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John 4:1-3 – Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples),he left Judea and departed again for Galilee.

In chapter one, we saw that the religious leaders (particularly the Pharisees) sent representatives to question John the Baptist about his religious activities.� We noted that the Pharisees were very zealous for the Jewish religious rites.� They would never allow any changes to Jewish worship except by authority of the Messiah or a prophet.�

After interviewing John the Baptist, they determined that he was not Elijah, a prophet or the Messiah.� Therefore, his ministry of baptism was unlawful.� I am sure they did everything in their power to stop him from baptizing, particularly after he confronted them about their own need for repentance (Matthew 3:1-12).�

In chapter three John testified that Jesus was the Messiah, and he encouraged all people (even his own disciples) to follow Jesus.  Soon, Jesus had even more followers than John.   This would have been a substantial number, because 'all Jerusalem, Judea and the region around the Jordan' turned out to hear John (Matthew 3:4-6).  Jesus taught them about the kingdom of heaven and his disciples baptized them in water. 

Can you imagine how irritated the Pharisees would be when they discovered the growing ministry of Jesus?  In their minds, Jesus would be the second unlawful teacher and baptizer in their midst.  Just as in the case of John the Baptist, his ministry drew their own followers away, diminishing their influence and authority among the Jews.

Don't forget that about this same time, Herod had John the Baptist arrested and put in prison (Matthew 4:12, Mark 1:14, Luke 4:14).  This would actually have increased the followers of Jesus even more, as those who formerly followed John now followed Christ.       

Worse yet (according to the religious leaders), many Jews believed this man Jesus was the Messiah.� But according to their way of thinking, Jesus couldn't possibly be the Messiah they were expecting.� Therefore, he was an enemy of Israel who was leading people away from their true teachers (themselves). There can be no doubt that the Pharisees would confront Jesus and seek to take his life in order to protect their own religious authority.

So, when it comes to the attention of Jesus that the Pharisees are aware of the extent of his ministry, he simply leaves Judea and heads for Galilee.  By doing so, he avoids a premature confrontation with them. 

This is one example of how Jesus was in control of his destiny on earth.  He was not going to allow himself to be imprisoned or hindered from spreading the gospel; he needed to be free to complete his mission.  At this point, no purpose would be served by provoking the Pharisees, so simply leaving/avoiding confrontation was the right thing to do.

Mary and Joseph followed the same strategy when Jesus was a baby (Matthew 2:13).� Jesus advises us to do the same, if we need to (Matthew 10:23).�

There is a difference of opinion among scholars about exactly how Jesus became aware of the knowledge of the Pharisees.  Some maintain that Holy Spirit revealed it to him.  Others believe that a person (possibly one of John's former disciples) found out and simply relayed the information to him. 

Either way, the point is that Jesus exercised wisdom in how he dealt with those opposed to the gospel message.  There were times for confrontation and times to simply withdraw.

John 4:4 – And he had to pass through Samaria.

What do you recall about Samaria?

Originally, Samaria was the name of a city in ancient Israel.  It was founded by the wicked king Omri around 925 BC.  Omri made it the capital city of Israel, and he built a temple of Baal there (I Kings 16). 

The city was not a particularly peaceful place.� It was besieged (several times), destroyed, rebuilt and even renamed.� It is important to note that by the time Samaria is mentioned in the New Testament, it no longer refers to a specific city, but to the region or district where the city had been located.

Who did the Samaritans descend from?�

Well, Samaria was originally part of the nation of Israel.  As we would expect, the people who lived there were Jews.  However, in 722 BC when the Assyrians conquered Israel, they really mixed things up.  They resettled the best of the Israelites in Assyria.  Only the poorest and least desirable people were left in Israel (including Samaria).  Then, to avoid the land becoming uninhabitable, the Assyrians brought in foreigners from other conquered lands and forced them to settle in Israel/Samaria.  Over the course of time, the Jews who were left intermarried with these foreigners.  The people born from the union of the Jews and these foreigners were called Samaritans.

What did the Samaritans believe?

During New Testament times, the Samaritans considered themselves believers in the God of Israel, however, their religion had become corrupted: 

The Samaritans only believed in the Pentateuch, rejecting the Psalms, the law and the prophets accepted by the Jews.  Also, their version of the Pentateuch was slightly different than the one used by the Jews. 

The Samaritans were looking for a 'Taheh' or 'restorer' who was more of a teacher than a Messiah.� The Jews, however, were expecting a deliverer/Messiah who was a warrior/king.�

The Samaritans believed that Abraham had offered Isaac as a sacrifice on Mount Gerizim.  But Genesis 22 says that event occurred on Mount Moriah which is in Jerusalem.

The Samaritans taught that Melchizedek appeared to Abraham on (you guessed it) Mount Gerizim and they also taught that that when the Jews came to the Promised Land, they were to set up an altar of worship at Gerizim.  This was false; the altar was to be set up on Mount Ebal (Deuteronomy 27:4-5).  As you may recall, mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal were the mountains of cursing and blessing as mentioned in Joshua 8:30-35. 

Basically, the Samaritans considered Mount Gerizim to be the most sacred place on earth.� However, the Jews considered Jerusalem to be the most sacred place on earth, because that was where the temple or dwelling place of God was located and it was the place where God had chosen to manifest his glory.�

In fact, when the Jews returned from Babylonian captivity and began to build the temple, the Samaritans asked to help.  The Jews refused, and the hatred between the two groups never ceased (Ezra 41-5, Nehemiah 4:1-3).  For example, the Samaritans ended up building a temple on Mount Gerizim, which the Jews destroyed in 130 BC.

The worst insult a Jew could give someone was to call them a Samaritan.� For their part, the Samaritans were just as hostile; even after seeing the power of Jesus they refused him entrance to their district once they found out he was bound for Jerusalem (Luke 9:35).

So we see that these two groups despised one another because each felt the other had polluted/corrupted the Jewish religion.� By the time Jesus walked the earth, tensions had existed between the two groups for hundreds of years.� (Kind of sheds a new light on the parable of the Good Samaritan, doesn't it?).

Their hatred of each other was so intense, that the Jewish leaders refused to even pass through the district of Samaria.  Consequently, a trip from Jerusalem to Judea (which took 3 days if you went through Samaria) would take these men 7 days, because they would skirt Samaria and travel through Peraea. 

Now� notice that this verse says Jesus HAD to pass through Samaria.  This cannot mean that there was no way around Samaria, because we already know there was – the route through Peraea. 

John is referring to something else here –The Father had work for Jesus to do in that region. �That is why Jesus had to pass through Samaria, and this is correct explanation of this verse.

Thus we find that the purposes of God over rule the wickedness of man.  The Pharisees had driven Jesus to Galilee with their malice, but God used that occasion to bring the first fruits of the Gentiles into the kingdom of heaven!

In the same way, you and I find ourselves in this world but not of it.  Some Christians go to great lengths to avoid rubbing shoulders with the world (much like the Pharisees).  But let me ask you this – if you never associate with the lost, how can you show them the love of Christ?  If you never go to a movie, or a concert, or pass out candy on Halloween, how do you expect to minister to the lost?  Let's be honest – they are not flocking to church to hear the message.

Jesus did not hesitate to interact with the women of Samaria.� He met her where she was.� He treated her with respect and had honest communication with her, yet at the same time he did not approve or condone her false religious beliefs.� He spoke the truth to her in love and won her into the kingdom.�

This is an excellent example to us.  We need to interact with the sinners around us, meeting them at their spiritual level.  We need to treat them with respect, but without approving their sin or their false religious beliefs.  We need to be with them, to reveal the truth of the gospel when the time is right.

Being clothed with the whole armor of God and being in close fellowship with Holy Spirit will allow us to successfully minister to the lost without falling into the same sins they are practicing.

John 4:5 – So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.

Passing into the district of Samaria, Jesus comes to the town of Sychar.  This town was formerly known as Sichem, or as you may recognize it, Shechem (Genesis 33:18, 12:6).  It is located approximately 40 miles north of Jerusalem.  It is mentioned several times in the Old Testament.

Shechem was located in the territory of Ephraim (Joshua 21:21).  This was the place where Joshua gathered all Israel together before his death, to renew the covenant with God (Joshua 24).  After the death of Gideon, Shechem became a seat of Baal worship (Judges 9:46).  It was eventually destroyed by Abimelech (Judges 9:45) and rebuilt becoming the residence of King Jeroboam (1 Kings 12:25).  It was eventually destroyed and rebuilt again, being named Neapolis or Nablous. 

But let's back up a bit, because we want to focus on the history of Shechem during the times of the patriarchs. 

Back in the day, Jacob purchased a parcel of land from Hamor, the father of Shechem.  It was the place where he erected his first altar to the Lord.  Eventually, Jacob gave this parcel of land and an adjoining tract (Genesis 48:22) to his son Joseph:

Genesis 33:18-20 - And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddanaram; and pitched his tent before the city.  And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for a hundred pieces of money.And he erected there an altar, and called it Elelohe-israel.

Interestingly, this was the place where the children of Israel buried Joseph's bones after they left Egypt (Joshua 24:32).� It was a very historical place for the Jews.� As you probably already surmised, it is very near to Mount Gerizim.

John 4:6 – Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well.  It was about the sixth hour.

There is no well in the Old Testament identified as Jacob's well.  The name probably came as a result of an oral tradition which stated that Jacob had dug it, or because it was near to the land which he gave to Joseph. 

As we have already discussed in earlier lessons, the Jews marked time beginning at 6 am.  This makes the 'sixth hour' noon, a very hot time of the day.  Jesus was probably thirsty, hungry and tired from his extensive walking.  He waited at the well as his disciples went into the town to buy some food.

John 4:7-8 – A woman from Samaria came to draw water.� Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink."� (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.)

Jesus was certainly in need of a drink of water after his exhausting travels.  Although the divinity of Jesus is a frequent point in John's writings, he also provides proof that Jesus was dwelling in a body of flesh, and was bound to its weaknesses; he exhibits hunger, thirst and tiredness.

"Give me a drink" is a perfectly normal request for a traveler to make to a native beside a well.  This type of request is practically never refused.  But in this case, because Jesus is a man and a Jew, while she is a woman/Samaritan, it is an unusual request.

However, it was not unusual to find women at wells.  As we learn from historical records and other portions of scripture, it was often the job of females to draw water for both their families and their flocks (Genesis 24:11, Exodus 2:16).

The Jews used to say that those who wished to find a wife should go to the wells where the young women were to be found in abundance.  I guess that could be considered an ancient version of a dating site!

John 4:9 – The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?"  (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)

How would the woman have known that Jesus was a Jew?� Although it might have been a particular mode of dress, the more likely reason is that Jesus spoke with a Galilean dialect; his speech identified him as Jewish.

This helps to explain the reply of the Samaritan woman.  Her response to Jesus is not so much a question as it is a reproach or a jeer, which had its source in the bitter enmity between Jews and Samaritans. 

The woman indicates that there were no 'dealings' between the two groups.  History indicates that the Jews had no qualms about buying and selling with the Samaritans, but the Sanhedrin forbid them from any familiarity or social interaction with them.  In other words, a Jew could not accept a gift from a Samaritan, or borrow anything from them, or marry them or even eat with them.

Thus the woman is surprised when Jesus asked her for a favor; any/every other Jewish man would have endured the worst type of hardship rather than be indebted to a Samaritan for help.  Their pride simply wouldn't allow it, even if it was only a drink of water.   Besides, a Jew wouldn't help a Samaritan, why should she show kindness to Jesus?

John 4:10 –Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water."

For his part, Jesus does not argue or debate with the woman, though he certainly could have.  Instead, he uses the situation at hand as a starting point to share the good news of the gospel. 

He builds up some anticipation in her mind by saying, 'If you knew'.  The implication, of course, is that there is something extremely important and valuable at hand, but she is ignorant of what it is. 

That extremely important and valuable thing is Jesus himself, the Messiah, the gift of God, the lamb who takes away the sins of the world!� She, a heathen sinner, has no idea that she is conversing with the God of the universe who is both willing and able to bestow a priceless blessing upon her – Holy Spirit!�

Holy Spirit is the agent of salvation in the lives of mankind.  He is often metaphorically referred to as water or living water.  Jesus himself refers to him as such later on in the gospel of John:

John 7:38-39 - He that believes on me [Jesus], as the scripture has said, out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.  (But this spoke he of the Spirit, whom they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Spirit was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

Our souls are like dry, barren fields that have no hope of producing life.� In fact, they are dead.� But when the gentle rain of Holy Spirit falls down upon us, we are revived and brought to life and fruitfulness.

At other times the scriptures speak of Holy Spirit as a cleansing water, which washes us from sin/spiritual defilement (Hebrews 10:22). 

Holy Spirit is living water because he comes from a living source – Father God (Revelation 22:1).

For her part, the woman views Jesus as a weary traveler, burning with exhaustion and thirsting for rest and refreshment.  But in reality, she is the one who is spiritually dry/exhausted and needs to be revived!

John 4:11 – The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep.  Where do you get that living water?"

This woman exhibits the same spiritual blindness we saw in Nicodemus in the last chapter.  It should look familiar to us, because ALL of us were spiritually blind at one time, before Holy Spirit quickened us.  The scripture tells us that the natural or earthly man (like the woman or Nicodemus) cannot perceive or understand spiritual things because they are spiritually blind/dead. 

1 Corinthians 2:14 -But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

To us, it seems obvious that Jesus uses earthly water as a starting point to teach this woman about spiritual things.� But to her, it was confusing.� In her earthly understanding, she cannot imagine how Jesus will give her living water since the well is very deep and he has no bucket to draw with.

But we will see that Jesus patiently works with her until her spiritual eyes/understanding are enlightened and she begins to understand that he is not speaking about earthly water from her ancestor's well. 

John 4:12 – "Are you greater than our father Jacob?  He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock."

Apparently, this woman thinks that Jesus has access to another physical well of 'living' or fresh spring water.� In her mind, Jesus is saying his water is far superior to hers.� At that point, she defends the well of Jacob claiming that Jacob, his family and his live stock all drank from this well; whatever Jesus has can't possibly be as good as this.� Clearly, her understanding is still in the natural realm.

John 4:13-14 – Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.  The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

But Jesus is about to change all that. 

He begins by explaining to her that Jacob's well could produce nothing more than ordinary water.  As good as it might be, it is no different than other water.  It will quench your thirst for a moment, but in a few hours your thirst will return.  You will soon have as much need and desire for water as you ever had.

Just as a drink of fresh cold water could satisfy her earthly desire (temporarily), so the gospel of Christ could satisfy all the deep spiritual longings of her heart by introducing her to the living water of Holy Spirit.  Holy Spirit, however, never provides temporary satisfaction.    

Because the Spirit of God indwells the heart of the believer, he has a constant unfailing spring of grace, mercy, peace, joy, love, etc available to him.� This fountain of grace wells up and overflows in the life of a believer at all times – in times of comfort or hardship, hunger or plenty, prosperity or adversity, life or even the valley of the shadow of death.� Outside circumstances have no effect upon the grace that supplies and sustains his soul in all situations.�

The end result of this grace is that it wells up into eternal life, which we will enjoy forever, in the presence of our Savior.  This is the unspeakably wonderful gift that Jesus wants to bestow not only on this woman, but on all mankind!         

Let me offer you some encouragement and some relief and strength:

The world can be a really ugly and repulsive place – just ask the Jews.  They felt that nothing could be worse than a Samaritan.  But Jesus wasn't afraid to interact with the Samaritan woman.  Unless he stopped where she was and interacted with her, he could never have given her eternal life.    

You and I should definitely have Christian friends, who can support us in a time of need, advise us, sharpen us and journey with us through this life. 

But we also need to have friends and associates that are sinners.  If you know nothing of the struggles of the world, how can you relate to them?  If you never associate with the unsaved or unchurched, how do you expect to win them to Christ?  

I encourage you to take a look at your relationships.  Make sure some of them are with unbelievers.  As we will see in our next post, it is not our job to condone their sin, but it is our job to explain the truth to them in love.   

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John 3:22 – After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing.

Jesus had gone to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover.  It was during this period that he had the night time meeting with Nicodemus.  Once that was done, Jesus must have sensed that he had accomplished all that was needed in Jerusalem at that time; Holy Spirit was calling him to the more rural areas surrounding the capital.

Although John does not provide all of the details, we can assume that Jesus continued to teach/preach the gospel at various places in the countryside.  His ministry had begun and would continue to grow and increase until his crucifixion.  Also, later in this chapter John tells us that large numbers of people were being influenced by him and his message (verse 26).

Baptism was also occurring at this time.  In this particular verse the wording suggests that Jesus was actually baptizing people, but later on John makes it clear that Jesus preached the word and sanctioned baptism, but the actual physical work of baptizing was done by the disciples (John 4:2).

John 3:23-24 – John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized (for John had not yet been put in prison).

We can't help but notice that John the Baptist did not retire from ministry.  He could have convinced himself that once the Messiah was actively ministering, he was free to close up shop, move to a sunny climate and live out his days on the beach. But he didn't.  God had called him to be the forerunner and he was going to continue in that role until his dying day.  This is consistent with what we find in scripture:

Romans 11:29 – For the gifts and calling of God are unchangeable.

In other words, when God calls you to do something (like baptize) or he gives you a gift (like evangelism, or encouragement), it is a lifetime calling.� Like John the Baptist, you will have that gift until your dying day.� And like John, you need to continue working with that calling as long as you can.

This does not mean that you can't retire and move to Phoenix.  But if you do, look for opportunities there to continue using your gift/calling. 

Let me tell you a story about a former pastor of mine.  God called him into ministry during WWII.  He was faithful to answer the call, and he served as a pastor for over 40 years.  Eventually, he stepped down from the pulpit.  He and his wife ended up in a local nursing home.  I visited them there occasionally, and I can tell you, it wasn't their favorite place! 

But they continued to share the gospel with people they came into contact with.  One night an employee of the home woke him up requesting his help.  She said there was a resident in another wing of the facility who was dying.  He was utterly terrified, and the staff couldn't do anything to calm him.  She asked this minister if he would get in his wheelchair and come to talk to the man.

The retired pastor led the man to Christ that night, just before he died.  And within a week, he himself was called home to heaven.  

