Eternal Life or God's Wrath? (John 3:31-36)

John the Baptist has more to say about the difference between Jesus and himself...

John 3:31-36 ³¹ The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is above all. ³² He testifies to what he has seen and heard, yet no one accepts his testimony. ³³ Whoever has accepted his testimony has certified this, that God is true. ³⁴ He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. ³⁵ The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in his hands. ³⁶ Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but must endure God's wrath.

There is a lot of theology wrapped up in these verses:

• Jesus is "the one" sent from God, but John is not 
• Jesus isn't just witnessing to what God has told him (as John is doing), but Jesus has had first hand experience.
• Jesus has been given authority (control) over all things - which John, despite his miracles, has not been given.
• But the biggest difference is: Following Jesus (not John) is the only way to have eternal life.  

But don't get "eternal life" and "going to heaven when you die" confused.  They are not the same thing.  Eternal life is a life lived in relationship with God - it starts in the here and now.  And John is saying that you can not have eternal life here and now unless you follow Jesus.  Instead, you will be living in God's wrath. Be careful again... because God's wrath is not God's fury - it is not God being vindictive.  God is never vindictive, although God does let us face the consequence of our sin.  God's wrath is what happens when we live without God.

You can almost tell who has eternal life - you can see it in them.  They glow.  They are beautiful inside and out, because the Spirit of God is living through them as they live to serve God and others.  And you can also almost tell who is living in God's wrath.  They are miserable living to serve self. 

John says that in order to have eternal life - one should trust that Jesus was who he said he was and obey him - it is what I sum up when I say: "Follow Jesus."

It's not about you! (John 3:28-30)

John the Baptist who was sent ahead of Jesus to prepare the way for Jesus... has been challenged by those pointing out that Jesus is now more popular than he is...  this is John's answer...

John 3:28-30 ²⁸ You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, 'I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.' ²⁹ He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. ³⁰ He must increase, but I must decrease."

It is so easy for what starts out to be a great desire to serve Jesus to become all about us instead.  At the installation service of the head pastor at a large church where I interned at during seminary, a renowned preacher came to deliver the sermon for the installation.  The main point of her sermon as she looked into the eyes of the soon-to-be installed minister was, "It's not about you!"

And this doesn't just apply to ministers.  It applies to anyone in service of God.  Whether you are taking care of the nursery or preparing the sanctuary for worship or holding a Bible Study in your home.  It isn't about you.  Not about making you feel good.  Not about supporting your needs.  Not about you!  Serving Christ is about doing God's ministry.  

Often one finds that doing God's ministry bring incredible pleasure to the person doing it.  But not always...  maybe more times than not, it is rough going.  You'll be confronted by people who won't love you in right ways.  Who won't have your best interest at all.  Who don't want you to interfere in their lives with the gospel message.  Do it anyway... "it isn't about you."

John the Baptist said it clearly, "Jesus must increase while I decrease."  John knew he had to get himself out of the way so that Jesus could work.  And so it is with us.

When a big Atlanta company decided to spin off another company out West, a good friend of mine was named as the COO of the new company.  He was a follower of Jesus and we had an interesting conversation about his new job.  He said, "I need to get myself out of the way, so the good people that I have hired can do their job."  Often, we need to get ourselves, our selfish needs and desires, things we think God owes us, out of the way so that God can work!

How can you decrease so that Christ can increase?  How can your skills and talents be focused on God's work and not on prioritizing making yourself look good or providing you with some other benefit?  You can do things for God and others that will never benefit you!  This is the way of Jesus' followers.

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As an aside ... can you imagine what Jesus' reaction was to these statistics?

John 4:1-3 Now when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John ² (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), ³ he left Judea and departed again to Galilee.

A Question of Baptism (John 3:22-27)

John 3:22-27 ²² After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he spent some time there with them and baptized. ²³ John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim because water was abundant there; and people kept coming and were being baptized ²⁴ -- John, of course, had not yet been thrown into prison. ²⁵ Now a discussion about purification arose between John's disciples and a Jew. ²⁶ They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing, and all are going to him." ²⁷ John answered, "No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven.

Both Jesus (through his disciples - apparently he didn't baptise anyone himself - John 4:1-3) and John are roaming around the countryside baptizing people who are professing their desire to turn from religion (full of rules and minutia) and turn towards the way of the Messiah.  Baptism was a rite of purification - the external symbol of what has happened inside the heart. 

