The Lord is My Shepherd - John 10

There’s a well known verse in this chapter. It’s worth knowing. “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10) Abundant life. Life to its fullest. We may be tempted to think of Heaven when we hear of that abundant life – and it truly will be abundant in glory. However I believe the abundant life Jesus offers is not something to come, but something that has come – it can be claimed and lived today. 

Sometimes life here doesn’t feel like abundant life. Part of the reason for this is due to the enemies that threaten us. Look in this chapter, there are three listed here: the thief (v. 8), the wolf (v. 12), and the hireling (v. 12). They come to steal, kill and destroy. The hireling is uncommitted to the best interest of the sheep. 

Compare these with Jesus – our door (v. 7) access to the abundant life; our good shepherd (v. 11), who leads, protects, feeds, and tend for the sheep; our Savior (v. 17-18) who lays down His life for the sheep. 

Do you hear the voice of the Shepherd? Do you believe that there is victory to be found/claimed today? Do you believe He is leading your life to the green pastures, to the sill waters? Do you believe He will care for you and protect you from harm? 

No, abundant life is not pain-free life. It is not a life free from struggle and strife. What it is, is a life in the presence of a good shepherd who is leading us to where we need to be. Sometimes the shepherds lead his sheep through the valley of the shadow of death. There are times God’s people wander through the wilderness. But if the shepherd is with us, there’s no need to fear. This shepherd laid down his life for the sheep. He has put them before himself. A shepherd with that much love and devotion deserves my allegiance. Jesus said in v. 27 they are known by Him, and follow Him. They are His sheep, and He is their shepherd. 

Here’s a thought for today: read Psalm 23, and then reread John 10:1-18 – picture it in your mind. Then ask, “Am I listening to this shepherd?” Is Jesus my shepherd? Am I following Him? 

Today’s prayer: Psalm 23. Pray it. Embrace it. Mean it. “The Lord is MY shepherd…”  

Removing the Blindness - John 9

John 9 is a powerfully, validating illustration and commentary on Jesus’ claim in John 8:12; “I am the light of the world, and unless you come to Me you’re going to live in darkness.”   John 9 illustrates the fact that Jesus means exactly what He said.  That He is indeed the light of the world.  He is the only One who can take away darkness, whether it be physical or spiritual.

The question from the disciples comes from a mind-set they had learned from the Rabbis.  The Rabbis taught there is no death without sin and there is no suffering without iniquity.  Therefore, if someone was personally suffering it was the direct result of their personal sin.  Job teaches so clearly that while sin always results in suffering—sin has damaging consequences, but suffering is not always the result of our sin(s).  

The Rabbis read into Scripture things what would fit what they believed in this matter of sin and suffering.  The problem was their belief was wrong.  Their basic presupposition that suffering was always the result of personal sin was wrong.  Sadly the blind man was not a sufferer to be relieved, he was just a riddle to be solved.

Jesus sheds a little light on the subject with His reply.  Notice that Jesus was asked about the cause of the man’s blindness, but He answers in terms of its purpose (John 9:3-5)!  Jesus does not try to explain the mystery of pain. Jesus saw in this blind man the possibility to display the works of God. 

When we see suffering what do we see?  A problem?  Or, a possibility?  If someone in your family suffers from a physical handicap what do you see in that person?  A problem?  Or, a possibility to display the words of God?  

Why did Jesus do this miracle in this way?  Why mix His saliva and dirt and tell him to go and wash?  Jesus put mud in his eyes because He wanted to.  He wanted to do it that way and so that’s how He did it. 

Maybe what we need to understand is this; what is a life changing, thrilling, joyful, transforming miracle to this man, is just another work of God. God, who could speak the world into existence can say to two eyes, “See” and have them see.  What we see is remarkable authority, power and grace of our Lord.

The healing shows us something about Jesus.  It shows us that He dealt not only in ideas and claims, but He also dealt in the application of them.  It’s one thing to go around saying, “I Am the light of the world” but never take darkness away.  Jesus backed up His claims with application.  Isn’t there an obvious implication there for us?   

It’s one thing to come together to study, sing our songs and claim that we are lights in the world and salt to the earth, but it is quite another thing to go out and shed light and live in a way that preserves righteousness.

