John 9-10

Jesus again tells us he is the light of the world, right before he opens the darkened eyes of a blind man,  which helps the man to see but doesn't give him complete clarity about what happened.  This man doesn't know where Jesus is and guesses that he is a prophet.  The only thing he is sure about is that before he met Jesus he was blind.  After he met Jesus he could see.  And that alone, with no other theological argument, is enough for this man to believe and follow Jesus.  More than that, it is enough for him to invite these religious leaders to also follow Jesus.  Why do we feel we do not have a story to tell or the confidence to invite others to Jesus?

It is also evident to me that Jesus understanding of life is different that how we often view life.  Abundant life mentioned in verse 10 has nothing to do with riches and "stuff."  It is all about the kind of life Jesus showed to us: where the blind are made to see and light shines in dark places.  It is a life in which wine can flow from water jars and truth can set us free.  The kind of life where you get more life when you give your life away.  I am sure most of us have not fully understood the kind of life that Jesus would have us live.  Fortunately, we can change.  Right?

John 7-8

Chapter 7 really deals with the conflicts with the Pharisees in that Jesus seeks to avoid the confrontation as much as possible.  He is not seeking it out, but recognizes the desire of some to kill him.  The Pharisees even attempt to have him arrested, but as Jesus teaches those sent to arrest him are impressed with Jesus so they decided not to arrest him.  Nicodemus also speaks up to defend Jesus to an extent when he reminds the other leaders that a man must first be given a hearing before being judged.  It is interesting that those who claim to be those who keep the law, turn away from the law when it doesn't suit their purposes.

In Chapter 8 we get another glimpse of the theme of light and darkness when Jesus says, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life."  But I also love the story of the woman caught in adultery as it gives us a clue as to how we should treat people who are caught in sin: not a public spectacle, but the offering of forgiveness and the call to not sin any more.  In a legalistic way the Pharisees were right to stone her.  But the heart of the law reveals God's desire to have behavior corrected, not simply punished.  Punishment is easy.  Correction and walking with the repentant is much more difficult.

John 5-6

As the crowds got bigger, Jesus got more concerned.  He understood that he was being followed for the wrong reasons.  People didn't understand.  They wanted to make him king by force - to overthrow the government.  They wanted Jesus to fit into their picture of Messiah as a world leader.  And when Jesus perceived this, he went on the attack and taught them more plainly.  He never trusted himself to the crowd. 

And the crowd left, leaving the twelve disciples standing there alone shocked at the turn of events.  Just 24 hours before they were basking in the glory of the miraculous feeding of 5000 people who were ready to go to war for Jesus.  Now everyone was gone.  The disciples themselves may have had their doubts.  But Peter answered Jesus' question about whether they wanted to also leave by saying, "You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed and come to know that you are the Holy One of God."  Their belief was stronger than the miracles and the peer pressure to renounce Jesus. 

How do you answer Jesus question, "Do you want to go away as well?"

John 3-4

I like the description that Jesus gives concerning his coming and how people will respond to him: "The light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light..."  Although we may see the light as a positive thing for our lives, for those who are trying to hide things, the light is a bad thing.  Jesus may be rejected and they will continue on their way.  John the Baptizer said it this way: "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him."  There will always be people who do not believe.  But we need to keep shining the light to those around us.

There is, however, a strong focus on belief in these two chapters.  Many Samaritans believed and the official whose son was healed believed, along with his whole household.  Jesus ministry seems to be gaining momentum and if you were reading the story without knowing the ending you would think that thing could not ever get bad, except for a little foreshadowing when Jesus left the area near Jerusalem because the Pharisees had heard that he was making more disciples than John.  There is a sign that warns us of danger ahead.

John 1-2

John's gospel has a completely different feels from the other gospels.  From the beautiful flowing words of 1:1-14, we see a little different perspective of Jesus.  John begins not with healings and forgiveness offered, which challenging the religious leaders understandings of faith and encouraging everyone else, but with calling disciples, a miracle involving wine at a wedding and then an in-your-face clearing of the temple of all the religious trappings which change the feel (and purpose) of the temple courts.  This pictures more of Jesus on the attack, rather than Jesus just doing ministry and the religious leaders try to put him down.

