John 11:45-53

John 11:45-53

Therefore Jesus was no longer walking around plainly in the Jews.  But He went away from there into the region near the wilderness into a city while being called Ephraim.  And He remained there with the disciples.  And the Passover of the Jews was near.  And many went up into Jerusalem out of the land before the Passover in order that they should purify themselves.  Therefore they were seeking out Jesus and they were saying with one another while having stood in the temple, “What is presumed true by you all?  That He should surely not come into the festival?”  And the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment in order that if anyone should know where He was he should report it so that they should seize Him.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Jesus went away.  Jesus did not unnecessarily court danger until God’s timing was right.  He withdrew from the people who desired to kill Him for a little while until God was ready to unfold his plan.  Ephraim was about 15 miles north of Jerusalem.  So Jesus went away, but He also didn’t go far.  Jesus went far enough to avoid conflict but not so far that He couldn’t continue His work when God said that it was time.

How do you resolve conflict?  Do you unnecessarily resist it and end up arguing?  Do you run away completely?  How can you learn from Jesus’ example?

Second Thought:

I love the question that the Jews ask one another as they gather in the temple.  “What is presumed true by you all?”  They are asking one another for wisdom.  Their hearts aren’t tuned to God.  Their hearts are looking for validation of their own human way of thinking.  Yes, I do teach that it is important to get verification from the spiritual community around you as you go about following God’s Word.  However, unless we first go to God and begin in God’s wisdom, the people around us only give advice, not true spiritual counsel.  Spiritual counsel comes from God and is verified by the spiritual people around us.

How often do you go to God for your direction?  How often do you genuinely receive direction?  How often do you fall into the trap of going to people before getting direction from God?

Third Thought:

As we conclude these verses, we hear definite language of being an outcast – even an outlaw!  Jesus had a price on His head.  Jesus was unwelcome.  He was to be reported so that He could be arrested on sight.  The truth is that whenever God’s Word comes among human tradition, God’s Word is outcast and those who teach it become outlaws.  That is just how it works, and we can see it happening more and more in western culture each and every day.

Have you ever been an outlaw?  If so, what was the spiritual reason?  If not, what does it say that you have never been outcast because of your faith?

Passage for Tomorrow: John 12:1-8

John 11:45-53

John 11:45-53

Therefore many out of the Jews who came to Mary and who observed what He did believed into Him.  But some out of them went away to the Pharisees and said to them what Jesus did.  Therefore the chief priests and the Pharisees called together the Sanhedrin and they said, “What do we do, because this man does many signs?  If we should let Him be in this way, all will believe into Him.  And the Romans will come and they will take away our places and also our nation.”  But a certain one out of them, Caiaphas, while being a high priest of that year, said to them, “You all have not known anything, while not reasoning that it is to your advantage in order that one man should die for the sake of the people and the whole nation should not perish.”  And he did not say this thing from himself, but while being the high priest of that year he prophesied that Jesus was about to die for the sake of the nation – and not only for the sake of the nation but in order that even the children of God who have been scattered should be gathered together into one.  Therefore from that day they planned in order that they should kill Him.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Let’s get something straight that we’ve seen all through the book of John.  When God’s power is on display through Jesus, division occurs.  Jesus just performed an incredible act in raising Lazarus from the dead.  But how does it end?  Some Jews believe.  Other Jews go and tattle on Him.  So it is with human beings.  When God’s power is on display, some people are interested in listening.  Other people are interested in maintaining the human status quo.

Where are you with respect to what God is doing?  Are you interested in Christ’s call or interested in maintaining the status quo?

Second Thought:

In these verses we hear that Caiaphas prophesied that Jesus would die.  John gives us the indication that Caiaphas’ prophesy had come earlier in the year.  It is possible that from Caiaphas’ position he is taking advantage of the situation to make sure that his prophesy comes true.  In either case, what we see is that in a great ironic twist equal to the end of Genesis, what Caiaphas intends for Jesus’ evil actually turns out for humanity’s good.  It is better for Jesus to die.  Through His death, sin is forgiven.  Through His death, human beings can be in true relationship with God.  Caiaphas may be pursuing his own selfish prophesy, but God’s will shall be done.

What does Jesus’ death mean to you?  Does it matter that Jesus’ death came about out of the evil intentions of humanity?  How do these verses demonstrate that God truly is in control regardless of what we would like to think as human beings?

Third Thought:

They planned in order that they should kill Jesus.  Jesus’ death is an intentional act.  But it is a malicious act.  Now we see another reason that Jesus may have wept outside Lazarus’ tomb.  Because of that display of God’s power, the Jews would plan to kill Him.  They would kill Him because they were afraid the crowd would believe in Him.  They would kill Him because they were afraid their nation would be taken away from them.  They kill Jesus because they are in love with their own worldly position and their own worldly possessions.  How sad it is to discover the reasons we as human beings turn away from God’s great display of His power.