Prayer: Lord, help us to see. Open our eyes to see You. Remove our blindness. Let us be Your lights to help a blind world see Your marvelous grace that appeared in the coming of Your Son. Amen.

Liberating Truth - John 8

Have you ever tried to walk in the darkness? Maybe it was an early morning run, and you tried to trek your path in whatever light the moon or streetlights could offer. Or maybe you heard something in the middle of the night, and so you creep through the house looking for the source of the noise. Isn’t it amazing how in the dark, silhouettes of the most simple things sure look threatening? I’ll admit that I’ve kicked a few coat racks! 

What do we do when we’re scared in the dark? We turn on the light. Why? Light brings clarity. Light reveals the truth. Light helps us see clearly. That’s why Jesus came. Jesus came as a light to this dark world (John 1:9-13). 

Isn’t that what John 8 is all about? Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12). In coming to the light one finds freedom from lies and deception. They see clearly (themselves, and others). There’s a relationship Jesus points out in this text between light and truth. The light allows you to see (know) clearly (rightly). They are both liberating (v. 32). 

Here’s the problem: not everyone wants to be free. Not everyone wants to know the truth. There are many who do not like the light. Those are the ones enslaved to Satan. Oh they believe they know the truth, but in reality they have purchased a lie. 

Just look at the Jews here in John 8 as a good case study of what happens when one opposes the light. They were slaves to their tradition, slaves to their pride – ultimately they were slaves to Satan (v. 44-47). They were unwilling to hear the truth of Christ. They were even unwilling to admit the truth about their past (v. 33). 

Here’s the point: slavery leads to blindness. They were slaves of their past, slaves to tradition, and slaves to Satan. It’s no different today. There are some who are slaves – slaves to addiction – to alcohol, to drugs, to eating/food, to screens/social media; some are slaves to pride, to work, to achievement. It is in the best interest of Satan that we remain slaves, blind to the truth. 

Jesus offers freedom. Jesus will help us see clearly. Jesus is the light to a world of darkness. When Jesus tried to open the eyes of the Pharisees, they tried to kill Him (8:59). There are some who when shown the truth, rather than listen, they lash out and attack in order to defend the lie.

Ask yourself today, would you rather be a slave of the enemy, or a child in the Father’s house? [8:36] Open your heart to the words of Christ and let the light shine in! 

My liberator, my redeemer, the light to my path – you truly set me free. Truth is found in you. Who I am, where I’m from, why I’m here – I can know it all through you. Satan sows his seeds of lies into this world. Help keep my heart honest, open and pure. Be the light to my path – help me to see as you see – set me free from the lies of this world. I trust in You. 

DO His Will - John 7

The timeline of Christ turns in a different direction in John 7. There is a skip in John 6 to John 7 of seven months.  John 6 begins the last year of Jesus’ life, and John 7 begins the last five months of His life.  It’s now early autumn, probably the first of October right before the Feast of the Booths takes place.  Jesus knows He’s in the last half year of His life. The hostility that begins to build here in John 7 is going to culminate just five months later in His murder.  

John chapters 7 and 8 could be subtitled, “High Intensity Hatred.”  Jesus has passed the zenith of His popularity (John 6).  In the last few months of His life His days are going to be spent among a few who want to follow Him and among many who want to kill Him.  

Jesus has become the topic of conversation every time the people assembled.    “What do you think of Him?”  “Well, I think He is a good man.”  “What do you think?”  “Well, I don’t know, I think He is deceiving the people.”  They were afraid to speak openly, but everywhere a person went in Jerusalem the burning question was, “What do you think of Jesus?”  

The story begins in Galilee and it goes to Judea.  This is the third trip Jesus takes to Jerusalem.  The first time He cleansed the temple. He certainly didn’t make many friends then (John 2).  The second time He healed a man who was lame on the Sabbath (John 5).  The Jews were so incensed they tried to kill Him. He certainly didn’t make any friends then.   

Even His own brothers were hostile. They said, “Let people see Your miracles.  Go to Jerusalem and produce a few thrills.  Become everybody’s wonder boy. Go to Jerusalem and do a few tricks, come up with a few new gimmicks.”  In other words, “Be sensational. You are just walking around Galilee talking to some fishermen. That’s never going to make it.  Go where the crowds are.  Move to Jerusalem.  All the big name preachers live there.”  