But the focus John's gospel is in the first chapter in which he describes Jesus as the light come into the world.  No matter what happens, the darkness cannot extinguish the light.  Even at the darkest points of ministry the light still shines.  Even at the crucifixion the light still shines. 

The chapter describes Jesus as Word always existing and becoming flesh to dwelling with man.  This affirmation of Jesus divinity is important not just in fighting the Gnostics of Jesus' day, but in talking about Jesus today.  Jesus is not just a good teacher who challenged the religious leaders of the day.  He is God.  And in that there can be no compromise.

Luke 22-24

It seems that Jesus is always having to remind the disciples who he is and what he has come to do (and be).  The disciples were trying to redefine Jesus in their own image of what the Messiah should be, in the same way the Pharisees and other leaders of the Jews were doing.  It must have been hard for them to have their whole understanding of the Messiah be uprooted and changed. 

One example is Jesus needing to deal with their dispute of who is the greatest among themselves (We've never seen that in a bunch of Christians have we?)  I guess it must be part of our nature to desire the positions of authority and to compare ourselves with one another. The disciples were already molding the movement of Jesus into the pattern of contemporary religious renewal movements and structures.   Jesus answer is classic: "I am among you as the one who serves." (v. 27)  Servanthood is the key, not authority.

After Jesus was raised from the dead, the disciples again tried to redefine Jesus by telling the women that they were telling an idle tail, even though Jesus told them on at least three occasions that he would rise from the dead.  Jesus had already given them the model of resurrection, but they were changing the model to something they could control and understand. 

They were learning, though, and did stay in the city until the received Power from on high.  (We'll have to wait for that story for the book of Acts)  How easy it is for us to create God in our own image, to make God more digestible for us.  But when we do that, we might miss out on the amazing things that God wants to do. 

Luke 20-21

As someone listening in to the conversations between Jesus and the religious leaders of the day, the rebel in me admires Jesus in your face style of not succumbing to the temptation to please everyone.  I admire it because, as a middle child, my tendency is to try and please everyone.  I don't want anyone angry with me.  But that often leads to doing and saying things that comprise what should really be done or taught.

There are others who are able to not worry about pleasing others.  When we are like this, we should not be surprised when we are crucified ourselves.  Jesus was honest and forthright with people, and really with an "in-your-face" attitude sometimes.  It did cost him his life, though.

It is easy to see and understand why these leaders wanted to get rid of Jesus.  They saw Jesus as teaching something wrong and you are to remove the wrong teaching from your presence.  The problem is that they were wrong.  Jesus was right.  And they killed the one who came to save them.

That's what I read this morning.  What about you?

Luke 17-19

Just some snippits that caught my eye this morning, mostly reminders of the life God desires of us:

• If your brother sins against you seven times in one day you must forgive him.
• Your faith has made you well.
• We need to receive the Kingdom of God like a child.
• To the rich young ruler - "One thing you lack....."  I wonder what I lack?  (I am not referring this to salvation, of which I am assured through the cross, but to living out my faith)
• Three times Jesus has told his disciples about his upcoming death and resurrection.  When it happened they still didn't get it right away.  I wonder what things I am this dense about.
• The people were hanging on Jesus' words, but the leaders and principal men of the city were trying to destroy him.  I guess leaders don't always have it all figured out.

Those are some things that I heard this morning as I read.   What were you reminded of as you read this passage?

Luke 12-15

I missed blogging on Saturday so we have 5 chapters to think about today!  How about a few bullet point thoughts:

• Anxiety (worry) should not be part of the Christian life!  Worry indicates a lack of trust in God.  This has as much to do with God's provision as it does in doing the things God would have us do.
• Not everyone is going to appreciate our faith, nor is everyone going to come to faith.
• There is a cost to following Jesus.
• Jesus has come to take on the issue of lostness in our lives.

Of the three parable in Luke 15, most people like the story of the prodigal son the best, and I love the picture of a waiting and loving father.  But there is something about leaving the 99 sheep in the open country to find the one who was lost.  And then carrying that sheep back on his shoulders, a smelly job!  It reminds me that doing ministry with those who are lost isn't always as comfortable as being the Father waiting on the porch for your son to come home.  We need to get our hands dirty and be willing to have our senses offended, and then physically bring home the lost sheep. 