This illustrates the point I am trying to make – your ministry/gift/calling is an integral part of who you are.� It doesn't leave you, no matter how old you get, or where you move to.� So plan to stay active in ministry as long as you can (just like this pastor or John the Baptist)! ���

Another thing we notice about John is that he didn't change his ministry to mimic someone else (Jesus).  He did not become jealous when another ministry grew larger than his own.  He steadfastly and humbly continued to do what God had called him to do. 

It is important for each one of us to do the same.  We need to be confident in what Holy Spirit has called us to do, even if others with the same gift have larger ministries.  If Holy Spirit speaks to you about making changes in your ministry, that's fine.  But don't change what you are doing for the sole purpose of having more followers.   

If we are consistently doing what Holy Spirit has instructed us to do, we know we will one day hear Jesus say to us, 'Well done good and faithful servant'!  

John 3:25 – Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification.

A religious dispute – imagine that [picture eye rolling and sarcasm here]! 

Religious disputes have existed since Cain and Abel.  Throughout history, countless lives have been lost or ruined in the name of religious disputes.  These differences have resulted in wars, destruction, divisions and deep seated hatred.  Now remind me again – who loves death and destruction?  Whose goal is to steal, kill and destroy? 

That's right – Satan.  And he is still at work today, often pitting one Christian denomination against another in an effort to divide the family of God.

How can we stop him?  One way is to agree on the basics and let the rest go.  If we can agree that Jesus died and rose again and that faith in his blood is the only thing that redeems us from sin, we should be able to respect and love each other.  We may pray in different ways, or baptize in different ways, or have different opinions on communion, but we can't let that divide us.  We need to unite together against the sin and evil that are taking over our nation.  

Did you notice that the exact dispute between the Baptist's disciples and the Jews is not given in the scripture?  Why is that?  I think there are two reasons. 

First, because it serves as a general warning to us that we should avoid petty differences that divide us.� Second, because the cause of the dispute was not John's focus.� His focus was the speech that John the Baptist is about to give.� That is the place we need to focus our attention.� �

John 3:26 – And they came to John and said to him "Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness – look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him."

The Baptist's disciples now come to him with their chief complaint: Jesus now has more followers than their master does.  His popularity is waxing/increasing, while John's is waning.  The disciples of John are envious and jealous at the success of Jesus.  They are concerned that the influence John had over the Jewish population is coming to an end, now that Jesus is on the scene.    

They are so highly offended because in their mind, Jesus was inferior to John.  In their mind, Jesus was the one who sought out John, not the other way around.  Jesus was the one who was baptized by John, not the other way around.  Jesus was the one who was in need of a public testimony – not John.  They were shocked and angry that the ministry of Jesus was eclipsing that of their beloved master.

John 3:27 – John answered, "A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven."

The minute his disciples came to him with this complaint, John the Baptist had a choice to make.  He could have joined in the griping session with his followers.  He could have focused on all the work he had done and all the sacrifices he had made.  He could have fought to keep his 'organization' in the limelight of the day.

But he doesn't.  He does not agree with his followers, or entertain any of their envious thoughts.  John's goal is to honor and serve Christ, not build up a sect or organization. John rejoiced at the success of Jesus and (as we will see in the rest of this chapter), he teaches his disciples to do the same.

The first point John makes to his followers is that a person (himself specifically, but all of us generally), cannot rise to a station greater than the one God intended for us to have.

In other words, John was acknowledging that God had created him in a specific way for a specific purpose.  He was to be the forerunner of Christ.  God never intended him to rise above the Messiah.  Despite the grand ideas his followers had, God never intended him to be the head of a nation-wide ministry that would last for a hundred years.  John understood this; he was teaching his followers to be confident and satisfied with the role that God had designed for them.

Now let's consider how this applies to us.� The prophets are saying that God is moving in America.� He is planning to root evil out of our nation and to begin the greatest worldwide harvest of souls that has ever been seen.� God is not going to simply wave his hand and make this happen.� He is partnering with his followers to bring about these changes.

Remember, God's original plan for man was to rule over the earth:

Genesis 1:28 - And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. ��� �

God is now calling the believers of this generation back to that mandate.� He is calling some believers to be active in their local school board.� He is calling some to run for mayor, some for congress and some for other government offices.� He is calling some to be judges and some to be business leaders.� He is calling some of you to exhibit radical leadership in the sports, music or entertainment industry.�

Some of these callings will influence tens of thousands of people, while others will influence only a few.  The number doesn't matter.  What matters is that you complete the race that God has set before YOU. 

God is calling each one of us to fulfill the specific role he prepared for us before we were born.

What is your role?  If you aren't sure, you need to be on your face before God seeking the guidance of Holy Spirit.  He is the one who can reveal your calling to you.  He is the one who can lead you into the position where you can steward/influence part of this nation for His kingdom.  If you follow Holy Spirit's leading, you will receive what heaven has set aside for you! 

John 3:28 – "You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him'".

John has never been deceitful with his disciples.  He plainly told them from the beginning that he was not the Messiah, but that he came to prepare the hearts of people to receive what God had for them. 

You can't help but wonder how they missed this important fact.� Perhaps they were hearing what they wanted to hear, not necessarily what their teacher was saying to them.

John 3:29 – "The one who has the bride is the bridegroom.  The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice.  Therefore this joy of mine is now complete."

The illustration of marriage is one frequently used in scripture to describe the relationship between Jesus and his church (Isaiah 62:5, Revelation 21:2, 22:17, II Corinthians 11:2, Ephesians 5, Matthew 22).

Ephesians 5:23 - For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body.

The bride belongs to her husband.� In the same way, the church belongs to the Messiah.� We would naturally expect the Jews of that day to seek/flock to the man they believed to be the Messiah.� Therefore it was foolish and ridiculous for John's followers to think that John would have more disciples than Jesus. ��

Using the same illustration, John acknowledges that he is the friend of the bridegroom, or what we would call the best man.  It is his job to celebrate with the groom and do whatever he can to make things go smoothly until the wedding is over.  

John has fulfilled that role by paving the way for Jesus to rise to prominence through his preaching and baptism ministry.  John rejoices at the success of Jesus because he greatly desires people to find the Messiah and because it means he was successful in his role as well.  When people turned to Jesus it fulfilled John's joy; it did not take away from it.

You and I have a different role than John did – we are privileged to be a part of the bride of Christ.  Our position is to be faithful to the Lord (our husband), to keep his commands, to rule with him under his direction and to bring others into the family of God. 

John 3:30 – "He must increase, but I must decrease."

Not only is Jesus gaining more disciples than John, but this is just the beginning.  Jesus will eventually be known throughout the world.  His gospel message will be preached to the ends of the earth.  His glory will one day cover the earth.

Habakkuk 2:14 - For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

It only makes sense that once Christ has come, there is no more need for a herald to proclaim his coming.  John understands this.  

He is satisfied that he has run the race set before him, and he has done it well.  He is ready to finish the course and enter into the reward prepared for him in eternity.  What more can you ask to have in this life?

John 3:31 – "He who comes from above is above all.  He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way.  He who comes from heaven is above all."

John now explains to his followers that instead of trying to defend his honor, they themselves should turn to Christ, as others were doing.  The reason they should do this is because Jesus is superior to John in every way.

Although John was the greatest prophet to ever live (Luke 7:28), he was still a mortal man.� He had the same fallen nature that all men possess.� His body was formed from the dust of the earth and it returned to dust after his death.� He was familiar with earthly things and his understanding of the spiritual realm was limited.�

By contrast, Jesus was descended from heaven; he had a divine nature.  Because he was divine, he had sovereign authority over (he is above) all things.  Because he is from heaven, he knows and understands spiritual principles and truths.  He alone is qualified to reveal the will of God and show us the way into the kingdom of heaven.

John 3:32 – "He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony."

John now shows his disciples another good reason why they should follow Christ and not be jealous for his ministry.  His own testimony and knowledge of heavenly things was by revelation only.  It was the same partial understanding that all prophets have; he could only reveal the small portions of truth that God had given him. 

By contrast, the teaching of Christ was rooted in first hand divine knowledge.� He revealed (testified or gave witness as one would do in a court of law) what he had seen and heard in heaven.� He discussed truths and doctrines that he thoroughly and completely understood.� The things he revealed about the invisible world were things he had actually seen.� When Jesus reveals the mind and will of God, these are revelations he received from speaking directly with God; they were not like partial revelations spoken by the prophets. �

Truly, John did preach a message of repentance.  But he did not understand the full complexities involved.  He did not understand the staggering debt of sin that clings to every man.  He did not fully grasp what it would take to remove that sin from us.  John did not see that the redemption Jesus was bringing was for Gentiles as well as Jews.  He did not have clear knowledge of spiritual regeneration by Holy Spirit.  So while he had a limited revelation from God about repentance, Jesus had full knowledge and understanding of the entire plan of salvation.  His followers should therefore turn to Jesus the Son of God, who has all revelation and truth from God.

The phrase 'no one receives his testimony' seems to be spoken by the Baptist in direct opposition to the claims of his followers that 'all' people were now following Christ. 

John no doubt wished this statement to be true, but recognized it was not so.  Many (most?) of the Jews of that day would reject the doctrines of Christ, just as many today refuse to acknowledge Christ as savior.

John 3:33 – "Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true."

In this verse, the meaning of the word 'seal' is key to our understanding of the verse.  In this case, to seal means to confirm, to ratify; that which authenticates, that which assures truth.

We have probably all seen sealed documents in the movies or read about them in books.  A small bit of melted wax was affixed to the flap of an envelope, then a ring or other instrument was pushed into the wax creating an impression unique to an individual.  Since seals were one-of-a-kind, there was no doubt about the authenticity of the document.  

A sealed document was a historical way of showing the authority, source and importance of information.  If a document was sealed by you, you were affirming the truth and authenticity of the contents/information contained in that paper.  

Essentially John is saying that a person who believes in the testimony of Jesus, places a seal upon their lives which affirms/authenticates that God is true: 

• They are bearing witness that God is true/faithful to all the promises he spoke concerning the Messiah.�

• They are bearing witness that God was true/faithful to all the promises spoken to the Jews about being his chosen people.�

• They are bearing witness that God is also true/faithful to all the promises made to us that have not yet been fulfilled.�

• When we believe in Jesus as Messiah, we affirm/testify that we place our eternal souls into his hands, confident that he will do has he has promised.�

To be sure, God is true whether we accept (seal) or reject (refuse to seal) the testimony and work of Jesus in our lives.  But we save ourselves, bear witness to others and honor God with our faith in him.  

John 3:34-35 – "For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.� The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand."

John reveals to his followers yet another significant difference between himself and Christ.� Jesus has Holy Spirit without measure or limit.� He possesses and operates in the fullness of ALL spiritual gifts.� He is infinitely greater than every teacher, prophet, priest or divine messenger that has ever appeared.� In fact, God has put all things into his hands.� In other words, Jesus has been entrusted with all things necessary to our salvation and he is head over the church.

Ephesians 1:22-23 - And [God] has put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that fills all in all.    

This is the opposite of ordinary men.  Paul tells us that each ordinary man/woman is given a measure of grace (Ephesians 4:7).  This is demonstrated multiple places in scripture.  Remember Elijah and Elisha?  When Elijah was taken up into heaven, what request did Elisha make? 

2 Kings 2:9 - And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for you, before I be taken away from you. And Elisha said, I pray you, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.

Elisha asked to have a double portion or twice as much of the Spirit that Elijah had.  Since this is the case, Elijah obviously had only a measure of the Spirit; he did not have the Spirit without limit. 

No New Testament saint has the Spirit without limit either.  Paul declares that Holy Spirit divides his gifts among various members of the body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:11 - But in all these works that one and same Spirit, dividing to every man individually as he will. �

By doing so, Holy Spirit makes each one of us dependent upon the others, just like individuals members of a body (the eye, the hand, the knee, the ear, the foot, etc) need each other in order to function as a complete unit (I Corinthians 12:4-12, Ephesians 4:1-16).

This concept is more important today than ever before.  When COVID hit, and the country was shut down for a while, many if not most churches began to use social media to share their services.  This was a good and proper thing to do and many people have benefited by it.  It continues to be a good option for shut-ins, those with serious health issues, and those who want to hear additional teaching. 

But there is a downside as well.  There are people who could and should be present in the house of God, but they are choosing to remain at home, separated from the body.  By doing so, they are depriving the body of their gifts.  Are you one of these Christians?

Have you stopped to consider that on any given Sunday morning, there will be people in your congregation that need YOU to be present in order to share the specific gifts that Holy Spirit has given you?  They may be in need of your specific prayers, your words of wisdom/knowledge, your encouragement or your discernment for their situation.

Maybe there is a suffering saint in that service that needs a financial gift and God is calling upon YOU to meet that need.� What if you aren't there?� Rest assured, God will still meet the needs of his people, but you will miss out on one of the good works God has called you to do; you have missed a reward that could have been yours in heaven. ���

Have you stopped to consider that you are missing out on corporate worship and any move of the Spirit which falls upon those who are attending?  By separating yourself from the rest of the body, you hurt not only yourself, but the corporate body of Christ.  Why are you doing that?  Unless you have a true reason to remain apart from the body, you need to get back in church immediately!    

John 3:36 – "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him."

There is no way to enter the kingdom of God but through Christ Jesus (Acts 4:12).� Thus, whoever believes in him, does not come into condemnation; his sins forgiven and he has passed from death to life (John 5:24).

However, for those who reject Christ, their sin stays with them, and the wrath of God remains on them, resulting in eternal death.   

Let me offer you some encouragement:

When God gives you a gift or a calling, he never takes it back (Romans 11:29).  It is yours for your lifetime, to use (or neglect) as you will.  I encourage you to never stop practicing your gifts!  As you transition into different seasons of life, find new ways to continue to use and expand your gifts.  The body of Christ needs you!   

Let me offer you some relief:

In today's post we saw John the Baptist acknowledge that God had created him in a specific way, for a specific purpose.  In his case, he was to be the forerunner of Christ.

Likewise, God has a specific purpose for your life and ministry.� So give yourself a break - stop comparing yourself to others!� You don't need to worry about being like 'everyone else'.� You need to focus on doing what God called you to do, whether you are ministering to one person or to thousands!

Let me offer you some strength:

In John chapter 3, we find a dispute between the followers of the Baptist and a Jewish person(s).  We noted that there have been religious arguments and disputes since the beginning of time.

But as a mature Christian, we have an opportunity to overlook petty differences between believers.  Other people in your community may pray differently, or have different views on communion, but if they trust/believe in Jesus as their savior, then they are a part of the family of God, just like you are.  Sure, it will take some strength and patience to pursue unity, but there are plenty of benefits for the kingdom of heaven, if we are willing to do so!  

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John 3:13 – "No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man."

Jesus is continuing his late-night conversation with Nicodemus. He has just chided Nicodemus for his lack of understanding regarding spiritual things.  Jesus asks Nicodemus a rhetorical question – if he cannot understand spiritual matters that parallel things in the earthly realm (like birth), how can he understand deeper spiritual things, which have no basis on this planet?

Jesus goes on to declare that no man has ascended into heaven, except the one who has descended.  What is he saying here?

Think of it this way:� Here in Northern Ohio, the Ford motor company has an assembly plant.� I know where the plant is located, and I can see the vehicles it produces.� But I have never personally been inside the factory.�

I have absolutely no knowledge or understanding of the policies/procedures of the plant.  I couldn't even begin to guess how the assembly line is set up, stocked, or run.

Only the people in charge of the plant know how many units are being produced, what color they will be painted and where they will be shipped.  Only those running the facility understand how many workers are needed in each area/position. 

In essence, only those who have been in the plant and have first-hand knowledge of its inner workings can tell you how it functions.  Since I have never been there, I am not qualified to talk about how it works.

In the same way, Jesus is telling Nicodemus that no person on this earth is qualified to speak of heavenly/spiritual things, because they have never traveled to heaven and discovered the mysteries of God's kingdom. �This concept is well supported in the scriptures:� Deuteronomy 30:11-13, Psalms 73:17, Proverbs 30:4, Romans 11:34.

Jesus goes on to say that there is ONE individual who IS qualified to talk about these things – the person who is in heaven and yet has descended to earth – Himself!  

If we examine this verse in the King James Version, we find a somewhat odd wording:

John 3:12 (King James Version): And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

This version indicates that Jesus is still in heaven, even though he was also on earth in a physical body at the time he was speaking to Nicodemus.  Why would Jesus phrase it that way?  It doesn't seem to make any sense� or does it?

Scholars use this text to show that Jesus had two distinct natures.  Because he is God, he has a divine nature and because he is human, he has a human nature.  Thus, he can still be present in heaven, even though he is indwelling a physical body on earth.  Once again, we see John emphasizing/providing evidence of the divinity of Jesus.

And if Jesus is divine, Nicodemus needs to change the way he thinks about spiritual things.� His understanding and interpretation of the law must come into alignment with Jesus and his revelations about God's kingdom (the gospel).� Nicodemus must embrace Jesus as the Messiah.

John 3:14 – "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up�"

In the beginning of their conversation, Jesus instructed Nicodemus regarding spiritual birth into the kingdom of heaven by Holy Spirit (salvation).  He now goes on to explain how this will be accomplished – through his death and resurrection and our faith in his atoning work on the cross. 

As a parallel, Jesus uses the example of the bronze serpent.  Let us refresh our memories about this Old Testament narrative.  You can read the account yourself in Numbers 21:4-9.    

Basically, the children of Israel had rebelled against God and they were serving their 40 year sentence of desert wandering.  During this time, they continuously griped and complained about everything!  They were very ungrateful for all that God had provided for them.  They continuously accused God of bringing them out of Egypt just to kill them in the wilderness.  Despite the amazing miracles they witnessed in Egypt, they refused to believe that God was going to keep his word and take them to the Promised Land.  As a result, God sent snakes among the people.  Many people were bitten and unfortunately for them, there was no cure.  Death was guaranteed.

Of course they eventually repented.  At that point, God had Moses fashion a bronze serpent and put it on a pole.  Moses then stuck this unusual pole in the ground, so that the snake was high up in the sky.  Anyone who was bitten by a poisonous snake could look at the pole and be healed from the poison.  Life was guaranteed. 

