Testify

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

TESTIFY

John 7:1-13

7:1 After this, Jesus went around in Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life. 2 But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, 3 Jesus' brothers said to him, "You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do. 4 No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world." 5 For even his own brothers did not believe in him. 6 Therefore Jesus told them, "The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil. 8 You go to the Feast. I am not yet going up to this Feast, because for me the right time has not yet come."  9 Having said this, he stayed in Galilee. 10 However, after his brothers had left for the Feast, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. 11 Now at the Feast the Jews were watching for him and asking, "Where is that man?" 12 Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, "He is a good man." Others replied, "No, he deceives the people." 13 But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the Jews.

NIV

There is a lot more of this narrative in which Jesus has some conversations with the Jews at the feast of Tabernacles. This is a week-long feast, called Sukkot, it is a celebration of the forty years God protected them in the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land, with them living in tabernacles or booths, tents. It would be expected a lot of Jews would travel from far distances to attend such a feast. After seeing how they celebrate the Bar-mitzvah and Bat mitzvahs on the day we were in Jerusalem, we can only imagine the type of celebration this week-long feast would have looked like. Music, food, drink, dancing, and shouting, a celebration of who they are, the people of God. Jesus was up north around Galilee and his brothers, and this would have been the natural children born to Joseph and Mary, purposed that Jesus should go to the feast. From the narrative, we can see they were “Goating” him. Someone who wants to be a public figure should get out in the public and do their miracles so everyone can see. Jesus did not allow them to get to him, to goat him into going to the feast with everyone, making a public display of himself. He did, however, prophesy about the when the time for him would come. He makes it clear that the world did not hate them, his brothers, because at this time they were not believers, or identified themselves as his followers. However, he also makes it clear the world does hate him because he testifies that what the world does is evil. Here is where the rubber meets the road for us. Does the world love us or hate us? Are we accepted by the world, do they invite us into their celebration of evil, or do they shun us because they know we would not approve? Certainly, we have our standards, such as we would not go out with them to some strip club, or to a party where drugs were prevalent. We would not even go out for a night of drinking and partying, such as a worldly wedding celebration, or would we? If we just live in secret, like Jesus is being accused of by his brothers, then how are we going to share the message of the gospel? Where do we draw the line as to how close we get to the feast the world celebrates? Then again, do we testify to the evil which is in the world? It is quite likely if we do testify there will be people in the world who may not like us very much. This testifying is not just simply avoiding those activities, it is speaking out against them. It is living our faith out loud, so people know who we are, and who we are about, Jesus. It is true, we may not get as much opposition as Jesus did, but we still may not be the most favorite of people if we tell them they are doing want is wrong in the sight of God. Now that does not mean we condemn them by actually calling their behavior out, but we share the truth of God, the positive, and the truth will condemn them. So it comes down to, do we testify?

To Whom Shall We Go

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

TO WHOM SHALL WE GO

John 6:61-71

61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? 62 What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him."  66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. 67 "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve. 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." 70 Then Jesus replied, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!"  71(He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)

