Congratulations!

Congratulations for reading through the gospels! Tomorrow we will go back to the top and start over with the book of Matthew. You might want to read through this time in a different translation. In a day or two I'll post a new survey to record your translation choice. If the translation you are going to read in is not on the current list, please send the translation name to me ASAP so I can add it to the survey--it's impossible to edit the survey after I post it. I'll be using the New King James Version this time around.

As you've noticed I will not post on every chapter. Please feel free to comment "off topic" if you wish. I will also be naming posts topically from now on. Have fun reading! Scott

John 11

After waiting two days before heading out to Judea to see Lazarus, Jesus' disciples were concerned that it was too dangerous to travel there. Evidently when he initially decided to NOT go to Judea, the disciples were in agreement--however for a different reason. Jesus delayed because of God's timing. The disciples delayed to protect their lives! To answer their concerns Jesus said, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world." (John 11:9) Look at J. Vernon McGee's comment on this verse:

There are twelve hours in the day, and you can’t change that. Because the Father has given the Son a work to do, nothing can stop Him. There is a great principle here. God has given to each man a lifework. You can’t extend that for one day any more than you can keep the sun from going down in the afternoon. But, thank God, you are absolutely invulnerable until your work is done. Nobody, not even Satan, can thwart God’s purpose in your life if you are following Him. To fail to follow Him is dangerous. (McGee)

Jesus went to Judea when the time was right. While we don't have Jesus' insight into perfect timing, we do have Scripture and the Spirit of God to give us direction. Are we listening? SWC

John 10

My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. John 10:29 (ESV)

Isn't this verse awesome? We call it eternal security. Once saved, always saved. We can't jump out of his hand and no one can take us out! Romans 8:38-39 is also a great passage, "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." SWC

John 9

As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. John 8:1-3 (ESV)

I watched a movie recently that was filmed in Seattle. I bet you can guess the local landmark that was highlighted multiple times in the film...the Space needle. The landmark draws our attention to the city.

God designs events and then uses these events in our lives to draw attention to Him. Some of these events are fun (A blind man receives his sight) and some are not so fun (A man who sees becomes blind). But either way it is a good habit for us to always ask, "What is God doing?" and, "How does He want me to respond?" We either join Him, like the blind man in John 9, or we resist Him like the Pharisees. SWC

John 8

Look at the contrast in John chapter 8. SWC

Unbelievers:
Walk in darkness
Don't know where Jesus is from or where he is going
Don't know the Father
Will die in their sin
From below
Slave to sin
Father is the Devil
Not of God
Dishonor Jesus

Believers:
Have the light of life
Know Jesus
Know the Father
Abide in the word
Jesus' disciples
Know the truth
Set free
Is of God
Hears the words of God
Will never see death

John 7

What's your motivation for ministry? For attending church service? What about Sunday school? How about church activities? Your glory or Christ's? Is it what you can get out of it or what you can give? Jesus told his listeners in John 7:18, "The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true."

We get off track easily and before we know it we become the center and Jesus falls into second place or even last place. Check yourself out right now and make the very next thing you do an act that seeks to glorify Christ! SWC

John 6

You gotta love the little boy who shared his lunch with Jesus. Five barely loaves and two fish would probably be enough food for two people. J. Vernon McGee writes, "Remember, these five barley loaves were not big commercial loaves of bread or family loaves. They were more like a hamburger bun. They were just big enough to put with the fish." So the boy gives up his lunch. It's doubtful that he has any idea of what Jesus has in mind. He gives to Jesus all that is available to him. I think the faith lesson is clear. We surrender our resources to Jesus knowing by faith that he will take care of the rest! SWC

John 5

I'm falling apart. Bit by bit. Year by year. Today I go to the dentist at 11AM to turn a temporary filling into a permanent one. The reality is, that if I live long enough, I'll probably need to eventually replace this filling again. This is why I love the truth of the resurrection of the dead! This is the guarantee that one day our bodies will be permanently fixed. The power of our God is awesome! And the hope that he gives is beyond measure! SWC

Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. John 5:28-29 (ESV)

John 4

Where do you worship God? At church? In your car? On a hike? In your closet? At lunch? On a city street? Alone? With a crowd? In another country? The truth is that believers worship in all these places and more. We worship whenever (and wherever) we direct our thoughts toward God.

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." John 4:24 (ESV)

One memorable experience for me (there are others) was over ten years ago in the Kingdome (I know I just dated myself) with Promise Keepers. There is nothing quite like thousands of men singing together! What was one of your most memorable worship experiences? SWC

John 3

"Look Daddy look!" I hear those words almost every day from one or more of my children. They want my attention. They want to feel important. Adults do the same thing, we are just a bit more subtle--usually. As believers our purpose is to draw attention, but not to ourselves. We are called to draw attention to God. Jesus tells Nicodemus in John 3:21, "But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." Be sure to use the tools, abilities and resources given to you by God to draw attention to Him and not to yourself. SWC

John 2

The word "believe" is the most important word in the book of John. This word appears 98 times. The next closest word count is 39 times in the book of Acts. The Greek word is pisteuo (πιστεύω) and means to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, to place confidence in (Strong's Lexicon).

Many people initially believed in Jesus after watching the miracles he preformed, "Many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing." (John 2:23) For most of his early disciples their belief was shallow and would soon fade when Jesus revealed the cost of genuine discipleship. Has my faith strengthened with time and trial? SWC

John 1

What a wild ride of weather we've had over the past week here in the Seattle area! Rain, snow, wind, thunder, lightening, sun, hail, freezing temperatures. The hail at our house was the size of a small marble! What a wonderful creation we live in. I marvel when I think that our humble Savior who submitted himself to human authority, a frail body and eventually death, was the creator of the universe. When Nathanael came to realize who Jesus was, he responded appropriately, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” My response is the same, worship. SWC


In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1 (ESV)

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 (ESV)

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life. 1 John 1:1 (ESV)