The Service of Our Saviour

The Service of Our Saviour

Genesis 37-39 | Psalm 13 | John 13

In the account of Jesus washing His disciples' feet, we find not only a clear example of the nobility of serving others; we see within that teaching a presentation - an 'acted parable' - of the power and service of the death of Jesus.

Jesus knew the time for His saving work had come, 'so He proceeded to wash His disciples feet.' We find that the physical washing performed by Jesus is representative of the Spiritual washing that will occur in all who trust in Jesus; that Jesus' act of service in the physical washing at the meal is representative of His immense act of service in the washing away of sin on the cross. It is as He approached Peter (and in the ensuing dialogue) that this meaning behind Jesus' act is made plain.

Peter, out of respect for His Lord and Master, refused to allow Him to perform what seemed such a menial and degrading task. Some commentators believe Peter to be here representing the pride of unredeemed mankind: Peter would have much rather washed the feet of Jesus than have it the other way around. Though this seems a natural response (and most believers I'm sure would sympathise with Peter's sentiment) his refusal is nevertheless against the will of His Lord, and in this instance shows that he temporarily and inadvertantly thinks himself wiser than his master. Just like those who would provide their own salvation rather than have it handed to them; Peter, in a form of proud humilty, preferred going against Jesus' wishes than seeing Jesus humiliated in such an act.

Jesus reasoned with Peter that he didn't know what was truly happening, but would later understand. Peter again refused, and Jesus responded that unless He washed Peter, Peter would have no part with Him. This was and is Jesus' response to those who would not accept His gift of spiritual cleansing: they will have not part with Him - those who cannot accept the grace of God cannot share in Christ. As Matthew Henry put it, "It is not humility, but infidelity, to put away the offers of the gospel, as if too rich to be made to us or too good news to be true."

Peter replied, "Then Lord, not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!" - Peter accepted Jesus' act when it was part of His authority and grace; but disliked it when it seemed to be humiliating. However, Jesus' physical act was a symbol of complete cleansing: Jesus reminded them that a person who had bathed has no need of further washing - i.e., those who are willing to accept the cleansing which His own submission to death makes available to them, are wholly clean; no other washing is required, no further salvation is necessary.

It remains to heed the lesson of this parable summed up by Jesus in verse 14: "Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet."

Jesus served His disciples in washing their feet - but more than that - He served all mankind by dying on the cross. It is those who can accept such an undeserved gift that receive it, and those who have received such a gift must make themsleves servants to others. As R. V. G. Tasker exclaims, "The servant, who has been rendered such a supreme act of service by Him whom he rightly calls Lord and Master, cannot be exempt from the duty of loving his fellow-servants; for to claim such an exemption would be to assert that He was greater than his Lord."

Truly then, we are to love one another. As Jesus has loved us, so we must love one another. By this all men will know that we are His disciples. (vv.34-35)

Praise God that He has enabled you to accept His wonderful and gracious gift of salvation in Christ, and pray that you may truly love and serve your fellow man as Christ has loved and served you. 

Jesus, the Good Shepherd vs. an "Uncaring God"

Jesus, the Good Shepherd vs. an "Uncaring God"
Genesis 28-30 | Psalm 10 | John 10

In reading today's Psalm, we are immediately confronted with the author's accusation that God is withdrawn from the world: "Why, O LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?" (v.1). The author of the Psalm continues that 'the wicked of this world rule the earth and "hunt down" the weak', they 'ignore God and prey on the innocent', and after succeeding in 'crushing their victims' conclude that "God has forgotten; he covers his face and never sees" (v.11).

It is not an uncommon feeling within society today that in times of trouble or in places of suffering, God is simply ignoring the situation. I have heard many people try to justify their own ignorance of God with the claim that He ignores us - "How could a loving God watch a child starve to death?", "Where was God when my wife was killed?" and "He ignores me, I'll ignore Him". (Some even feel that God has a personal, unwarranted vendetta against them and so don't just ignore God, but hate Him.)

In complete contrast to such views, today's reading of John presents us with a picture of Jesus as our Shepherd and guide, knowing, caring and providing for us, and finally, laying down His life for us. In vv.1-5, Jesus (the shepherd) knows us (His flock) individually, calling and leading us by name. In vv.7-10, Jesus sees Himself as the gate, 'through whom all who enter will be saved, having life, and having it to the full'. In vv.11-18, Jesus is again the good shepherd, who is contrasted with the hired hand: unlike the "hired hand", Jesus cares for His sheep to the point where He is willing to lay down His life for them.