But a question has come up... "Whose baptism is valid - which one makes us pure?"  John or Jesus? 

The question shows a misunderstanding of what happens in baptism... it isn't who baptizes you or if the technique is correct that matters. Baptism is an outward way of expressing what has been given from God.  What is important to God is that we express outwardly the transformation that is happening in our hearts, not who baptizes us or their technique. 

And yet, so many denominations stake a claim that one type of baptism is right and all the others are wrong.  Maybe like the man that confronts John's disciples, we've once again become concerned with the rules and minutia instead of what is happening in our hearts?  Baptism is a beautiful outward expression of the desire to turn to God and be transformed.

Nicodemus: Desire (John 3:19-21) 5 of 5

This is the last in a 5 part series about Nicodemus....

At the beginning of Nicodemus' story, we are told that he came to Jesus by night - under the cloak of darkness (John 3:2). Now at the end of their time together, Jesus seems to bring this back up...

John 3:19-21 ¹⁹ And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.  ²⁰ For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed.  ²¹ But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God."

I think two things are going on here.  First, Jesus is telling Nicodemus that those who believe in Jesus and are born of the Spirit don't hide in the darkness.  You don't become a follower of Jesus and keep it to yourself.  You don't know the truth and hide it - if you are part of the light.  In other words, Nicodemus has probably shown up at night because he doesn't want his students, other Jewish leaders, and especially other Pharisees to know he is talking with Jesus.  Jesus is telling Nicodemus to step clearly into the light!

The second thing that I suspect is going on here is that Nicodemus belongs in the light... that his desire is to follow Jesus.  We will see that he stands up for Jesus at the trial before Jesus' crucifixion (John 7).  And we will see that Nicodemus will honor Jesus by providing a proper burial for Jesus after his crucifixion (John 19).

Those who desire to follow Jesus - who desire to be born of the Spirit, they will move out of the darkness and stand in the light to profess their desire.  They will recognise the deeds they do in the darkness - deeds out of selfish desire (maybe in Nicodemus' case - a desire to protect his position in Jewish society) and want to shed them - desiring to step into the light where they can serve God instead. 

What we learn in Jesus' encounter with Nicodemus is that God (out his love for us) has sent Jesus to reveal himself to us.  Jesus was to do the work necessary on the cross to make our hearts clean.  And the Holy Spirit will do the rest.  For our part, Jesus calls us to follow him - to desire to step into the light.

Let the Holy Spirit transform you - not so you will go to heaven when you die - but so you might step out of the darkness and live in the eternal light now.

Nicodemus: Eternal Life (John 3:14-18) 4 of 5

Nicodemus' Story - Part 4 of 5

John 3:14-18  ¹⁴ And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,  ¹⁵ that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.  ¹⁶ "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.  ¹⁷ "Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  ¹⁸ Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 

Jesus takes the gospel story back a few steps here.  He has been talking about the role of the Holy Spirit up until now.  Now he talks about his role and the role of the Father.  The whole trinity must be addressed in order to answer Nicodemus' questions.  And in doing so, we hear the complete gospel story...

The Father, out his great love for all of us, sent Jesus to die for us.  Since God can't be in the kind of relationship with us that he desires while our hearts are unclean, through Jesus' shed blood, our hearts can be cleansed if we believe in Jesus.  But this is not the whole gospel.

There are two terrible misunderstandings about these verses in our culture.  The first is that phrase "who believe in him."  In our culture, people believe in Big Foot or Peter Pan or Santa.  This is not what belief means here.  It means so much more.  This isn't a perfect example, but the person who looks a chair over and decides that it can hold their weight, but doesn't sit in the chair - that is just surface belief - the same kind of belief that allows one to believe in Santa.  Then there is the kind of belief  that one might call "trust" where you actually trust the chair and sit down in it letting it take on your weight. But that doesn't completely capture what "believing in Jesus" means either.  Real faith is not complete until it is lived out and a rebirth takes place. 

The second misunderstanding is that phrase "eternal life."  People think it is synonymous with heaven - where one goes when they die.  But eternal life is what happens when we enter into a relationship with God - in fact, it is the relationship with God.  And it starts here on earth.  

Most people end the gospel story with "if you believe hard enough in the story of Jesus, then you get a free ticket to heaven when you die."  But that really misses the gospel.  Some even throw in, "if you believe hard enough in the story of Jesus and feel sorry enough for your sins, then you get a free ticket to heaven when you die."  But that still misses the gospel story.  We can't believe hard enough, be sorry enough, or be try hard enough.  We can't.  We can't do anything to earn it.  So that is where the Holy Spirit comes in...