Jesus uses this Old Testament event to illustrate his atoning work on the cross, so that Nicodemus can understand it.� Here are the main points Jesus is showing him:

• There was no cure for the poison of the snake.� The one and only way to be healed and live was by looking at the bronze serpent on the pole.� Likewise, there is no cure for the poison of sin; it is 100% deadly to our soul.� The only way it can be removed and we can be made spiritually alive is by looking to the cross (having faith in the shed blood of Christ).�

• The serpent was lifted up in the sight of all the people.� In other words, it was publicly displayed high up in the air, where everyone could see it.� When Jesus hung on the cross, he too was lifted up/publicly displayed in the sight of all the people.� [The Son of Man must be lifted up.]

• The bronze serpent itself was not magical, nor did it possess any power.� When people looked at the bronze serpent, they were actually demonstrating faith in the promise of the Lord that all who looked upon it would be healed.� As a result of their faith in God's promise, they were saved from physical death.� When people look to the cross, they are showing faith in the blood of Christ and the promise of redemption.� As a result of that faith, they are saved from spiritual death; they pass from death to life.� [That whoever believes in him may have eternal life.]� Having said that, I need to clarify one point – while the bronze serpent had no power in itself, the blood of Jesus certainly does! �(We don't want to carry the analogy of the serpent and the cross too far.)

• People could be bitten by the snakes multiple times, but the cure was always the same – obedience to God's command.� We are bitten by sin over and over, but the cure is always the same – faith in the shed blood of Christ our redeemer.

So we can conclude that Jesus shows Nicodemus why he came from heaven – to reveal the gospel message and so that he might be crucified for the salvation of men.  All those who believe and look to him will be saved.  External rituals or a Jewish heritage will not get them into heaven!  In addition, Jesus shows him that the Messiah will suffer and die; he will not be the conquering hero they have come to expect (at least not at that time).

Nevertheless, the example of the bronze serpent was a parallel that helped Nicodemus understand some of God's future plans regarding the Messiah.

I imagine that at the end of this meeting, Nicodemus' head was ready to explode!

Let's pause here because I have a trivia question for you�. What eventually happened to the bronze serpent?  Who was King of Judah when it happened?  You can find the answer at the end of today's post!

John 3:15 – "�that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."

The first issue of note here is the word 'whoever'.  This was a serious blow to the thinking of Nicodemus.  In his mind, only God's chosen people (Jews) would ever be eligible for eternal life.  The salvation of the heathen (Gentiles) wasn't even on his spiritual radar, even though it is taught extensively in the Old Testament scriptures.

The second issue of note is the phrase 'believes in him' or we might say 'has faith in him'.  Nicodemus has already said he believes in Jesus as a teacher sent from God.  He might also have believed that Jesus was a good man or even a prophet.  But those beliefs will not save him.  The scripture says that even the demons believe in God and tremble (James 2:19), but they are certainly not partakers of salvation. 

�Nicodemus must believe/trust/have faith in Jesus as his savior.� He must repent of sin, change his ways and become obedient to Christ.� He must allow Holy Spirit to first make him a new creature and then sanctify him; he must put off his old corrupt way of life and put on the new man, who is righteous and holy.�

Ephesians 4:22-24 -  That you put off concerning the former way of life the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that you put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Jesus has made it very clear to Nicodemus that no amount of obedience to the works of the law can bring eternal life and salvation to the soul.  It can only come through faith in Jesus Christ the Redeemer.

John 3:16 – "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

This may be the most well-known verse in all of scripture.  It is the first verse that many Christians memorized as children, yet is still speaks volumes to the most aged among us.  The longer we live on earth, the more we come to appreciate how exquisite and incredible the love of God is!

The true meaning and implications of this verse are so astonishing and so precious, I believe they can best be understood through meditation, rather than study.  So I am not going to offer any commentary on this verse. 

Instead, my hope is that you will spend some time considering the indescribable love of God which he has manifested towards YOU.� Carefully consider your unworthiness and compare it to an eternity of joy and goodness prepared for you by the Father and made available through the greatest sacrifice known to man.�

John 3:17 – "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him."

During the time of Christ, the Jews considered 'the world' to refer exclusively to the Gentiles and Gentile nations.  They firmly believed that 'the world' would be destroyed in the days of the Messiah. 

But Jesus contradicts their understanding of the scriptures.  All men – Jew and Gentile alike - have sinned and come short of the glory of God and are in desperate need of a savior/Messiah.  And God has graciously and loving sent that Messiah into the world for the express purpose of providing salvation for all of mankind; all who choose to believe may obtain salvation by him. 

John 3:18 – "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God."

Jesus himself assures us that those who believe/trust in Him as Savior are no longer under a sentence of condemnation.  They have been forgiven.  This applies to every person who has acknowledged the debt of sin which they owe, and has confessed and repented of that sin believing that the shed blood of Christ cleanses them.  

It is important to understand that being righteous before God is the present state of every Christian.  We don't have to wait until eternity to be forgiven.  We walk in forgiveness right now. 

Satan does not want you to understand this.  He wants to keep reminding you of your past sins and failures. By doing so, he hopes to trap you in a state of inaction where you do not feel worthy to participate in kingdom business such as spreading the gospel, starting a ministry, being active in the church, ruling with Christ or enjoying your earthly life. 

Don't let this happen to you!  If Satan tries to fill your mind with your past sins, you need to fight back by quoting scriptures which declare that you are a new creature in Christ right now; old things have already passed away (II Corinthians 5:17).  You have already been moved from a state of death into a state of life (John 5:24).  Your sin has already been cast as far from you as the east is from the west (Psalms 10:12).  Christ has already given you abundant life – so walk in it! 

If he can get you to believe that you are not worthy to participate in the kingdom, he can keep you from the true destiny that God has designed for your life.� He can prevent you from reigning on this earth with Christ.� He can steal your peace and replace it with worry and fear.� He can thus rob you of the abundant life that Jesus has promised every one of his children.

Search the scriptures and find those passages that strengthen your shield of faith and those which can be used as a weapon against the enemy of your soul.  Walk in the confidence of your salvation and become an active member of the family of God.

Likewise, those who reject the gospel message are already condemned.  Their sin clings to them like a shroud; they live their earthly lives under a sure and certain sentence of death.

So let me ask you this question – In light of the absolute, unconditional forgiveness which God has bestowed upon us through the cross, do we have the right to harbor unforgiveness towards anyone else?�

The answer is 'no'.  Scripture says that we must forgive others, as Christ has forgiven us (Matthew 18:23-35, Matthew 6:14-15, Mark 11:25-26, Luke 6:37).

Granted, forgiveness is not always easy for us.  At times it seems downright impossible.  But nothing is impossible with God.  This may be an area where you need to seek Holy Spirit guidance in order walk in obedience.  If you are willing, he will lead you into forgiveness and heal your past scars.  

John 3:19 – And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil."

'Judgment' refers to the cause of condemnation or the reason men will face eternal death.� What is the cause?� It is not because they were born with a corrupt nature (we all were).� It is not because they spent years living in sin (we all did).� It is not because they lack a full or complete understanding of God (we all do).� The sole reason they are condemned is because they refuse to receive the salvation which God provided for them.

'Light' has a double meaning in this verse.� It refers to the person of Jesus Christ the Messiah (John 1:4, Isaiah 60:1, Isaiah 9:2, etc) as well as the doctrine he revealed.� Through his teaching and example, he has enlightened the hearts and minds of men with a saving knowledge of the truth.�

The truth of the gospel has been preserved in the Bible for each new generation.  Holy Spirit continues to work through both the written and spoken word to shine the light of the gospel message all over the world. 

But there are still people who choose darkness over the light.� 'Darkness' refers to sin, ignorance, superstition or anything else that is opposed to the truth/light of the gospel.

There are people who love sin, darkness and death more than the light of Christ.  Because of their love for sin, they willingly reject the mercy of God.  As a result of this choice, they will experience divine justice – they will be convicted, condemned and punished.  In short, they are choosing death over life.  

John 3:20 – "For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed."

Criminals often work under the cover of night.  They fear the light, because it would expose their evil deeds.  So it is with the wicked man.  He hates the gospel because it shines a bright light into the deepest recesses of his heart and reveals his sinful ways.  It condemns his conduct, exposes his sin and troubles his conscience.    

Truly, that is the very purpose of the gospel – to convict us of sin, so that we seek a remedy for it.  Holy Spirit conviction leads to repentance which results in eternal life.

By avoiding the gospel, and clinging to wickedness, the sinful person avoids the conviction that leads to salvation.  But he cannot avoid God.  The sin which he seeks to conceal will be revealed during his judgment, and he will pay the price for it.     

John 3:21 – "But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God."

On the other hand, righteous men and women welcome an examination of their hearts, minds and deeds by the light of the gospel.  Unlike those who practice wickedness, they have nothing to hide.    

Psalm 26:2 - Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my heart and my mind.

The good deeds of the righteous are a result of their relationship with God.  They listen to the promptings of Holy Spirit and minister his love to a lost and dying world.  In so doing, they demonstrate the light of the gospel to those who still need it (Matthew 5:16).  They also lay up for themselves treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-20).   

Now, this ends the meeting between Nicodemus and Jesus (or at least this is all that John recorded for us).� It was a full and weighty discourse of the gospel message.� It illustrated the need for repentance by each individual person; each one must believe in the Messiah and be regenerated by the Spirit in order to enter the kingdom of God.

Trivia Answer:  The bronze snake was kept by the Israelites as a testimony of God's power.  Unfortunately, the Israelites eventually began to worship it as an idol, so King Hezekiah destroyed it (II Kings 18:1-4).

Let me offer you some encouragement and some relief:

God loves you when you do well and he loves you when you stumble.  He loves you when you make the right decision and when you make the wrong one.  He loves you when you succeed and when you fail.  In short, his love for you is not dependent upon your performance.  He loves you because you are his!

God's love for you is so vast and so deep, you will never fully discover its limits.  It was that love which motivated God to sacrifice Jesus for our atonement.  What an astonishing love!        

Let me offer you some strength:

In this post, Jesus talked about wicked men who hate and avoid the light because it exposes their evil deeds.  While that really doesn't apply to Christians, we must admit that all of us have areas of our hearts and lives that we withhold from the light.  We have certain sins that we cherish and we want to hold on to. 

It takes a lot of strength and courage to admit this, and even more to deal with it.� Can we determine to be sensitive to Holy Spirit when he brings these things to our attention?� Can we resolve to surrender these areas to him?

Purging these sins from our lives helps to make us into vessels of honor, fit for greater works in God's kingdom (II Timothy 2:19-21). �

�

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John 3:1 – Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 

We actually find quite a bit of information in this short verse. 

Nicodemus is described as a Pharisee.  That means he has dedicated his life to studying, understanding and teaching others about the law.  He was a very well educated man.  He obviously took religion very seriously and he had a high degree of confidence in his spiritual life.

Nicodemus is also described as a ruler of the Jews.� This probably means he was a member of the Sanhedrin, the ruling body of the Jews and he may have been the ruler of a synagogue.� He definitely commanded a lot of authority.� He was a highly respected member of his community.� He was wealthy.� He no doubt lived in Jerusalem, the headquarters of the Sanhedrin.�

Apart from this chapter in John, Nicodemus is mentioned twice more in scripture.� In the first instance, he is defending Jesus against the unjust suspicions of his fellow Pharisees (John 7:50).� In the second, we find him assisting Joseph of Arimathea in the embalming of Jesus' body (John 19:39).�

These actions indicate a belief in Jesus as the Messiah.  This is a good place to note that Jesus called ALL men to salvation; the educated and the uneducated, the rich and the poor, etc.  Nicodemus is an example of a wise/noble/rich man of that day who believed in Christ (1 Corinthians 1:26). 

John 3:2 – This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him."

For a moment, put yourself in the shoes of Nicodemus.  You have devoted your entire life to the study of the law/religion.  You think you understand everything there is to know about the coming Messiah, and you truly desire to see him appear.

At some point, you become aware of Jesus from Nazareth. He is proclaiming a new teaching about the kingdom of heaven.  There are whispers that he may be the Messiah, and there is indisputable evidence of the miraculous. 

But on the other hand, Jesus isn't what you expected in a Messiah.�

• He is not from a wealthy, respected family.� In fact, his mother's reputation is questionable at best.�
• He is accepted and even welcomed by the common uneducated people and crazy radicals like the Baptist.� But your colleagues, the religious leaders of the day, are rejecting him.�
• He isn't showing any signs of raising an army to fight against Rome.� So far, his only rebellion has been to disrupt commerce in the temple during Passover.�
• You are expecting a Messiah who will usher in a new golden age for Israel, but this man is focused on an unseen heavenly kingdom.

Naturally, you are experiencing a lot of doubt and indecision regarding this Jesus of Nazareth.  You would probably like to just dismiss him outright as many of your fellow Pharisees have done, but there is a problem� deep down in the bottom of your soul you feel something.  You feel a conviction.  Something about this man and his message resonates with your spirit.  Because of that, you are compelled to examine him and his message more closely.  You prefer a one-on-one meeting with this guy, so you can have your questions answered privately.

Now if you really were Nicodemus, how would you make that happen?

Trying to get him alone during the day is going to be a problem:�

• He is constantly surrounded by followers, and besides, you really don't want your colleagues to see you with him.� That could lead to all sorts of problems you don't want at this point!�
• He isn't scheduling office appointments.�
• There doesn't seem to be a way to manufacture a 'chance' meeting out on the street.�
• The cover of darkness may be the best way to accomplish your goal.

Although we don't know exactly how Nicodemus arranged that meeting with Jesus, we know he did.  And it was life changing for him.

Nicodemus begins his meeting with Jesus by addressing him with a title of honor (Rabbi) and acknowledging his divine miracles. 

Interestingly, he uses the phrase 'we' know�. This indicates that Jesus was a subject of discussion between himself and the other religious leaders (no doubt the entire Sanhedrin).  While many of the leaders had already rejected Jesus, there was a group who felt differently. 

Their conclusion was that Jesus had been sent to Israel from God.� This conclusion was based on the undeniable miracles that Jesus has exhibited.� These men correctly reasoned that miracles only come from God.� And because God would not work a miracle to confirm a falsehood or support a false teacher, Jesus and his message/teaching were approved of God.� In essence, the miracles are credentials from heaven.

Miracles serve a secondary purpose as well - they prepare the mind and heart for faith, which is what we see happening here in the heart of Nicodemus.� Have you ever seen or experienced a miracle?� Did it increase the faith of you or those around you?

There are some denominations that teach miracles are not for today, but they are wrong.  God continues to work miracles in our age; there are countless proofs of it.  Rather than trying to deny them as many of the Pharisees did, we should be looking for an increase in the miraculous.  God is planning an astonishing end time harvest of souls for his kingdom and he is going to pour out signs and wonders to confirm his message.

John 3:3 – Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."

There does not seem to be any apparent connection between the words of Nicodemus and the reply of Jesus.� We can only conclude that John omits part of the conversation.� However, we can be confident that the content of John's gospel was inspired by Holy Spirit; this narrative contains the exact information He wants us to have.

Truly, truly:� Jesus begins his statement with the phrase 'truly, truly' (your version may say 'verily, verily').� This is an expression of strong affirmation which denotes both the certainty and importance of what is being said.

Unless one:� In this case, the King James Version might be a little clearer.� It says 'unless a man'.� This is a universal form of expression designed to include each and every individual member of the human race.� You (and you alone) must make the choice for or against Christ for yourself.� Your grandma or your minister or your friend can't decide for you.� Clearly, Jesus intended to convey this same idea to Nicodemus – he himself must choose to be born again.

This was probably a startling revelation to Nicodemus.  It was not enough to be a Jew, or a teacher of the law, or a man of rank.  Acknowledging that Jesus was sent from God was not sufficient either.  The only way into the kingdom of heaven is to experience spiritual rebirth. 

Born again:� Let's begin by noting that the original Greek word translated 'again' also means 'from above'.�

The Jews had a general idea of the concept of new birth.� The entire nation believed that they had a place in the kingdom of God because they were born as physical descendants of Abraham (Matthew 3:9).� If a Gentile wanted to become a proselyte, the Jews required adherence to the law (circumcision, etc) and baptism.� Once the candidate was baptized in water, they considered him like a child new born into the Jewish nation; they believed he now had a place in the kingdom of God.

This baptism of 'new birth' was done with earthly water (from below).  But Jesus is explaining to Nicodemus that new birth cannot come through external washings, religious professions or circumcision of the flesh.  It must come from above by the work of Holy Spirit; it requires circumcision of the heart.  In order to enter the kingdom of heaven, every person will must undergo two births – an earthly, physical one involving his body and a heavenly, spiritual one involving his soul. 

The analogy of birth is an easy one for us to understand.�

In the physical realm, a child must be born in the flesh before he can experience all of the joys and wonders of this life.� Likewise, a person must be spiritually born before they can enter into the joys and wonders of the kingdom of heaven.

Just as a child is born physically immature and develops over time, each one of us is born spiritually immature.� Over time we are sanctified; we mature in holiness and countless other spiritual graces through prayer, spiritual discipline and faith.

Kingdom of God:� The kingdom of God should not be understood as referring to heaven, although heaven is an eventual part of it.� The kingdom of God refers to a state of reconciliation/relationship with God.� Only reconciliation with Him will produce spiritual life.

John 3:4 – Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old?  Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"

We must understand the response of Nicodemus in light of what we have already mentioned.�

The Jews were familiar with the concept of being 'born anew'.� But they understood it exclusively in terms of a Gentile becoming a Jewish proselyte through baptism.� In their eyes it signified a change from being a heathen to being a Jew.�

Consequently, no Jew would EVER apply that concept to another Jew, because in their minds they were already a part of God's kingdom because they were born Jewish in the flesh.� All Jews, including Nicodemus, believed that as Jews they were already children of God and entitled to all the privileges that included.� When Jesus plainly and emphatically states that EVERY man must be 'born again' (even Jews) Nicodemus cannot reconcile the teaching of Jesus with his doctrine.�

So he answers Jesus according to the typical method of Rabbinic dialog – he carries out the meaning of Jesus' statement to its logical conclusion, in order to prove how absurd or impossible it is.  In this way, he seeks to draw out the true meaning of the words of Jesus.  (Again, this was a typical method of communication among the teachers of the law.)

We could accurately paraphrase it this way: 'You cannot mean that a person is required to enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born yet again, because that is impossible!  So what do you mean?'   