And so we are left with two conflicting views: the first being that God is absent from this world and ignores suffering; and the second, that He knows and loves us all, patiently and sacrificially caring for and guiding us. How can the two coexist?

First, it is important to draw a distinction between the claims of the two. The first claims that God doesn't care or intervene at all in this world. The second, points to a specific instance where God has shown that He does care and that He has intervened. The second proves the all-encompassing claims of the first to be wrong. But it does often seem that there are some things that God doesn't care about - suffering, poverty, child abuse... These things all still happen - how can God let them go on?

The first answer to this question must come from today's Psalm: "But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless...The LORD is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from his land. You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more." There is still some justice in this world. I shudder to think sometimes, what this world could be like if God didn't intervene at all. Would we still be here?

But there are greater dimensions to the answer than this observation. Yes, God intervenes everyday in many, if not all, situations to provide care in some form. The Psalmist saw this and wrote of it. You and I may see it in a kind word, an unexpected opportunity or a surprising conclusion to a matter. We may even see a miraculous conclusion to a matter. Often God will use believers acting selflessly to bring grace into a situation, and often the purpose behind some suffering will not be understood until years down the track. But above this 'day-to-day' intervention, God intervened in the most important way - He has guaranteed either ultimate justice or ultimate grace to everyone through His Son. Jesus was sent by God to this earth, and as the Good Shepherd He did in fact lay down His life for us! By this we know that we will all either get what we deserve, or be rewarded graciously with what Jesus deserves.

Frequently in the Bible, believers are told to look to the coming age for justice; to know that the wicked will be punished and believers will be rewarded. When we consider the problem of suffering, we must see it in this context of eternity. In a very real way God has ended all suffering, because He has promised its imminent end. We must put up with it while God calls more people to know Him, and when the time has come we will enter paradise for eternity. So in the end, the answer is to trust God. But this isn't just a God who asks us to trust Him for no reason, this is a God who has shown Himself to hate suffering even more than we do, who has shown that He cares and provides for us in ways that we cannot ourselves, and who has shown Himself worthy and deserving of our trust by sending His Son to be our Good Shepherd.

Praise God for His love and care, and pray that He will continue to provide for you, and that you will continue to follow Him as your Shepherd and Guide. But pray especially for any you know who are suffering. Pray that God would care for them, and let His care be felt. Pray finally that you may trust in God during times of suffering, and that by doing so, you can glorify Him and grow closer to Him.

Prayer

Prayer

Genesis 31-33 | Psalm 11 | John 11

In Genesis 32:9-12 we read of an earnest prayer of Jabob's: after hearing that his brother was approaching with 400 men, Jacob feared for his life and for the lives of those with him, so prayed to God that He would deliver him and those around him safely. In his prayer it is clear that Jacob's hope rested on God keeping His Word - twice Jacob 'reminds' God of His promise to him to 'make him prosper'. In this way Jacob shows his utter dependance on God's character: God was with Jacob and directed him in his life; Jacob followed these directions and often entered dire circumstances as a result, but was always delivered in accordance with God's promises.

Many view the wrestling that followed as a prime example of the struggle of the godly man or woman. It is evident that God allows, even places, His people into difficult circumstances, but it is the same God who will see them through. Just as Jacob was in a tough situation when wrestling with one who had the power to put his hip out of place with a mere touch; so he was in a tough situation facing the imminent arrival of his brother with 400 men. Just as 'the man' wrestling Jacob didn't simply defeat Jacob with his overwhelming power, so Jacob found his brother had forgiven him and was seeking a renewed relationship.

But prayer is more than asking God for something. Prayer is man or woman talking to God and so partaking in a relationship with Him - what an amazing thing it is indeed that we can talk to God in this way!

Like a human to human relationship, it is only through constant communication and sharing that a relationship with God will grow and flourish. This relationship will always involve the man or woman's understanding that in themself, they are unworthy of God. Jacob reflected on his own unworthiness in his prayer (v.10), and similarly, you and I must remember both God's grace in hearing us, and in the righteousness we posses through Christ - it is through Christ only that we are worthy to be heard by God. And just as Christ prayed knowing that God always heard Him (Jn. 11:41-42), so you and I are to pray in complete confidence of God's avid attention.

It is through prayer that we grow closer to God; it is through prayer that we find God's direction; and it is through prayer that we commit our lives to Him - that is, we commit ourselves to following His way and commit ourselves to His care, trusting that He will look after us in following His path. In doing so we can truly say: "I take refuge in the Lord, why should I be afraid?" (much like David's stance in today's Psalm).

