or interesting.  It will try to live by the Ten Commandments, take part in religious activities and ceremonies, or commit to making the world a better place in which to live. But how will fleshly people see and respond to heavenly things? They never will!

 

Heavenly things are seen and understood by those who have a heavenly nature – a nature born of the Spirit of God. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. To participate in the things of God you must have a nature that originates from God Himself –

 

You must be born from above!

 

Spiritual Treasure from John’s Gospel

 

New Wine, A New Kind of Joy

John 2:1-11

 

No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.      John 1:18 NIV

 

Jesus left the Father's side in heaven; He came to earth in order to reveal the glory of God and to demonstrate the Father's heart to mankind.  "The Word was made flesh" – so that He could translate the thoughts of His Father into human language and express His Father's heart through gracious service to mankind.  

 

The Creator of life 'speaks' about  the joy of new life through His first miracle at a wedding in Cana.  When the good wine ran out, the master of the feast was amazed to sample better wine.  Even the wonderful joys of earth (symbolized by good wine) are fleeting . . .  they run out, they pass away.  Jesus offers new wine to those who will receive it – it has not been cultivated using earthly principles nor is it produced by any man – it has a heavenly source. This new wine flows from the heart of God, pouring resurrection life into His new creation (2Cor. 5:17)!  

 

We are given a glimpse of God's glorious character and power with this miracle as the Lord Jesus pulls back the veil, revealing the Father's desire to secure everlasting joy for us.  

 

What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory. . .   John 2:11 NIV

Hearts Hungry for Jesus

Spiritual Treasure from John's Gospel

Hearts Hungry for Jesus

 

The opening chapter of the Gospel of John speaks of the eternal Word of God who became a human person. Why?  So He could dwell among us – not in a tabernacle, or a temple, or any sort of man-made structure.  John doesn't proclaim 'Jesus the King'– his focus is on the beloved Son of God who came to reveal the Father to us.  The disciple whom Jesus loved writes about the love of Jesus in a way that no other person does; the events he includes in his gospel amplify these two statements:

 

We beheld His glory . . . full of grace [favor and lovingkindness] and truth.    John 1:14 Amp.

 

For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received [all had a share and we were all supplied with] one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favor upon favor and gift [heaped] upon gift.        John 1:16  Amp.

 

There had been no word from God to His people for four hundred years – and now He will speak through His Son.  John begins his account of the Lord's work on earth by introducing us to five disciples who were drawn to Jesus  (John 1:35-51).  They wanted to know Him – they were the first hungry hearts We see the Spirit of the Father began drawing mankind into relationship with His Son. Something amazing is about to happen!

 

Eternal Conversations about the Bride

Eternal Conversations about the Bride

God did save us . . . according to His own purpose and grace, that was

Given  to us in Christ Jesus, before the times of the ages.   2 Tim 1:9  (YLT)

 

In the early days of creation God said, "Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness." (Gen. 1:26)  This is an amazing statement – it is included in the written record to provide insight about God's desire for mankind – yet it is merely an introduction that awaits further explanation. We must read the last pages of the Word of God if we are to feel the full weight of this statement, for it is in the final pages of the book of Revelation that we see the human creature sharing the glory of God as he reflects the image of Christ.

 

Let us make man in our image. Notice that this is a conversational statement – it is a conversation between members of the Godhead.  This isn't their first, or only, conversation – if we look for them, we will find examples of interaction between members of the Godhead throughout the New Testament. John and Paul, especially, provide glimpses into the pre-creation relationship of the Deity and their communication. One such communication is revealed to us in Titus 1:2 where we read that the hope of eternal life was promised before the world or the ages of time began. Who made promises to whom before the sphere of time and human history began? What occupied the attention of the Eternal Godhead in eternity past?

 

First, let's look at the relationship between the Father and the Son. John 1:18 refers to Christ as the "only begotten Son in the bosom of the Father." Then, in John 17, Jesus speaks to His Father, saying "You loved me before the creation of the world" (vs 24). What is the meaning of the bosom of the Father? The bosom is the place of affection and blessing and honor; the bosom of the Father is the place where the Lord Jesus enjoys the depths of eternal love.  The Lord Jesus came to earth, sent from the bosom of His Father (John 6:38), in order to proclaim their love to sinful man. More than telling about the love, He came to demonstrate that love and to bring us into the love He shared with His Father. The affection of the Father for Son, and the Son for the Father, was not changed when the Son live on the earth – it is seen clearly in John 17. In this extraordinary chapter the Spirit of God records an intimate conversation between the Son and His Father. It is written for our contemplation and understanding. We are not only enlightened about this cherished relationship, we are told that the Son was sent by the Father so that we could be part of their amazing, loving relationship.  

 

. . . that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us . . . The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the creation of the world. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.     John 17:21-24, 26

 

 We are inclined to read the Bible with ourselves in mind – in doing so, we miss the essential truth that mankind was created to satisfy the Son of God who desires to share His love and His glory with a creature who is able to receive it. Everything that was planned before the creation of the World has, at its root, the Father's love for His Son – we are beneficiaries of the outpouring of their love for One Another!  Before "times of ages" (Young's Literal Translation), the Father promised to give the Son a company of people who would share eternity with Him (Titus 1:2).

 

Throughout the book of John, the Lord Jesus called His disciples my sheep (chapter 10), my friends (chapter 15), and my brethren (chapter 20). I see a progression there – perhaps reflecting the changes in His relationship with them as they came to understand who He was. When John writes the book of Revelation, the brethren have become the Church and then the Bride. From the beginning of time, history has been moving toward this end: that the members of the Godhead would have an eternal relationship with believers saved by grace. Our creation, our redemption, our being conformed to Christ, and our place with Him in glory have been the subject of divine thought since before God spoke one speck of the universe into being.