I need that reminder.  How about you?

Luke 10-11

Two things were impressed into my mind as I read:

• Three times Jesus talked about the importance of hearing AND responding to the Word of God (or the words of Jesus).  Jesus hearing as those sermons and being in all those Bible studies and memorizing all of those verses don't mean a whole lot if you do not allow them to create action in your life!
• The power of our prayer life is dependent upon our seeing God's response to our prayers as filled with Compassion (as a Father) and Power (he is able to do what we ask).  What do you think about as you prayer for others?  I believe the way in which we pray and what we pray for show our attitude toward what we think God is supposed to do.  
• We do  pray for our needs and the needs of others.  
• We do pray that God keeps us from temptation, although I am not always sure we partner with God as to what we put in our lives to keep us from being tempted.
• Do we pray for God's Kingdom to come?  I rarely hear that prayer!
• As we ask for forgiveness do we seek to forgive those who are indebted to us?

There is also an encouragement as we seek to grow the Kingdom of God:  "The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects Him who sent me." (10:16) Don't take the acceptance or rejection of those who respond to the gospel we present personally.  It is not, nor was it ever, about us.  God can bear the brunt of rejection and only God should receive the glory of acceptance.  Just be faithful as you are sent.

That's what I HEAR this morning, and I am seeking to respond to it in action.  What are you HEARing?

Luke8-9

"You give them something to eat."  Jesus the Christ

That is what Jesus told his disciples after they had asked Jesus to send away the crowd to find food and shelter for the night.  After the miraculous provision I don't think the disciples could ever again doubt that the provision for spiritual things needs to come from other places, but from they themselves.

Can you imagine someone coming to you asking about Jesus and our response would be, "Go and find your answers out in the countryside," or "Let me call the Pastor," or "I know someone you need to talk to."

I think Jesus would tell us, "You give them something..."  We are so quick to not supply people with what they need spiritually when we serve a God who can miraculously provide through us.  Feed 5000 people?  No problem!  Reach our neighborhood for Christ? No big deal!  Be an ambassador for Christ?  Give me something tough!  Disciple someone?  Bring it on! 

If Jesus can feed 5000 with a few fish and loaves of bread, how can anything else seem difficult?

"You give them something to eat."

That's what God is dealing with me heart this morning.  What about you?

Luke 7

In my task oriented mind I saw that I had only one chapter to read this morning and I thought, "Great, this won't take very long!"  I forgot that the Bible is like a two-edged sword and is active and vibrant as we interact with its words.

This chapter deals with Jesus' authority over distance, death and sin, as well as having several responses to Jesus that we really need to consider.  John the Baptist has had some doubts while he was in prison and sends his disciples to ask if Jesus was the one, or if he should keep looking.  What a great question!  Why sit back and brood trying to figure it out on your own.  Step up and ask.  I wish people would do that with Jesus today!  Are you the One or should we look around for someone (or something) else.  What would our response be if someone asked us that question?

I also see the response of people to Jesus being a sometimes similar response I hear at the Church, complaining about this or that:  "This church is to this and that church is too that."  Give me a break and love and serve Jesus, and quit trying to get everyone to meet your expectations!

Then Jesus deals with sin, or rather he deals with our understanding of forgiveness and our response to being forgiven.  It is funny that Jesus flatters the pharisees at the same time he blows them out of the water. 

But my favorite statement in this passage today is verse 19 in the description of the Pharisees and lawyers response to John.  It says they rejected the purpose of God for themselves by not being baptized by John.  I wonder if that is connected to Jesus telling the Pharisees they have been forgiven little?

Oh how the scripture get me thinking, wondering and constantly turning toward God!

That's what I heard today.  What about you? 

Luke 5-6

Wow!  There is so much teaching in this section that is both challenging and inspiring.  I can picture myself being present listening to Jesus teaching and committing myself to live exactly as He would want me to live.  Even the most difficult of things.  I wondered about this and realized that Jesus' teaching is so different from the teaching I listen to today.  He calls us to a life to live that is directly from his own character, and from the character of His Father.  Luke 6:35-36 explains it for me:

"But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most high, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.  Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful."

