Posts Tagged ‘John’

The English Standard Version, of God’s Holy Word, provides a title for chapter 11 of Hebrews: “By Faith”.

The phrase “by faith” is repeated nineteen times throughout the chapter. By faith we understand… By faith Abel offered… By faith Enoch was taken up… By faith Noah constructed… he became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. By faith Abraham obeyed… By faith he went… By faith Sarah herself received power… By faith Abraham offered… By faith Isaac invoked future blessings… By faith Jacob blessed… By faith Joseph… By faith Moses… By faith Moses… By faith he… By faith he… By faith the people… By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. By faith Rahab…

The ‘by faith’ term is attached to individuals and their actions. The book of James informs us that faith is demonstrated by works. This chapter appears to simply validate that claim until I read of the faith of the walls of Jericho. How can walls have faith? Then I realize that rock walls are just as capable of obedience to God as you or me. We were dead in our trespasses and sins until Jesus Christ made us alive. Jeff reminded me this morning of that familiar triumphal entry passage in Luke 19. The Pharisees tell Jesus to rebuke His disciples for proclaiming Him King. He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” Prior to Christ giving us life, we are no more capable than stones of giving Him praise.

It is only through the power of Christ that we possess faith; it is only through His grace that we can act on that faith. So, along with all the other unlikely individuals that are credited with faith in Hebrews 11, we find the walls of Jericho. Again, I find comfort in knowing that God will empower me to praise Him, and then proclaim me righteous based on the faith He provides. How humbling; how awesome.

Jesus Christ is the Bread and the Word. Part of God’s plan for us is that we are humbled and hungry – we must learn to feed on Him. The children of Israel often grumbled that they were well fed in Egypt and wanted to go back to that familiar place of comfort rather than die in the desert from hunger. Like us, they had short memories regarding their own actions and God’s provision. They were not satisfied in Egypt and had grumbled in those circumstances. God brought them out of Egypt in a most miraculous manner and chose to be in their presence; they refused to accept communion with Him. Moses spoke of bread and word during one of his final sermons to the congregation.

“And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.” (Deuteronomy 8:3 ESV)

Jesus quotes this verse during a time of temptation; He shows that Scripture is a great way to combat temptation; he demonstrates an understanding of what man needs for life.

“But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”” (Matthew 4:4 ESV)

Jesus unmistakably speaks of himself as the bread that satisfies in John 6, right after feeding five thousand and walking on water.

“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.’” (John 6:35 ESV)

Of course, the reason belief in Christ quenches thirst is that he provides living water in abundance to those that ask.

“Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.’” (John 4:10 ESV)

“On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7:37-39 ESV)

So God allows us to be humbled and hungry, in order that we look to Jesus. He is the bread that we need, and the Word that satisfies.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1-4,14 ESV)

Reason 4: So that the word of God abides in you

” So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32, ESV)

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” (John 15:7, ESV)

“I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” (1 John 2:14, ESV)

“Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;” (1 Peter 1:22-23, ESV)

The word of God is an abiding word (1 Peter 1:23). The word of God is truth (Romans 10:17) and brings about the new birth (1 Peter 1:23) and brings faith (Romans 10:17) and enables us to overcome the evil one (1 John 2:14, see also Reason 3 of Reasons to Memorize Scripture).  Although memorizing scripture is one method of to have the word of God abide in you, it is not and should not be considered the only means to abide in the word. By nature abiding in the word of God includes spending time in it through reading, mediation, and study.

The abiding word of God brings us within reach of a few of Jesus’ promises. There are a few different kinds of promises. Some are unconditional like when God appeared to Abram and promised to give his offspring the land, while other promises are conditional like when Jesus say’s “if” you abide in my word then ask whatever you wish or then you are truly my disciples. The promise Jesus gives us is a conditional promise. He will not give the result of the promises unless we meet the required condition.

It is important to understand what the promise is. Often times people will create a false promise by taking a verse out of the context of the passage. In the case John 8:31, the promise of abiding in His word, is that we are His disciples. That is important but it does not stop there. It continues to say that we will know the truth and will be set free by the truth. Unless we abide in the word, we are not disciples and we will not know the truth or be set free by the truth. Additionally, John 15:7 indicates that if we abide in the word we can ask God whatever we wish and it will be done for us. Taken out of context this verse fits almost any bad theology. Therefore, we must keep reading. Verse 8 say’s “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” The asking whatever you wish is directly related to bearing fruit and glorifying God the Father. If we abide in the word our desires will be transformed by the renewing of the mind (Rom 12:1-2) so that we can bear much fruit. The asking is for the bearing of much fruit.