What has lured you away from God’s display in the past?  What has come between you and seeing God’s hand at work?  Would any of these things give Christ any reason to weep?

Passage for Tomorrow: John 11:54-57

John 11:38-44

John 11:38-44

Therefore Jesus again comes into the tomb while indignant in Himself.  It was a cave and a stone lay upon it.  Jesus says, “Take away the stone.”  Martha, the sister of the one who has died, says to Him, “Lord, it already stinks, for it is the fourth day.”  Jesus says to her, “Did I not say to you that if you should believe you will see the glory of God?”  Therefore they took away the stone.  And Jesus raised up the eyes and said, “Father, I give thanks to you that you heard me.  And I had known that at all times you hear me.  But for the sake of the crowd that has stood around I spoke in order that they should believe that you sent me.”  And after saying these things He cried out by a great voice, “Lazarus, come out here.”  The one who has died came out having his feet and hands being bound by strips of cloth and his face had been wrapped around with a facecloth.  Jesus said to them, “Untie him and allow him to go away.”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Here again we have the word “indignant,” and it is the same word that is used in John 11:33.  In the Greek, this word is actually derived from equestrian uses.  The word comes from that moment when a horse rears back its head, pricks its ears, and snorts.  I mean a true snort, not a simple clearing of the nose.  In horse terms, this is body language for anything from excitement to alarm.  Horses frequently snort when they are concerned.  As we heard yesterday, Jesus comes to the tomb of Lazarus alarmed and concerned.  He knows what’s about to happen to Lazarus.  He knows where that will ultimately lead for both Lazarus and Himself.

Has this study of Jesus being indignant altered how you perceive Jesus in these verses?  What level of depth have you uncovered here with respect to Jesus’ perspective?

Second Thought:

I love Jesus’ and Martha’s exchange here.  Martha is focused on the stench.  Four days of death is not pretty – especially in a day and age where refrigeration isn’t an option.  But Jesus is focused on God’s glory.  Notice, however, that there is a stipulation to seeing God’s glory.  The stipulation is belief.  This is a very deep point.  We all see God’s hand at work throughout all our lives.  Whether or not we recognize it is a matter of belief.  God is present; those who believe see Him and acknowledge His presence.  Those who do not believe do not acknowledge Him and therefore do not see His glory.

Where is God’s glory in your life?  When is it easy to see?  When is it difficult?

Third Thought:

As Jesus promises, God’s power is put on display.  Lazarus is raised form the dead.  What’s neat about this story is that there is a serious lack of fanfare.  What happens when Lazarus is raised?  Jesus says to the crowd, “Unbind him and let him go home.”  In other words, “Don’t mess with the man.”  It is like Jesus is trying to tell the crowd that there is something more significant upon which they can focus that Lazarus.  Among humans, who wouldn’t want to talk to Lazarus and get all of the details?  But we’d be missing the point.  This story isn’t about Lazarus.  As with every time God’s power is on display, the story is actually about God.

If you were there, how easy would it have been for you to focus upon Lazarus and not God?  How easy would it have been for you to want all the details from Lazarus that you could have failed to recognize God drawing you closer to Him?

Passage for Tomorrow: John 11:45-53

John 11:28-37

John 11:28-37

And after saying these things she went away and called to Mary her sister while saying to her sister, “The teacher is present and He is calling you.”  And when that one heard she rose up quickly and was going to Him.  And Jesus had not yet come into the village but He was still in the place where Martha went out to meet Him.  Therefore the Jews, who are with her in the house and who were comforting her, saw that Mary stood up quickly and went out.  They followed her after thinking that she goes away into the tomb in order to weep there.  Therefore when Mary came to where Jesus was, after seeing Him she fell down at His feet while saying to Him, “Lord, if you were here my brother did not die.”  Therefore, when Jesus saw her while weeping and the Jews who had come out with her while weeping, He was indignant by the Spirit and He Himself was distressed.  And He said, “Where have you all put him?”  They say to Him, “Lord, come and see.”  Jesus wept.  Therefore the Jews were saying, “Look at how He loved him!”  But some out of them said, “Is not this one who opened the eyes of the blind man powerful enough to do in order that even this one should not have died?”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Mary hears from Martha that Jesus wants to see her and she goes immediately.  She doesn’t hold back now.  This is good to see, especially in light of what we spoke of a few days back.  Mary may not have gone with Martha, but when she does go she doesn’t delay.  When Mary comes around to seeing Jesus, she’s all in.  This is a great example for us.  As human beings we sometimes need time to process and think.  But when it comes time to follow Christ and go to Him, we need to be all in.

Are you all in for Christ?  What does that feel like for you?