God loved us and sent Jesus so that his shed blood would cleanse our hearts so that the Holy Spirit could do its transformation in us - rebirthing us - setting us aside and empowering us for service to God.  Eternal life happens when the Holy Spirit puts us into service for God.  This is rebirth.

These verses aren't about going to heaven, they are about being born again into eternal life.  We believe Jesus was who he said he was, we trust his way to be authentic, and all along the Holy Spirit is transforming us putting us into service for God. 

Many people believe they will go to heaven when they die - and perhaps they will.  But the real question is "are we living an eternal life now?" Have we allowed the Holy Spirit to transform us?  Do we desire to be put in the service of God? 

This is a 5 part post... more tomorrow...

Nicodemus: Receive the Testimony (John 3:9-13) 3 of 5

Nicodemus' Story - Part 3 of 5

John 3:9-13  ⁹ Nicodemus said to Jesus, "How can these things (being born of the Spirit) happen?"  ¹⁰ Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?  ¹¹ "Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony.  ¹² If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?  ¹³ No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 

Again, Nicodemus wants to know... "How can this spiritual birth happen to me?"  Nothing in the current Jewish curriculum taught what Jesus is now teaching to Nicodemus.

But as is almost always true... this isn't a new teaching that Jesus just pulls from the air.  The ancient prophets taught it hundreds of years before Jesus' birth.  Nicodemus, as a teacher of the Jews should know all about it...

Ezekiel 36:25-28 ²⁵ I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. ²⁶ A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. ²⁷ I will put my spirit within you, and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. ²⁸ Then you shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors; and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

The problem was... Nicodemus was a pharisee and instead of knowing God, they focused on making sure their students knew the right rules and followed them.  Their relationship with God was through a list of rules.  He believed that the more will power he had to keep the rules, the more in favor with God he became.  He had no concept that his relationship with God would be through trusting in Jesus (receiving the testimony of Jesus) as the son of God and by Holy Spirit's will and power - not his own. 

Are you trying to follow Jesus by your own sheer will power?  What if you trusted in Jesus and let the Holy Spirit take over?  How would it change this day?

Nicodemus: The Wind & Spirit (John 3:7-9) 2 of 5

Nicodemus' Story - Part 2 of 5...

John 3:7-9  Jesus says to Nicodemus ...⁷ Do not be astonished that I said to you, 'You must be born from above.'  ⁸ The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." 

Nicodemus wants to know how to be born from above - to be born of the Spirit.  He couldn't control his first birth - how is he going to control this spiritual birth?  As a Pharisee he has been trying to control God by following a list of rules that will certainly force God to bless him.  But Jesus doesn't answer how to be born of the Spirit just yet... instead Jesus tells him what life is like when one is born of the Spirit...

The Spirit is like the wind.  It is unpredictable.  You can hear it, you can feel it.  You can see evidence of it.  It is undeniably real and present.  But you can't control when its coming - where it is coming from - or where it is going.  When you are born of the Spirit you take on the DNA of this Spirit... walking in relationship with God... going where it leads you... your life is not your own.  This is very different from joining a club or following a list of rules or rituals or a good philosophy.   

Being born of the Spirit means you will no longer just be yourself....  you will have the DNA of the Spirit that will transform you - set you aside for God's holy use!

Do you want to be born of the Spirit?

This is a 5 part post... more tomorrow...

Nicodemus: Being Born (John 3:1-6) 1 of 5

The Story of Nicodemus... Part 1 of 5

John 3:1-6 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews.  ² He came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God."  ³ Jesus answered him, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above."  ⁴ Nicodemus said to him, "How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born?"  ⁵ Jesus answered, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.  ⁶ What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 

Nicodemus wants to talk privately.  He is aware of Jesus' miracles and is in awe, but he doesn't know exactly who Jesus is and what he is up to.

Jesus explains who he is in terms of the Kingdom of God.  It is important to note that the Kingdom of God is not synonymous with heaven.  Jesus isn't referring to what happens after we die.  The Kingdom of God is what lives inside followers of Jesus ... it is what Jesus reigns over, both now and forever ... it is many things all with Jesus as the eternal Lord over them.  We will see this concept of the Kingdom of God come up time and time again in the gospels and it isn't an easy concept to grasp.  But it is not a place with gold streets and big mansions.  It is among us now and forever NOT where we go after we die.