John 3:5 – Jesus answered, "Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God."

The response of Jesus has been interpreted different ways.

The most common understanding is that 'water' refers to baptism and 'Spirit' obviously refers to the person of the Godhead who is the agent of conviction and repentance; it is Holy Spirit who transforms the mind and heart of a sinner from death to life.

Those who agree with this interpretation believe that Jesus is telling Nicodemus that in order to have a right relationship with God (enter the kingdom of heaven), he must be changed/renewed by Holy Spirit.� Once that change has taken place, he must be baptized in water as the outward sign of the change that has taken place in his soul.

Now, we want to be careful with this interpretation.� While it does credit Holy Spirit with the work of saving the sinner, it may give the act of baptism undue importance.�

There can be no doubt that Jesus prescribes baptism as an ordinance of the church.  There can be no doubt that those who wish to show obedience to Christ should be baptized.  But I think we need to be careful in asserting that water baptism is required for salvation. 

Salvation is a free gift of God, not of works (Ephesians 2:8-9).� There is no 'work' or action (including water baptism) that must be added to the work of Holy Spirit in order to produce salvation/new life. �Consider the case of the thief on the cross.� Holy Spirit convicted him of sin, and he repented.� He was never baptized in water, yet Jesus assures him that he has entered into the kingdom of God and that very day he will inherit heaven.� So again, we want to exercise caution with this interpretation.

There is a less widely embraced interpretation that we should also consider.  It says that the words 'water' and 'Spirit' refer to the same thing – the Holy Spirit and his work (John 7:38-39).  It is a metaphorical way of speaking which was designed to help Nicodemus make the connection between baptism and salvation. 

It could be paraphrased this way: 'No man is a son of God until he has been renewed by water, that is, by the Holy Spirit who washes away his iniquity and makes him a new spiritually reborn child of the kingdom' (Ezekiel 36:25-27).

Therefore, by 'water' Jesus simply means the inward purification of the soul which is produced by Holy Spirit during salvation.  This interpretation alleviates any hint that water baptism is a necessary component for salvation. 

Titus 3:5 - Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit;

This is consistent with the testimony and work of John the Baptist.  He paved the way for Christ by advocating repentance through water baptism. 

Matthew 3:3 - For this is he [John the Baptist] that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare you the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

What was John preparing the way for?� He was preparing the hearts and minds of the people to embrace/admit Holy Spirit into their lives to work salvation in their hearts/spirits (Matthew 3:11).�

 John 3:6 – "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."

Jesus goes on to point out an underlying principle of the earth:� Like begets/produces like.

Genesis 1:21 - And God created great sea creatures, and every living thing that moves, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after its kind: and God saw that it was good.

(See also Genesis 1:12, 1:25).� In the book of Genesis we see that God created the earth in such a way that living things always reproduce living things of the same kind.� If a dog has offspring, they will be dogs/puppies.� If a bird lays eggs, they hatch to reveal more birds, not dinosaurs or snakes. �Likewise, when apple trees reproduce, you get more apple trees.� When you plant cucumber seeds in your garden, you expect cucumber plants to sprout up and grow. �This same principle is true of man.� When you and your spouse reproduce, you have a baby – a new human being.� ��

 This principle is true in the spiritual sense as well.  When Adam fell, sin entered into the human race, and every offspring since then (except Christ because he is the Son of God/Holy Spirit) has been born into sin (see Romans 5):

Romans 5:12 - Therefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 

The conclusion is that when man reproduces, his offspring is 'fleshly' or spiritually fallen.  So even if Nicodemus could enter back into his mother's womb and be birthed a second time, nothing would be changed.  He would still be utterly and completely cut off from God and spiritual life.

Likewise, the man or woman who is spiritually reborn of Holy Spirit is made a partaker of the divine nature of Christ.  He or she is then eligible to be a part of the kingdom of heaven.

2 Peter 1:4 - By which are given unto us exceedingly great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.   

Jesus is showing Nicodemus that entrance into the kingdom of heaven cannot be produced by any physical means.�

Entrance to the kingdom requires radical change to the soul, which can only be wrought by Holy Spirit.� Of course, that change then manifests itself in the natural realm.�

John 3:7 – "Do not marvel that I said to you, You must be born again'."

Keep in mind that Nicodemus is just now seeing religion as something that emanates from his spirit, not his flesh.  His training has taught him to believe in physical birth through the line of Abraham, physical rites of purification, physical practice of the law, a Messiah who would set up a physical kingdom on earth, etc. 

Christ's way of looking at religion clearly perplexed him, and caused him to marvel!  Isn't it wonderful that later on, after meditating on these ideas, Nicodemus believed in Jesus and experienced spiritual rebirth by Holy Spirit for himself?  Perhaps one day, when we run across him in heaven, we can ask him about this conversation!

John 3:8 – "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.� So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

Jesus explains to Nicodemus that he should not be surprised if there were things about spiritual rebirth that he did not understand or could not fully explain.  There are many instances of this dilemma in the natural realm.  As an example, Jesus mentions the wind.

We cannot see or control the wind.  We don't understand where it comes from or why it chooses to go one direction or another.  But just because you can't explain it is no reason to doubt or disbelieve it.  After all, we can see clear and definite evidence of the wind.  We can hear the sound of it.  We can feel it on our skin.  We can see the way it affects the objects it touches.  We can even harness it for power.       

Ecclesiastes 11:5 - As you know not what is the way of the wind, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so you know not the works of God who makes all.

In the same way, we cannot understand or control the way in which Holy Spirit produces new birth in the heart of a person.  But we know when he has given someone new birth by the effects that are produced.  Sinful men become holy, the rebellious become meek, the tough become tender, etc. 

Just because Nicodemus can't explain the workings of Holy Spirit in creating new life is no reason to doubt or disbelieve it.  

�John 3:9 – Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?"

Nicodemus has acknowledged Jesus as a divine teacher, yet he was unwilling to receive his teachings when they were inconsistent with his own beliefs/doctrines.  But before we condemn Nicodemus, we should examine our own lives.

Do we believe in 'speaking in tongues' or the gift of a heavenly prayer language from Holy Spirit?  Many in the church today do not, though it is plainly taught in scripture and routinely exercised by many in the body of Christ.  

Do we believe in the other gifts of Holy Spirit such as words of knowledge, words of wisdom or discerning of spirits?� Or do we choose to reject the operation of these gifts because we don't fully understand them, even though we can see the Spirit move through them?�

What are your beliefs regarding worship?  I am just going to be honest with you� some of you think you have worship all figured out.  You think you are on the cutting edge of what God is doing in worship, but let me tell you this – don't get comfortable.  Don't get set in your ways.  God is always doing something new and unless you move with him, you will wind up an old wine skin!

What is your definition of church?  Must it occur on Sunday morning in a specific building with a preset agenda and a time limit?  Or are you willing to follow the Spirit of the Lord if he leads you in a new direction?    

If you want God to do something new in your life, you need to be willing to follow the Spirit even if you don't fully understand what he is doing.

John 3:10 – Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?"

This is a significant and stern rebuke from Jesus.  Despite the undeniable arguments of Jesus, Nicodemus persists in unbelief and doubt.    

We know the Pharisees were famous for zealously adhering to the minute portions of the law, like tithing the herbs in their garden, measuring the exact length of the fringes on their garments or washing their hands at every turn.� Yet they neglected the truly important parts of the law (Matthew 23:23-25).�

It seems that Nicodemus is guilty of this as well.  He has claimed the title of teacher of Israel.  He has taken it upon himself to instruct his fellow man in the truths of the scripture, yet shockingly, he himself has absolutely no clue as to the doctrine of regeneration, even though it appears extensively in the Old Testament (Jeremiah 31:31-33, Jeremiah 32:38-40, Ezekiel 11:19-20, Ezekiel 18:31, Psalms 51:10, Deuteronomy 30:6 etc).  Jesus rebukes him for this ignorance. 

John 3:11 – "Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony."

Again we come across the phrase 'truly, truly' which indicates that what Jesus is about to say is both certain and important.  

He then declares 'We speak of what we know'.  The first question that arises is this:  Who does 'we' refer to?  Many answers have been given:   

• Jesus means himself and his disciples; those who have already believed in his doctrine.�
• Jesus is referring to himself and John the Baptist.�
• Jesus is referring to himself in connection with all the prophets of God. �
• Jesus is referring to the Trinity – the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.�
• Jesus is referring only to himself, but using the pleural word 'we' in contrast to the opening words of Nicodemus. There are other times in the scriptures when Jesus refers to himself in the pleural form (Mark 4:30).� In the next verse, he reverts back to using the singular form 'I'.�

We speak of what we know:� Regardless of which definition of 'we' seems best to you, the overall meaning of the phrase 'we speak of what we know' is clear.� Jesus is saying that he fully understands his doctrine and message.� He has an intellectual, spiritual and practical understanding of the gospel.�

Those who are a part of his kingdom also understand the gospel, because they have experienced it.�

We bear witness to what we have seen:� Obviously, Jesus knew all about the Spirit and his work of regeneration in the hearts of men.� This was always plainly visible/evident to him.�

While those who truly follow Jesus are unable to see the Spirit, they have seen the effects of the Spirit - they have seen sinful men repent and go on to live holy lives.  Therefore Jesus (and those in his kingdom) can testify from first-hand experience to the rebirth brought about by Holy Spirit in the lives of men and women.  Everyone in the kingdom of heaven is a witness to the saving power of the gospel.        

This is in contrast to the Pharisees, who fill the office of teacher, but do not even understand the basic principles of true religion.

You do not receive our testimony:�� The gospel message was changing the hearts and lives of people.� The preaching of the word was accompanied by miraculous signs and wonders.� All around there was proof of the truth of the gospel, yet the Pharisees (and other religious leaders) rejected this evidence.�

John 3:12 – "If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?"�

Jesus illustrated the spiritual concept of regeneration/new birth by a metaphor taken from earthly things.  Yet, Nicodemus still refuses to accept and understand the truth that Jesus is teaching him. 

Jesus now rebukes Nicodemus again – if he cannot or will not believe concepts that have an earthly parallel, how can he understand things that have no counterpart in this life? 

How can he understand things pertaining to the government and plans of God?  Or the workings of angels?  Or the mysteries of Christ's priestly intercession?  Or the experiences of those pass from this life?  Or any one of a million other things about God that we don't know or understand?    

Let me offer you some encouragement: 

Nicodemus was NOT rebuked by Jesus because he didn't know everything.  He was rebuked because he refused to accept the obvious truth of the gospel when it didn't line up with his beliefs. 

Are you clinging to some religious beliefs that have no root in scripture?  Are you accepting certain things or holding certain beliefs because our culture says they are true, even when the Bible says they are not?   

If so, I encourage you to make a change and take a stand for biblical truth.�

Let me offer you some relief:

No one starts out as an expert in spiritual matters.  Whether Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus, or his disciples or the crowds at Jerusalem, he meets people at their level, then seeks to elevate their understanding of his kingdom.

The key is to walk in the understanding that you have; as you do so, God will bless you with greater spiritual wisdom and insight.    

Let me offer you some strength:

Many Christians are afraid to teach Sunday School or share their faith with others, because they don't consider themselves to be knowledgeable Christians.  But I want to challenge that belief. 

If you have experienced salvation, then you are qualified to share your testimony with others!  All you really need is some boldness and strength.  The early believers prayed and asked God to grant them boldness – and he did!  Why don't you join with me in praying that same prayer?

Acts 4:29-31 - And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto your servants, that with all boldness they may speak your word, by stretching forth your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of your holy child Jesus.  And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

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John 2:13 – The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

In our last post we examined the first miracle Jesus performed – turning the water into wine.  According to verse 12, Jesus, his family and his disciples went to Capernaum for a few days immediately following this event.  They only stayed in Capernaum for a few days, because Jesus wanted to be in Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. 

As we all know, Passover is the name given to the feast that commemorates the night that the Lord 'passed over' the houses of the Israelites while visiting the homes of the Egyptians and destroying all of their first born males. 

Exodus 12:13-14 – The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are.� And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.� This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a statue forever, you shall keep it as a feast.

According to the command of the Lord, Passover (and the feast of unleavened bread) was an annual observance for all Jews (Leviticus 23:4-8, Deuteronomy 16).� In later times, the word 'Passover' was also used to denote the lamb that was slain at the feast (Mark 14:12, I Corinthians 5:7).� Passover was symbolic of the sacrifice that Jesus would make for us on the cross.��

 Jesus attended four separate Passover/unleavened bread festivals during his active in public ministry.  This is the first instance.  The second can be found in Luke 6:1 and the third in John 6:4.  Jesus then celebrated the final Passover just before fulfilling the role himself in John 11:55.  Incidentally, this is one of the passages that scholars use to conclude that Jesus' public ministry lasted approximately 3� years. 

Why would Jesus be so concerned about attending the Passover celebrations that occurred before his death? Why not just wait until the time came for him to atone for our sin?

The answer is that the law required all Jewish males to appear before the Lord three times a year (Exodus 34:23).  Since Jesus came to perfectly fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17), it only stands to reason that he would attend each of these Passover celebrations.

But there is another reason as well.� During the Passover celebration, the population of Jerusalem swelled to several times its ordinary number because Jews from every corner of the world came to celebrate Passover.� When Jesus taught at Jerusalem during this time, a larger number and cross-section of Jews would have heard the gospel message and taken it back to their corner of the world.��

John 2:14 – In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there.

John now bears witness to the cleansing of the temple by Jesus.  Scholars disagree on whether Jesus cleansed the temple once or twice.  In my humble opinion, the most logical interpretation is that he did it twice. 

In this scenario, the first cleansing (which happened very early in his ministry) is recorded for us here in the book of John, while the second cleansing (which occurred just before he was crucified) is what was recorded by the other three gospels.  Obviously, you are free to make up your own mind on this issue; many sources are available if you want to study this further. But for this study, we will proceed as if this were the first of two cleansings.

The situation we find in the temple was something that God had originally sanctioned:�

When the Jews appeared before the Lord, they were to bring sacrifices with them.� They were also to bring a tithe of all their increase - grain, wine, oil, flocks etc and eat it at the temple, to remind themselves that the Lord is the one who blesses them.�� However, if you lived far away from Jerusalem, it would be very difficult to bring all those goods and animals with you.� Therefore, the Lord allowed those who lived far away to sell the tithe for money, and bring the money to Jerusalem.� Once at Jerusalem, they could then use the money to purchase what they needed (see Deuteronomy 14:22-27).

Deuteronomy 14: 24-25 – And if the way is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe� then you shall turn it into money and bind up the money in your hand and go to the place that the Lord your God chooses� 

In addition, each male was to bring a half shekel temple tax when he came (Exodus 30:13). 

Overall, it sounds like a very simple straightforward process, right?  But of course, mankind found a way to abuse the system that God had set in place.

The market no doubt began far away from the gates of the temple.  But as time went on, merchants moved closer and closer to the gate in order to get the best/most profitable spots.   They were also notorious for price gouging; those who came from far away had no choice but to pay the price no matter how exorbitant!

Seeing an opportunity, some of the corrupt priests and Levites actually rented spots inside the court of the Gentiles (the outermost courtyard) to these merchants!� Can you believe it?� Picture what that would be like:� The noise, smell and excrement of animals� the sweat of the merchants and visitors� the constant din of voices as men haggled over prices or greeted friends and relatives� does that sound (or smell) like a good opportunity to engage in a reverent meeting with God?

But wait – there's more!

It seems that some of the priests and Levites would accept an animal for sacrifice, then turn around and resell the animal back to the merchants, who then sold them again to yet another customer.  It has been reported that the same sacrifice was sold to multiple different persons, and the money split between the religious leaders and the merchant. 

But wait – there's more!

Enter the money changers.  Those arriving from foreign countries would naturally have different currency than what was in use in Jerusalem.  The money changers performed the function of exchanging their foreign currency for money accepted in Jerusalem.  Of course, they charged a premium price for making the exchange!

Overall, their temple was in definite need of cleansing.� Sadly, so is ours.�

In many churches today, sexual sins, drunkenness, cursing and other sins are no longer considered a big deal.  The attitude of many Christians is 'live and let live'.  The mandate for personal holiness has all but disappeared.  Today, many Christians are simply interested in attending for an hour and checking church off their list of weekly chores.  If Jesus came into your church this Sunday, would he find things to overturn, cast aside, drive out or empty?        

John 2:15 – And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen.  And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.

Let's pause and consider this for a minute.� There are literally thousands of people in and around the temple at any given time.� There are probably a hundred merchants/money changers, all getting rich from their trade.� They had no intention of walking away from that opportunity and if someone tried to take it away from them, they would certainly fight back.�

But even though the odds were in their favor (100 to 1?), the merchants do not fight back.� Jesus takes complete control of the situation, and ruins their get-rich-quick scheme.� How can we explain that?� Where they afraid of the whip?�

When we dig a little deeper, we find that the whip of cords was NOT the type used to punish criminals.  That type of whip was made of leather and had pieces of metal or bone attached to the ends that would make a person bleed and could even kill them. 

The whip of cords that Jesus used was made of twisted reeds/rushes.� Its only use was to drive the animals from the temple.� There is no evidence to indicate that it was ever used against people; even if it was, it wouldn't have hurt.� Clearly, it wasn't fear of the whip that caused these hucksters to stand idly by while their businesses were destroyed.� So what was it?�

They were stilled by the authority of God which was clearly evident in Jesus.� Whether through his tone of voice, or the look in his eye, or his forceful actions, they recognized divine authority when they saw it and they knew better than to challenge it.� They were rendered inactive by a deep conviction for their own filthy sin as they watched Jesus passionately defend the honor of his Father.

John 2:16 – And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade."

Notice that Jesus identifies himself as the Son of God.  As such, he has the right and authority to cleanse the temple of his Father. 

And it certainly does need to be cleansed.  It has been corrupted by the greed, lust and wickedness of men.  It needs to be purified and restored to a state of holiness, so it will be fit for the worship of God.

We are very much aware that once Jesus died and rose again, the age of grace was ushered into existence. God no longer dwells in buildings made with hands; he lives in the hearts of his people.  This makes each of us a temple of God.

I Corinthians 3:16 – Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?

