Creative Space for Wanderers
Read: There are actually two distinct parts to this section: the disciples and the woman. Both are significant, but I chose the title to reflect the part that I really hadn’t focused on very much. I’ll try to cover both parts here briefly. It’s up to you to dive into that which speaks to your …
Read In the first part of this story, the woman at the well was enjoying the debate with Jesus about living water. The unheard of conversation between a well-known Rabbi (Jesus) and a woman that has to draw water at noon to avoid other people went from bad to worse. I’m suggesting “bad” because no …
Continue reading “John: Jesus and the Woman at the Well — Part 2”
Read: Imagine Billy Graham sitting at a bus stop in downtown Atlanta engaged in conversation with a well-known prostitute. Don’t get me wrong, the woman at the well is not a prostitute, though her moral character is questionable, I am trying to set the stage for a conversation that is completely out of step with anything …
Continue reading “John: Jesus and the Woman at the Well — Part 1”
If we could find a place beyond the city lights, on a clear night we would see a billion stars in the sky. Some of these, on closer observation, would be planets and moons, asteroids and comets. The wonder of the heavenly bodies would become apparent to us when someone reveals their existence. A constellation is a …
Read: The episode with Nicodemus comes to a close in the first part of chapter 3. It’s as if John says, “next slide,” and continues his presentation with a completely different thought that builds his case for Christ. In some respects, this is the challenge of reading one excerpt at a time, at least for me. …
Read: I know we just discussed this here, but there is much more to say before moving on. As I read the NIV Application Commentary over and over again, I’m struck by the need to explain John’s statements further. The phrase that leaps off the page is the title of this post: God did not …
Continue reading “God Did Not Send Jesus to do His Dirty Work”
Read: John presses pause after recounting the story of Nicodemus. In one concise and elegant statement, John captures the essence of Jesus Christ’s primary mission on earth. I’m sure there are stats somewhere, but this has to be one of the most well-known verses in the Bible; probably among any book. The verse introduces a …
Read: The reading today takes us up to the infamous verse, . It’s important to remember the context, so the title I chose for this post is intentionally focused on Nicodemus. He’s the Pharisee that heard about Jesus and sought Him after hours, under cover of darkness. Jesus has a lot to say to Nicodemus …
Read: John wastes no time in documenting Jesus’ reaction to those making a profit off of people coming to the temple to offer sacrifices. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all place the event much later in their message, so I have to wonder why John places his emphasis so early in this account. It’s also important …
Read: What if turning water into wine was more than just a miraculous event? This is one of those stories I’ve heard many times, but today, I’m hearing more than just a miracle. As I blog through the Bible this time around, especially the New Testament, I’m trying to get to know the author of …
Continue reading “John: Wedding in Cana, More Than a Miracle”