Creative Space for Wanderers
Read John has to look back at this moment and shake his head in utter disbelief that so many people have seen what Jesus has done and heard His words, yet turn away. When Jesus met with the disciples after His resurrection, He opened their minds to all the scriptures () so they could see …
Read John 12:20-37 John is about to turn the corner on his Gospel account of Jesus’ ministry. This section begins with outsiders, from the Jewish perspective, who are trying to see Jesus. This is the time when Jesus changes the talk from, “his hour had not yet come,” to “the hour has come.” Don’t miss the …
Continue reading “John: Jesus Predicts His Death — The Hour Has Come”
Read John 12:12-19 It’s crazy to think that Jesus goes from Bethany, out of the reach of the religious leaders that were trying to kill him, to ride into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday…the next day. In these chapters, John slows down time to focus in on significant events and actions that grab our attention. Therefore Jesus …
Read John 12:1-11 Chapter 12 begins with two references: this is the week before Passover and a reminder that Lazarus is the one Jesus raised from the dead. Just in case you missed it or forgot somehow. With that quick intro, John tells his first story about Martha and Mary, Lazarus’ sisters. Martha is always …
Read The story of Lazarus being brought back to life spread like wildfire. Many believed in Jesus while others somehow saw a completely different message. There’s a lot going on here for us to wrestle with, much of which I can only pretend to understand because I don’t have any firsthand experience with the Sanhedrin, …
I’m incredibly thankful for many things, but most of all for a God who isn’t fair. I’m thankful for a Creator God that loves us so much that he allows us to choose right or wrong in our own eyes, who honors wise choices, disciplines poor decisions, and loves us completely in any case. I’m …
Read The imagery of Jesus weeping over the death of Lazarus has long been one of my favorite stories. Most of the time when I read this passage I walk away with the thoughts presented in the previous post. This time, however, I was challenged to take a different point of view by the NIV …
Read Once again John provides a detailed story that demonstrates the humanity of the immortal, the love of God so vast that it transcends time and strikes us in the deepest parts of our being. I titled this, Jesus Wept, because I think this is the point of the story beyond His ability to raise …
Read The second half of this chapter begins in the winter. It’s time for Hanukkah. By now we have learned that John’s style shows how Jesus used the setting as part of the teaching. It’s common for us to follow this example as we preach during Thanksgiving, Christmas, Independence Day, etc. The reason I bring …
Read The first part of chapter ten is somewhat like an epilogue to the story in chapter nine. Jesus is describing Himself as the good shepherd as a way of helping the Pharisees understand His actions. This time we read that “many” don’t understand while others are beginning to see what Jesus is saying. The …