What is the state of your temple?  Has greed, lust, wickedness or sin moved in?  If so, it might be time for spring cleaning.  Can we commit to zealously cleansing our own lives from sin so that we are fit to properly worship God?  

John 2:17 – His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me."

This is an Old Testament quote from Psalms 69:9.� The meaning is that the Messiah would have (and exhibit) great zeal for the pure worship of God.�

Zeal is defined as 'passionate ardor in the pursuit of anything; eagerness for a person or cause; ardent and active interest or fervor'.

Have you ever had zeal for something?� Like maybe playing a sport, or making music or even raising your kids?�

If so, you know that it's almost like your whole world revolves around that one thing.� It's the first thing you think about when you wake up, and the last thing on your mind when you fall asleep.� You plan your day so that you have time to be involved in it.� You budget your finances so that you have money spend on it.� You read about it, daydream about it and talk about it.� You seek out the company of others who are also zealous for the same thing you are.� It really is a consuming way to live.

Of course as humans, we are always in danger of crossing the line into sin.� If we are not careful, some of the things we are zealous for can take the place of God, and become an idol in our lives.�

Jesus, however, never had that problem.  He was perfectly zealous for the pure worship of his father.  It was proper for him to cleanse the house of God.

 John 2:18 – So the Jews said to him, "What sign do you show us for doing these things?"

And here comes the push-back that we all expected!  Remember, the priests, Levites, money changers and a whole lot of merchants were getting filthy rich at the temple.  Naturally, when their enterprise came to a sudden halt, they were going to find out why.

The first thing I want to bring to your attention is that the religious leaders do not openly oppose Jesus. 

This incident happened in the midst of Passover.  During that time, the entire Roman army was on DEFCON 1.  At the slightest hint of trouble, they were going to shoot first and ask questions later.  They could not afford to have any trouble, especially among the Jews and/or at the temple.  If rioting broke out, they could lose control of the entire city. 

The point is, if Jesus had truly done something wrong, all the religious leaders had to do was call the temple guards and have them detain Jesus until they could fetch the Romans. �But they didn't.�� ��

The second thing I want to call to your attention is that they never denied that they had made the temple a house of trade instead of a house of worship.� Neither did they deny that reform should take place.� Instead, they question the authority of Jesus to make these reforms.

In the minds of everyone present, Jesus had acted with the authority of a prophet.

There hadn't been a new prophet from God in 400 years, so if God was sending them one now, he should be able to prove it by performing a miracle or a sign on demand.� Or so the religious leaders thought.

But regrettably, they were so spiritually blind, they overlooked the miracle of the cleansing itself! �It was one man against a great multitude.� He was unarmed.� He was unknown and unsanctioned by the religious leaders.� He destroyed or displaced the business and money of a lot of people. �Yet no one dared to oppose him, or attempt to stop him.�

John 2:19-21 – Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."  The Jews then said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?"  But he was speaking about the temple of his body.

Jesus does give them a sign, but it is not the kind of on-demand miracle they are looking for. 

As is often the case, Jesus gives them a sign that requires the hearer to seek further understanding.  It is full of revelation, meaning and life to those who earnestly seek to understand it, but it is worthless to those who don't.  In other words, he who has ears to hear will understand, while others will not (Mark 7:16, Luke 14:35, etc).

In this instance, the sign centers around the double meaning of the word 'temple'. 

'Temple' obviously refers to the very wood and stone edifice they are all now standing in; the Holy place where God's presence dwells.  But this temple was just a shadow of the true temple standing in their midst – the body of the Incarnate Word. 

The religious leaders had no reverence for the one; they made its outer court a place of illegal gain that was fast becoming a den of thieves.  Their very demand for a sign as they challenge the authority of Jesus shows they have no respect for the other. 

Both temples will be destroyed, but only one will be raised again.� The resurrection of Jesus will be the foundation and corner stone of God's new spiritual temple.� �

Is there anything that Jesus is trying to get you to search out?

Proverbs 25:2 – It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings to search things out.

Are you actively asking God for wisdom or understanding in some matter?  Has he spoken to you in dreams or visions?  Are there portions of scripture that seem mysterious to you? 

These are all reasons to further 'search out' a matter.� Too often, as Christians, we are looking for quick and easy answers or a list of rules (do's and don'ts) to live by, when God is looking for a relationship. �He desires to have communion with us; he longs for us to know him better.� He wants us to spend time in his presence, where he can reveal mysteries to us.� He longs to impart wisdom and knowledge to us that will benefit us and the world as a whole.

Particularly in this present time, Holy Spirit is seeking to reveal his plans and purposes for this age to those who will listen and partner with him to bring about the greatest harvest of souls the world has ever seen.

But if we don't accept his invitation to search out a matter, we will miss what he has for us.  I don't know about you, but I don't want to be that person!  

John 2:22 – When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

If we read this verse carefully, we find that the resurrection of Jesus did two things.  It caused the disciples to believe and understand the words Jesus spoke at the temple that day concerning his own body AND it caused them to 'believe the scripture'.  What scripture or scriptures would that have been?

One possibility is Psalms 16:10:

Psalms 16:10 – For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.

This Old Testament verse is often referenced by the apostles after the resurrection of Jesus (Acts 2:31-32, Acts 13:35-37).  It is used as proof that he was the Messiah.

Another possibility is Psalms 2:7-9 (particularly verse 7):

Psalms 2:7 – I will tell of the decree:� The Lord said to me, "You are my Son; today I have begotten you."

This passage of scripture is also referenced by the apostles and used to refer to the Messiah (see Hebrews 1:5, Hebrews 5:5, Acts 13:33).    

The overall meaning of this verse is that in light of the resurrection of Christ, the disciples understood these Old Testament scriptures in a different sense than they had previously.  Sometimes you and I will go through circumstances or events that deepen or expand our understanding of the scriptures as well.  When this occurs, it binds us even closer to God.  What example can you give from your own life?  

John 2:23 – Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing.

Now that his public ministry has begun, Jesus 'jumps in with both feet'.� He taught about the kingdom of heaven and the Father confirmed that word with signs and wonders.

John 2:24-25 – But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.

Jesus did not maintain any ongoing fellowship and communion with these people as he did with his true disciples, because the true seed of faith had not yet taken a firm root in the lives of these Jews. 

Jesus could discern that they would quickly abandon the faith when he didn't match their understanding of who the Messiah was.  (They were expecting a Messiah who would be welcomed by the religious leaders.  They were expecting a conquering Messiah, who would overthrow Rome and set up his own earthly government.)

Jesus could, in fact, discern everything about them; he knew everything that they hid within their deepest hearts.   

Hebrews 4:12-13 - For the word of God is living, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.� Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

As we mentioned in our introduction, one of John's great themes in this gospel is to assert the divinity of Christ.� Here he declares the omniscience of Jesus; Jesus did not understand the hearts of these men because God revealed it to him – he immediately understood and discerned it for himself.� Therefore, he is divine.

Let me offer you some encouragement and relief:

What new areas of your spiritual walk are you currently searching out?  If the answer is 'none', then you may have a problem.  God is always challenging us.  He is always seeking to bring us into deeper levels of revelation and fellowship with him.  I encourage you to ask him to show you something new.  And when he does, search it out! 

Let me offer you some strength:

The temple in Jerusalem was in bad need of a cleansing.  What is your temple like?  Is your personal holiness better than ever or has some dirt/sin crept in?  It isn't easy to take an honest look at yourself and admit your shortcomings, but it will be worth it.  Ask Holy Spirit to reveal to you any areas that need to be cleansed.  It is far better for you to do the cleaning voluntarily, than for Jesus to send a situation to bring it to the surface!

�

��

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John 2:1-2 – On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.  Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples.

We now come to the narrative that contains the first public miracle which Jesus performed.  It occurs in Cana of Galilee, which was situated about six miles outside Nazareth, on the road to Tiberias. 

Isn't it interesting that Jesus did not choose Jerusalem as the site of his first public miracle?  Why do you suppose that was the case?

Well, it certainly proves that Jesus was not simply seeking honor from men.� If Jesus had been looking only for earthly glory, then he would have 'performed' miracles for as many spectators as possible.� This would have best been accomplished in the crowded city of Jerusalem.

But miracles have nothing to do with Jesus trying to earn human honor.� Miracles are acts of mercy which display the love and power of God to mankind.� They are a confirmation of the gospel message. This is why we always see them in conjunction with the preaching of the word.� In this particular case, the miracle confirmed the divinity of Jesus to his disciples.� This allowed Jesus to earn the trust and allegiance of his apostolic team before embarking on a wider ministry.� It also brought relief to the bridegroom and his family.

Later on, at the appointed time, Jesus' doctrine and miracles would spread to the city of Jerusalem.  In the meantime, they began inconspicuously among the humble people of Galilee.

John further reveals that Jesus and his disciples were invited to this wedding, while Mary is described as simply 'being there'.  The common belief is that the wedding was in the family of Alphaeus, whose wife was Mary's sister.  This makes Mary a relative.

As a relative, Mary was no doubt assisting with the wedding.  This explains why she calls on Jesus for help when the wine ran out.  If she was simply a guest, the lack of wine would not have been her problem.  We might be tempted to wonder why Mary didn't call upon Joseph for help.  The answer is that scholars believe Mary was a widow by the time Jesus began his public ministry. 

John 2:3 – When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine."

This might be a good time for us to reacquaint ourselves with basic ancient Jewish wedding customs.� There were actually a number of steps in the marriage process.� We are only mentioning the highlights here, so if you are curious, please look for other resources on this fascinating topic.�

In biblical times, marriages were arranged by the fathers of the bride and groom.� The feelings or wishes of the couple were not normally taken into consideration.� It was not uncommon for the couple to meet for the first time at the wedding ceremony.� In some instances, the marriage contract was established when the bride and groom were still children, and held until they reached maturity. In any event, the parents would agree upon what amounted to a purchase price, and then establish a marriage covenant.�

Once the contract was agreed upon by the parents, the couple was betrothed.� At this time, the woman was considered legally married, although she remained in her father's house.� She could not belong to another man unless she was divorced from her betrothed.� This explains why Joseph was going to divorce Mary when he found out she was pregnant before they were married (Matthew 1:18-20).

Eventually, after at least one full year, the next step would take place – the fetching of the bride.� In this step, the groom would go to the home of the bride and bring her back to his house.� (We see a reference made to this in the parable of the 10 virgins in Matthew 25).� Two things should be noted in connection with step two.� The groom had to have a place prepared for the two of them to live before he could get his bride.� Also, it was the father of the groom who determined the exact moment that the groom went to collect his bride.

Step three was the actual wedding ceremony.  Normally, only a few guests were invited. 

The final step was the marriage feast, which could last for 7-14 days.  Lots of people were invited to the feast (many, many more than the marriage ceremony).  It seems to have many of the same elements that might be found at a modern wedding reception – food, lively music, special clothing, dancing and wine. 

Now, let's talk specifically about wine. 

In Jewish tradition, wine is closely associated with the Sabbath.� According to Chabad.org, wine ushers in the onset of the Holy Day in a spirit of sanctity (Kiddush) and it marks the end/close of the Holy Day (Havdalah) as well.� Thus, wine marks the boundaries that separate the Holy Day from other ordinary days.�� At a Jewish wedding, wine does the same thing for the new marriage – it symbolizes both the sanctity and separation of the marriage bond.�

In addition, wine is always associated with song and festivity.� As such, it is an integral part of joyous occasions such as Sabbath and marriage celebrations - both are not only to be observed, but celebrated.� Both actually represent covenantal, reciprocal love relationships!

Knowing this, we can imagine how unthinkable it would be for a host to run out of wine before the end of a marriage feast!� Not only would the host be mortified, but the guests would be insulted; a lack of wine would be seen as a show of disrespect to the guests.�

But sadly, that seems to be exactly what happened in this case. 

So we find Mary telling Jesus 'They have no wine'.� What are we to make of this simple sentence?� Many interpretations have been given, but these are the three most common:

• Jesus brought a number of disciples to the feast with him – too many for the short supply of wine.� Mary was actually asking him and his friends to leave the feast; this would preserve the already short supplies of wine.� Besides, if others saw Jesus leaving, they might decide the party is over.� If the party broke up early, the supply of wine would be sufficient.�

• Mary was not asking for a miracle.� She was expecting Jesus to give a pious exhortation to the crowd, which would have supposedly relieved the shame of the family, while at the same time pacifying the insulted guests.� In this scenario, there is still a lack, but people accept it and hold no grudges against the host.��

• Mary said this to Jesus because she had faith in him as the Son of God, and she believed he could (and should) address this need.� Even though Jesus had not yet performed a miracle, Mary had faith due to the extraordinary/divine circumstances surrounding his birth, the words Anna and Simon spoke at Jesus' dedication at the temple, and the testimony given by the Baptist.� If Elijah could entreat God for a supernatural supply of meal and oil (I Kings 17:1-16), then surely Jesus could request a supply of wine.

John 2:4 – And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does this have to do with me?� My hour has not yet come."

In our culture, the use of the word 'woman' seems to be a mild reproof against Mary.� We would likely interpret it as a sign that she was interfering in something that did not concern her.�

But we can quickly conclude that this was not the case.  'Woman' is the same term by which Jesus addresses his mother when he was on the cross (John 19:26).  He also uses the term with Mary Magdalene after his resurrection (John 20:15), with the Samaritan woman (John 4:21) and with the Syrophoenician woman (Matthew 15:28).  This address/title does not show any disrespect in the least.  In fact, it is actually a tender and compassionate way to address these women.    

So we know that Jesus addresses his mother with respect and compassion.� How then, should we interpret his answer to Mary – 'My hour has not yet come'?

We need to understand that the 'hour' or time that Jesus refers to here is not to be understood in the context of his public ministry.� He is NOT saying, 'It isn't time for me to begin my public ministry yet, so no miracle is going to be performed, regardless of your need'.�

Actually, the opposite is true.� Jesus is concerned about every aspect of peoples' lives, including the honor of the wedding host.� Jesus fully intends to intervene in this situation.

When he says 'My hour/time has not yet come' he is referring to the precise moment of his intervention in this specific situation.�

Let me explain it this way: Mary is obviously concerned about the social reputation of her relatives.� They are running out of wine, which is a social disaster of epic proportions.� They could be shamed for years/generations to come.�

In Mary's mind, the best solution is for Jesus to create a new (and generous) supply of wine before the old wine runs out.� Her preference would be for the guests not to even be aware that there was an issue.� She wants a seamless transition between the wine provided by the host and the wine created by Jesus.

But if the miracle occurs this way, where is God's glory?� If people don't even know a miracle occurred, then what good was it?� How does it bear testimony to the love and power of God?� How does it identify Jesus as the Son of God, or confirm the gospel message?� The answer is, it doesn't!

So when Jesus says 'My hour/time has not yet come', he means that the precise moment for him to take action and produce a creative miracle of turning the water into wine has not yet occurred.

As human beings, our timing is very often wrong.  We do things too early or too late.  But God is not like that.  He always does the perfect thing, at the perfect time, in the perfect way.   It has often been said that God is never late, but neither is he early!

Jesus will perform this miracle at the exact right moment:�

• It will occur when people are aware of the need, and fully cognizant that they cannot fix the problem.�
• It will occur when the miracle will confirm Jesus as the Son of God.�
• It will occur when God will be glorified.�
• It will occur when the disciples and others are there to bear witness to what they have seen.�

While Jesus is absolutely firm that he himself will determine when intervention will come (not Mary or anyone else), he also gives hope that the need will certainly be met.

I want us to pause here, and apply this to our own lives.  Isn't it true that we are much like Mary?  We want God to meet our needs before they even become needs.  And much of the time, that is exactly what happens.  But sometimes, for reasons we may not understand right at the moment, we must wait.  Let me give you an example from my own life.

My truck was 'totaled' a few days before Christmas.  No one was hurt in the accident (thank you, Lord!), but it was an older truck and the insurance coverage was liability only.  This meant that I did not receive any money at all when the truck was destroyed.  But since I am still working, I need a vehicle of some kind to get to work.

I didn't panic too much.� I was on vacation the week of Christmas and the week after, so my need for a car was there, but it wasn't desperate (sort of like the wine that was low, but not completely empty).� Like Mary, I asked Jesus meet my need seamlessly, before it actually became a need (I wanted a replacement vehicle before I had to return to work).��� But that didn't happen.� I have been borrowing vehicles from friends and family members for almost two weeks now.�

So what will my attitude be?� Will I grumble and complain?� Will I accuse God of an injustice because I think he was late in meeting the need?� Will my pride rise up and make me bitter because I am forced to ask others for a favor?� Will I be cranky and mean with my spouse, children and coworkers?� God forbid!

I may not fully understand this situation, but I have the same assurances that Mary did – God hears my request, he understands my need and he fully intends to intervene.� He also knows the perfect time in which to act. ��

The best thing I can do at this point is continue to pray, continue to praise him for an answer, and continue to look for the right vehicle.� By faith, I can give him the glory for helping me before I see that help actually manifest.� I can testify to all who will listen that God is in control and he will meet my need at the perfect time and in the perfect way.�

What about you?� Do you have needs in your life that you need Jesus to miraculously meet?� Are you fully convinced that God hears your request, that he understands your situation and that he is going to intervene at the exact right moment?��

John 2:5 – His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."

There can be NO doubt whatsoever that Mary fully believed Jesus was going to meet this need.  We see the evidence of her faith when she tells the servants to obey the instructions of Jesus, no matter how strange or unconventional they may seem! 

But do you notice the secondary issue here?  Mary peacefully submits to the timing of Jesus.  No matter how low the supply of wine was at that moment, she shut her mouth and accepted God's providence without complaint.

This is another good lesson.  We too must accept God's perfect timing. 

I believe that all of us would like to see some changes in our nation; we would like evil to be defeated and righteousness to reign in America once again.  No doubt, all of us are praying and working for change.  No doubt, we all believe that God is going to intervene in the affairs of this nation, and show forth his glory.  But frankly, I wish he had done it six months ago!  Sometimes I get frustrated because it seems to be taking forever!  This may not apply to you, but as for me, I need to trust not only in God's power but in his perfect timing.  When the time is right, he will act. 

John 2:6 – Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.

Washing with water was included under certain circumstances of the law.  But the tradition of the elders had created a whole false hierarchy of ceremonial washings for the people of Israel (surprise, surprise).  