NIV

Here is where it is told to us that there were more than just the twelve who were disciples of Jesus. At least it appears all who followed him were called disciples. Jesus knew who the true believers were and who was just there for the miracles. Evidently, all his talk about eating his flesh and drinking his blood were too much for them for they did not get the spiritual significance and could only see in the physical. Jesus makes it clear he is talking about spiritual matters, the, in fact, the flesh or the physical life means nothing. It is the spirit of man which is important. That almost sounds a bit gnostic, which is the belief that all matter is evil and only the spirit is good. In fact, those who adhere to Gnosticism believe there is a lesser god of physical matter and a Supreme God of the spirit. But this is not what Jesus was speaking of, but rather than our spirit has to be born again, as he told Nicodemus. The flesh or the physical body is corrupt and it will die, but the spirit, who we really are, will live on. It is also true our bodies will be raised up from the dead, incorruptible, or resurrected just as Jesus was in the physical in a glorified state, and ascend into heaven, just as Jesus said he would. We are also given proof here that Jesus is divine and has either foreknowledge or was given that knowledge by the Spirit. Either way, he already knew many would betray or turn back, leave him, not being able to grasp the spiritual truth of his teaching. Then he turns to his twelve, the one he specifically called to follow him. Here another verse the Calvinists grab onto about being only the elect are called when Jesus says that only those who the Father enables can come to him. If the Father does not enable then a person cannot come to Jesus, so then we have to be enabled or called or elected. It sounds good, but only if you discount all the rest of scripture. There is a spiritual awaking in a person when after being convicted by the Spirit and responding to that conviction. We know the Spirit came or was sent to convict all men of sin and the need to repent. But some refuse to respond. The Calvinist would say that is because they were not elected. The Wesleyans would say all are called, but God gifted each man with the freedom to choose and he knows who will choose him, and who will not and turn back, betraying his him. It is a matter of having faith in who Jesus is and what he did for our salvation. He asked that very question of his disciples, the one he specially called if they wanted to turn back as well. This again shows us that he knew what they would answer, but he has given them the freedom to choose. Although the Calvinist would say the twelve were elected, Jesus has given them the choice to leave, to turn back, to betray him. Peter, as usual, speaks up and it appears he is speaking for all twelve. “Lord, to whom shall we go?” Yes, Peter got it, Jesus was the Holy One of God. Jesus has the words of eternal life. Jesus knew they would stay, they would get it, and again with his foreknowledge of their choice, he chose to call them specifically because they would be the ones who would carry his gospel to the ends of the earth. All except the one who would betray him, Judas, and he too was called to follow Jesus just as the others were, but he chooses to betray, Judas chose wrong, yet that still was known because it had to be, Jesus had to be betrayed, turned over for crucifixion by the Romans. However, Jesus lives, he was resurrected and sits at the right hand of the Father making intercession for us. So then, we made that same declaration. Lord, to whom shall we go? You are the Holy One of God, We choose you, Jesus.   

Accept it

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

ACCEPT IT

John 6:52-60

52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

53 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever."  59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"

NIV

This is I indeed hard teaching for those who do not understand Jesus was speaking about spiritual matters, or metaphorically about his flesh and blood. We, however with the discernment of the Spirit understand the spiritual truth Jesus is saying. Why do some believe and others disbelieve? It is not that God determines which does and does not believe. His desire is that none should perish and all should believe. Yet when Jesus tells the crowd that they must eat his flesh and drink his blood it makes it sound like he means just that. But it is about remaining in him. We are going to see that some of the disciples are going to leave in the next portion of this exchange. What this tells us is at the time of his teaching here in the synagogue, there were more than just the twelve. So we find that there were disciples or followers of Jesus who left him because his teaching was too hard and they could not accept it. We will consider that when we get there, so for now let us think about his words about remaining in him and feeding on him. This is certainly the spiritual truth, to feed, to obtain the sustenance to live from the words of Jesus. Because we believe every word of the Holy Scripture, we remain in him. What does that mean, to believe every word? Because we are confident that all scripture is God-breathed, we know without a shadow of a doubt, that every word has been inspired by God. Yes, each writer of words, used his own personality or style to express that which God inspired him to pen. But they are not the authors of those words, just the scribes, so to speak, the vessel who God inspired to pen his words, his thoughts, and his truth. Some have put values or priorities in certain scriptures, such as the primary scripture are the words quoted of Jesus, those in red letters. Then second is the rest of scripture, authored by various men. We cannot agree with that assessment, as we are convinced all scripture is breathed from the mouth of God. He is the author and perfecter of our faith. He is the Alpha and the Omega. All things exist because of him. Jesus does make sure we know that we must remain in him, and he in us in order to have eternal life. We must take him into our being, his truth, his sacrifice for us, his giving of his flesh and blood for us. This is the truth of the matter. He gave up his flesh, he died, and he spilled his blood, and it was for the remission of our sin, for without accepting his flesh and blood there is no forgiveness of sin, no remission, we are dead men walking. What is so hard about accepting this truth? Is it back to wanting to look to the law for salvation, looking to works as a better way? We just cannot do enough good works to make it to heaven, or to even please God. We have already seen that the only work God requires is to believe in Jesus. We cannot do much more to please him, so why do we think we have to check off our lists of do’s and don’ts? Our list should only contain two items. Do believe in Jesus, don’t disbelieve, or do trust in him, don’t trust in ourselves. Anything else is returning to the law, believing the law, or good works will gain us anything. However, we should grow in our faith and that whole of scripture is there for correcting us, rebuking us, teaching us and training us in righteousness so we will be fully equipped to do whatever God directs, or path he sets before us. What is hard about that? Nothing and we accept it.