 

When the disciples were at the friend stage, before the death and resurrection of Christ, He told them that the time would come when "you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father" (John 16:26-27).  That time arrived at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came to indwell believers. As we continue our earthly pilgrimage, we are able to speak directly to the Father, as Christ Himself does. The value that the Father places on our affection for His Son is such that we are called brethren; furthermore, we are included in their divine relationship through the work of the Spirit. This gives new meaning to 1John 4:19 – "we love him, because He first loved us."

 

It is the heaven of the heart to be still and silent, and in simple faith to let such a revelation tell out its tale upon us.                          ~ J.G. Bellett

I Will Show You The Bride

I Will Show You the Bride

Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His Bride has made herself ready!  Rev. 19:7

 

It is late in the evening; the bride leaps to her feet as she hears the long awaited shout outside the door: The bridegroom is here! Come out to meet him! (Matt. 25:6) The groom has finally come to escort her to his father's house for the marriage ceremony and celebration! She covers her face with a veil and goes out to meet him. Friends and family, carrying torches and lamps, surround them; they crown the bride and groom with garlands, and then begin to make their way down the narrow streets. All along the way joy-filled friends and family join the singing, dancing procession.

 

When they arrive at the groom's home a formal legal document is signed. The couple exchanges vows followed by a ceremonial washing of the hands (as prescribed by Jewish law), then the marriage cup is filled and a solemn prayer of bridal benediction is spoken over it. The bride and groom drink from the cup and the feast begins. Depending upon the wealth of the groom's family, the feast could be a few hours or last more than a day. At some point during the celebration, the bridegroom leads his bride to his private quarters where the marriage is consummated. The bride is secluded for 7 days (according to purity regulations of the Mosaic Law) and then the groom brings her out so everyone can see her unveiled face. In some regions of Israel, the unveiling of the bride and her presentation to the guests is the high point, and conclusion, of a week of feasting and celebration.

 

It is noteworthy that the first miracle recorded by the apostle John takes place at a wedding feast (John 2:1-10). The wine has run out before the end of the feast, but the Lord Jesus turns water into the best wine so that the guests will continue to enjoy the celebration. The quality of the wine, coupled with the generous quantity, speaks symbolically of Christ's desire for His people to experience the joy of knowing Him in all His fullness. His fullness – this is a theme that begins in the opening pages of John's Gospel, and then runs throughout all of his writings. It culminates in the book of The Revelation where we read about the marriage supper and the glorious unveiled presentation of the Bride (Rev. 19:7-10).

 

John saw, and reveals to us, the magnificent future of the Body of Christ! Paul spoke about the grace of God for our life on earth, the hope of our calling and the richness of our inheritance in Christ. He tells us how the Church will hear the shout of the Bridegroom and will be caught up to meet Him in the air (1Thess. 4:16-17) – but he did not see what John saw. It is John who describes what will happen following the betrothal period (the age in which we are now living) when we are taken to "the place I've prepared for you." In Revelation 4 through 18 he witnesses and describes the awful events of the great tribulation on earth. During this seven year period, the Lamb's Bride is in heaven, hidden from view. Suddenly, in chapter 19, John observes the hosts of heaven as they sing praises to the Lord for the tribulation has come to an end and the Lord appears with His Bride. John is so overcome by the vision of the Church at the marriage supper, that he falls down to worship the messenger who brings the vision. However, this is not the only time he sees her.

 

The Bride is at the Lamb's side when He reigns for a thousand years in the millennial kingdom, and she is with Him when He reigns over the new earth for all eternity (Rev. 21&22). People from all the nations will be welcome to go in and out of the New Jerusalem, the eternal Holy City; but the Church will be the wife who dwells within the city – for it is her home. The Father's desire has always been for His Son to have a Bride; we can see expressions of this desire throughout the Scriptures if we know where to look. Eve was given to Adam, 'bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh,' to complete him; Rebekah was found, wooed and taken to Isaac so that he would have someone to love and to share his inheritance with; Abigail acknowledged David as the only true sovereign and willingly suffered with him in his life of rejection. When David takes the throne, Abigail is by his side – not as his servant, but as his wife.

 

Long before God gave His people the law or a human king, He established Himself as One who wanted to live with mankind as the Provider, Protector and Lover of his soul. The Church on earth was set apart as the Body of Christ – filled with the Spirit – called to continue the work of Jesus, the humble earthly Servant of the Father. However, when she is taken up into heaven she becomes the Bride of the Lamb. Although Christ is sitting on His throne, ruling over the nations as the righteous King of Kings and Lord of Lords, His wife is not referred to as the bride of the king – she is the Bride of the Lamb! He is the Lamb who was slain so that He could have us as His own for all of eternity!

 

What does the Bride look like?  Why did John fall down in worship when he saw her in Revelation 19? Was it because of her personal beauty? No, I believe it was because he saw the full glory of the Lord reflected in her. This is our destiny – not to be His servants forevermore (that is the purpose of angels) and not to be subjects in His kingdom (that is the position of the saints who will dwell in the earthly kingdom). We are the Bride for whom He has longed since before the foundations of the earth! His fullness and glory will be reflected in us – His pure and spotless Bride (Eph. 5:27).

 

 Come here, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.    Rev. 21:9b

The Spirit and the Bride say, Come.        Rev. 22:17a