Month: January 2019

Saturday Morning: 26 Jan 2019 – John 7:1-24 ~ the blinding effect of sin

Saturday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening (Collect for Purity)

Almighty God: to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of my heart through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that I may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name, through Christ my Lord. Amen.
__________

Morning Reading – John 7:1-24 (NLT)

Jesus and His Brothers

After this, Jesus traveled around Galilee. He wanted to stay out of Judea, where the Jewish leaders were plotting his death. But soon it was time for the Jewish Festival of Shelters, and Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles! You can’t become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world!” For even his brothers didn’t believe in him.

Jesus replied, “Now is not the right time for me to go, but you can go anytime. The world can’t hate you, but it does hate me because I accuse it of doing evil. You go on. I’m not going to this festival, because my time has not yet come.” After saying these things, Jesus remained in Galilee.

Jesus Teaches Openly at the Temple

But after his brothers left for the festival, Jesus also went, though secretly, staying out of public view. The Jewish leaders tried to find him at the festival and kept asking if anyone had seen him. There was a lot of grumbling about him among the crowds. Some argued, “He’s a good man,” but others said, “He’s nothing but a fraud who deceives the people.” But no one had the courage to speak favorably about him in public, for they were afraid of getting in trouble with the Jewish leaders.

Then, midway through the festival, Jesus went up to the Temple and began to teach. The people were surprised when they heard him. “How does he know so much when he hasn’t been trained?” they asked.

So Jesus told them, “My message is not my own; it comes from God who sent me. Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own. Those who speak for themselves want glory only for themselves, but a person who seeks to honor the one who sent him speaks truth, not lies. Moses gave you the law, but none of you obeys it! In fact, you are trying to kill me.”

The crowd replied, “You’re demon possessed! Who’s trying to kill you?”

Jesus replied, “I did one miracle on the Sabbath, and you were amazed. But you work on the Sabbath, too, when you obey Moses’ law of circumcision. (Actually, this tradition of circumcision began with the patriarchs, long before the law of Moses.) For if the correct time for circumcising your son falls on the Sabbath, you go ahead and do it so as not to break the law of Moses. So why should you be angry with me for healing a man on the Sabbath? Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly.”
__________

Morning Reflection:

In today’s reading, Jesus reluctantly travels from Galilee to Jerusalem to participate in the Jewish Festival of Shelters already in progress. He is reluctant because the Jewish leaders are already plotting to kill him, and his appearance will only provoke them further.

Why does Jesus and his teaching cause such division and hatred? Two verses stand out –

“The world… hates me because I accuse it of doing evil.” – John 7:7

“Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know
whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own.” – John 7:17

Sin blinds us from believing in Jesus and accepting his teaching. How did that work out in today’s reading?

+ Authority: Theological training valued over plain truth of God’s Word.

+ Legalism: Ignores the Spirit of the Law, while adhering to the letter.

+ Disobedience: No interest in understanding or obeying the God’s will.

+ Superficiality: Unwillingness to accept Jesus as God’s Son – for fear their sins will be exposed.

“It is difficult for us to believe because it is difficult for us to obey.”
– Soren Kierkegaard –

Questions for consideration:

  • How often do you read the Bible yourself?
  • What role do Bible notes or commentary play in your reading?
  • Do you believe that you can understand the plain truth of the Bible yourself?
  • What role does your faith community play in your understanding the Bible?
  • Once you understand what the Bible says, how willing are you to do what it says?

__________

Morning Prayer:

Heavenly Father: Drive away the fog of sin that clouds my ability to trust and obey the plain truth of your will, revealed in the life and teaching of your Son, the living Word of God. Cleanse the thoughts of my heart through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that I may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name, through Christ my Lord. Amen.
__________

“Open My Eyes That I May See”

__________

Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Friday Morning: 25 Jan 2019 – John 6:59-71 ~ The Holy One of God!

Friday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening (Collect for Purity)

Almighty God: to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of my heart through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that I may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name, through Christ my Lord. Amen.
__________

Morning Reading – John 6:59-71 (NLT)

He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Many Disciples Desert Jesus

Many of his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?”

Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, “Does this offend you? Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again? The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But some of you do not believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.) Then he said, “That is why I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father gives them to me.”

At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?”

Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.”

Then Jesus said, “I chose the twelve of you, but one is a devil.” He was speaking of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, one of the Twelve, who would later betray him.
__________

Morning Reflection:

On Accepting Hard Truths

In today’s reading, the crowd of 5,000+ has abandoned Jesus, and to the Twelve remaining Jesus asks – “Are you also going to leave?”