Listen and Learn

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

LISTEN AND LEARN

John 6:41-51

41 At this, the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven."  42 They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?"

43 "Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered. 44 "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47 I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." 

NIV

Remember he is still talking to the crowd that is looking for more bread because they had just been fed on the mountainside and had followed Jesus across to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. He has told him that he was the bread of life that came down from the Father. Now they are really a little confused about this because from their human knowledge all they see is the person who grew up in the house of Joseph whose mother is Mary, known by some of this crowd. Jesus is teaching them a spiritual truth and all they can see with is their physical minds. He tells them to stop grumbling among themselves and listen, hear, what the truth is. Isn’t that just like all of us today, grumbling among ourselves? It has been said that if you get two Jews together there will be three opinions. Not sure how that came about, but it certainly holds true about Christians. If it is one thing that is clear, we all have a different interpretation of the scriptures which is evident by the hundreds of denominations available to choose from, each with their own doctrine. That has to fit the grumbling Jesus was talking about. In fact, the next words spoken by Jesus are one of the large points of grumbling between those who agree with Wesley and those who agree with Calvin. Jesus says that no one can come to him, unless the Father who sent him draws that person to him and that he will raise that person up on the last day. There it is, the Calvinists would say, it is only those God elects, he draws to Jesus. While, the Wesleyans would say God draws all men, those the convicting of the Spirit, who was sent to convict the world, which implies everyone, not just the few God draws to Jesus. Grumbling has been going on and on and it is likely it will never stop while we all just listen and hear what Jesus is saying. Jesus tells the crowd it has been written in the Prophets that all will be taught by God. It is a matter of listening and learning. If we hear what God teaches, then we will come to Jesus. God teaches all his creation, he does not pick just a few people to teach, Jesus says that everyone who listens and learns, that means everyone is able to hear the teaching of God and learn the truth. Does that mean Calvin did not learn from God? Did that mean Wesley did not learn from God? Then again we never were much for taking the sides of men. Instead, we choose to listen and learn from God and having done so, we have come to Jesus. We believe in Jesus and as a result, he has given us everlasting life. He is the bread of life, and we have eaten of him.  We know the next grumbling we will see from the crowd is about how they are going to eat of his flesh and drink of his blood. Before we get to that, we simply know Jesus is not talking in the natural, but in the spiritual, or metaphorically. He knows full well his words are not about cannibalism, actually eating his flesh. We would think the crowd was not thinking the same thing, but still, they could not grasp his meaning. The purpose of bread, as food is to eat and digest, or be used for life. A person cannot survive without food, which the bread represents, such as the manna from heaven which sustained Israel for forty years. When we accept the bread of life, Jesus and ingest him into our inner being, he gives us life, but not just for forty years. He gives us eternal life. We may have complicated this simple truth, and grumbled among ourselves. But the fact remains if a person wants eternal life, listening and learning from God, that person will come to Jesus, it is that simple, God so loved everyone, the whole world, excluding no one, that he sent his Son to die on the cross for everyone, so that whosoever believes in him, whosoever hears and learns from God, will not perish, but have everlasting life. We cannot be sure about others, but we do not choose perish, we choose Jesus, we choose life, for we have listened and learned from God.

Look to and Believe

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

LOOK TO AND BELIEVE

John 6:34-40

34 "Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread."

35 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." 

NIV

It is always about, “give us” it would seem. Even when Jesus taught his disciples how to pray he included the “give us” our daily bread, and “forgive us” and “Lead us not” and “deliver us”. We are completely dependent on Jesus for every aspect of our lives. It is when we start trying to fulfill our own desires, our own needs that we are in danger of sin, looking to our flesh rather than God. So after Jesus tells them not always be looking to fill their stomachs, but fill their spirits, looking for that which leads to eternal life, they say;  then give us that bread. Even in that day, who would refuse something that would allow them to live forever, to have eternal life? It is interesting in our culture today that so many people think they are still going to heaven and will have eternal life just because they are sort of religious. However, the truth is that Jesus is the bread of life. He is the only source of eternal life. Now here is the rub regarding being able to come to Jesus. He says that all the Father gives him will come to him. Some would use these words to prove John Calvin’s idea of election. Only those the Father decides should be saved, he gives them to Jesus. But that is not what Jesus is talking about. The truth is that no one can come to Jesus unless he is first convicted of his sin and need for repentance. This is accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit. However, the Spirit came to convict the world, which John includes in his gospel, which we will see later. Even in this discourse, Jesus tells them that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life. So if someone, who would be included in “everyone”, looks to Jesus and believes, will be saved. This is not election, this is the exercise of the free will of man, under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Although we might be convicted of our sin, we still have the choice to either look to Jesus or look to our own self. All throughout the history of man, we have been trying to develop some method of our own to be religious enough to get to heaven. God gave the Law through Moses to the Israelites to prove to them no one can live up to the Law, they are going to need a Savior if they are going to get eternal life. No law, no rules, and regulations, no denominational doctrine is going to supply the needed source to eternal life. Only looking to Jesus and believing in him, that he is the Son of God, the Savior of the world, will we gain eternal life. Why we keep looking for some method or a form of works, is beyond our comprehension. Nothing we do will be good enough. No matter how much we flog our flesh, we will never be pure enough. It does not matter how many rules we attempt to follow, they are only rules, and they are not Jesus, who we need to look to and believe. That does not mean we should just go about sinning every which way we can. But the fact is we are going to continue to fall, to fail in being perfect, in committing some kind of sin every so often, like every day, for it would seem nearly impossible to live one day without making some mistake and falling from perfection. But that is not living in sin, it is living for Jesus and still being human. Nevertheless, the fact remains, Jesus is the only source of Eternal life and we simply have to look to Him and believe.

The Work

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

THE WORK

John 6:28-33

28 Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." 

30 So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" 32 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 

NIV

There is so much more in the conversation or exchange between Jesus and the crowd that had followed him across the Sea of Galilee to the other side that we have to take a little at a time. Jesus had just told them not to work for food that spoils but for food that endures to eternal life. So the next thing they would ask is what they must do in order to get this kind of food. “What must we do to do the works God requires” for that kind of food? Here is a great truth which might seem to evade so many. Jesus tells them the work of God is to believe in him. He says it a little differently, but that is what he is saying. Here is the one good work we can do, believe in Jesus. It seems we can get focused on doing a list a “Good Deeds”, but the fact is believing in Jesus, that he comes down from heaven, being sent by the Father to be the Savior of the  world is one work God requires for us to have eternal life. We know once we have done this work God requires, we get involved in a host of other “Good works” we think are also required of us. But it would seem those works would just be a natural result that pours out from us because of the love of Jesus that is within us which is prompted by the indwelling Spirit. But, it seems we have made them into a task which we need to be doing. Some have quoted that verse in the letter to the Ephesians as proving we have good works to do, or that we are required to do the works God prepared for us to do.