Second Thought:

Jesus weeps.  The question is, why?  Jesus is not weeping over the fact that Lazarus is dead.  After all, Jesus hasn’t wept at all in John 11 and Jesus has known for the whole chapter that Lazarus is dead.  More importantly, Jesus knows that in a few moments Lazarus won’t be dead any more.  Why weep for a man who isn’t going to be in such a condition any longer?  It makes no sense from our perspective to think that Jesus is weeping for Lazarus, although I completely understand how the people in the moment could think in this way.  In fact, don’t lose sight of the verbs immediately preceding Jesus’ weeping.  The verbs are “to be indignant” and “to be distressed.”  Those are not verbs of sad mourning.  So why does Jesus weep? 

I think Jesus’ weeping is three-fold. 

• First, Jesus feels the pain of those around Him and weeps with them.  He can sympathize and empathize with us. 
• Second, I think Jesus weeps because He sees here another example of how human beings cannot see past the now.  Everyone is so caught up in “missing Lazarus” that they aren’t in tune with God and they certainly aren’t demonstrating that the resurrection from the dead gives them any hope at all!  So often those who wail and weep at funerals are terrible models of true Christian hope! 
• However, I think there is a third – and profoundly more deep – reason that Jesus weeps.  Jesus weeps because He knows that He is about to introduce Lazarus back into this world of sin and corruption.  I believe Jesus is weeping for Lazarus because Lazarus is going to come back to life.  In death, Lazarus is free from pain and suffering and merely waiting to be resurrected eternally into the presence of God.  But when Jesus brings Him back to life, Lazarus will endure the pain of rejection and suffering as a disciple of His Lord.  Granted, I’m sure it is a pain and suffering that Lazarus can handle and will embrace.  But Jesus knows what is about to happen to those who follow Him.  He knows the confusion, pain, and doubt that is about to come.  He knows the persecution that His followers will eventually face.  Jesus knows that Lazarus is about to go from the peace of death to the turbulence of life.

Are you surprised by any part of this explanation of why Jesus weeps?  Where are you challenged by Jesus’ weeping?  Do you see life in the same perspective as Jesus?

Third Thought:

As a bit of a less than important point – but still important to me – I want to talk about the description “the disciple whom Jesus loved.”  It has been taught for a while now that this is John’s description for himself as the Gospel writer.  I don’t think that is correct – although I fully admit I could be wrong.  There are two reasons why I don’t think this is correct. 

• First, notice the end of John 11:36.  Jesus weeps, and the people think that Jesus is weeping for Lazarus.  So they marvel at how much Jesus “loves Lazarus.”  This is how nicknames get started.  I believe from this point on that Lazarus is nicknamed “the disciple that Jesus loved” because the Jews falsely conceptualize why Jesus wept at Lazarus’ tomb.
• The second reason is that the description “the disciple whom Jesus loved” never occurs in John until after this story.  It occurs in five places: John 13:23, 19:26, 20:2, 21:7, and 21:20.  Furthermore, it also only ever occurs in John.  I think logically from a linguistic perspective that it makes far more contextual sense to understand this description in terms of Lazarus than John. 
• What it also does for John is to allow him to seem far less egotistical in his writing.  I also believe that this is true.  It has been my experience that truly following Jesus is a humbling experience, not an experience that grants one an ego.

Why might it be useful to see this description in this light?  Assuming I am correct, what can this teach you about Jesus’ love?  What can this teach you about nicknames and truth contained within them?

Passage for Tomorrow: John 11:38-44

John 11:17-27

John 11:17-27

Therefore Jesus came to find him already having four days in the tomb.  And Bethany was near Jerusalem – as from two miles.  And many out of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary in order to comfort them regarding the brother.  Therefore when Martha heard that Jesus comes, she went to meet Him.  But Mary was being seating in the house.  Therefore, Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you were here, my brother did not die.  And now I have known that whatever you asked from God, God will give to you.”  Jesus says to her, “Your brother will be raised.”  Martha says to Him, “I have known that he will be raised in the resurrection in the last day.”  Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.  The one who believes into me – if he should die he will also live.  And everyone who lives and believes into me should surely not die into the age.  Do you believe this?”  She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I have believed that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who comes into the world.”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

I love that in this story it is Martha who first comes to Jesus while Mary stays behind.  We are so quick to remember Luke 10:38-42, which is a story where Mary is praised for sitting at Jesus’ feet while Martha goes about the work in the house.  This story seems to be telling us that Martha learned the lesson.  When Jesus came, Martha got it.  He is the source of hope.  This time it is Mary who stays at home and doesn’t come to Jesus.  What can we learn?  None of us is perfect all the time.  We learn lessons; but sometimes circumstances conspire to work against us so that we forget them.  Mary and Martha are both human beings – strong in some times and weak in others.

When have you been strong in your faith?  What were the circumstances that allowed such a reaction?  When were you weak?  What were those circumstances?