If God is kind to the ungrateful and evil (which includes me), then I should be able to do that as well without thinking.  It is not only a choice, but the expected response because of what God has done for me. The automatic response.   The fruit that comes out of our lives indicates the reality of the tree that we are.  Apple trees produce apples automatically, not because it sits there and decides one day that it should have apples instead of peaches.

I just love the character of our God!  I want to live that out.

That's what I heard this morning.  What are you hearing?

Luke 3-4

Isaiah is quoted in reference to John's proclamation that, "all flesh shall see the salvation of God."  This is the key to Luke's gospel.  Luke reaches out beyond the conventions of the day that was very adult male dominated.  Jesus came for ALL people.  We will see this throughout all of Luke's gospel story.

Jesus' temptation is a battle we have almost every day as the Deceiver seeks to pull us away from, and redefine, the gospel message from Jesus.  The scripture is even misused by the Deceiver is order to pull us in wrong directions.  I think that is why it is so important to sink deeper into the gospel, to stay in the pool of what Jesus has done for us and not jump around into every faddish teaching that comes around that sounds good to our ears.  The Deceiver was promising blessing to Jesus and that He had a right to receive these extra things from God.  Jesus was clear that this was not the focus of his ministry.  Which was good because right out of the gate he is rejected in Nazareth.  Not only that, they tried to kill Jesus at the beginning of his ministry.  Being faithful to God does not mean that all things in our lives go well, even when we serve God faithfully!

That's what I heard this morning.  What about you?

Luke 1-2

Luke seems to approach the life of Jesus with a different focus, as an historian who is seeking the truth of the events in order to to remind his reader Theophilus of the truth of Jesus.  The details he provides give us clues to Jesus' identity as well as to give us confidence that what Luke writes is the truth, verifiable by history.

 I have always wondered what happened to all of these people who were aware of the miraculous events of both John and Jesus' births.  Did they follow their growing up years with interest waiting for everything to happen?  They would have to wait for 25-30 years and many of these folks would have died by then.  But for those who were still alive, did they have an expectation that any day things would begin to happen?

I also like the descriptions of the growing years of both John and Jesus.  John was described as growing and becoming strong in spirit, preparing him for his work as the impassioned prophet.  Jesus' growing years are described twice, both times focusing on becoming strong and filled with wisdom, increasing in stature and in favor with God and man.  This prepares us for his role as teacher/rabbi. 

But ultimately the descriptions by Simeon and Anna that Jesus is destined to be a Redeemer and and Savior will be the key to the end of Luke's written history.  And so Jesus ministry begins.  I look forward to reading His story again.

That's what I saw.  What about you?

Mark 14-16

As the elders of Israel tried to find a way to get rid of Jesus, all of the witnesses that came forward could not agree with one another.  But the elders persisted in trying to get their desired result.  They wanted Jesus dead.  They were not looking for truth but for what they felt was best for them at that very moment.  So they lied and plotted and planned until the real truth did come out, which was all they needed to decide to put Jesus to death by their laws.  It was the truth that was so offensive to them.  It was the truth of who Jesus was that they did not want to hear or want to be true.

Next, these leaders of the spiritual life of Israel encouraged the crowd to have Pilate release a murderer and insurrectionist (Barabbas) instead of the one who claimed to be the "Christ, the Son of the Blessed."  Even Pilate (the non-believer) saw that Jesus had done no evil, but he didn't realize why Jesus was so dangerous:

If Jesus is who he claims to be, then that changes everything!  A murderer is not as dangerous because a murderer can only take your life.  If Jesus is the Son of God then he owns your life.  Those leaders didn't want that to happen because then they are no longer in charge.

That's not so different than how people struggle with the Christian faith today.  It is often easier to be offended at Jesus and repeat the lies than to really come to terms with who Jesus is and accept it completely.  Pilate decided it was better to satisfy the crowd than to pursue the truth.  Even Peter at this point saw self-preservation as more important then standing for the truth. 

So Jesus is mocked, denied stripped and crucified all over again.  All because people cannot accept the truth of who he is - the Son of God. 

That's what I read today.  How about you?