In John Chapter 6, the story has moved from the miracle (feeding five thousand), to the man behind the miracle (Jesus, the Bread of Life), to the mystery behind the man (God’s sovereignty over eternal life). And now as Jesus teaches in the synagogue, the crowd is flabbergasted – except for the Twelve.

What made the difference? The Twelve were willing to accept Jesus’ teaching even if they didn’t fully understand everything he said. And so it is today.

+ Only people who are born of the Spirit can accept the hard truths found in God’s Word.

+ Only people who are willing to confront their sin can accept the hard truths found in God’s Word.

+ Only people who are willing to confront their cultural and religious biases can accept the hard truths found in God’s Word.

+ Only people who are given to Jesus by the Father can accept the hard truths found in God’s Word.

And in the end, they are the ones who see, believe, and receive the eternal life that Jesus offers.

Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.”

Questions for consideration:

  • What comes to mind when you think of “hard truths” in God’s word?
  • How do you respond when a “hard truth” relates to you, or your lifestyle?
  • Do you believe that Jesus is “the Holy One of God”?
  • What difference does it make?

__________

Morning Prayer:

Sovereign God: Our lives are in your hands – send us your Spirit that we might confess your Son, Jesus Christ, as “the Holy One of God” and believe in him for eternal life. Confront our sin and cultural biases that run counter to your Word; and, in your mercy, forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Strengthen us in faith that we might love and serve you, and faithfully follow Jesus to the Cross, and beyond. All to the glory of your name. Amen.
__________

“No Turning Back” – For King And Country

__________

Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Thursday Morning: 24 Jan 2019 – John 6:41-58 ~ the mystery behind the man

Thursday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening (Collect for Purity)

Almighty God: to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of my heart through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that I may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name, through Christ my Lord. Amen.
__________

Morning Reading – John 6:41-58 (NLT)

Then the people began to murmur in disagreement because he had said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They said, “Isn’t this Jesus, the son of Joseph? We know his father and mother. How can he say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”

But Jesus replied, “Stop complaining about what I said. For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up. As it is written in the Scriptures, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. (Not that anyone has ever seen the Father; only I, who was sent from God, have seen him.)

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life. Yes, I am the bread of life! Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.”

Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant. “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” they asked.

So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.”
__________

Morning Reflection:

The Mystery behind the Man.

“Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life,
and I will raise that person at the last day.” – John 6:54

It shouldn’t surprise us that the crowd was confused by Jesus’ response to them in John 6:54. How could the son of Joseph have come down from heaven? How could he give them his flesh to eat? And what did this have to do with living forever? It was all a mystery to them.

And so it remains a mystery today – 2,000 years after Jesus’ instituted these words in the Lord’s Supper, the church continues to debate their meaning. But one thing is certain – ritual aside – eternal life is a gift of God’s grace, received through faith in God’s Son – the Lamb of God who takes way the sins of the world.

“Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.”
– John 6:56-57

Questions for consideration:

  • How do you feed your faith – “remain in” Jesus Christ?
  • How do these “means of grace” help you develop intimacy with Christ -Bible reading/study, prayer, worship, and the Lord’s Supper? Something else?
  • Do you have a “healthy eating” plan to feed your faith in Christ?  What’s involved?

__________

Morning Prayer:

Heavenly Father: You have drawn me to your Son, Jesus Christ, and by your grace I have placed my faith and trust in him. Fill me with your Spirit, that your life might flow in me and through me. Nourish my faith through the means of grace you have given us, that I might remain in your Son, now and forever – all to the glory of your name. Amen.
__________

“Body Broken (Mystery of Grace)” – Diana Rose Dawson & W. Zachary Taylor

__________

Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Wednesday Morning: 23 Jan 2019 – John 6:22-40 ~ the man behind the miracles

Wednesday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening (Collect for Purity)

Almighty God: to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of my heart through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that I may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name, through Christ my Lord. Amen.
__________

Morning Reading – John 6:22-40 (NLT)

Jesus, the Bread of Life

The next day the crowd that had stayed on the far shore saw that the disciples had taken the only boat, and they realized Jesus had not gone with them. Several boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the Lord had blessed the bread and the people had eaten. So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went across to Capernaum to look for him. They found him on the other side of the lake and asked, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.”

They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?”

Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”

They answered, “Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do? After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

“Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.”

Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But you haven’t believed in me even though you have seen me. However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.”
__________

Morning Reflection:

“Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you.”
– John 6:27

Our reading of John Chapter 6 continues – Jesus’ miraculous sign of feeding the five thousand has left the crowd with a hunger for more…. But more of what? More miracles, and the ability to perform miracles themselves. And when they ask Jesus what they can do to perform miracles, he responds –

“This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”
– John 6:29

And that’s where they get hung up – they want the miracles, but not the man behind the miracles. They want daily bread, but not the Bread of Life offered by Jesus. They have seen him, and still they don’t believe in him. And Jesus’ declaration makes no sense to them –

“For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him
should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.”
– John 6:40

In summary: Believing in miracles won’t get you to heaven, but believing in the man behind the miracles will.

Questions for consideration:

  • What are you seeking from Jesus – your daily bread, the bread of eternal life, or something else?
  • What does believing in Jesus involve for you? Do you consider it work?

__________

Morning Prayer:

Heavenly Father: I believe in Jesus Christ – Son of God and Son of Man – whom you sent into the world to give us eternal life. Soften my heart; change my mind; and bend my will that, through the power of the Holy Spirit at work within me, I may become more like him, and be raised with him on the last day – all to the glory of your name. Amen.
__________

“I Am The Bread of Life” – The University of Notre Dame Folk Choir

__________

Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Tuesday Morning: 22 Jan 2019 – John 6:1-21 ~ miracles draw crowds

Tuesday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening (Collect for Purity)

Almighty God: to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of my heart through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that I may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name, through Christ my Lord. Amen.
__________

Morning Reading – John 6:1-21 (NLT)

Jesus Feeds Five Thousand

After this, Jesus crossed over to the far side of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias. A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went, because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick. Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him. (It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.) Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, “Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?” He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.

Philip replied, “Even if we worked for months, we wouldn’t have enough money to feed them!”

Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up. “There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?”

“Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered about 5,000.) Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, “Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted.” So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves.

When the people saw him do this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, “Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!”  When Jesus saw that they were ready to force him to be their king, he slipped away into the hills by himself.

Jesus Walks on Water

That evening Jesus’ disciples went down to the shore to wait for him. But as darkness fell and Jesus still hadn’t come back, they got into the boat and headed across the lake toward Capernaum. Soon a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew very rough. They had rowed three or four miles when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified, but he called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!” Then they were eager to let him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination!
__________

Morning Reflection:

“A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went,
because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick.” – John 6:2

Miracles draw crowds. It was true of Jesus, and it’s true today. People are looking for miracles – to heal the sick, to fix what’s broken, and to meet urgent needs.

And so, a huge crowd followed Jesus to a hillside, and ended up hungry with no food in sight. Jesus tasks his closest disciples with feeding them, but the question arises – “With what?” All they can find is a young boy’s lunch. And then Jesus raises the “signs and wonders” bar by turning the boy’s lunch into a banquet for over 5,000 people. People came to see miracles and they weren’t disappointed.

On the miracles:

+ Jesus’ miracles are a response to urgent needs as he sees them – water is turned into wine, a lame man walks, the sick are healed, and the hungry are fed.

+ Jesus’ miracles are a response to seemingly impossible situations that demonstrate his power and authority – the creative power of the Word of God.

On the crowd:

+ The crowds following Jesus were made up of needy people, onlookers, and a few disciples. They are mostly there to see the miracles; the man behind the miracles remains a mystery.

+ The man behind the miracles is slowly being revealed to the disciples. They continue to be amazed – not the least when Jesus comes to them across the water. Remember, they don’t have our advantage of having read John’s Prologue (John 1:1-5).

Questions for your consideration:

  • Can you find yourself in the crowd? Are you a needy person, an onlooker, a disciple, or someone else? How would you describe yourself?
  • Do you have an urgent need for a miracle? What can you give to Jesus for him to transform into something beautiful?
  • How do miracles affect your faith in Jesus? Please explain.

__________

Morning Prayer:

Lord Jesus: Thank you for attending to our urgent needs. Hear our prayers for your intervention in seemingly impossible situations. We desperately need your help here and now. But our needs are far greater as we face eternity. Give us the faith we need to believe in you whether our immediate needs are met or not, that we might receive the greatest miracle of all – eternal life. We ask this in your name, and for your glory. Amen.
__________

“Miracles” – Alisa Turner

__________

Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen