Creative Space for Wanderers
Read If we were Jewish or celebrated with our Jewish brothers, this would be the time of year when the Feast of Tabernacles would kick into high gear. John uses the backdrop of this festival to highlight some significant lessons for us to consider. The first vignette is a look at the interaction between Jesus …
Read John’s version of Jesus walking on water is concise. We have to look around for some more details, but we shouldn’t miss the point that Jesus is Lord of all and wants us to know that we should not be afraid as we fight the battles in this life. John sets up the story …
Continue reading “John: Jesus Walks on Water — Don’t Be Afraid”
Read The commentators recommend reading the entire chapter to get the complete understanding of John’s perspective. The essence of the chapter is being fed by God, both physically and spiritually. We start with physical nourishment, but Jesus uses this miracle as a huge teaching point that most, including those closest to Him, cannot understand. Just …
Read: Following the outline from yesterday’s post, we’ll take a brief look at just three verses today. While this post is brief, I hope it allows you to focus on the few words and put yourself in the place of those present at the time. John makes it clear that the Jewish leadership is beyond …
Continue reading “John: Jewish Leaders Begin to Persecute Jesus”
As we head into chapter 5, I found it interesting that the NIV Application Commentary suggests the purpose of chapter 5 is to begin building the case against Jesus (cite below this post). This outline is helpful to give us some context for discussion: The Crime () A man at Bethesda is healed on the …
Continue reading “John: Healing at the Pool — Do You Want to Get Well?”
Read: Are you willing to take Jesus at His word and believe? The central character in this story is an officer in Herod’s regime, “a certain royal official,” who begs Jesus to heal his son. The passionate plea was met with a sharp response, but Jesus healed the son anyway. The official had faith while …
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: 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”
For the next three months or so, we will study the book of John. The Apostle John adds a different perspective from Matthew, Mark, and Luke (known as the Synoptic Gospels). John includes stories that are not found elsewhere. He emphasizes the incarnation of Jesus as something we should wrap our minds around. The word …
Read: After the shipwreck, as Paul prophesied, they all landed safely on the shores of Malta. The Islanders were kind-hearted people that were definitely not Jewish and unfamiliar with Christ. Paul probably thought this was an amazing opportunity! Luke provides a firsthand account of the miracles on Malta which serve to ignite Paul’s ministry there. After …