Second Thought:

I think most people get Martha’s comment wrong.  According to the Greek, Martha doesn’t say, “Had you been here, my brother would not have died.”  There is no subjunctive mood in the Greek.  There is no optative mood in the Greek.  It is all indicative – the mood of facts.  Martha knows factually that Jesus could have prevented it, but she’s not attempting to express guilt or displeasure that Jesus wasn’t able to prevent it.  Actually, what we see here is Martha displaying a great amount of submission.  She knows the power of God and accepts what happened, believing full well that God will make it right in the last day.  That is faith.

How is Martha actually displaying great faith in her comment, not the usual guilt-ridden lack of understanding that we are made to believe Martha has?  What do you find inspirational about Martha and her believe in eternal life?

Third Thought:

In this passage we have one of the most amazing quotations from Jesus.  I cannot ever read this passage without thinking about the song “Lazarus Come Forth” sung by Carmen: a song that is highly fictional in its theology although it is entertainingly cute.  Yes, I am dating myself there.  But back to some theology.  Jesus is the resurrection and the life.  Jesus is the firstfruit of God’s work in humanity.  Jesus came to earth.  He died.  He rose again into perfection and new life.  So shall it be with all those who are in Him.  He is the resurrection and the life.  If God can raise Him, then God is certainly powerful enough to raise us as well.

Why is it important for you to understand that God can raise you from the dead?  How does this understanding change how it is that you look to your future and your calling?

Passage for Tomorrow: John 11:28-36

John 11:11-16

John 11:11-16

He said this, and after this He says to them, “Lazarus our friend has been asleep.  But I go in order to wake Him up.”  Therefore the disciples said to Him, “Lord, if he has been asleep he will be saved.”  But Jesus had been speaking about his death, but those ones thought that regarding sleep He speaks of sleep.  Therefore, then, Jesus said plainly to them, “Lazarus died.  And I rejoice for the sake of you all in order that you all should believe – because I was not there.  But we should go to him.”  Therefore Thomas, who is called the twin, said to His fellow disciples, “And we should go in order that we should die with him.”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Once more we see that the disciples don’t get it.  Now, Jesus is being a little obtuse.  So we can’t be too hard on His disciples.  But the point is still true.  Jesus’ disciples don’t always get what He is saying or doing until after the fact.  We shouldn’t be surprised when we don’t get it up front, either.

Do you ever blame yourself for not always understanding how God is at work?  Do you think God expects you to always get His work before He works?

Second Thought:

Jesus makes an unusual comment.  Jesus tells the disciples plainly what has happened.  Lazarus is dead.  And then Jesus says, “I rejoice.”  No, Jesus is not rejoicing because Lazarus died.  Jesus is rejoicing because He knows what Lazarus’ resurrection is going to mean for His ministry and the disciples’ faith in Him as the Son of God.  But don’t miss the point.  Jesus does not see death as a reason to mourn.  Jesus sees death as a place in which God’s power is on display.  That is a reason to rejoice.

Do you think God’s power will be on display in your death?  What about in anyone’s death?  How quick are you to think about death with respect to God’s power on display as a gate to eternal life?

Third Thought:

Thomas’ comment is really strange.  He certainly seems devoted to Jesus and Lazarus in his willingness to die.  However, it is easy to say things when the threat is not imminent.  Remember that only in a few chapters Jesus will be arrested and His disciples will be running like wild to avoid being caught.  We human beings know what faith sounds like.  We know what the right thing to do is.  Thomas demonstrates this much in this comment.  But often with human beings our speech is stronger than our action.

Would you die with Christ?  How does this line of thinking also speak to Paul’s comments in Galatians 2:19-20?

Passage for Tomorrow: John 11:17-27

John 11:1-10

John 11:1-10

And a certain man was sick, Lazarus from Bethany, out of the village of Mary and her sister Martha.  And Mary was the one who anointed the Lord by perfumed oil and she wiped dry His feet by her hair.  Her brother was Lazarus; he was sick.  Therefore the sisters sent to Him while saying, “Lord, behold!  The one whom you love, he is sick.”  And after Jesus heard, he said, “This disease is not for death but for the glory of God in order that the Son of God should be glorified through it.”  And Jesus was loving Martha and her sister and Lazarus.  Therefore, when He heard that he was sick, then He remained in the place in which He was for two days.  Then after this He says to His disciples, “We should again go into Judea.”  The disciples say to Him, “Rabbi, just now the Jews were desiring to stone you.  And again you go there?”  Jesus answered, “Are not twelve hours in a day?  If anyone walks around in the day, he does not stumble because he sees the light of the world.  But if he should walk around in the night, then he stumbles because the light is not in him.”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

I’ve always marveled at this passage with respect to Jesus’ actions.  A servant is dispatched to tell Jesus that Lazarus is sick – although by looking at the timeline later in the chapter we can know that Lazarus dies shortly after the messenger is dispatched.  So by the time Jesus gets the message, Lazarus is likely already dead.  Therefore, Jesus hangs out for a few more days before going to Lazarus.  Is Jesus merely looking to make sure that Lazarus is good and dead before raising Him to life so that the miracle is even more profound?  No.  I do not believe Jesus plays such games of self-centered magnification.  Rather, I believe Jesus is making the same point in this last great sign that He made in His first sign during the wedding at Cana.  Jesus is not some miracle-worker who serves at the beck and call of human beings.  Jesus does the work of the Father on the timeline of the Father.  All things work out to His glory, but not necessarily on our timeline.  God’s timing is always better than our timing.  We need to wait for God’s grace to go before us and to learn to desire God’s timing.

Why do we struggle with God’s timing over our own?  Why do you think Jesus makes such a point to make sure that He works on His own agenda?  When in your own life has God’s timing been better than your own timing?

Second Thought:

At the end of this passage, Jesus speaks about contrasting day and night.  Jesus is making two significant points here.  First, by referencing the twelve hours Jesus is saying that a day has a beginning and an ending.  In other words, there is a start and a stop to when the work of the Lord is done.  We all have a beginning and end.  Jesus is saying that the work of the Lord needs to be done regardless of the potential obstacle that is in His way.  Jesus’ second point is more subtle.  By contrasting day and night Jesus is speaking about life with Him and life without Him.  God’s work can only be done with Jesus.  Without the light of Christ, we walk in the darkness and cannot do the work of God.

Are you walking in the light of Christ?  Are you working while it is day?

Third Thought:

What does Jesus mean when He says this will end in glory?  This is a very deep teaching.  In Christianity, we take a unique perspective: death and suffering is not a bad thing.  Jesus knows that His death will result in His glory as He does the work of God in providing atonement for humanity.  Jesus knows that Lazarus’ resurrection from the dead will be the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back.  When Lazarus is raised from the dead, there will be no doubt that He possesses power from God.  When Lazarus is raised from the dead there will be no avoiding a direct confrontation between Jesus and the religious leaders of the Jews.  Jesus knows ultimately that Lazarus dies so that the cross is inevitable and the world will have access to salvation.  That is His ultimate glory.

When you think of glory, would you ever think of a cross and death?  In what way does God’s perspective of what it means to find glory conflict with what the world means by glory?

Passage for Tomorrow: John 11:11-16

John 10:40-42

John 10:40-42

And He again departed to the other side of the Jordan into the place where John was, who was baptizing earlier.  And He remained there.  And many came to Him and they were saying that, “On one hand John did no sign.  But everything that John said regarding this one was true.  And many believed in Him there.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Here’s a neat passage.  Jesus knows that His time is running out.  He knows that the cross is very quickly becoming inevitable.  But He escapes from those people who were trying to kill Him so that He could have one more chance to draw people to Himself.  Many come.  Many believe in Him.  Even as Jesus’ darkest hour approaches He is focused on the possibility of discipleship.

How focused on discipleship are you?  How capable are you of making disciples who can follow Jesus?  If you are not equipped, how can you become more equipped?

Second Thought:

Here’s another neat point.  As Jesus’ darkest hour approaches He returns to the place where it all began.  He returns to the place where He heard the Father say, “This is My Son, of whom I am well pleased.”  Jesus goes back to where it all begins – probably to find reassurance and a reminder of why it is that He came.  The story is about to get very dark and desperate.  So Jesus returns to where it all began before the dark part of the story begins.

Do you have special places where you find the Lord more easily?  Why is it easier to tap into your spirituality in those places?

Third Thought:

And of course, people come to Jesus.  People always came to Jesus.  People come to see the miracles.  People come to hear the teaching.  People come to relate to Him.  Some even stay because of the relationship that is formed.  That’s the neat part of discipleship.  It really is about the relationship – it’s the relationship that keeps them coming back.

With whom are you in relationship that you can help them stay in relationship with Jesus?  When did you come to relationship with Jesus?

Passage for Tomorrow: John 11:1-10

John 10:31-39

John 10:31-39

Again the Jews picked up stones in order that they should stone Him.  Jesus answered to them, “I demonstrated many good works to you all out of the Father.  Because of which of these works do you stone me?” The Jews answered to Him, “We do not stone you regarding a good work but regarding blasphemy.  And because you – while being a man – make yourself a God.”  And Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law that, ‘I said you all are gods?’  If it called those ones gods, to whom the Word of God came – and scripture is not possible to be broken – do you all say of whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world that, ‘You blaspheme,’ because I said, ‘I am a Son of God?’  If I am not doing the works of the Father, do not believe me!  But if I do them – and if you should not believe me – believe the works in order that you should know and you should understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”  Therefore they were again desiring to seize Him and He departed out of their hands.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

In this passage we find a very interesting call back to a very deep spiritual thought.  What does it mean to believe?  Many people like to think that believing is an internal thought process.  We think that we can say, “I believe in Jesus and God,” even if our actions do not demonstrate it.  However, the Greek word for believe means “believe,” “belief,” “faith,” and “faithfulness.”  Dietrich Bonheoffer, a German Lutheran who wrote the Cost of Discipleship, says it best that “Only those who believe obey; and only those who obey believe.”  Bonhoeffer understands what Jesus is getting at.  Believing in God is a mixture of faith and obedience.  Jesus reminds us of this very fact in this passage.  When the Jews come at Him with stones, Jesus points them not just to the teaching but to the works through His hands.  How do you know God’s disciple?  God’s disciples do the work of the Father.

