Author: Norm

SCRIPTURE: John 5:31-40 “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life.” (John 5:39) Jesus is referring to the Jewish Bible – what Christians call the Old Testament. The Jewish Bible was how God was setting up the coming of a Messiah for all nations. Jesus fulfills every promise, addresses every…

SCRIPTURE: John 5:24-30 “Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7) As part of the creation process, God forms a unique creation: humanity (‘adam’). Though humans share common ‘material’ (dust, ‘adamah’) foundations, humans receive…

SCRIPTURE: John 5:16-23 “Making himself equal with God.” (John 5:18) Jesus is God/God’s Word made human (John 1:14, Philippians 2:6-7). But in this passage, Jesus is talking about His human/Adam nature – as God’s representative on earth. Adam was human, the son of God (Luke 3:38) made in God’s image, entrusted to do God’s work (Genesis 1:26-28). Jesus was human, the…

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 110 God (the LORD, YHWH, the holy name for God) says to David’s master (Lord, Adonai). Who is David’s master? Jesus says that he was referring to the coming Messiah (Matthew 22:41-46). God’s OT people were long awaiting God’s ultimate Ruler (Genesis 49:10). David knows that he is just a king; but the coming King will…

SCRIPTURE: Ezekiel 19-24 “This is a lament and is to be used as a lament.” (Ezekiel 19:14) God does not delight in punishing the wicked, it breaks His heart. “The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery; they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the foreigner, denying them justice.” (Ezekiel 22:29) Do we really appreciate…

SCRIPTURE: John 5:1-15 The Bethesda pool was known for having healing waters. Sometimes, when an angel is said to have stirred the waters. People desperate for healing waited here – some a long time – to be healed. Jesus does not heal everyone, but He does heal this man. As a sign, to encourage people to…

SCRIPTURE: John 4:43-54 “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe.” (John 4:48) The man believes enough to beg Jesus to heal his son. But what Jesus means is that people are not believing in WHO He is. Jesus did not come to perform signs and wonders, but to restore us to LIFE and…

SCRIPTURE: John 4:39-42 “We no longer believe just because of what you said…” (John 4:42) I recall a book on evangelism with the basic message, ‘just get them talking’. The goal is not to talk with people, but to get people to talk to Jesus themselves. You might be able to interest their minds, but you can’t…

SCRIPTURE: John 4:27-38 “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” (John 4:34) Sometimes I am so focused on a task that I forget to eat. Though I am hungry at the end of it, if it goes well I am still deeply satisfied. I hear Jesus expressing…

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 109 “While they curse, may you bless.” (Psalm 109:28) This psalm is one long extended curse. He has been cruelly treated, betrayed, hurt… by a friend. I can sympathize with David, I can see myself praying the same way. He pleads for God’s blessing for himself to overrule their cursing. But He also prays for…