So when Jesus tells Nicodemus that he needs to be born of the Spirit  - born again - in order to experience the Kingdom of God, he isn't worrying about Nicodemus' afterlife!  The culturally popular gospel story that focuses on getting people into heaven is missing an understanding of the Holy Spirit's role in being born again.  The gospel story is not just about the Father sending the Son to die for us... and us believing the story as children believe in Santa.  The gospel story is trinitarian - it isn't complete until we hear the part where the Holy Spirit enters our lives by birthing us and putting us to use in service to Jesus.

The Holy Spirit - births the Kingdom of God within and through Jesus' followers - this rebirth starts in this life enabling us to follow Jesus - to be his hands and his feet.  Following Jesus is not achieving belief in the story of Jesus, it is allowing the Holy Spirit to do its work in our lives.

Have you been born of the Spirit?  Are the things you do today a result of that birth?

This is a 5 part post... more tomorrow.

I really love my dog! (John 2:23-25)

John 2:23-25 ²³ When Jesus was in Jerusalem during the Passover festival, many believed in his name because they saw the signs that he was doing. ²⁴ But Jesus on his part would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people ²⁵ and needed no one to testify about anyone; for he himself knew what was in everyone.

I recently watched a fun documentary about New Yorkers and their dogs called My Dog: An Unconditional Love Story.  Here is a clip from some of the interviews...

In one of the interviews not in the clip, a famous fashion designer talked about how much he loved his dog, because his dog was never phony.  He said that once you are famous, you never know if people are befriending you for your money, your prestige, or because they actually like you.  You never know if they are going to be faithful friends or are just using you.  On the other hand, his dog had no idea that he was famous and, yet, loved him anyway.   He really liked his dog!

In the scripture above, Jesus had gained rock star like fame.  But he wasn't confused about why people liked him.  Unlike the fashion designer's dog, people can be phony and they can have wrong motives.  He knew their hearts.  In fact, he knows our hearts better than we do. 

What draws us to Jesus?  What is in our hearts? 

The interesting thing is that no matter what state Jesus finds us in... selfishness, wrong living, bad choices, even addictions, Jesus is in the business of transforming hearts.  It would seem that though he loves us, he doesn't really expect to find pure motives in us.  He doesn't expect us to be able to love him back.  However, he is willing to transform us.  I think he finds us in a state where we can't really love him, others, or ourselves - not unconditionally like his kingdom requires.  And he wants to change that.  Let him!  Expect him to give you love for him, for others, and for yourself where there once was none.

Shine a Light on You (John 2:18-22)

After Jesus threw the businessmen out of the temple, they wanted to know on what authority he did this...

John 2:18-22 ¹⁸ The Jews then said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?" ¹⁹ Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." ²⁰ The Jews then said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?" ²¹ But he was speaking of the temple of his body. ²² After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

Jesus knew who he was and what his mission was. 

You know how in scary movies, the main character can never seem to find the light switches?  Wherever the main character is, they are in the dark.  They hear a sound and go explore to find out what it was - but forget to turn on the lights or forget their flashlight.  Many of us accept that this is how life is... walking around in the dark, hoping we are going the right direction. 

Could it be... that at least sometimes... we don't know where God is taking us because we haven't turned on the lights?  We haven't sought direction from God?  There are three good ways (maybe more?) to seek direction from God, but these three are proven to shed light on our path... studying the scripture, praying (not the kind of prayer that only asks for things, but the kind of prayer that listens to God), and seeking advice and fellowship of other followers of Christ.

I think God wants us to live intentionally.  We probably won't know all the details of our lives and we will need to be flexible, but I believe that God wants us to know who we are in Christ and how Christ wants to live through us -  maybe not miles ahead, but at least for today... for the next few feet.  Seek God through scripture, prayer, and other believers... see what is revealed to you  about your mission today!

Stopping others from finding God (John 2:13-17)

John 2:13-22 ¹³ The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ¹⁴ In the temple Jesus found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. ¹⁵ Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. ¹⁶ He told those who were selling the doves, "Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!" ¹⁷ His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me." 

The Jews were required to make sacrifices for a variety of reasons - for instance, at the time of a child's birth or for their failures.  They were allowed, rather than bringing their sacrifice with them to the temple, to buy it once they got to the temple.  If you were poor, you bought a dove.  If you were rich you bought something more expensive.  These sacrifices were your way of being in right relationship with God. 

The problem was that this had become big business.  The prices and the money changing weren't fair.  If you were a poor family and you showed up to make a sacrifice on behalf of your son's birth, you might not be able to afford the dove.  In essence, these business men in the temple were at best case making an unfair profit off of the desire of people to be right with God and at worst case, they were actually putting roadblocks up keeping the poor from being able to afford the sacrifice all together. 

You don't want to be the people who keep others from a right relationship with God.  Jesus demonstrates that he will not tolerate it! 

Are there things in our church communities today where we might be standing in the way of people entering into a right relationship with God?  And yet, the house of God is no longer technically a place - the followers of Jesus are now the house of God.  But the question still applies... do we do things that stand in the way of people following Jesus? 

Jesus has a zeal for the house of God.

****  The story from the view of the other gospel writers...

Matthew 21:12-13 ¹² Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. ¹³ He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer'; but you are making it a den of robbers."

Mark 11:15-17 ¹⁵ Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves; ¹⁶ and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. ¹⁷ He was teaching and saying, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations'? But you have made it a den of robbers."

Luke 19:45-46 ⁴⁵ Then he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling things there; ⁴⁶ and he said, "It is written, 'My house shall be a house of prayer'; but you have made it a den of robbers."

A family affair.... (John 2:12)

Jesus' family was involved in his life throughout his ministry.  They traveled with him, they annoyed him, they tried to hold him back, but they also supported him and followed him.  It was a mixture of good, bad, and amazing. 

After the disciples witness Jesus turn the water into wine - they have faith in him.  Then...  ¹² Jesus went down to Capernaum with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they remained there a few days  (John 2:12) .

Just a short verse.  Yet it tells us something about Jesus.  He travels not just with his disciples, but with his brothers and mother.  His sisters (mentioned in Mark 6:2) aren't said to travel with him - perhaps they were married and had children to attend to.

We find out the names of Jesus' male siblings in Mark 6:2:  James, Joses (Joseph), Judas, and Simon. 

Jesus' brothers appear to be heavily involved in Jesus' ministry.  Although, much like his disciples, they are not always helpful and not always full of faith in Jesus:  "Jesus' brothers said to him, "Leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples also may see the works you are doing; 4 for no one who wants to be widely known acts in secret. If you do these things, show yourself to the world." 5 (For not even his brothers believed in him.) 6 Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always here" (John 7). 

At times, Jesus has to remind his family that his kingdom redefines family relationships.  His kingdom makes all who follow him family.  He speaks truth to his family rather than letting them dominate or derail his life:  ⁴⁶ While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers were standing outside, wanting to speak to him. ⁴⁷ Someone told him, "Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you." ⁴⁸ But to the one who had told him this, Jesus replied, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" ⁴⁹ And pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! ⁵⁰ For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother"  (Matthew 12:46-50). 

Yet, his mother stood near the cross as Jesus died (John 19:25).  And at Pentecost, his mother and brothers gathered with the disciples and waited for the Holy Spirit to descend upon them: "14 All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers" (Acts 1:14).

Later in the book of Acts, it appears that his brother, James goes on to be the head of the church in Jerusalem.  And many believe that he is also the author of the Book of James. 

How do your mother, father, brothers, and sisters figure into your life?  Have you ever thought about following Jesus together?  What would that look like? 

Trusting Jesus with the Wine (John 2:1-11)

John 2:1-11 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. ² Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. ³ When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." ⁴ And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come." ⁵ His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." ⁶ Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. ⁷ Jesus said to them, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim. ⁸ He said to them, "Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward." So they took it. ⁹ When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom ¹⁰ and said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now." ¹¹ Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

This the the beginning of Jesus' ministry.  And it is fraught with problems for my non-drinking baptist friends!  I've heard long sermons on how the wine wasn't really wine.  And how the "after guests have become drunk" is properly translated as the "guests were full of juice."  But the Greek word means "to be made drunk." 

On the other hand, my drinking Presbyterian friends love this story.  Jesus goes to a party and when the wine runs low, he turns water into wine!  Not just any wine, but into good wine!  Party on!

Strange stuff.  We also see what seem to me to be this light hearted mother-son exchange between Jesus and his mother.  If it happened today, it might go like this... 

Mom: "Here is a problem you can fix." 

Jesus: "Seriously woman?" 

Mom: "Don't play the 'My time has not yet come' card with me, young man.  Just do it."

We see the creator and the sustainer of the universe at a wedding helping out with the refreshments at the insistence of his mom!!  This is great stuff.  I don't know exactly what to do with it except enjoy it. 

And then I read...  because of all of this... "his disciples trusted him."  This is the point of the story.  They witness Jesus in ordinary surroundings in a playful exchange with his mother and then he does the extraordinary... more than 120 gallons of water is turned to wine.  Good wine.  And he doesn't even make a big show of it. 

Jesus transforms plain to extraordinary.  Focus this day on this beautiful picture of Jesus turning water into wine.  Ordinary into extraordinary.  And let him transform your life in extraordinary ways.  Don't hold him back!

A New Name (John 1:42)

Recently my husband was introducing me before a tournament tennis match in which his game would determine the progress of his team.  I guess he was nervous and preoccupied, because oddly he introduced me as "Kate."  It was a strange feeling as people shook my hand and said, "Nice to meet you Kate."  I didn't exactly know what to say.  "My name is April," would require some explanation and I had none.  He has never called me Kate before.  It isn't my name.  He said he was looking at the team captain, whose name is Kate and because he was nervous...  well, he got confused.  :-)  It will take a long time for him to live this slip of the tongue down.  But being given a new name - well, this would take some adjustment. 

After meeting Simon, Jesus game him a new name...

John 1:42 ⁴² (Andrew, Simon's brother) brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas" (which is translated Peter).


Matthew 16:18 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.


Mark 3:16 ¹⁶ So he appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter);

Luke 6:14 ¹⁴ Simon, whom he named Peter...

God has this beautiful way of changing our names when he calls us to follow him.  In the Old Testament Abram (exalted) became Abraham (father of nations) and Sarai (argumentative) became Sarah (queen).  Jacob (deceiver) became Israel (wrestles with God).  In the new testament Simon (listener) becomes Peter (rock) and Saul (prayed for) becomes Paul (humble).  Old names are changed to names with eternal meanings.  Here Simon becomes Peter which means rock.  He will be the rock on which Jesus will build the church.

In the book of Acts (Chapter 11), the followers of Jesus are first called "Christians" or "Christ's ones." We take on the name of Christ... to represent Christ, to be his hands and feet.  I don't use the name "Christian" much in this blog because the name has often been misused to describe a religion run amok rather than a people who are dedicated to following Jesus. Maybe I should use "Christ's ones" instead.

In Revelation Chapter 2 and 3, God says he will give all who overcome, a new name.

What name might God give you?  The new names that God gives seem to always reflect the person's purpose in life.  What name might God give your child or spouse?  What might reflect the purpose God seems to have given them?

Live into being "Christ's ones."  Live into the purpose for which God has created you. 

In the coming stories of the gospel, we will see Peter struggle with living into his new name.  And we will see Jesus speak truth and grace to Peter's shortcomings giving him power to overcome.

Seeing Greater Things. (John 1: 43-51) -- 4 of 4

This post is the fourth of four posts about Jesus calling six disciples

After the story of Jesus meeting two potential disciples and spending the day with them...

John 1:43-51 ⁴³ The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." ⁴⁴ Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. ⁴⁵ Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth." ⁴⁶ Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." ⁴⁷ When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, "Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!" ⁴⁸ Nathanael asked him, "Where did you get to know me?" Jesus answered, "I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you." ⁴⁹ Nathanael replied, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" ⁵⁰ Jesus answered, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these." ⁵¹ And he said to him, "Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

The last four days of this blog, we have been watching Jesus call the first six disciples.  Imagine what it must have been like for these men to realize that not only is Jesus the Messiah, but he knows who they are.  And they have an invitation to follow him. 

Just for a moment... think about what that must have felt like.  To find the Messiah - whom you have never met, but who knows all there is to know about you.  AND he wants YOU to follow him.

This scenario is as true for us today as it was for the disciples then.  Jesus knows who we are!  Intimately.  And we (despite all our warts) have an invitation to follow him.

And there are perks if we say yes: "You will see greater things!"

The promise Jesus makes to Nathaniel, "You will see greater things than these" is extended to all followers later in the gospels: "Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father" (John 14:12).

Followers of Jesus will see and do greater works than Jesus?  This is possible because the followers of Jesus are filled with the Holy Spirit.  This Spirit is the power of God - the very power of the resurrection.  And it indwells Jesus' followers. 

We see Jesus' words come true immediately after the Holy Spirit is sent at Pentecost when Peter's first sermon prompts more people to follow Jesus than are recorded for Jesus during his entire ministry.  And the church immediately expands throughout the Roman world, whereas Jesus' had limited his ministry to Palestine.  God does powerful things in the early church - people experience supernatural healing and protection.  Lives are transformed from eternal darkness to eternal purpose.  Things happen.

This same Spirit lives within followers of Jesus today.  What greater works than the ones that Jesus did have you seen and witnessed?  Follow Jesus closely... no telling what you will see (and do)!

Building Relationships (John 1:35-41) -- 3 of 4

This post is the third of four posts about Jesus calling six disciples.  

John 1:35-42 ³⁵ The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, ³⁶ and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, "Look, here is the Lamb of God!" ³⁷ The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.

³⁸ When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, "What are you looking for?"

They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means Teacher), "where are you staying?"

³⁹ He said to them, "Come and see."

They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon. ⁴⁰ One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. ⁴¹ He first found his brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated Anointed).

So much is happening in these verses!  John the Baptist points his disciples to Jesus identifying him as the Messiah.  And they start to follow him - without an invitation.  They want to get to know him, "Where are you staying?"  And Jesus invites them home with him... "Come and see!"

One of the most effective ways to live out our profession of "catching people" (see the last blog) is to live a life worthy of their interest.  Then to invite them home with us - invite them to get to know us.  So they can judge first hand if we are the real deal.  And more importantly - if Jesus is the real deal. This is what Jesus did before he called his first disciples.  He developed a relationship with them.

So many "fishers of people" like to keep their fish at arm's length.  They are happy to force their way over to talk to the person asking them a set of evangelistic questions or forcing a tract into their hands.  But taking that person home with them?  Never!  Inviting that person to be a friend?  Committing one's self to treating that person better than you treat yourself or your even family?  Not a chance!  And we make all kinds of excuses!!

"What if that person is more important than me? How silly I will look trying to befriend them"

"What if that person is someone I have talked to when I worked in the soup line at the shelter or in the prison ministry?  How can I invite someone home with me that has a background like that?"

"What if that person is a lot older or younger than me?  Or if our kids aren't the same ages?   What if they are a neighborhood child?  What if we have nothing in common?"

These are just lame excuses.

Jesus sets an example for us here!  Catching people is about inviting them to journey with us.  Accepting them as they are... letting them see who Jesus is in us...  not pushing them around or pressuring them.  Walking together.  Two beggars looking for the bread of life together!

Take a moment and think about who God might have put in front of you to invite home with you today.  Don't worry if the house isn't straightened. Or if your walk with Jesus isn't perfected yet.  Or if you don't have all the answers.  Just open your heart and your house to build a relationship.  And watch God work - its an amazing thing to have front row seats!

Catching People (Luke 5:1-11) -- 2 of 4

This post is the second of four posts about Jesus calling six disciples.

Luke 5:1-11 Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, 2 he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." 5 Simon answered, "Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets." 6 When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink.

8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!" 9 For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.

Then Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people." 11 When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

When you signed up to follow Jesus, did you understand that you would have a new profession?  No longer would fishing, or writing software, or nursing, or engineering, or building, or marketing be who you were.  Sure, you might still do those things.  They might still provide a living for you.  But they are no longer who you are.  You have a new profession: "to catch people". 

Now... most "followers of Jesus" live as though when we signed up to follow Jesus, our assignement was to:

• follow a list of rules (go to church on Sunday, don't dance, don't smoke, don't drink, give 10% of your money),
• believe a set of theology (the King James Bible is 100% accurate down to the unicorns, creation took place in exactly 7 days, and hell is a physical place),
• and do a set of good works (give to the poor, take care of creation, and sign an organ donor's card). 

But in this moment of calling the disciples to follow him,  Jesus doesn't levy all these things on these disciples.  Being moral, having sound theology, and doing good works are all important out croppings of the Christian's life.  And if they don't happen something is clearly wrong.  But they are not our new profession.  Our new profession is "to catch people."  To demonstrate and to speak Jesus' message - to go out and find others to invite to come on this journey with us. 

So if our job evaluation for this new profession was to happen today... how would we be doing?  Look at the people around you - how can you demonstrate Jesus' love to them today?  Both with actions and words?  Ask God to show you and to give you power and courage.  You can do it!