Is faith and obedience mixed in your life?  Do you believe in God?  How does God demonstrate this reality through you?

Second Thought:

 Jesus then makes an interesting argument.  Jesus reminds the Hebrew people that their scriptures actually speak of people as gods.  Psalm 82:6 is the most glaring example, and this is the one that Jesus quotes.  Here the Psalm is telling us that those who follow God and who show justice and mercy to the oppressed are sons of God!  Therefore, Jesus extrapolates this phenomenal point.  If sinners like the ancient Hebrew people can be sons of God in those moments that they are obedient to God, then why wouldn’t that same title apply to someone like Jesus – through whom God’s power was always on display!

Are you a son (or daughter) of God?  How does that designation strike you when applied to yourself?  How do you know you are a child of God?

Third Thought:

What is sad about this passage is that the Jewish people do not even accept their own Law.  Jesus isn’t using a logical argument out of human reasoning.  Jesus uses a Psalm written in God’s own perspective to make His point.  The Jewish people were not willing to listen even to scripture.  Their focus was on arresting Him and doing away with Him.  When human beings determine to not listen and have their own way, we are remarkable creatures with respect to ignoring truth.

When have you ignored truth?  What was your reason for doing so?  How can you prevent a posture of ignoring the truth in the future?

Passage for Tomorrow: John 10:40-42

John 10:22-30

John 10:22-30

At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem.  It was winter.  And Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon.  Therefore the Jews encircled Him and they were saying to Him, “How long will you prevent us from reaching a conclusion?  If you are the Christ, say it to us openly.”  Jesus answered them, “I told you all and you all do not believe.  The works that I do in the name of my Father – these testify about me.  But you all do not believe because you all are not out of my sheep.  My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me.  And I give to them eternal life and they should never perish into the age and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, the one who has given to me, is greater than all and nobody is powerful enough to seize out of the Father’s hand.  I and the Father are one.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

I find it interesting that the Jews surround Jesus.  Jesus is in the temple.  He is completely in their territory.  So they come and surround Him and begin to make demands.  How often does the world look for opportunities to go in for the kill and then execute the plan?  The followers of God do not need to look for places to ambush one another.  This is purely a tactic of someone who is living according to the ways of the world.

When have you been ambushed?  How does that feel?  Have you ever ambushed someone else?  Why did you do it?  How does it make you feel to recognize such behavior in yourself?

Second Thought:

Here is the result of the tactics of the Jews.  Jesus tells them twice that they do not believe and then tops it off by saying that they are not a part of His flock of sheep.  There’s nothing like being told the truth by the Son of God!  Imagine for a second hearing those words and how you would react.  Jesus is being blunt.  If you aren’t following Jesus, you aren’t a part of His flock.  If you aren’t listening to Jesus, you aren’t a part of His flock.  If you come at Jesus in an antagonistic posture, you aren’t a part of His flock.

What would hearing these words do to you as a listener?  How would you react? 

Third Thought:

Jesus is clear to assert that nobody can wrest anything out of His grasp.  Now imagine being one of Jesus’ disciples and hear Jesus speak like this.  I can only imagine how Jesus’ disciples feel as they hear Jesus say that they are secure.  But not only are they secure in Christ’s grasp, they are secure in the grasp of the Father as well.  Now that’s a great place to be!

Are these words impressive to you?  How do you feel in hearing Jesus’ words?

Passage for Tomorrow: John 10:31-39

John 10:11-21

John 10:11-21

“I am the good shepherd.  The good shepherd sets down his life for the sake of the sheep.  The hired hand who is not a shepherd – of whom the sheep are not his own – sees the wolf while coming and abandons the sheep and flees.  And the wolf seizes and scatters them.  I am the good shepherd and I know my own and my own know me – just as the Father knows me and I know the Father.  And I set down my life for the sake of the sheep.  But I also have sheep who are not out of this fold.  And it is necessary that I also bring them and they will hear my voice.  And they will become one flock into one shepherd.  Because of this the Father loves me, because I set down my life in order that I should again receive it.  No one takes it from me, but I set it down from myself.  I have authority to set it down and I have authority to again take it up.  I received this commandment from my Father.”  A schism again became in the Jews because of these words.  And many out of them said, “He has a demon and He is insane.  Why do you listen to Him?”  Others were saying, “These words are not of one possessed by a demon.  Are demons powerful enough to open the eyes of a blind man?”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Here is a neat portion of the economy of Christ.  Under the old religious system, the sheep die for the sins of the people.  Sacrifices were made because the people are sinful.  Yet in Christ’s economy the shepherd dies for the sheep.  This is why I do not say that Jesus was “betrayed.”  Jesus handed His life over voluntarily for the sake of the sheep.  The blessed economy of Christ is that through the sacrifice of the shepherd, the sheep can know life.