I have found that there are three essential elements of a mature Christian life: regular prayer, regular Bible reading, and regular fellowship with other Christians. These are essential, but surely prayer stands out even among these three? Christ's saving works resulted in us being restored in our relationship with God. It is because of this relationship that we have the hope of eternal life, and the continuing means of this relationship is prayer. Prayer is often neglected or treated as a mere part of the Christian life, but surely prayer is as close as we get to Heaven on Earth - in prayer we are talking with God!

Pray that you may be always growing closer to God, committing all aspects of your life to Him; thank Him that you can pray to Him, that your relationship has been restored; and ask that He will bless you in your prayers: that you may pray constantly, at all times in all places. 

God's Leadership

God's Leadership

Genesis 25-27 | Psalm 9 | John 9

When Jesus and His disciples came across the man born blind, the disciples asked whether it was the man or his parents that committed the sin which led to his affliction. Jesus replied that neither the man nor His parents sinned leading to the disability, but it happened so that 'the work of God might be displayed in the man's life'.

It was a common assumption then (e.g., v.34), and is a common assumption now, that affliction or suffering in this world is God's punishment for some wrong committed previously. In many cultures, the inability to bear children is assumed to indicate the wickedness of the woman concerned. Similarly, in today's Western culture, it is common to apply the theory to oneself - i.e., 'I am suffering, therefore God is punishing me for something' - this can be especially true in the unwary Christian.

But as Jesus points out, this is not the case. The man was born blind so that 'the work of God might be revealed in his life.' The events of this man's life were used by God to display His work. The man was not only healed physically, he was introduced to His Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (vv.35ff.).

We learn a great lesson in the following encounter between the Pharisees and the man born blind. The Pharisees had 'already decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the Synagogue" (v. 22). They had closed their minds. They were so decidedly stuck on their own idea that they even ignored the great evidence presented before them in the healing of the man. In the words of the blind man himself, "Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing" (vv.32-33).

What is worse for the Pharisees is that they claimed to be able to see. As the 'spiritual leaders' of the Jews at the time, they had to claim as such in order to hold onto their authority, but it merely presented more evidence that they were blind - they had in fact, blinded themselves.

In the 21st Century there are still many who 'blind themselves'. It may be that they've had a lot of pain in their lives which they blame on God. It may be that they enjoy being 'master' of their own lives, and don't want to submit to God. It may be that they can't believe that happiness could come in holy living rather than wholly spending. For whatever reason, there are many out there who do not want to hear about God. They have blinded themselves.

But lets bring it back to Jesus. What happened in the reading from John's gospel that has been slightly overlooked by me so far? He healed a man that was born physically blind. A man who had never seen the sky, moon, sun, trees, walls, flowers, people or his parents, was then able to see. Jesus healed him. Can you imagine this man fresh from washing in the pool of Siloam, able to see for the first time in his life, probably running around, leaping and screaming in delight? This day would be for him the turning point in his life. His life would forever be split into two - the events that happened before his encounter with Jesus, and the events after.

Can you imagine him then being questioned by the Pharisees who wished to cast Jesus as a troublemaker? How would you react to such questioning? I see in the man's response an ecstatic trust in Jesus. He answers back to the Pharisees! He proves them wrong in their words and you can imagine him doing it with a whopping big smile on his face! "I've just been healed by a man of God. You can't touch me because God listens to Him and you ignore Him!"

Which do you think would be easier - to make someone understand a truth or to make them physically see when they hadn't before? Jesus can do both. We've seen that he healed the man born blind - and you'd think that'd be the harder one to do - yet He then called the man to faith in Him. He used the man's blindness to lead to his Spiritual renewal. He also used the man's blindness to make a point to His disciples and to show the spiritual blindness of the Pharisees.

From that day on the man born blind was able to see physically and spiritually. Jesus did that. Think of all the people you know who don't seem to want to know God. Can you make them see spiritually? Can you allow them to understand? You can't, I can't, but God can. And just as Jesus used the man's physical blindness to bring Him spiritual blessing, so God uses all events in our lives today for His purposes. He works in unimaginable or 'mysterious' ways to heal our blindness.

It is not just affliction and suffering that God uses to guide men toward Him, He 'works in all things for the good of those who love Him' (Rom. 8:28). From the pain of the death of a loved one to the joy of finding a wife or husband, from lack of work to total financial security, from a pen running out of ink to a world war, God uses these events and influences for the good of those who believe in, and follow Him. Many Christians look back on the events of their lives and see how God was working 'behind the scenes' to bring them to faith in Him. Similarly, Christians can often look back on how God has shaped them into more mature Christians through various influences in their lives. Such influences can seem positive or negative in themselves, but will always end-up in some way being a positive for the glory of God. In these events and by such acts God is not punishing or rewarding, but simply opening our eyes that we may see.

    "I once was lost,

       but now I'm found.

    Was blind,

       but now I see."

        Praise and thank God for His working in your life. Thank Him for leading you to faith in Him and pray that He will continue to guide you to spiritual maturity and growth in your relationship with Him. Pray also for those who you know who still do not know God and ask that He would allow them to see.

The Light of the World

The Light of the World

Genesis 22-24 | Psalm 8 | John 8

In today's reading of John, Jesus declares Himself to be 'the Light of the world', and promises that 'whoever follows Him will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.' This is the second time in this gospel that light has been so associated with life. In John 1 we read: "In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it...The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world...He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him" (vv.4-5,9-10).

The 'darkness' can be understood in many ways. It can provoke a realisation of the true lack of direction of life without God. Those who do not love and serve God only live life focusing on the futile goals of this world and this life, 'fumbling around in the dark'. Out of ignorance (read 'darkness') they ignore the purpose and meaning of this life, which is to 'love the Lord our God and serve Him only.' In this way, 'darkness' is ignorance, and Jesus gives direction to those who believe in Him; He shows us God (v.19 cf. Col. 1:15) and leads us in loving and serving Him.

The darkness can also represent the evil of Satan which allows no escape from sin in an unbeliever's life. Just as Jesus said: "everyone who sins is a slave to sin" (v.34), living in darkness affords no escape from the dark. Jesus came into that darkness as a light: "In him was life, and that life was the light of men". From this perspective, 'darkness' is sin, and Jesus has given us freedom from our bondage to sin, by dying for us, taking the punishment for our sins and giving us His Spirit to strengthen us. (see also vv.31ff.)

If you can imagine it as such, we walk a path in our lives. Let us say that that path is God's direction to us, and it is typically marked by the writings of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Moses, David, Peter, and James (and the others). It is a path that is illuminated by the light of God through His guide (the Holy Spirit) that we may follow it always. Those without Christ cannot see the path, because they do not have the light. Those with Christ can not only see it, but have been supplied with the Holy Spirit, who helps us to follow it. Sometimes we can't see where that path is taking us, and in such times we must remember our past travels and see that the path has not steered us wrong before, and trust that it will not in the future. Sometimes we will reach the crest of a hill on that lighted path and see where we are headed for a great distance in front of us; other times we will have trouble discerning an apparent fork in the road or a seeming dead-end, or perhaps a particularly steep mountain. As humans we will ignore the markings of the path occasionally - maybe frequently - but God is always ready to set us back on the path. He doesn't ask us to find our way back to the path, but includes our wanderings as part of it, often an important part.

Today's reading from Genesis records the actions of Abraham, and provides a prime example of walking the lighted path. Abraham did not flinch when God revealed to him that he should offer his son as a sacrifice. Although he believed that God would not allow him to go through with the sacrifice, he was nevertheless prepared to do so. It wasn't until he raised the knife to use on his son that God revealed a substitute sacrifice which was offered in the place of Isaac. God was testing to see whether Abraham would faithfully follow His lighted path, even when it appeared to be heading towards pain and suffering. As a result of Abraham's trust in God demonstrated here, he was blessed to become the father of God's chosen people (through Isaac), and that is why in our reading from John today, the Jews often referred to themselves as 'sons of Abraham'.

Jesus' promise, that 'whoever follows Him will never walk in darkness', also encourages us that He will always be with those who believe. He will never leave us destitute and in the dark. When we wander off the path, God through Jesus, continues His light shining to where we are so that we can continue on in the light.

In another account of the life of Jesus recorded in the Bible, Jesus also says to believers present: "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matt. 5:14-16).

As followers of Christ, we become light to those around us. Like a beacon in the dark a believer makes it known to those around them that there is more than darkness. We may be a key-chain torch or a roaring bonfire, but once someone who has only ever known darkness sees light, they will either run from it or examine it. We are to help others out of the darkness into the Light of Jesus, so that they too can love and serve God. But how can we help others to find that path if we are not ourselves walking it? How bright would our beacon be if we had wandered far, and of what use is it to attract others to a path that we are ignoring ourselves?

How bright is your light shining? And to what are you attracting people with your beacon?

Praise God for His Light. Praise God for His path. Praise God for His help in following it. Pray and ask for continued help in following it, and pray that you may be ever aware that your walk influences others' ideas of the path and hence, the destination. 

The Servant of God

The Servant of God

Genesis 19-21 | Psalm 7 | John 7

Jesus was the Good Servant of God. This isn't a title ascribed to Him anywhere in the Bible (although in Isaiah He is referred to as the "suffering servant" [Isa. 42ff]), but His duties nevertheless mark Him as one who serves God. Jesus was keenly aware of the purposes of God, of the way and will of God. He acted according to this knowledge, teaching and performing miracles 'in secret'. According to the then current society, however, Jesus should have stopped acting in secret because "no one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret" (John 7:4). Jesus knew better. "The right time for me has not yet come," he replied, and added somewhat tellingly, "But for you, any time is right." In saying this, Jesus touched upon one of the most frustrating and often confusing aspects of the Christian life: God's timing.

Have you ever felt that God should act in a particular way at a particular time? Perhaps in healing a loved one or providing for a pressing need? I can think of an infinite (slight exaggeration) list of times I've been of a similar opinion.

Looking at this period of history is particularly telling for the various positions we can take when we disagree with God's actions (or seeming lack-thereof). Broadly speaking at the time of Jesus there were two types of people: 1) those who wanted God to send a particular type of Christ (such as a majestic king), 2) those who merely awaited the fulfilment of the promise of God to send the Christ. Those in the former category pressed their ideas of wisdom upon God, those in the latter, allowed for God's wisdom to shine through unexpectedly.

But God's Christ was unexpected. Who would have guessed that the Christ would be born in a manger to two poor and insignificant Israelites? Who expected that His mission of redemption would be fulfilled through His own suffering, pain and sacrifice? Who would have thought that after accomplishing His mission, those who followed Him would be called to a life of self-sacrifice themselves? No one. No one would have guessed that, because according to human wisdom it's nonsensical. To the first category of people above, Jesus could not be the Christ so they rejected Him. The second category of people, however, were not constrained by such preconceived notions. They were free to recognise Jesus as the one way to God, no matter how ridiculous it at first sounded because they were willing to accept God's wisdom.

If you are a believer, at some point in your life you recognised that God works in mysterious (read 'weird') ways. You are one of those in the latter group who accepted Christ as God sent Him. But how often do you find yourself thinking similarly to those in the former group on certain issues? Perhaps believing that someone is unreachable by the gospel, perhaps not willing to "forgive" God who allowed a tragedy to occur in your life, or perhaps struggling to trust in a God who hasn't provided you with a "need" though you have prayed concerning it constantly. In short, how often do find yourself impatient with God?

We must understand and accept that God's way, no matter how weird, is the best. If, as a believer you have accepted Christ as the sacrificial lamb of God, would you ever trade Him for a 'traditional' saviour? A warrior or king? Someone who can save the body but not the soul? If you lived in the time of Jesus would you have recognised Him as the blessing that He is, or would you have expected something "more"? Perhaps it's the same for your life now. In those issues in your life in which you struggle to trust God, are you imposing your own ideas of what's right on Him? Don't be afraid to trust God when He says to wait patiently. Remember His provision in the past and trust in his provision for the future, for Christ was the opposite of what the people wanted but the only answer for their need.

It may be that you have an idea of God's plan for your life and are tempted to "move forward" as you see best. But be aware of God's timing. I have often found that patience, while tough, is God's chosen course of action. I was recently offered a paid position in my Church, teaching and leading amongst my peers. I was tempted by the knowledge that it would train me further in ministry and enable me to better serve in Internet ministry, also solving my (almost dire) financial problems. In general, I felt that it would be a good way forward. God, however, made it clear to me that accepting the position would pull me away from my responsibilities on the Web (a ministry to which I am called), and therefore was not what He wanted. I declined the position, and among other things found myself contemplating my depressing financial circumstances. The morning after I turned down that position, however, a new job was offered to me that in all respects is better than the first, occupying much less of my time and allowing me to continue studying and ministering on the Web.

The point I'm attempting to make is that, like Jesus, who said "my time has not yet come", we must be aware of God's timing for us. Jesus was protected by God in His resolve to wait on His Father's time (vv.30,44), and so shall all who seek God's path for their lives - be it in assessing how they may serve God or be it waiting on God's provision. I may accept a similar position of teaching and leading in a church at some point in the future, but that isn't what God wants for me now, so I must wait patiently for such a time. We must understand that God provides as He knows best. If we're waiting for a marriage partner or job, for better circumstances or happier times, they will come dependent on God's wisdom. He works in weird ways... but always 'for the good of those who love him'.

Pray now, thanking God for His plan enabling Him to send the Holy Spirit to strengthened and live within us, and pray that you may glorify God in all you do, living the truth at all times. 

The Bread of Life

The Bread of Life

Genesis 16-18 | Psalm 6 | John 6

Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever." John 6:53-58

Who is this man!? So far in John, Jesus has been described, or described Himself, as "the Word of God", "the Lamb of God", "teacher", "the Son of Man", "God's Son", and "the Messiah" (among others). He's said some pretty amazing things - to Nicodemus He said "In order to see the Kingdom of God, you must be born again" (John 3:3f), He offered the woman at the well living water (4:10f), He healed the official's son (4:46f) and the invalid by the pool (5:2f). And now we read that "unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you."

Many believers, myself included, can read the Bible without immediately being amazed by such statements. I have read the Gospel of John many times, and I've read the other Gospels just as much. They all tell roughly the same story, so when reading I find it easy not to be surprised. But that is where we must stop and remind ourselves of what we're reading. This isn't a Fantasy/Adventure novel. This is an historical account of the life of a man who lived two thousand years ago in what we now refer to as the Middle East. And He is an amazing man (!) - but more than that, as we read in John 1, He is the Son of God and became a man in addition to His divinity. He is the central figure of the Bible, and is at the centre of the Christian faith. Much of Western culture is related to Him in some way. The calender is based on the time of His birth, Christmas and Easter are celebrations of His birth and resurrection (respectively), and for better or worse, the Church of Christ has had a prominent place in history and power over the millenia. His message in today's reading (quoted above) is a profound statement of what He and His Father see is the life of a believer.

First let us note the similarity of Jesus' teaching here with His previous conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well regarding the "Living Water" (John 4). Like the water from the well, bread of this world will only satisfy temporarily, and the consumer will soon hunger again. Also, like the "Living Water", "he who feeds on this [living] bread will live forever" (v.58). Like the Living Water again, Jesus Himself is the Bread of Life and as the Bread of Life He calls on us to 'eat His flesh' and 'drink His blood'. He is God's food to us, God's provision of eternal life.

But how are we to 'eat His flesh' and 'drink His blood'? It's obvious that this is not meant in a physical sense, but in a spiritual sense (v.63). We are to have faith in Christ to the point where we believe Him to be true and therefore follow Him as an example of truth. Just as having faith in a Fireman will lead us to follow his instructions in the case of a fire, so having faith in Jesus will lead us to follow Him and His instructions for our lives. Jesus likens this to becoming part of Him. By 'eating his flesh' and 'drinking His blood,' we are taking His life and making it our own. We are to live as He lived, because by faith, He is in us and we are in Him.

F. F. Bruce (a Scottish biblical scholar) puts it in this way: "To believe in Christ is not only to give credence to what he says, it is to be united to him by faith, to participate in his life." Saint Augustine (an early prominent Christian) sums up His thoughts on this passage with: "Believe, and thou hast eaten".

Who is Jesus to you? Is He merely a man with a profound teaching? Is He a crackpot who may or may not have lived two thousand years ago? Is He the Son of God who came to earth as a man? Or are you unsure?

The Bible proclaims Him as the Son of God who came to earth as a man. He has a profound teaching (but you would expect that from God, wouldn't you!) and calls us to have faith in Him to the point that we try to live like He did. This is an awesome claim. It means that if you do think Him to be the Son of God, you should be sure that your life reflects His. It means that if you're unsure who He is, it is of the utmost importance to make up your mind about Him. Take your time, continue reading His word and ask His help in understanding. Whatever your position, to ignore Jesus or to ignore the chance to decipher whether He is worth listening to, is a folly beyond adequate description in the written or verbal language (i.e., I tried to describe it but gave up!). Jesus claims that He came to earth to call you to know Him. What is your response?

Pray concerning your understanding of who Jesus is. Ask that you may always understand better who he is, His claims and His power.

Find Out about Jesus is a section of this site in which I seek to introduce Jesus and explain His message and significance in your life. 

Grace Not Works

Grace Not Works

Genesis 13-15 | Psalm 5 | John 5

Many times throughout the Gospels we find Jesus persecuted by the Jews for healing and doing good on the Sabbath (the sabbath is every seventh day). Moses (a prophet of the early Israelites who wrote down God's Law) had recorded God's command that no work should be done on the sabbath - in fact, that the sabbath should be 'holy.' But over the course of time the Jews made the observance of the sabbath more rigorous than God had commanded, they set numerical limits on what could and couldn't be done on the Sabbath to the point where they insisted that Jesus had done wrong when He healed the invalid by the pool in John 5.

The Jews thought that by enforcing the numerical limits that they had created they would be righteous (i.e., right with God). But by doing this they placed too much importance on observing their own interpretation of the law as opposed to God's reason for instituting the Law - they ignored the "vibe" and focussed on the semantic. In Jesus' words, they 'diligently studied the Scriptures because they thought that by them they possessed eternal life, yet thy refused to come to Jesus to have life' (vv.39-40). But ask yourself, how could it be wrong or 'not holy' for Jesus to heal a sick man on God's holy day?