Jesus just destroys their criticism by showing that He might not have been to their schools but He knew the Law better than they did.  For example He said, “You know the Law but you don’t keep the Law.  You’re planning to kill Me.  Isn’t there something in the Law about, “Thou shall not kill” (7:19)?  They could not deny that.  They were violently breaking the sixth commandment.

He said, “You think you know the Sabbath.  And you’re all upset because I healed that lame man by the pool on the Sabbath day.  Do you circumcise on the Sabbath? If you can do that on the Sabbath, why can’t I for medical reasons, but also as a symbol of holiness, make a man well on the Sabbath?” (7:21-23)  

They never recognized Jesus, not because they weren’t religious, not because they didn’t go to church. Their problem was they never “willed to do God’s will.”  If we don’t want to do the Father’s will we can look right into Jesus’ eyes and never see God. “If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My Own authority” (John. 7:17).  What is the key to man knowing the will of God? We have to want to do His will. Then we will see Him.

Prayer: Lord, help us lay aside our prejudices. Help us to have a desire to do Your will. Help us look past our own hedges. Help us to see Your great work. Amen

What Are You Hungry For? - John 6

What are you hungry for? The question seems simple, but at its heart it reveals what our true desires are. Some hunger for fame. Some for success. Some for wealth. Some for approval. Some for sensual desires. 

John 6 is a chapter about hungry people. It starts with the large crowd who are hungry for food (v. 1-14). Some were hungry for truth (v. 26-40). Some were hungry for validation and praise for their lineage, proving they were right and showing up this “would-be” Messiah (v. 41-58). 

What Jesus does through this chapter is show the people how He is the true source of what we truly desire and need. He did this through the incredible statement, “I am the bread of life.” With the Apostles and the conundrum of finding enough food to feed 5000 people, Jesus shows them that He is the source of our sustenance, our greatest needs, and that He can provide, even when it seems impossible. With the group of people who came with honest questions (v. 28), Jesus is showing them that there is a greater source of strength and healing in this life – it is Him. And ultimately with the Jews who grumbled, when Jesus spoke about eating His flesh and drinking His blood, He wasn’t speaking about the Lord’s Supper, but rather showing them that unless they truly embrace Christ (believe His words, trust in His will, etc.) they’ll end up like their fathers, temporarily sustained on perishable bread. Only in Christ is there true, never-ending, all-sustaining, life. 

So let me ask again, what are you hungry for? Much of what we desire is like the manna God provided from heaven. It serves a temporal purpose but can’t sustain us in the long run. Our families, brethren, friendships, jobs, material blessings – they truly are gifts from the almighty, and can be great sources of encouragement through life’s journey. But they can’t be what I build my life upon. They can’t be the only source I am drawing my strength from. 

Christ is the bread of life. Knowing Christ, and being known by Him, can satisfy the soul, can strengthen the heart, can renew the mind, like nothing else that exists. Paul calls it the surpassing value (Phil. 3:8). There’s a peace in knowing the God who created the world, and remembering His will and purpose in life. There’s a real confidence I can have in knowing the God who can do all things, who can provide for my greatest need, even when it doesn’t seem possible for me. There’s a blessed reassurance in knowing Christ, realizing in Him, life lasts. He is the bread of life, not death. His strength never fades. His promises stand true and endure through time. Knowing Christ is knowing that the loss of today pales in comparison to the promise of life here and to come in Him. 

Do you remember what Jesus said in the model prayer? “Give us this day our daily bread…”. Yes, He was talking about our physical needs that God provides – but look at that request through the lens of John 6. What if we prayed this prayer each morning, thinking of Christ. Give me this day my daily bread – my daily Christ – the one who sustains, who empowers, who restores my soul. That’s the bread I hunger for.  

My Blessed Provider, the true Bread of Life, I need you every day. I need your strength. I need reminded of your promises. I’m reminded today that you can provide for my greatest needs, even when it seems impossible. Help me to hunger for you. Be my daily bread. Sustain my life. Renew my spirit. Strengthen my faith. Reinforce my hope. Let the source of my power be You – my living stream, my water of life, my bread, my God!