Because of the traditions, the Jews had to wash their hands after any contact with Gentiles or their goods.  They had to wash before eating (Matthew 15:2).  They also washed their cups, dishes and tables (Luke 11:39, Mark 7:3-4).  This is just a small example of their ceremonial washings.

Obviously, a lot of water would have been needed for all the guests of a 7 day feast.  So the host provided stone water jars for the guests.  These jars were open (no lids) and they were never used for any purpose other than water for cleansing. 

While the exact measurement of the water is uncertain, no one denies that even by the lowest estimates, these jars held a huge amount of water.

John 2:7 – Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water."� And they filled them up to the brim.

Here we see that Jesus takes care to ensure that the miracle he is going to perform cannot be denied.

• As we already mentioned, the water jars did not have lids.� Therefore, no one could say that wine had been hidden in the jars; water was plainly visible in the pots. �

• The jars NEVER held anything but water; no one could say that the jars had been used for wine in the past and people were noticing the after taste of something from the past.

• The jars were filled to the brim.� This ensured that no actual wine could have been poured into the water, to give it the diluted taste of wine.

• The servants were required to fill the pots as opposed to the disciples.� This ensures that Jesus and his disciples were not attempting to pull off some kind of trick. �The servants were well known to the hosts; they did not have the power or means to pull off a trick of this magnitude, nor would they have a reason to do so.� The servants actually become eye witnesses to the miracle – they know and can testify exactly what occurred.

• The vast amount of water/wine made it virtually impossible for this to be a hoax.� Where would Jesus get that much wine?� How would he have transported it or hidden it?� How could he have placed it into the water jars without anyone seeing him?

By the way, have you noticed that when God works miracles, he requires our participation?  For example, the man with the withered hand had to stand up and stretch out that hand (Luke 6:6-10).  The blind man had to go to the pool and wash mud off his eyes (John 9:6-7).  When Jesus fed the 5000, the disciples had to organize the people into groups (Mark 6:38-44).  In this case, the servants had to fill the stone water pots. 

Can you imagine the reaction of the servants?  They probably thought Jesus was nuts.  There was no shortage of water, so why would they need to fill these pots?  Besides, it was probably a lot of work to do so.  Nevertheless, they did as they were told and the miracle occurred.

Are you looking for a miracle?� What part has God asked you to play?� Have you done as he asked?

John 2:8 – And he said to them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast."  So they took it.

Even though this was Jesus' first miracle, there was no pomp or show associated with it.  He simply instructed the servants to draw the wine out and deliver it to the master, just as they would any other wine. 

Who was the master?  He appears to have had the responsibility of ensuring that all the guests had enough to drink, but that none of them became drunk and crossed over into disorder or indecency.  He was well acquainted with the custom of serving the best wine first.

John 2:9 – When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom�

Again, we see that there can be no conspiracy surrounding this miracle.  The servants who saw the water turned into wine did not have an opportunity to taste it.  The master who tasted the wine had no idea that it had been mere water just moments ago.  Both parties will give impartial witness; there is no way they could conspire to falsify the miracle. 

John 2:10 – and said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine.� But you have kept the good wine until now."

The reaction of the master in this verse is actually comical!  I can picture his face in a grimace as the servant brings him a cup of what he thinks will be the worst wine (probably closer to vinegar than wine) imaginable.  I bet he takes the smallest sip possible, anticipating how bad it will be!

But then I can picture his jaw dropping open in astonishment as he realizes how incredibly good the wine actually is!  No doubt, it has better body, better flavor and better aftertaste than any of the other wine served at the feast.

Because he is so caught off guard, he gives us his true, unfiltered opinion– this is the best wine.� Not knowing where it had come from, the master gives the credit to the bridegroom.� But you and I know the true source of this miracle – Jesus our savior!

John 2:11-12 – This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory.  And his disciples believed in him.  After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.

This miracle shows that God has great compassion for his people, in all aspects of life.  He is willing and able to assist us in everything that concerns us, whether great or small.

Not only did Jesus meet the need of this family, he also confirmed for his disciples that he was indeed the long-awaited Messiah.  But let me make this distinction:  This miracle did not create faith in the minds of the disciples.  Rather, it confirmed the faith that the disciples already had. 

As we saw earlier, the disciples believed on Jesus when John the Baptist pointed him out.  They believed in Jesus after spending a night hearing what he had to say.  They believed without seeing any miracles at all; this miracle was a confirmation of what they believed.

On the other hand, we know that the religious leaders would see many miracles during the ministry of Jesus.� But these miracles did not give them faith.� Because they had already rejected Jesus as the Messiah, they would not accept him no matter how many miracles he did!

Let me offer you some encouragement:

Do you need a miracle in some area of your life?  I encourage you to believe God for what you need!  He is concerned about every aspect of your life, even things that seem small or insignificant compared to the problems of others.  He is even there if you are at fault (like the host who did not provide enough wine).

Let me offer you some relief:

How much time do we actually waste worrying and fretting?  We could relieve a lot of our stress if we just remind ourselves that God hears our requests, he understands our needs and he fully intends to intervene in our lives.  He also knows the perfect time for action! 

So give yourself some relief from worry and stress – let God handle your need at the perfect time, in the perfect way.

Let me offer you some strength:

Although you certainly can't make your miracle happen, you will probably play a role in it.� Just as the servants had to draw out the water and serve it to the master, or the man with the withered hand had to stretch it out, God will also ask you to take a step of faith in order to claim your miracle.�

So be strong in your faith, and do as you feel Holy Spirit leading you!

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John 1:35-36 – The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!"

We now continue our study of chapter one, in which John the apostle is giving testimony about the divinity of Jesus. 

In our last post, John the apostle was relating an eyewitness account of the testimony of John the Baptist.  John the Baptist confirmed for the religious leaders (Pharisees sent from the Sanhedrin) that he himself was NOT the Messiah, nor a reincarnation of Elijah, nor another Prophet.   The Baptist described himself as simply a voice, crying out in the wilderness, paving the way for the Messiah.  

The Baptist also testified that when Holy Spirit landed upon Jesus in the form of a dove, it was a sign from God that he was the long awaited Messiah.  John the Baptist confirmed Jesus as the Messiah publicly a number of times. 

As we pick up in verse 35, we find that John the Baptist was standing with two of his followers.� We know that one of them was Andrew (verse 40), and as we mentioned in our introduction, it is quite likely that the second was John, who would later become the apostle John and the writer of this gospel.

As they are standing there, the Baptist watches Jesus walk by.� The Greek word for watch means 'to attentively behold, to earnestly fix your eyes upon'.� In other words, it was not just a passing glance.� John knew he was looking upon the Messiah, the Son of God and the deliverer/redeemer of mankind.� John then proceeded to do what he always did – point others away from himself and towards Jesus, the Lamb of God.

John 1:37 – The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.

The words spoken by the Baptist were clearly blessed of God – there had been no miracle, no flash of lightening, no angles singing; just a few simple words that created a hunger/desire within these two men to understand Jesus and his message.  That inward desire manifested itself in their actions – they immediately left John and followed Jesus. 

John 1:38 – Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, "What are you seeking?"  And they said to him, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), where are you staying?"

Don't you just love the response of Jesus?  As soon as the two disciples began to pursue him, he turned to meet them.  He wasn't too busy.  He didn't have an assistant check their credentials or degree of religious training.  He didn't require an appointment.  He immediately responded to their heartfelt desire to know him!  

Rather than putting them on the spot, Jesus speaks first.� His question (What are you seeking?) could be paraphrased this way - "What is your petition or request?� What would you like to tell me?� What would you like to ask me?"�

In essence, Jesus was inviting these men to open up their minds and hearts.� He wanted to hear their thoughts and ideas regarding the Messiah.� He wanted to know how they interpreted current events.� He wanted to converse and fellowship with them.� He wanted to open the scriptures and reveal the truth about Messiah.

In their response, they address Jesus as 'Rabbi', which is a Jewish title of respect or honor given to teachers of the law.  Although they do not yet recognize Jesus as the fulfillment of that law, they are willing to believe the testimony of John the Baptist, who points them to Christ.  At that point, they can discover Jesus for themselves.  

Their response to Jesus (where are you staying) indicates that they were ready to spend some time getting to know Jesus and his ways.  They weren't in a big hurry to have an answer within a minute.  They were willing to open their minds and hearts and embark on a journey to find knowledge and truth.  

I believe Jesus is calling us to the same kind of relationship.� He has unknown depths of wisdom and knowledge.� He has answers to all of mankind's greatest questions.� And he turns to us and asks, 'What are you seeking?'� He is making us the offer of a lifetime - to embark on a close, intimate journey with him, as he reveals answers to the questions that are deep within our souls.� Does that sound like an exciting journey to you?��

John 1:39 – He said to them, "Come and you will see."  So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.

In the Jewish way of keeping time, the tenth hour refers to roughly 4 o'clock in the afternoon.  Since 6 pm was considered sunset, the disciples had a choice - either come back in the morning, or stay the night with Jesus. 

Before we go any further, let me ask you a question:  Have you ever put something off until tomorrow, only to find that tomorrow never comes?  Do you have a goal that you have always planned to accomplish, but you haven't done a thing about it in the last 10 years?  If so, chances are you will never do that thing!

In this situation we see that the disciples could have put off meeting with Christ until 'tomorrow', but they did not.� They probably had busy lives, just like we do.� But they put aside their work, hobbies, friends, etc in order to connect with Jesus.� They were truly searching for spiritual answers. ��

What a wonderful lesson for us!� Much to our shame, we often find reasons to put off spending time with Christ.� We often look for a 'more convenient time' (Acts 24:25) to research or consider spiritual matters.� And sadly, every time we delay, we miss out on an opportunity to fellowship with the Father, Son and Spirit.� Furthermore, with the instability in our society today, we need to spend MORE time gaining wisdom from Jesus, not LESS! �

John 1:40-41 – One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.� He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means Christ).�

John now begins to tell us how the disciples were gradually brought to Christ.� Andrew is one of the first to follow Jesus, and as soon as he hears about the Messiah, he brings his brother Simon (Peter).�

This is a common occurrence.  Once a person finds Jesus, they are so thrilled, delighted and amazed with him, that they cannot help but share this good news with others.  And so it goes� one invites another, who invites still another and Jesus accepts all of them, giving them the power to become sons of God (John 1:12). 

When was the last time you shared the good news with someone else?

John 1:42 – He brought him to Jesus.  Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon the son of John.  You shall be called Cephas" (which means Peter).

When Andrew brings his brother to Jesus, Jesus immediately identifies him as Simon, son of John (your translation may say Jonah or Jonas).  Jesus also delivers a prophesy regarding Simon – his name would later be changed to Peter/Cephas. 

Let's discuss this name change a bit further.� It is not uncommon to re-name a person based on a past event.� For example, when the patriarch Jacob wrestled with God all night, he was renamed Israel which means 'he who prevails with God' (Genesis 32:26-28).� Keep in mind that it was the event itself that prompted the name change; the event occurred first, and the name was changed afterward. �� But in this scenario, Jesus is actually foretelling the future.� He declares that at some future time, Simon's name will be changed to Peter.�

Currently, Simon is rash, headstrong, fearful and inconsistent.� But Jesus sees Simon not as he is right now, but how he will be.� Before the crucifixion Simon Peter denies Christ three times and flees from the scene of the cross out of fear.� He, along with the other disciples, hid in fear of the Romans (John 20:19).� But after the day of Pentecost when Holy Spirit filled Peter and the others, Peter transforms into the bold, consistent, fearless leader that Jesus knew he would become.

So, how do you view yourself?� Your spouse?� Your children and/or grandchildren?� Do you only see their current failures and struggles, or do you envision them as Jesus does - successful, productive citizens and spiritual generals in the kingdom of heaven?�

Your words have tremendous power (Proverbs 18:21).� So be sure to speak words of success, love and encouragement over your family every day.� Tell them not to give up or be discouraged; remind them that eventually they will overcome their current obstacles and be victorious.� Want to sow seeds of greatness into their lives?� Use your words to paint them a picture of their future success!

John 1:43-44 – The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee.  He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me."  Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 

Jesus recognizes that it is his time to leave Judea where he has been baptized by John.  No doubt there were those who wanted him to remain close to John the Baptist, hoping to see more and greater confirmations that he was the Messiah.  There were also those who would have wanted him to travel straight to Jerusalem, so that he could assume the public role of Messiah that they envisioned for him. 

But Jesus has other plans.  He is busy doing his Father's will.  At this time, he is revealing himself as Messiah to those who will later become his apostles.  This is not the actual calling of these men to be apostles (you can read about that in Matthew 4:18).  It is simply the time in which they become fully convinced that Jesus is truly the divine Son of God and redeemer of mankind.

John 1:45 – Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

Phillip, fully convinced that Jesus is the Messiah, shares the good news with another friend of his – Nathanael (who is also called Bartholomew or son of Tholomew).�

What causes Philip and the others to be fully convinced that Jesus is the Messiah?� I think it is a combination of more than one thing.

To begin with, we know that Andrew and another disciple (most likely John) were originally followers of John the Baptist.  This tells us that they were spiritual seekers.  They were looking for truth and spiritual reform.  Religion was not just a thing relegated to some dusty corner of their lives; it was an integral part of who they were.  It affected their daily lives and the fortunes of their nation.    

Their search for truth led them to John the Baptist.� Because they followed John the Baptist, they witnessed John's confirmation of Jesus as the Messiah.� This led them to seek an audience with Jesus, which resulted in an invitation to spend the night with him.� And during the discussions of that night, it is probable that Jesus opened the Old Testament scriptures (the Law and the Prophets) to them, showing that he was the fulfillment of all that had been prophesied about the Messiah.�

Once Andrew and John were fully convinced, they told the good news to Peter, who told Philip, who then told Nathanael.

So let's ask ourselves this question:� Would any of this have happened to these men if they had not been actively seeking the truth?� Do you think they would have found the Messiah while sitting at home, complaining about the Romans and the taxes and the corrupt priesthood?� Do you think revelation knowledge of the Messiah would just have come to them as they read the evening news? ��

What about us?  Are we actively seeking a fresh encounter with Holy Spirit in our own lives?  Do we spend time at the feet of Jesus, asking for wisdom to help us turn our nation around before it self-destructs, or are we just sitting around complaining about government mismanagement? Will we find the answers to our personal and national problems by listening to the news media?  

Matthew 7:7 – Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

My personal opinion is that we will never 'stumble' onto the answers we need for ourselves or for our nation.  It will take a definite effort on our part.  The good news is that Scripture supports the idea that God is found by those who actively seek him. 

Jeremiah 29:13 – You will seek me [God] and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. �����

Let's face it – what we have done in the past is not working.  Let's turn to the source of all truth for the answers we so desperately need in our own lives and in our country!  

John 1:46 – Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"  Philip said to him, "Come and see."

Clearly, Nathanael had some preconceived ideas about Nazareth.

Generally speaking, Nazareth was not the most prized real estate in that region.� It was an obscure village of Galilee.� It was far away from Jerusalem, thinly populated, mountainous and wild.� It was surrounded by Gentile nations and the Jews considered it a wicked place.� To be identified as a Nazarene was an expression of contempt among the Jews.� All in all, they would be prone to immediately dismiss anything or anyone who came from Nazareth, including Jesus.

So we find that Nathanael could have rejected Christ based on his own preconceived ideas.� What preconceived ideas do you have about revival or Holy Spirit or the supernatural or angels or miracles? �Are these ideas preventing you from finding the truth?�

Nathanael took the time to 'come and see' before making a decision on the matter of the Messiah.� Can we do the same to spiritual things we don't fully understand?

John 1:47 – Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!"

Our translation says that Nathanael had no deceit in him.  Your translation may say "guile".  The root meaning is deceit, fraud or hypocrisy.  According to Jesus, Nathanael is exactly what he seems to be – a true Jew, who fears God and obeys his law. 

Jesus seems to be making a distinction here.� There were many Jews who boasted in their heritage.� Because they were physical descendants of Abraham, they considered themselves holy and accepted by God.� Yet, these same people were often hypocrites; far removed from the faith of their fathers. �Despite being children of Abraham, many of them would soon become bitter enemies of the cross. �

Thus, Jesus makes a distinction between those who profess to be Jews and those who are truly Jewish in their hearts.� The same distinction can be made of Christians.� There are those who claim to be Christians for one reason or another, but they are hypocrites who lack true faith, devotion and love.� On the other hand, there are also true Christians who have integrity of heart before God and man.� Let us always strive to be like Nathanael!

John 1:48 – Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?"  Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."

Having never met Jesus before, Nathanael naturally wonders how or where Jesus could have known about his character.   

The answer Jesus gives Nathanael blows his mind!� Jesus says he has 'seen' Nathanael under the fig tree.� In the original Greek, Jesus refers to it as "THE" fig tree, not simply "A" fig tree.� Thus, it was not just any old fig tree, but a very specific tree, which Nathanael knew well. ���

Scholars speculate that the fig tree was the personal place of daily prayer and/or devotion of Nathanael.� It was the place he routinely went in order to commune with God.� We might refer to it as a personal prayer closet.� It was here that Nathanael released his thoughts, prayers, dreams, desires, motivations and secret feelings to God.

When Jesus declares he has 'seen' Nathanael there, he is clearly not referring to the act of physical sight (II Chronicles 16:9).  Jesus is saying that he had knowledge of all the prayers and communion that Nathanael shared with God.  In order for Jesus to know this, he had to be divine. 

John 1:49 – Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God!  You are the King of Israel!"

The words of Jesus quicken Nathanael's spirit.  He knows that Jesus has spoken the truth and that he actually is the Messiah, the Son of God.  And because of his understanding of the scriptures, Nathanael correctly proclaims him the King of Israel (According to scripture, if Jesus is the Messiah then he is also the King of Israel). 

While this is true, it also reflects the limitations of Nathanael's thinking.  Jesus came not only to be the savior and king of Israel, but of the entire world - Gentiles as well as Jews!