The Jews that Jesus addressed, however, persecuted Jesus for this and for His ensuing claim to be the Son of God. But to their taunts Jesus replied with four reasons why He is 'equal with God'. First, He acts just like His Father (v.19). Second, His Father includes Him in His plans (v.20). Third, He, like His Father, has power over life and Death (v.21). Fourth, He has been given authority by His Father to judge (v.22). In this final point, Jesus teaches those listening that He has been entrusted with the judgement of mankind and He later specifies that 'whoever hears His word and believes Him who sent Him has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life' (v.24).

And so we are faced with two ways that righteousness is sought by mankind: first, by trying to live according to an altered form of God's Law (like the Jews); and second, by simply believing in Jesus (as He is calling them and us to do). Those trusting in the former are trusting in themselves and in good works to make themselves perfect in God's sight; those who follow the latter are trusting in Jesus to make them perfect in God's sight. The former are doomed to judgement as "There is no one righteous, not even one" (Rom. 3:10 cf. Jn 5:45-47), while the latter are assured of their salvation in Christ (Jn. 3:17).

Many in our day also seek to become righteous by fulfilling some 'law' - Christians often fall into the trap of placing emphasis on completing certain requirements in order to please God. It may be that the Christian feels he or she must pray every night, or attend church every week, or give a certain amount of money regularly to be righteous. All of these things (praying, attending church and tithing) are important to every Christian, but they are acts completed out of love and respect for God, as opposed to acts that make us righteous. There are no acts we can do to improve our righteousness as 'we have been washed white in the blood of the lamb' (Rev. 7:14)

Such actions cannot be regarded by believers as harmless, or acts in addition to their faith. Faith in Christ is by definition a belief that the work He did on the cross was all that is necessary to make us righteous in God's sight. Believing, consiously or subconsciously, that there are certain things we must do to be right with God apart from having faith in Christ, is believing that Christ's work wasn't enough, that He didn't make us right with God and that therefore, His death had no purpose.

I often find myself feeling that I must read a certain number of chapters of the Bible each day, or pray for a certain length of time. It is an easy and common trap to fall into, but to fall into it is to be denying Christ's power and ignoring His call to total faith. Ask yourself truly if there's anything you do that you feel is necessary to remain in God's 'good graces'.

Pray now and praise God for His "Amazing Grace" in providing a way for us to become righteous in His sight through Jesus, and consider any aspects of your life which you treat as a religious obligation. Commit these to Him asking that you may do them and more - but out of love rather than out of a sense of duty. 

The 'Babelisation' of Mankind

The 'Babelisation' of Mankind

Genesis 10-12 | Psalm 4 | John 4

"Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth" - thus saith man!

The account in Genesis 11 of the descendants of Noah seeking to use their new-found skills to build a tower that 'reached to the heavens' is a prime example of a pair of troubling tendancies of mankind that often go together: trusting in himself and desiring to glorify himself.

It was their desire to glorify themselves that led these men to build the tower, trusting in their own skills and abilities. Whatever the extent of their success, it is interesting to note that although the tower was to 'reach the heavens', the Lord "came down" (i.e., from the heavens) to see the tower. Perhaps this is a comment on the abilities and power of mankind in contrast to God. Nevertheless, God sees the rebellion of mankind in this act and judges - resulting in the 'babelisation' of mankind.

It is amazing to see the amount that man trusts in himself yet questions God our creator. In today's Psalm, David commented regarding those who were seeking to replace him as king of the land: "O men...How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?" These men were seeking to replace God's chosen king (David) with one of their own choosing (Absolom, David's son), thinking they knew better. But David can say, "the Lord will hear when I call to him", and "I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety". David trusted in and respected God, whilst his opponents were relying on themselves and seeking their own ends. We find out later that God's cause was victorious and David became a mighty king of Israel.

As another example, in today's reading of the Gospel According to John, we see that Jesus was well-received in Galilee but attributed this to His previous miracles: "Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders...you will never believe" (v.48). Jesus said this following the request of a royal official, who "begged him to come and heal his son". However, when Jesus affirmed to the man that his son would live, the man took Jesus at his word and his son was cured at that very moment.

