Author: Norm

“But the temple he had spoken of was his body.” (John 2:21) Not just His body, but Jesus as a whole person, was a temple for God.God was with Jesus, for Jesus and in Jesus – an intimate relationship.This is not because Jesus was God, but because Jesus was fully human – Adam.God created humans to…

“Zeal for your house will consume me.” (John 2:17) For ancient Israel, the temple was where God lived among them.But they were more focused on the building’s holiness, not on their need to be holy.They were cruel, unjust, violent, making the temple a “den of robbers” (Jeremiah 7:2-11).The temple was supposed to be a “house of prayer…

“So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts…” (John 2:15) We will sit with John 2:13-25 for 4 days, allowing this story to sink into our heart. Whenever I speak about the love of Jesus, someone inevitably reminds me of this story.In their thinking, Jesus was BOTH loving and aggressive,…

“The first of the signs through which he revealed his glory.” (John 2:11) When Moses asked to see God’s glory (Exodus 33:18ff), God revealed this:“The compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.” (Exodus 34:6-7)These words to Moses reveal the greatness and power… of…

“The master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine.” (John 2:9). Turning water into wine, and at a wedding, is an odd miracle.I can understand healing or feeding people, these seem more beneficial.But Jesus’s miracles were for more than just helping people.They were signs meant to reveal God’s presence and power…

“’Woman, why do you involve me?’ Jesus replied. ‘My hour has not yet come.’” (John 2:4) We will sit with John 2:1-12 for 3 days, allowing this story to sink into our heart. Though it seems odd that Jesus called His mom ‘woman’, it was likely common expression.This story shows His loving respect and submission to her, doig…

“You will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.” (John 1:51) In Genesis 28:10-22, Jacob has a dream at a place he called Bethel.In that dream, the angels of God are ascending and descending on that place.He called that place Bethel, the house of God, because God was…

“‘Come,’ he replied, ‘and you will see.’” Two of John’s disciples are drawn to Jesus, ‘the Lamb of God’.They are not sure yet what they want, and ‘Where are you staying’ is an odd question.My sense is they want to go where Jesus is, to stay with Jesus.Jesus does not directly answer them, but invites…

“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) I have always assumed that Jesus represents us before God.We are the lamb that has to be sacrificed, to satisfy God’s wrath.But Jesus often says that He represents God with us.He is not the Lamb of Man who takes away the…

“He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Messiah.’” (John 1:20) This is something we all need to repeat, especially to ourselves.I am not the messiah, God’s chosen saviour, who saves others.I cannot ‘save’ people by my words or by my actions.I cannot rescue people from their burdens or their folly.I…