John 1:50-51 – Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe?� You will see greater things than these."� And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

Nathanael had based his faith in the divinity of Jesus on one revelation – that Jesus knew what he had spoken to God in secret.�

But Jesus was going to furnish much, much more abundant proof than just that!� All of the apostles were soon going to witness vast numbers of miraculous events.� The blind would see, demons would be cast out, thousands would be fed, storms would be stilled, Jesus would be resurrected, and on and on and on.� �

However, scholars are somewhat mystified by the exact words of Jesus here in the book of John. We can't point to any specific time when Nathanael saw a literal vision in which heaven was opened and angels were ministering to Jesus.� Of course, this does not mean that this event did not occur (John 20:30).� It also does not mean that this particular event has yet taken place.� Perhaps Jesus is referring to something that will happen during his second coming.

One thing we can be sure of is that Jesus still desires to reveal himself, his power and his glory to his present day followers.  If we want to know Jesus in this way, all we need to do is seek him!

Let me offer you some encouragement:

The scripture says that John the Baptist ministered in the spirit and power of Elijah; he pointed people to Christ.  No matter what our individual ministry may be, we too need to operate in that same spirit and power.

We don't need to put on strange clothes, eat unusual food and separate ourselves from the world in order to do so.  All we need to do is live in a state of thankfulness for all that Jesus has done for us.  When we do, we will find that our conversation and our actions will automatically reflect what Christ has done for us and this in turn will open doors of opportunity for us to share that good news with others.  

I encourage you to meditate on the goodness of God and watch doors open up for you to testify about Christ. �

Let me offer you some relief:

God is not finished with you yet!  In today's study we noted that Jesus knew Simon would one day become Peter; his character and spiritual man were going to grow and change.

Likewise, you are not going to be the same person next year that you are right now.� Neither are your spouse and/or your children.� So make sure you take the time to speak words of life, success and encouragement to everyone in your household, regardless of their current situation.� Recognize the potential in those around you, and sow seeds of greatness into your loved ones! ���

Let me offer you some strength:

Today's lesson demonstrates a biblical principle:  Those who truly seek will find.  Picture yourself in Andrew's shoes as Jesus turns to him and asks, 'What do you seek'? 

What do you want from the Lord?  Health?  Answers to problems?  A spouse or a child?  A financial breakthrough?  A spiritual gift?  

I am NOT saying that God is going to answer every prayer you pray in the manner in which you want.� But I am saying that God will communicate with you; he will give you answers to your questions, even if the answer is 'no'.� So if you are seeking Him and his will in a situation, don't give up!� Strengthen your resolve.� Stay in communion with Jesus until he reveals the answer to you. You'll be glad you did!

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John 1:19-20 – And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"  He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ." 

As John the Baptist preached his message of repentance, his fame spread from the region of Galilee all the way to Jerusalem.  From the nature of his preaching, people speculated that he was the long awaited Messiah (Luke 3:15). 

In light of this, it would have been the duty of the Sanhedrin, the great ruling council of the Jews, to examine John and determine whether or not he was the Messiah.  It is not unreasonable to assume that they wished/hoped that he was!   

But John is very careful not to take any of the honor or glory that belonged to Christ.  He clearly states, without the slightest hint of ambiguity, that he is NOT the Messiah the Jews are expecting to come. 

John 1:21 – And they asked him, "What then?  Are you Elijah?"  He said, "I am not."  "Are you the Prophet?"  And he answered, "No."

Why would the Jews ask the Baptist if he was Elijah? 

Answer: They were referring back to an Old Testament prophesy.

Malachi 4:5 - Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

The Jews were interpreting this prophesy of Malachi literally.  They expected Elijah himself to rise from the dead, reappear upon earth and herald the coming of the Messiah. 

So, when the Jews ask John if he is Elijah, they mean it in the literal sense and thus he answers them correctly – 'No, I am not'.�

Even though the Jews misunderstood this prophesy, it was still valid.  God did exactly as he said he would.  He sent his people a prophet (John the Baptist) who possessed and exhibited the same bold, powerful character and message of repentance as Elijah had. 

John's ministry pointed people to the true Messiah, preparing them to receive the gospel message from Christ (Luke 1:17, Matthew 3:3).� Thus, he was the 'Elijah who was to come'; he was the fulfillment of Malachi's prophesy.� Jesus himself confirmed this fact (Matthew 11:14, Mark 9:13).�

At this point, John has denied being the Messiah or Elijah raised from the dead.� So who is he? �Still seeking an answer, the religious leaders next ask if he might be 'the Prophet'.� Although it is not certain who the Jews are referring to here, it may have been the prophet Jeremiah (Matthew 16:14) or the unnamed prophet referred to in Deuteronomy 18:15. �In either case, John now denies that he holds the prophetic office.

John 1:22 – So they said to him, "Who are you?  We need to give an answer to those who sent us.  What do you say about yourself?"

So far, John had answered their questions and told them who he was not.  He was not the Messiah, nor Elijah raised from the dead, nor any of the Old Testament prophets.  At this point the religious leaders are out of ideas, so they plainly ask John, 'Who are you?   What account do you give of yourself and your actions?' 

Again, this is not an unreasonable question.  The Sanhedrin was the ruling religious authority.  They did not allow or sanction people to be teachers of the law unless they had been fully trained.  Clearly, John had not been.  So they needed to investigate his situation.  Was he a prophet sent from God?  Was he the Messiah himself?  Or was he a mere man of no authority teaching religious doctrines?  

John 1:23 – He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said."

John answers their question by quoting yet another Old Testament scripture/prophesy (His answer is taken from a portion of Isaiah 40:3.) �By doing so, John is showing that the scriptures were fulfilled in him; the foundation of his ministry was built upon divine authority.� John did not need the approval of the Sanhedrin; he was operating from a much higher calling.

When describing himself, John could have pointed out his great authority, given to him by God.� He could have described himself as the one who was specifically chosen for the high honor of heralding the Christ.� He could have used a number of high or lofty titles that brought dignity, respect or honor to himself.� But he doesn't.� Notice that John refers to himself as merely 'the voice'.� A voice cannot exist by itself.� It is dependent upon the person it belongs to.� So John assigns himself a position of humbleness, modesty and dependence upon God. �He himself is nothing; he is simply the voice of God.

What is the true purpose of a voice?� Isn't it to communicate?� Your voice can send a message or sound an alarm.� It can also teach or encourage.� This shows how John sees himself.� He is a vessel that the voice or message of repentance flows through.� That voice sounds an alarm that people are dead in their sins.� It encourages them to repent and prepare the way for the Messiah who is soon to come.�

According to scripture, this voice 'cries in the wilderness'.  Why is it described that way? 

The word 'cry' signifies earnestness and importunity.  John brings a sense of urgency with his message.  Sin is not a laughing matter.  It is not something to overlook or sweep under a rug.  It is something that must be dealt with immediately and completely, without delay; it must take place right now!  If the people were to find the true Messiah, they must prepare for his coming NOW.

'Wilderness' is often used to describe a place of barrenness or waste, a neglected or uncultivated region.  Spiritually speaking, man is in a wilderness of sin; as long as he is apart from God he experiences spiritual barrenness.  His life is disorderly or neglected and he is dead in trespasses and sin.  The connotation is that John's voice cried out to people in their sinful, spiritually barren state and called them to a state of life and fruitfulness in Christ through repentance. 

It is also worth noting that a wilderness is often entirely uninhabited or very sparsely populated.  This was the kind of area where John preached.  In such a situation, you could not help but clearly hear his voice crying out. 

What about us?� In our busy modern lives, can we hear the voice of God calling to us?� �If not, it might be time to retreat to a place of solitude, apart from the demands of the secular world for a time, so we can more clearly discern what God is saying to us. ���

John 1:24-25 – (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.)� They asked him, "Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"

Did you notice that it was not the Sadducees or the priests/Levites who questioned the Baptist, but the Pharisees? �This makes sense because the Pharisees, more than any other sect of Judaism, were zealous for the Jewish religious rites.� They would never allow a rite to be added to Jewish worship except by the authority of the Messiah or a prophet.

In this case, it should be noted that Baptism was not a new rite in the Jewish religion.� When a Gentile wished to become a Jewish proselyte he was not accepted until he had been both baptized and circumcised.� These baptisms were never performed except by the express permission of the Sanhedrin.� In addition, Jews NEVER baptized other Jews because it was unnecessary - they were born into the covenant; they didn't need to be added in again.�

So in the opinion of the Sanhedrin (particularly the Pharisees), John the Baptist was misusing the rite of baptism.  He was twisting it into something it should not be; he was using it in a new way.  The only way this would be allowable was if John was a prophet, or Elijah or the Messiah.    

But as we know, John has already plainly and forcefully denied being the Messiah.  He has denied being an incarnation of Elijah (in the sense the religious leaders understood it).  Likewise, he does not claim to be a new prophet who would have authority from God to make this change.  Therefore the Pharisees demand an explanation of why John felt his actions were acceptable. 

For those of us living some 2000 years later, the answer seems obvious.  Jews as well as Gentiles must become proselytes to the new dispensation of the gospel, which Jesus was about to introduce.  But this was not clearly evident to the Pharisees of that day.  

John 1:26  – John answered them, "I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know,

John freely admits that he uses water baptism for a new purpose – to reveal the nature and necessity of repentance.  But neither the water nor the Baptizer has any power to cleanse from sin.  They can only prepare the hearts and minds of the people to turn towards the Messiah, who was even now among them.

John probably turned the world of the Pharisees upside down with his statement.� Think about it - he was not the Messiah, but the Messiah had come.� He had already been born and grown to adulthood.� He was standing by, ready to be revealed.� Although the religious leaders couldn't pick him out of the crowd, he was there.�

In some ways, this is a sad commentary on the religious leaders.  They, of all people, should have had their hearts and minds trained to look for the Messiah.  In theory, they should have recognized him well before any of the common people.  But they did not. 

Can we stop and examine ourselves for just a minute?  Scripture tells us that where two or three believers are gathered together, Jesus is present.

Matthew 18:20 – For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them. 

Yet, how often do we gather in church to participate in religious rites and ceremonies, but we fail to recognize the Spirit at work among us?� Are we sensitive to the presence of Jesus in our midst, or are we as blind as the Pharisees? �

Furthermore, when we see him, how will we react?  Will we be as the religious leaders, telling Holy Spirit how he can and cannot move in our midst?  Will we attempt to restrain him or resist him or even rebuke him, if he does something that does not meet our expectations?

Or will we be as the true disciples, surrendering to the power and anointing of the Spirit, willing to be part of something new and/or unexpected, even if we don't quite understand it fully? 

If we really want the Spirit to move in our midst as we claim, then we have to give him authority to move as he pleases, and we must submit.  This was a major issue for the religious leaders back in Jesus' day.  They did not want to surrender their authority to Jesus; because they did not submit to him, they missed all that God had in store for them.  Let's not be like that!

John 1:27-28 - even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie."  These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

John turns the focus from himself and his ministry to the object that he is there to reveal – Jesus the Christ.�

The latchet of a sandal was the string or thong by which it was fastened to the feet.  To unloose them was the role of a servant.  By his statement, John indicates that he was unworthy to perform even the lowest menial task for the Messiah. 

This is a true demonstration of John's humility.  John was well known and loved among the people.  Thousands came to be baptized and hear him preach.  He had followers of his own.  He was highly respected even among the political leaders of the day. 

The religious leaders were jealous of the crowds that John attracted, but John doesn't care.  His only desire is to tell everyone that there is one in their midst who was far superior to him; one who is worthy to receive all praise and glory for he is the promised Messiah.

John 1:29 – The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"

A day or at least a night has passed since John spoke to the Pharisees.  They have had a chance to consider his answers.  But before they can ask any further questions or take any action, they find John pointing out Jesus of Nazareth and likening him to a lamb.

  What does the scripture tell us about lambs?

• During the Passover feast, a lamb was killed and eaten by the Jews to commemorate their deliverance form Egypt (Exodus 12:3-11).�
• Every morning and every evening a lamb was offered in the temple as part of the daily worship and sacrifice (Exodus 29:38-39).��
• It was prophesied that the Messiah would be like a lamb led to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7).�

But Jesus was not just an ordinary sacrificial lamb.  He was the Lamb of God; a sacrifice appointed by God to take away the sin of the world, and reconcile men to God! 

The significance of the word 'world' was certainly not lost on the already astonished Jews.� In the daily temple sacrifices, only the sins of the Jews were laid upon the sacrificial lambs.� But the Lamb of God was different – he would take away the sins of both Jews and Gentiles.

Isaiah 53:6 – All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned - every one - to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Another interesting point is that John the Baptist uses the present tense in describing the removing of sin – Jesus 'takes away' sin.  Because it is in the present tense, it denotes a continuous act.  Every day, multiple times a day if necessary, Jesus takes away our sin by his blood.  He removes the guilt and punishment of sin from every believer.  He also frees us from the power and dominion that our sin held over us.   

John 1:30 – "This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.'"

This is actually the third time John's audience heard these words.� They were spoken in verse 15 and (partly) in verse 27.� Here, as before, John makes note that he was born on earth before Jesus, yet Jesus was far superior to him in every way.� Jesus was divine, existing long before his incarnation.

John 1:31 – "I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water that he might be revealed to Israel."

What are we to make of the phrase 'I myself did not know him'? 

First, let's consider some background.  John the Baptist was a relative of Jesus.  John's mother Elizabeth and Jesus' mother Mary were cousins (Luke 1:36).  John and Jesus were about the same age with John being just a few months older. 

It is possible that John and Jesus knew each other before John Baptized him.  If that was the case, then when John declares 'I myself did not know him', he must be referring to the fact that, although he was acquainted with Jesus as a devout and holy man, he did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah.  John may have suspected that to be the case, but he had to wait until God identified him with a sign from heaven.

But scholars favor the second scenario – that John and Jesus had never met.  Could this be possible, considering they were related?  Yes, it could.  In those days, there was much less travel; it was expensive and often dangerous.  There were no phones, no internet and no zoom.  There were no cars or buses.  John hung out in the wilderness region of Hebron, wearing camel's hair and eating locusts, while Jesus was raised in Nazareth.  So it is entirely possible that the two were not acquainted and that John did not know Jesus by sight.

Why does it matter anyway?

If a friendship or even an acquaintance existed between John and Jesus, the religious leaders may have been suspicious of a plot between the two to name Jesus as the Messiah.  They would certainly refuse to accept John's testimony about Jesus.

But, if John doesn't know Jesus, then his ministry can only be based on a word/command that he received straight from God himself.  This means John's message has divine authority.  It did not come by his own design (or a conspiracy between he and Jesus), but by inspiration of Holy Spirit and the command of God.  And if God is speaking through John, then the Messiah has truly come!

John 1:32-33 – And John bore witness: "I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.� I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'"

The Messiah is the one on whom the Spirit of God descends and rests.  This was not John's idea; this was the true sign of the Messiah that God had revealed to him.  The visible sign of the Spirit descending on Jesus served several purposes. 

• First, it was a confirmation for John.� He did not need to fear making a mistake by endorsing the wrong person as the Messiah.� Because John could be absolutely certain that Jesus was the Christ, it gave him great boldness in his witness. ��

• Second, it publicly identified the Messiah to the world.� While the crowds looked on, Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, descended from heaven and rested upon Jesus.� John emphatically points this out to the people.� Thus, God himself announces and endorses the Messiah.� There is no need for an agreement or approval from the religious leaders. ��

• Third, the anointing of the Spirit prepared/equipped Jesus for his mission and ministry.� As you recall, Jesus he did not embark upon the wilderness temptation until he had been anointed by the Spirit (Matthew 3:13-4:1).� Scripture tells us that God gave Jesus the Spirit without measure (John 3:34).�

�Let's pause for a minute here.� Jesus was not the only one with an assignment from heaven.� God also has something for each one of us to accomplish in this life.� And he empowers us to complete that assignment in the same way – through Holy Spirit!

What is the nature of your current relationship with the Spirit?  Do you fellowship with him each day?  Can you hear him speaking to you?  Do you turn to him for guidance and revelation?  Do you allow him to fill you with boldness and power?  Have you accepted a heavenly prayer language from him?  Has he given you a gift for the edification of the body of Christ? 

Jesus had a divine nature, but even he did not try to complete his assignment without the assistance of Holy Spirit.  How much more do you and I need him?

John 1:34 – "And I have seen and borne witness that this is the Son of God."

Once the Spirit descended upon Christ, the heavenly sign was completed and John the Baptist was fully convinced that Jesus was the Christ.  He was just as fully convinced that Jesus was the divine Son of God who existed before the foundations of the world.  Because he was convinced, he couldn't help but bear witness or testify to this truth. 

As we mentioned in our introduction, the apostle John provides seven different witnesses in his gospel that all testify to the divinity of Jesus.  John the Baptist is the first of the seven.

 Let me offer you some encouragement, relief and strength:

In this chapter, the apostle John gives us the witness of John the Baptist that Jesus was the divine Son of God.  But not everyone was happy to hear the good news. 

As we saw from this brief account, multitudes of common people were excited about Jesus.� When convicted of sin, they repented and readied themselves for the coming of the Messiah.

On the other hand, the religious leaders were not excited.  They wanted to keep their status in society and their religious authority/power.  They never even considered the fact that they were sinners.  In their pride and arrogance, they set themselves up against the Messiah.

So� although both groups heard the same message, some embraced it while others rejected it.  This is a pattern we find all throughout the scriptures. 

You may find this to be true in your own life and ministry.  As you step out to do what God has called you to do, those you minister to will be forever grateful.  These people will be a tremendous encouragement to you in your ministry. 

But there will also be those who dismiss both your ministry and your message.� They may even actively oppose you, as the religious leaders of John's day did.� So let me offer you some relief for that situation – you will never be accepted 100% of the time by 100% of the people.� The key is to keep your eyes on Jesus and do the work he called you to do; he will take care of your detractors.

Ministry is never easy.� God often calls us to do something that seems impossible.� If we could speak to John the Baptist today, I think he would confirm that!� So you're going to need strength, determination, wisdom, finances, open doors and a multitude of other things in order to fulfill your mission.� But that is not problem – God has provided his precious Holy Spirit to guarantee our victory, if we will only depend upon him, just as Jesus did! ��

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John 1:14 – And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The Word became flesh:� John has devoted the opening segment of his gospel to proving that Jesus the Messiah is one with God the Father and God the Spirit; he is divine.

He now goes on to show that the Word/Speech was also human; the God of all creation allowed himself to be born in a human body.  By the power of Holy Spirit, he was birthed through the body of the virgin Mary (Luke 1:30-35, Matthew 1:23).  This was predicted extensively in the scriptures – Genesis 3:15, Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 53, etc.

