John’s Gospel: Follow
Do not shrink back from the Jesus Story. It is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe.
Do not shrink back from the Jesus Story. It is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe.
For all time, the test of our love for Jesus is our love for and care for His church—His sheep.
As they pulled for land, a figure waved to them from the beach. At that distance, they did not recognize the Lord.
Thomas fell at Jesus’ feet, clinging to Him in worship. “My Lord and my God!”
There was no singing, no mirth, only fear and faith doing an uncomfortable dance.
She rushed forward and fell at His feet embracing Him in complete submission and joy.
The tomb was empty but their hearts were not yet full.
Dead though He was, His words seemed still alive.
Heaven wept. Hell rejoiced.
Bearing fruit was both the point and the test.
They weren’t quite at the point of rejoicing yet but hope was building in their hearts.
Far from being helpless, the followers of Jesus—beginning with those eleven common men—would be mighty–divinely–assisted.
These simple men would do greater works than Jesus? How could such a thing be?
As Jesus spoke the candles and lamps seemed to burn brighter as if fueled by the hope He was giving them.
No one spoke as the air in the upper room thickened. The supply of oxygen was suddenly insufficient.
A sequence of events had begun and there was no way to stop them from continuing.
“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”
“Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”
People who once were lame now walked away from Him.
He saw the Lord on the throne of Heaven, surrounded by thousands of angels in joyful assembly.
He knew the answer. “But for this purpose, I came to this hour.”
He was a healer, a teacher, one who could even raise the dead.
There was power in Him, a power that could flow out from Him to meet the most desperate needs.
The blessings and challenges of life are not distributed evenly in this world.
The level of worship Mary brought to Jesus resulted in a level of understanding that others did not receive.
There was only one item on the agenda: Jesus. He had to be stopped!
Laughing, Jesus suggested a plan of action to those closest to Lazarus.
The significance of His sorrow was not lost on onlookers.
She faced the reality of her brother’s passing but she avoided underestimating Jesus.
He spoke often of death. He tried to prepare His followers that part of His mission was to die.
Jesus took advantage of the silence.
His “Father” again! Is he claiming to be the Son of God?
The commitment of the Good Shepherd was without peer.
Corrupt shepherds often deceived the sheep, leading them astray from the plan of God.
They saw slivers of light but were not quite ready to be healed of their blindness.
“One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.”
The details of the Law were the stock and trade of these leaders, a toolkit for maintaining control.
The man was not so blind that he could not see an opportunity.
Still smiling, Jesus went on, “And I do not seek My own glory; there is One” (pointing to heaven) who “seeks and judges.”
The proof of who is of God and who is of the devil is found in the beliefs and behavior of an individual.
To one degree or another, the people of Israel harbored a whispered hope—Messiah!
Jesus wanted them to understand. His visit to this earth would be brief by design.
People today who deny the dual nature of Jesus—Son of God and Son of Man—have the same problem the Pharisees had that day.
His splendid answer still rings through all these centuries giving hope to those who have fallen. “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
The leaders of the people scrambled to try and get their parade going again. The people were divided. That was part of the plan—turn those feeble-minded souls against each other and mostly against Jesus. Confusion was the dividing device. The talk was frantic and conflicted: This is the prophet! This is the Christ! Will Messiah […]
His words were amazing, revolutionary, and true. “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.”
The leaders realized the sentiment of the people was not yet settled against Jesus in sufficient force. It was too soon to make a move.
The opinions of the keepers of the Law and its commentaries were not at all relevant to Jesus.
By the time of Jesus’ ministry, Mary was a widow with a rather large family for whom Jesus was a problem.
Even His own disciples failed to see this and complained among themselves—a useless thing to do! Jesus knew their thoughts!
The first thing He wanted to establish was this: to move the discussion from doubt to faith.
“What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do?”
Realizing the mix of good motives with bad, Jesus resigned Himself to seize the moment as a teaching opportunity.
They wanted Jesus, but they wanted Him for their own plans.
Knowing the thoughts of His men, Jesus decided to test them. He asked the one named Philip, “Where shall we buy bread that these may eat?”
The Father’s Word took root in the hearts of those who heard it just as if God Himself were speaking.
We need a story that explains life to us with answers to the great questions.
Both Luke and Matthew record Jesus’ statement that He was the Lord of the Sabbath.
On the Sabbath, He visited the pool at Bethesda and found a community but not a thriving one.
Jesus spent two days in the Samaritan village of Sychar where He had met the famous Woman at Well.
She ran into the village leaving behind all her fear of gossips and social standing.
He saw her search for love, for meaning, for a relationship that would last.
By the time of Jesus, the hostility between the Jews and the Samaritans was severe.
To the amazement of his disciples, John took joy in his decreasing stature.
John the Baptist referred to himself as the “friend of the Bridegroom.”
The power of God was at work when people simply believed in the Words of God.
Jesus, respecting the thoughtfulness of Nicodemus, explained the reality of spiritual rebirth.
He did what he could to make things better, to make everyday life a better reflection of how things should be.
All minds were open to the Spirit and thus available to Jesus.
The gospels relate only a very few incidents where Jesus showed public anger.
Weddings happen somewhere every day, but, not like this!
Jesus was building a team and wanted faithful leaders to learn from Him and spread His message.
Since the baptism of John was an act of repentance, why did Jesus, who had no sins, submit to John’s ritual?
Here was his pulpit found, his platform, and the fashion of the wilderness—a belt of camel’s hair—was his only vestment.
This story is real. This eternal Word, present and active at Creation and ruling from the Throne of Heaven, had come to do both a cosmic and personal work.
The Glory of the Lord was coming, coming right down this Wilderness Highway!
The Written Word is a treasure, as ancient as it is current.