Eph 2:8-10

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

NIV

However, when we see these words in context, they say the same thing Jesus said. The work God prepared in advance to do, is to believe in the one he sent, Jesus. Being saved by faith, which is our “Good work”, having faith in Jesus. Yes, again we might well do some other very nice things, living a life attempting to look like Jesus. That might be harder then we think, for he is divine and lived a perfect life, which in our flesh, is not possible so that when we say we want to be like Jesus, we set ourselves up for failure. Stephen, on the other hand, was a man, just like us and we are told he was filled with the Spirit and wisdom and also filled with God’s grace and power. That is something we could do, that is someone we could be like. Having accepted Jesus, having believed, having done the work that God requires, that which he prepared in advance for us to do, we when are filled with his Spirit. Some would call this being baptized in the Spirit, such as on the Day of Pentecost. Being filled with the Spirit would simply cause us to be full of wisdom, the grace of God, which is this grace defined as the divine influence upon our heart and how that is reflected in our lives. And we would be filled with power. That is the life of a believer, one who has done the work God requires.

Food For Life

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

FOOD FOR LIFE

John 6:22-27

22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. 23 Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus. 25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?" 26 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval."

NIV

This is only the first part of the exchange between Jesus and the crowd that had just been fed, but it has enough in it for us to see the truth for our lives. The body of water called Tiberias is the Sea of Galilee and it is around the town of Capernaum where much happened. There must have been a lot of boats that showed up for five thousand men plus how every many women and children to get into and cross over to the other side in search of Jesus. However, the point is they were in search of Jesus. True, it might have been because he fed them a while ago and now they are were hungry again. Isn’t that a bit like it could be with us? We search for Jesus when we have a need, but if all is well and we are well fed we sort of give up on the search. We only search or pray earnestly when we have a need or when we pray we are always asking for something. Maybe we should just pray he will be glorified, praise him in prayer. But then Jesus said for us to ask the Father for anything in his name. Getting back to the narrative we see they were wondering when he got to the other side as they had only seen the one boat the disciples took and Jesus was not with them. How could he have gotten to the other side so quickly without a boat, it was a very long walk around the Sea. But Jesus speaks right to the core of the issue, just as he did with Nicodemus, who didn’t even ask him a question. He told them the reason they were searching for him was not because of the miracle he did in feeding them, but because they ate until they were full. It comes back to wanting our physical needs met. But Jesus speaks about spiritual matters, spiritual needs. Here is the concept of working for food that spoils comes to rest in the culture we live in today. The world around us is all about working for that which spoils. It is about storing up our grain, building bigger barns, so we can sit back, take life easy, and enjoy the fruit of our labor. But how many have we seen work all their lives, store up as much as they can, retire and die? Sure some get to spend it, but that is not the point. Jesus is making the point that working for those things of the world, material, and physical gains will spoil, they can be gone in a moment. We should be working for the things of God, searching for the bread of life. Now, it seems we might try to do both. We accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior and still work for the food that spoils. After all, we now have this eternal life, and so we can go after the temporal life stuff, have the best of both worlds, so to speak. Somehow that just does not sound like the right way to approach life. Jesus said that we cannot serve two masters, it is not a matter of “and”, it is a matter of, “either/or”. One or the other has to be our master. Does that mean we should not have anything, that we should be poor and homeless? No, Jesus will provide that which we need. He says we should not worry about what we will wear or what we will eat, God cares for us more than the lilies of the field.  Sure, we need to work for our income, to able to buy food, clothes and the things needed to live, but even our jobs, careers, positions should be seen as from the hand of God, rather then from the work of our hands, or our will. We should not be anxious about our life, worried about how we live, God will take care of us, he will make a way when there is no way. Our focus should always be about doing the work of God, which we are going to see exactly what that is in the rest of this narrative that follows. But for now, let us work for that which endures to eternal life.