And so we have seen through various examples the differences between trusting yourself and seeking your own ends; and trusting God, seeking His aims. The men building the Tower of Babel (seeking their own desires) didn't "make a name for themselves" in the building of a high tower, but instead incurred the judgement of God. David's enemies seeking to install their own king were eventually overthrown whilst David, trusting in God, was a great and powerful king of Israel under God. Finally, the royal official in John 4 was rewarded for his faith in Jesus, with the healing of his son.

Jesus later said: "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." (John 14:12-14)

It remains that trusting in God rather than yourself can be very hard, and is somewhat unnatural. Similarly, seeking God's glory and not your own is against the very fabric of western society.The world we live in revolves around the great "me": "I'll do it, because I want it and I deserve it." It can be a great challenge for the believr to escape this mentality, but it is what we're called to do - utilise the strength of God to work according to His will trusting that He will care for you as is best for you. If you consider it honestly, such an approach to life, trusting in the one who knows all is much better than using only your own strength to somewhat blindly seek to do what you think may be the best thing for you. There's a reason why the phrase was coined: "God knows best".

Pray now, and before God consider those areas of your life that you're not trusting Him, and ask for His strength in overcoming these problems. Ask Him also that you may be seeking his will over and bove yours, trusting that His way is not only best for Him and others, but also for you. 

God our Creator and Provider

God our Creator and Provider

Genesis 1-3 | Psalm 1 | John 1

Both Genesis 1 and John 1 tell of God's amazing, loving and providential creation of the world. The account in Genesis highlights the authority and power of God who created all things simply through His Command (or His Word); while John's account explains that Jesus himself is the Word of God and therefore it was through Him that all things were made. Such cosmic descriptions and eternal consequences encourage us to consider our perceptions of God and His relation to us.

Genesis sets God clearly above all by recounting that the sun and moon aren't gods; neither are the stars in the sky or the earth itself; neither are animals, plants or other vegetation; and certainly neither is mankind. But all these things were created by God, through His simple, yet powerful instruction.

As our reading from Genesis unfolds, we find that mankind is given a special position among creation: all other creation was made for the benefit of humans - for man and woman's enjoyment or need; the account of the creation of the human race is given special prominence compared to others, and mankind was given dominion over other creation. Finally, we are told that the human race alone was made in the image of God to live in a relationship with Him.

In response to the loving and providential creation of God, we read that man and woman were tempted by the serpent and disobeyed the command of God. As a result they were removed from the perfect land of Eden and from the perfect relationship they enjoyed with God. This reflects the two fundamental problems of the world today - there is suffering (because the world is no longer perfect) and we struggle to relate to God (because we are no longer perfect).

John's Gospel, written after much history had elapsed following the time of Adam and Eve, records God's long-term response to the revolt of Adam and Eve (and all who followed them). He sent His Son, who was present and active during the creation of the world, to walk the earth as a man. "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." This claim has confounded many over the years, and is still a stumbling block to millions today. Why would the eternal God take on the nature of mortal man?

You have perhaps heard the answer from well-meaning or vocal Christians: "Because God loves us" - or perhaps you've heard the verse "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). The problems established when Adam and Eve ate the fruit found their solution only in the earthly life and death of Jesus. Therefore out of love for us, God provided His Son as a sacrifice in our place to restore our relationship with Him, and to guarantee a future in the perfect dwelling place of heaven.

It is impossible for us to fully appreciate what God must have gone through in sending Jesus to earth. Verses 10 to 11 of our reading from John especially highlight the contrast between the love of God and the ungrateful and ignorant state of mankind to whom God sent His Son to die: "[Jesus] was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him." I can think of no greater frustration than is found in this circumstance: the Creator walked among His creation, and they did not recognise Him. And even though He came for their benefit, as we shall read, they eventually killed Him.

To the glory of God, however, Jesus died as a sacrifice. He died in the place of those who killed Him and all others in need of restoration to God. You see, God has made it so that if we believe that Jesus died in our place we can live in His place: "...to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." All we must do to be restored to God and to be guaranteed eternity in heaven with Him, is to believe in the power of His son's death.

It is a bit of a shock, I find, to read about the creation of the universe, to get a hint of the glory of God and to be reminded of His love in sending his Son (as we have just done) and then remember that I'm sitting in front of a computer screen, and as soon as I finish writing I will get back to my day-to-day issues and problems and will somewhat forget the perspective of God's active presence in my life. I let the mundane and ordinary things, or perhaps more tellingly, the temporary things impact my life much more than they should - and I neglect to allow the glorious things of God to impact me anywhere as much as they should. Perhaps a thought for today could be that we should all try a bit harder to approach our lives rememering how unimportant and temporary the things of this world are, and how awesome and eternal the things of God are.

Pray now, and praise God for His providence, His creation and His love; and thank Him for His Son.