Memorizing Scripture will help us to abide in the word of God when we are living our daily lives, running errands, having conversation at work, in a meeting, paying bills, going to the hospital, and reading the test results. If we want to bear much fruit, be disciples, fight sin, defeat Satan and love one another we must abide in the word.

Abiding in the word,

Pastor Ray

The Bible is pretty consistent about what it takes to bear much fruit: less of us and more of Christ.

 “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” John 12:24 (ESV)

 “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 (ESV)

 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 (ESV)

During Simon’s talk with the Youth Group last evening, he mentioned the problem of people taking Scripture out of context and distorting the meaning of God’s Word. He gave the example of an individual telling him that “For God so loved the world” from John 3:16 means that since God loves the world, everything in the world should be loved. Simon pointed out the pitfalls in taking such a teaching to its logical conclusion.

I am hopeful that any passages of Scripture you find on this blog will be true to the Word of God in context; it is the reader’s job to test any words proclaimed to be God’s Words.

Another example of a verse who’s meaning changes as it is quoted out of context is “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” This verse is often quoted as a magical formula for conquering any and every problem, for succeeding at various tasks, and for accomplishing the impossible. While other passages in Scripture may make a case for the Christian accomplishing the impossible through Christ, it isn’t Philippians 4:13. The context of Paul’s “I can do all things” proclamation is learning to be content with much or with little. “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

Paul may have been considering the wise teaching of Agur from Proverbs 30:7-9.

“Two things I ask of you O LORD; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and dishonor the name of my God.” (NIV)

I suspect that each of us has a different threshold of what is too much or too little. Paul seems to be saying that his limits have been stretched in both directions and he has learned to find contentment in either extreme.

As you choose verses to commit to memory, remember to retain the contextual meaning of those verses and to rightly divide the Word of Truth.

I know that the chapter and verse designations in Scripture aren’t part of the original documents, but … I couldn’t help but notice the similarity in message between John 3:16 and 1 John 3:16.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

Christ set the example and lived the life of love without faltering. When we have that same love, “we know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers.” (1 John 3:14a)

Observations from Tony; Scripture quotes from ESV.

John 21:25 states that, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” While John speaks of the actions of the LORD, David declares the vastness of the LORD’s thoughts. Even if God had never done one thing His thoughts are “too lofty to attain.” David’s LORD and John’s LORD are the same immeasurable God.

 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.

Commentary by Tony, Scripture quotes from the NIV.

Peter learned a lot of life lessons the hard way, but at least he learned them. In 1 Peter, his letter to God’s chosen and scattered people, Peter stated that we should always be prepared to give an answer for the hope we possess.

“But make sure in your hearts that Christ is Lord. Always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks you about the hope you have. Be ready to give the reason for it. But do it gently and with respect.” 1 Peter 3:15 (NIrV)

Peter exemplified one that was always ready to give an answer; he never ran short of words to say. Without the Guidance of his LORD though, Peter didn’t always have the right answer or a good answer. In Matthew 16 and Mark 8 Christ is asking His disciples who they think He is and Peter gives an inspired and intelligent answer. Within a few short verses, however, Peter is being rebuked by Jesus for an answer that was misguided.

“Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah! No mere man showed this to you. My Father in heaven showed it to you.” Matthew 16:17 (NIrV)

and then in Matthew 16:23

“Get behind me, Satan! You are standing in my way. You do not have in mind the things of God. Instead, you are thinking about human things.” (NIrV)

Peter spoke well when guided by God, but not so well in the flesh. That is why he reminds us in 1 Peter 3:15 to “make sure in your hearts that Christ is LORD.” If you are a redeemed child of the cross, then you have the fullness of God dwelling within you. If you allow Him to be LORD of your heart, you will be ready to give an answer for the hope within you.

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” John 14:26 (ESV)

 

John 1:14 (ESV) “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Hebrews 1:3a (ESV) “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.”

God made flesh! What an act of humility; what an awe-inspiring work of grace, glory and truth. Let us all worship Him during this coming season that many call Christmas. May His focused and deliberate act of kindness give us pause as we contemplate all of the implications of God the bridge-builder, peace-maker, sustainer, and Redeemer.