Creative Space for Wanderers
Read The last section in this chapter challenges us all to accept that which is hard to understand. Those of us that have worn the Christian badge for many years might have a hard time understanding the challenge here, but I want to strongly encourage you (exhort) to read this chapter from the eyes of …
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 John records some incredibly striking words in the continuation of Jesus’s response to the religious leaders who were so upset that they literally couldn’t think straight. The passage begins with a discussion about who is testifying for whom. Then we read some very convicting words like, “nor does his word dwell in you” and “I …
Continue reading “John: Testimonies About Jesus — The Canal”
Read The bookends of this passage reveal the role of Jesus as Son and His part in the complexity of the Holy Trinity. The Son can do nothing alone, but He is never alone. There is no “if” in this passage, so don’t get confused. Jesus explained His relationship to the Father for our benefit, …
Continue reading “John: Jesus Responds – The Authority of the Son”
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”
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: 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: We are sure that John the Baptist is not the Apostle John, he’s not the one who wrote the Gospel of John, but the religious powers of his day couldn’t figure out who he was. John the Baptist was baptizing people at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan River and apparently attracting …
Continue reading “John: The Voice of One Calling in the Wilderness”
Read: The prologue to the Gospel of John is a profound statement that either leaves you in wonder for the rest of the story or drives you away shaking your head. I honestly don’t think there’s much in between. Every time I read these powerful words I’m in awe of the One, the I Am, …
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 …