What life has Christ bought you?  What does that life look like for you?

Second Thought:

The really neat part about this thought is that the shepherd is given the ability to take up His life again.  Jesus lays His life down knowing that He will pick it up again!  Jesus does not stay dead, He is risen!  The shepherd is more powerful than death; He has defeated death.  If the shepherd is not defeated by death, then we know that the sheep in His flock need not be defeated by death, either.

How does Christ’s resurrection impact your daily life?

Third Thought:

The shepherd knows the sheep and the sheep know Him.  As the Father knows the Son, so the sheep also know the Son.  In this passage you can hear the relational bridge created through Christ.  Because of our sin, there exists a chasm between creation and the Father.  But through Christ, creation can know the Father.  We know the Son; the Father knows the Son.  Through Christ, we come to know the Father.

What does relationship look like to you?  What does it mean to you that you can be in a relationship with the Father?

Fourth Thought:

Once more we see that a schism develops over Christ’s words.  This is the third time that we hear that Jesus brought schism among the religious.  (John 7:43 and John 9:16 are the other places).  Again Jesus is accused of having a demon.  (See John 7:20 and John 8:48, 52.)  Here’s a neat thought that ties this section back to yesterday’s reading.  If Jesus is the door, should we not expect division?  What do doors do but allow access and prevent access?  Is not the purpose of the door to separate?  In Matthew 25:31-46 we hear that Jesus separates the sheep from the goats.  Of course there was division.  Division follows those who tell God’s truth.  God’s truth divides those who humble themselves to it from those who refuse to be humble before it.

Into which division do you fall?  Does Jesus ask for too much and you think Him insane?  Do you submit to Him and do as He asks?

Passage for Tomorrow: John 10:22-30

John 10:7-10

John 10:7-10

Therefore Jesus again said, “Amen, amen, I say to you all that I am the door of the sheep.  All who came before me are thieves and robbers.  But the sheep did not listen to them.  I am the door.  If anyone should enter through me he will be saved and he will come in and he will go out and he will find pasture.  The thief does not come except in order the he should steal and he should kill and he should destroy.  I come in order that they should have life and they should have it abundantly.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Jesus calls Himself the door.  He is the door into safety.  But He is also the door into pasture.  He is the focus of our coming and going.  When we come into Him we can abide in Him.  When we go out we leave to accomplish His will underneath the umbrella of His power and authority.  He is the door through which we leave the world and human tradition in order to enter into relationship with the Father.  He is the door.

How does Jesus give you pasture?  What does pasture in Christ look like to you?  How is Jesus the door through which you go into the world?  What does that look like to you?a

Second Thought:

The thief comes in to steal and kill and destroy.  God created us to live, but sin steals our life away.  The Father of Lies – Satan – speaks falsehood into our minds and steals us away from life.  We find ourselves pursuing things that are not truly giving us life.  We do not find ourselves pursuing goals that are really satisfying, nor are they truly God’s goals.  If we are not careful we find that the purposes of God have been stolen away from us while we are slowly killed and destroyed.

What does God desire you to pursue?  What do you actually pursue?  Where are you being stolen away from God?

Third Thought:

Jesus came so that we should have life and have it abundantly.  There are many levels upon which this is true.  Of course, He came so that we could have eternal life.  But He also came so that this life could have meaning.  So often we get involved in the things of the world and they just don’t satisfy us.  They might give us short term pleasure, but they don’t give us life.  True life comes when we have come to Christ, laid our life before Him, and obediently make disciples in His name as He has asked us to do.  Then we have life and have it abundantly.  Then we have found true pasture.

Do you have life?  Do you have it abundantly?  If so, what does it look like?  If not, why not?

Passage for Tomorrow: John 10:11-18

John 10:1-6

John 10:1-6

“Amen, amen, I say to you all: The one who does not enter through the door into the fold of the sheep while going up from another place – that one is a thief and a robber.  But the one who enters in through the door, that one is a shepherd of the sheep.  The guard of the door opens to this one, the sheep hear his voice, he calls his own sheep by their name, and he leads them out.  Whenever he should cast out all of his own, he goes before them and the sheep follow him because they have known his voice.  And they will surely not follow a stranger but they will flee from him because they have not known the voice of strangers.”  Jesus said this figure of speech to them, but these ones did not understand what He was saying to them.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

In this reading, Jesus is tapping into a very well known way of life.  It is a way of life that is unknown to us modern western people.  So let me spin it out to you.  In ancient days, the sheep fold was usually a large pen surrounded by a tall wall of rocks.  At night, sheep would be led into the pen – often sheep from multiple flocks and multiple shepherds.  There would usually be a night watchman who would guard the one way in and out – although occasionally the shepherds themselves would be each others’ doorman.  At daybreak, the shepherds would return, the door guard would know the shepherds, and the shepherds would call to their sheep.  The sheep of the shepherd’s flock would follow while the sheep of other shepherds’ flocks would stay behind until their shepherd came.  From that point on, the sheep would follow the shepherd out to pasture where they would graze and find water.

How does understanding this rhythm help you understand this figure of speech?  In this story, who is the shepherd?  Where are you?  What might the other sheep from other flocks represent?

Second Thought:

The sheep know the voice of the shepherd.  This is an interesting thought.  Notice that the good shepherd doesn’t force or cajole the sheep.  The sheep know the shepherd.  They recognize the shepherd’s voice.  The sheep choose to follow because they know.  The sheep don’t choose to follow imposters because they don’t know him.  But in all cases the sheep follow because they choose to follow not because the shepherd forces them or cajoles them.  They follow because they know it is the right thing to do.

Are you a sheep?  How good are you at following?  Do you know the voice of the Lord?  How do you know it?  Do you follow it when the voice of the Lord calls out?

Third Thought:

At the end of this passage we have a difficult yet true verse.  They did not understand Jesus.  It is all too easy for us to sit upon our high horse and say about them, “Oh, how sad that they did not understand.”  But the true mature position is to understand just how often we are those people.  How often do we truly understand God’s plan before He moves among us?  How much of our life is spent just keeping up with what God is doing and trying desperately not to be left behind?  Sometimes we’re too focused on our own agenda.  Sometimes we’ve not done the foundational spiritual growth necessary to truly follow what God is saying in our midst.  We are often in a place of not understanding God.

What gets in your way and inhibits you from understanding God?  How good is God that He uses us anyways?

Passage for Tomorrow: John 10:7-10

John 9:35-41

John 9:35-41

Jesus heard that they threw him out and after finding him He said, “Do you believe into the Son of Man?”  That one answered and said, “And who is this, Lord, in order that I should believe into him?”  Jesus said to him, “Even you have seen him, and the one who speaks with you is that one.”  And he was saying, “I believe, Lord.”  And he worshipped Him.  And Jesus said, “Into judgment I came into this world, in order that the ones who do not see should see and the ones who do see should become blind.  The ones out of the Pharisees who were with Him heard this and they said to Him, “We are not also blind?”  Jesus said to them, “If you all were blind, you all were not having sin.  But now that you all say that ‘We see,’ your sin remains.”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

This is one of my favorite moments with respect to seeing compassion in Jesus.  What I love about this passage is that it isn’t a display of compassion in healing or feeding people.  It is a passage about community.  Jesus hears that the man has been cast out of his community for the truth.  So Jesus comes to him and gives him a new community to which he can belong.  That’s what Christianity is all about.  We should expect that people will not want to hear the truth.  So when we see people being ostracized because of the truth, we need to be there for them.  For me, I think this is one of them most tender-hearted moments in which we see Jesus work.

Is your community based on human distinctions or spiritual truth?  How can you tell?  Do you think many people in the world evaluate community on this premise?

Second Thought:

I love Jesus’ comment that “the ones who do not see should see and the ones who do see should become blind.”  Listen to what Jesus is really saying here.  Jesus is saying that those who recognize their blindness, ignorance, and inability have a chance.  They merely need to recognize it, confess it, come to Christ, and God will open their eyes to faith.  However, Jesus is also saying that those people who do not see their own blindness and who think that they see will actually have no hope of truly seeing.  This verse is about submission and humbleness.  Those who are willing to submit have hope in God.  Those who have no desire to submit will continue to go through life blind.

Do you submit?  How easily does submission come to you?  Why is this true?

Third Thought:

Jesus’ final comment in this passage should give us pause.  He’s saying that those who know more are held more accountable.  To those whom much has been given, much is expected.  Those whose eyes are open and who can see God’s hand at work are expected to respond!  God doesn’t expect much of a response from the person in some south-eastern tropical island who never gets an opportunity to hear about Jesus.  But those of us who grow up with ready access to God’s Word and ready availability to godly teaching have the responsibility to respond.  We have a responsibility to put ourselves in places of listening.  We have a responsibility to discern what we hear and submit to what is godly.  We who grow up in America where there is ready access to God’s Word have no excuse for puny faith!

Do you agree with Jesus in that more is expected from those who have the greatest opportunity?  How does this speak into your life?

Passage for Tomorrow: John 10:1-6