THE STORY OF JESUS: John 11:28-37 “Jesus wept.” (John 11:35) In Jesus, we see God; in Jesus’ tears, we see God’s tears. Could God or Jesus keep us from dying – technically, yes. (John 11:37) For some reason God does not just snap His fingers and fix everything. He does intervene at times, but His goal is more…
Longing for LIFE!
THE STORY OF JESUS: John 11:17-27 “I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25) By this ‘I am’ statement Jesus equates Himself with God and with God’s LIFE. “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” (1 John 5:11) Though we are physically alive, we are not fully alive, physically and spiritually. (The…
God can use me too!
THE STORY OF JESUS: John 11:11-16 “Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” (John 11:11) How does Jesus know that He would ‘wake up’ Lazarus? I don’t believe that the answer is ‘because He is God’. Jesus is emptied of His God powers (Philippians 2:6-7). I believe God revealed it to Him…
Opportunities to shine for God!
THE STORY OF JESUS: John 11:1-10 “It is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” (John 11:4) Jesus knows Who He is, as God’s messiah sent to restore God’s kingdom. Everything happening around Him is set up by God to reveal His identity. Deep down He trusts God to use this Lazarus…
The cornerstone of my hope!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Psalm 118 “Better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans.” (Psalm 118:8) How confident are you in the government right now? How about the education system, or doctors, or lawyers, or the police? Is human nature or goodness a reliable source of confidence and hope? Humans are the cause…
God’s love seems reckless (but its not!)
THE STORY OF JESUS: Hosea 11-14 “My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.” (Hosea 11:8) Hosea is calling the people to rethink their lives, to change their hearts. He reminds them how God changes His heart, from judgment to mercy. What drives God is love for His children; will His children change for…
The things we love are killing us!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Hosea 7-10 “Their sins engulf them.” (Hosea 7:2) What does it mean to be engulfed by my sin? Sin is any thought or behaviour that is not God-like… i.e. good! Like deception, selfishness, cruelty, greed, lust, anger, bitterness. Have you ever seen someone totally wrapped up in these things? It seems to me…
Connecting people with Jesus!
THE STORY OF JESUS: John 10:40-42 “And in that place many believed in Jesus.” (John 10:42) I would love to see this myself – many people believing in Jesus. Sometimes I wonder why we do not see this as much in our tradition. I have friends from other traditions who see people coming to Jesus all the…
Can we be gods in this world?
THE STORY OF JESUS: John 10:31-39 “Is it not written in your Law, “I have said you are ‘gods’”” (John 10:34) By calling God His Father, the Jews want to stone Jesus for blasphemy. Jesus quotes Psalm 82:6, which addresses those whom God calls ‘gods’. Apparently even God, according to Psalm 82:6, is willing to share the god title….
Safe in the hands of God!
THE STORY OF JESUS: John 10:22-30 “I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30) Debates have raged through the centuries about this. How can the eternal God and a human being be one. The bible teaches that there is only one God (Romans 3:30, Ephesians 4:6) It teaches a special link between God and Jesus (1 Corinthians 8:6). Jesus as the…