Here again, we find that John makes a statement that is so simple anyone can understand it, and yet so profound, even the most mature believer could meditate on it for years (and the scholars could write millions of words about it)!

Why does John use the term 'flesh'?  Do you find that odd?  Why wouldn't he say the Word was made 'man'?

The answer is that the term 'man' implies a body that houses a sinful, corrupt human nature.� But Jesus was neither corrupt nor sinful.� His divine nature was not transformed into human nature when he became a man.� Instead, as we have noted above, he remained divine but fused that divinity with a soul and a body when he walked the earth.� If you wish to study this concept further, please look around for other sources.� As mentioned above, scholars have written thousands of pages to try and explain the mystery of this divine truth.�

Rather than trying to fully explain this concept, let's just appreciate it� the God of the universe, the one who created all things, left the glory and splendor of heaven and permitted himself to be limited by a body of flesh, for the purpose of restoring fellowship with mankind!      

And dwelt among us:� The literal interpretation used here would be 'tabernacled' among us.� Think back to what you learned in the Old Testament.� The Israelites constructed a temporary dwelling place for God, called the tabernacle.� At times, God's glory and presence (his Shechinah glory) was manifested in that place (Exodus 40:34-35, I Kings 8:10-11, Ezekiel 10:4).� John uses this expression to describe the incarnation – the manifest presence of God condescended to dwell in a tabernacle or temple of flesh.� �

What else do we know about the tabernacle?

It was a temporary structure.  'Tabernacle' is never used to signify a lasting structure or habitation.  In the same way, the body of flesh that Jesus dwelt in was only a temporary residence for his eternal divinity. 

The Old Testament feast of tabernacles or feast of booths was a celebration held in temporary structures.� This points to the fact that during his time on earth, Jesus celebrated or enjoyed fellowship with his disciples.� He lived, ate, worked, and conversed with them for several years.� During this time, he provided the fullest proof of his divinity (the working of miracles) but yet the clearest proof of his humanity.

And we have seen his glory:� Though he was housed in a body of flesh, the divine nature and glory of Christ were evident to anyone who looked for them.� His divine glory was evident at the transfiguration, in the miracles her performed, in his suffering during at the Garden of Gethsemane and the cross, and in his resurrection and ascension.� This glory was further proof that God had come in human form.� ��

Glory as of the only Son from the Father:� In our culture, Jesus would be referred to as an 'only child'.� This means that he is the only true son of God the Father (we are the adopted sons and daughters of God, born again through the Spirit).� He is the only person born of a woman whose human nature did not come by the ordinary means of birth.� Instead, he carried the divine nature given to him by his true Father – God.� As such, he is above every man, angel or other created being (Hebrews 1:1-5).� His glory and majesty are equal to God, because he IS God. �

Full of grace and truth: �This phrase is a very rich and full; we could meditate on just this one aspect of Christ all day long! �

Grace refers to the love and mercy of God which he exhibited by sending a redeemer to save us.  Truth refers to the revelation and fulfillment of the plan of salvation.  Until the time that Christ was incarnated, the promise of redemption/salvation was just that – a promise; a future reality that millions and millions of people looked for.  Jesus was the fulfillment of the promise made under the old dispensation of the law.

John 1:15 – (John bore witness about him, and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.'")

The event described in this verse probably occurred at the time when Jesus made his first appearance among those who came to be baptized by John the Baptist.� As we mentioned in our introduction, many scholars believe that John the apostle was a follower of John the Baptist before he met Christ.� Therefore, he could be relating an event that he himself saw.

This quote from John the Baptist could be paraphrased this way: "It is proper that Jesus should be honored and respected above me, because he is a person superior in nature to me (he is divine).  Though he was born (in the flesh) after me, he actually existed before me (because he is both divine and eternal)."

John 1:16 – For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

Back in verse 14 the apostle John said that Jesus was full of grace and truth.  He now points out that every believer receives from that abundance.

Think of it this way:� Suppose you were starving, you went into a restaurant, and you were seated at an enormous empty table that would seat 10 people.� A server came up and gave you a menu.� But before you could even see all of the choices, the manager showed up with a platter overflowing with a huge steak.�

You are happy and thankful beyond words!  But after only two or three bites of meat, the manager returns with a plate of potatoes.  Then he brings salad.  Then bread and butter.  Then two different kinds of vegetables.  Then some coleslaw.  Then a plate of different fruits.  Next thing you know, the table is completely full.  Every kind of food you could ever want is on that table. There is an abundance - more than you could ever eat. 

Or what about this:  You are in your garage, trying to restore your broken down old car.  But you are missing the tools you need, so you call the local parts store.  The manager sends a truck to your house and delivers a torque wrench.  You are delighted.  But before you can even open the hood of the car, he also places a set of screwdrivers on your workbench.  As you are considering the screwdrivers, he adds a socket set.  And some ramps.  And a hammer.  And a cordless drill.  And an air compressor.  Before you know it, your garage is full.  Every kind of tool you could ever want or need is in your garage.

These are examples of 'grace upon grace'.� In both scenarios, Jesus is the manager.� He has complete authority over the vast fountain of resources that God (the owner) possesses. �

Now, let me ask you this:� Does the phrase 'grace upon grace' sound stingy to you?� Of course not!� The phrase includes an element of abundance – it isn't just a single instance of grace, it is layer after layer after layer of added grace.� It includes things that you don't even know that you need yet!�

By definition grace is divine favor; it is a gift from God that we do not deserve or earn by works.  It is also true that the fullness of the supply is constant – God never runs out.  Yet, some Christians live without an abundance of grace.  They don't seem to have all that they need.  Why is that?  It is because the power to receive grace increases with use or diminishes with neglect, depending on what we do with it:     

Matthew 13:12 - For whosoever has, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever has not, from him shall be taken away even what he has.

Grace upon grace begins with salvation, but also includes wisdom, love, the ability to live a holy life, provision, protection, power, open doors, the ability to forgive, creativity, strength, peace, sanctification and many, many other things.� It encompasses anything and everything that you need as a child of God.

What do you need?� A plate of provision?� A funnel of forgiveness?� The oil of joy?� Ask the Lord for it, then begin to use what is already at your disposal, no matter how small it seems.� In due time, you will find grace upon grace.� You will come into what you need.� ��

The expression 'grace upon grace' also implies superiority.  The grace given to Christians under the gospel is superior and more abundant than that given under the Law.  So let's rejoice and be glad that we live in the gospel dispensation.  And let's exercise the grace we have, that we may obtain more!  

John 1:17 – For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Here John calls attention to the difference between Moses and Christ.

Think back to what you know about the giving of the Law.  When the children of Israel left Egypt, God brought them to Mt Sinai.  There, the people were to meet him at the mountain.  God showed up in a thick cloud accompanied by darkness, thunder, lightning and an earth quake.  The people had been warned not to even touch the mountain, or they would perish.  Great fear was upon all of the people.   

Moses climbed to the top of the mountain to meet with God.� At that time, God gave him the law to pass on to Israel.� Thus, the law truly did come from God to Israel through Moses.�

The law had value.  It was the covenant between God and Israel; they were his chosen people who enjoyed the highest level of God's favor, protection and communion that was possible at the time.  The Law pointed out sin.  The Law, by its rites and ceremonies, pointed to the future dispensation of grace.  It contained types and shadows of the greater future covenant, when the Messiah would come and make atonement for sin once and for all. 

So while the law did a number of good things, it was still limited.� Its laws and rites were actually a burden to those who had to live by them.� Furthermore, The Law had no power to save or redeem from sin.� I think it can best be described as a precursor to grace – it effectively established that you sinned, and it put you under a sentence of death and condemnation.� Then it pointed to the one who could actually redeem you, the coming Messiah.

Hebrews 10:1 - For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near.

By contrast, Jesus the Messiah came to earth bringing or exhibiting both grace and truth. 

He did not come with thunder and earthquakes, striking terror into his followers.  He came meekly and mildly, as a baby born in a manger.  He came as a man; as the Son of God in human form conversing and teaching his disciples by doctrine and example.  The burdens of the law were abolished under the gospel when Jesus made permanent atonement for our sin.  In exchange, we are to perform the reasonable service of loving God and our neighbors.

So while those under the law had the promise of what was to come, those under the gospel can actually experience grace and forgiveness! 

Therefore we can say that Jesus brought truth.  This truth stands in opposition to both pagan beliefs and the law because it is the substance or reality of all those things prefigured by the law.          

John 1:18 – No one has ever seen God; the only God who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

How does the apostle John use the word "seen" in this verse?� He is not denying that Moses (and others) saw manifestations of God at different times (Judges 13:22, Exodus 24:9-10).�

The word 'seen' is used in the sense of knowing or being intimately acquainted with.  John is pointing out that Jesus, the Son of God who existed with God before the world was formed, clearly knew his Father.  Jesus had an intimate knowledge of God which neither Moses nor any other person ever had. 

Since Jesus alone is intimately acquainted with God in this way, he is the only one qualified to reveal the will, nature and purposes of God to mankind. �The fullest revelations of who God is and what he plans to do are revealed in Jesus Christ and the gospel message.� This work is further carried on by both the written word and Holy Spirit.

Let me give you some encouragement:

Do you realize just how much God loves you?  He sent his only Son to die for you!  And Jesus was on board with that plan, despite the fact that he had to pay the price for your sin!  What a wonderful topic of meditation this week as we celebrate the Christmas season!

Let me give you some relief:

As Jesus revealed, there is nothing you can do that he cannot or will not forgive! 

Even though you may have stumbled or fallen, life isn't over yet!  The only way Satan can have victory over you, is if you quit or give up.  So repent, change your ways, and get back in the game (Proverbs 24:16). 

Let me give you some strength:

Do you need a boost in your spiritual walk this week?  Then meditate on the first chapter of the gospel of John.  Let your mind consider all that God has done just for the purpose of making himself know to YOU and fellowshipping with YOU.  You will discover that he you are so precious to him, he was willing to give his very best to reach out to you.  

So in the midst of your Christmas celebrations this week, take some time to stop and consider the grace and truth that Jesus brought to earth all those years ago!   

MERRY CHRISTMAS�!

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Welcome back.  We are in the midst of a very profound and majestic discourse of the divinity of Jesus as written by the apostle John.  In the prior verses, John calls our attention to the fact that Jesus was one with God the Father (and the Spirit) before the universe was ever created. 

The scriptures also tell us that the mystery of man's redemption by the Word incarnate (Jesus the Messiah), was hidden in God before anything was created (Ephesians 3:6-9).  Thus, we can be assured that the Father, Son and Spirit were all agreement regarding not only the necessity, but the process/method of reconciling man to God.  Again, this was all known to the Trinity before they even brought the universe into existence.

Can we stop for a minute and make this personal?� It is one thing to paint this picture in broad strokes and say that the Trinity purposed to save mankind before he was created, but it's much more personal than that.� Truly, the Trinity was in agreement about rescuing YOU from sin and death.� God so intensely loves YOU, that he planned to perfectly and completely redeem YOU before the foundations of the world were laid.� When God looked at time, he saw YOU there.� He saw that he had breathed the breath of life into YOU, but an enemy had you in bondage.� In his great mercy and compassion, he did not leave you to that fate.� He himself, in the person of the Word, came to take sin upon himself.� How great is the love of God toward YOU!� How far are his ways past understanding!

My opinion is that when we get to eternity and we have a chance to see the whole design and scope of the plan of redemption, it will blow our minds!  It is also my opinion that our existence in eternity will be an everlasting witness of the love of God, to any and all other life that God has created.

John 1:5 – The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.

We ended our last post by pointing out that Jesus is both life and light.  He illuminates our spiritual darkness and shows us the way to eternal life.

Light is always self-evident – it makes itself known.  Suppose you were in a completely dark forest, so dense and thick that you couldn't even see your hand in front of your face.  That darkness would be overwhelming.  But I guarantee that if a lightening bug passed by, you would see its glow!  Why?  Because even the most minuscule light overcomes the darkness that surrounds it.  This principle is true both in the natural realm and the spiritual realm.  In fact, it has some pretty profound spiritual significance.

Man is in a state of spiritual darkness, which began when sin entered the human race in the Garden of Eden.  But the light of God has shined through that darkness ever since.    

Romans 1:19-20 - �since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.� For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

Here are just some of the ways in which God has manifested himself or shined his light in our spiritual darkness down through the ages: 

• God created each person with an innate sense that there is a God, and He gives us a desire to find Him.�
• God has given us a conscience that we might know there is right and wrong and therefore an ultimate eternal judge of our actions.�
• God revealed himself through his chosen people, Israel.�
• God's countless miracles attest to his existence.� Creation gives evidence of God's existence. �
• God revealed Himself to us through the 'types and shadows' of the Old Testament.�
• God spoke to man through his prophets.�
• God preserved the sacred scriptures for us, in which we find His promises of the redeemer. ���

Ultimately that Redeemer, the Word, the true light, came to earth in fleshly form.  And God used John the Baptist to call our attention to that light.

John 1:6-7 – There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.

As you probably already know, John did not perform any miracles.  He never claimed to have dreams or visions.  His calling was simple:  He was a messenger sent from God to us (Malachi 3:1).  His purpose was just as straightforward:  He came to provide a witness and testimony that Jesus was the Messiah – the Word made flesh; the light of the world.

Through John, God began to herald a change that was about to take place.  The astonishing era of grace was about to unfold.  The Messiah had come and through him all of mankind (Jew and Gentile alike) could be forgiven and welcomed into the presence of God, the source of all light. 

This raises a question – If light reveals itself, then why did God send John to bear witness about Jesus?    

The answer is that mankind loves darkness and willfully closes his mind and heart to the light of God.  John was like a kind of spiritual night watchman, who went around town calling out that dawn was breaking; it was time for people to arise, shake off spiritual slumber, and begin to live in the light.

John 1:8 – He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

John preached a message of repentance from sin.� By awakening people to the reality of their sin and depravation, he prepared them to receive the light of the gospel message and come to faith in Christ.�

This should be abundantly clear to each one of us, as we consider our own conversion experience.� At some point, all of us were happy living in sin and darkness. �But one day, someone (a modern-day messenger of God) shared the gospel with us and because of the conviction of Holy Spirit, we became acutely aware of our sin.� That awareness or knowledge of our sin caused us to seek and accept the forgiveness of Christ.�

You would never have sought that forgiveness if you weren't fully convinced that you needed it.  And you didn't know you needed it, until someone told you.  This was why God used John the Baptist to bear witness about the light.  It is the same reason he still uses righteous men and women today to spread the gospel message.    

To avoid any confusion or controversy, the apostle John makes it very clear that John the Baptizer was NOT the actual light.  He was like the star that guided the wise men to the manger.  He is the friend of the bridegroom, not the bridegroom himself.

John 1:9 – The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

Jesus is the true light (John 9:5, II Corinthians 4:4).  He is not a fallible, uncertain or dangerous guide.  He is the perfect, true, reliable anchor of our faith.  He is the rock upon which our salvation stands.  He is the source of all gospel revelation, which banishes spiritual darkness, error and ignorance from our lives. 

John now reveals another staggering truth – no more will divine revelation be restricted to a select group of people.� The light will be diffused upon Jew and Gentile alike; upon people of every tribe, tongue and nation.

Isaiah 49:6 - And he [God] said, It is too small a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel: I will also give you for a light to the Gentiles, that you may be my salvation unto the ends of the earth.

God does not exclude anyone from his forgiveness or his kingdom. But there will always be men who choose to exclude themselves from it.  They choose to close their eyes to the truth and reject the light.  They choose to reject/ignore Holy Spirit conviction when it falls upon them, and thus reject the salvation that Jesus provides for them. 

It should be further noted that once we have accepted Christ as savior, Jesus makes us lights as well (Matthew 5:14).  We are to let our lights shine, so that God may be glorified and draw sinners to himself. 

How is your light shining?� Is it bright and bold?� Or has it become a bit dimmed as of late?� This might be a good time to examine yourself and see what you can do to add fuel to your spiritual fire.

John 1:10 – He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.

Jesus was always 'in the world'.  As discussed previously, He existed before the creation, He was active in creation and He continues to breathe life into all creation.  If he didn't, everything would collapse and die. 

But what John refers to here is clearly the incarnation of Christ – the time when he took upon himself a body of flesh and dwelt among us for the purpose of redemption. 

During that period of time, the world did not 'know' Jesus.  In other words, the people of that generation either did not understand that he was the Messiah or they refused to acknowledge it.  Regardless of whether their ignorance was accidental or intentional, the end result was the same – mankind crucified him (I Corinthians 2:7-8).  

John 1:11 – He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

Who or what does John refer to when he says Jesus the Messiah came 'to his own'? 

In this case John is referring to the Jewish people or the nation of Israel.� They were God's chosen people, set apart for his purposes.� As you know, God entered into a covenant agreement with Israel.� Part of that covenant declared that God would bless the entire world through them (Genesis 26:4).� That promise was fulfilled when Jesus the Messiah (the Word/Speech) was born through the Jewish lineage (Matthew 1:1-16).� Therefore, the Jews were his own people. �

We have clear evidence in the scriptures that Jesus did exactly what John claims – he ministered or revealed himself almost exclusively to the Jewish nation during his incarnation.

Matthew 15:24 – But he [Jesus] answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

(It was only after the coming of Holy Spirit that Gentiles were admitted into the family of God. See Acts chapter 10).

If any nation of people should have accepted Jesus as Messiah, it was the Jews!� They were God's covenant people.� They had all the promises and prophesies that identified the Messiah.� They lived in expectation of his coming.

Yet, the scriptures supply vast evidence that, in general, the nation of Israel did not receive or accept Jesus as Messiah (Luke 17:25, Acts 4:9-11).  It's almost unbelievable!

However, we should not judge the Jews of that generation too harshly.  Mankind as a whole is a fallen race which loves darkness/wickedness.  Chances are that if we had been the generation that was alive when Jesus came to earth we too would have chosen to crucify him!

Furthermore, the apostle Paul clearly outlines in the book of Romans (see chapter 11), that rejection of the gospel by the Jewish nation is the result of a temporary spiritual blindness, which God used to open up the gospel message to the entire world (the Gentiles). 

Romans 11:11 - I say then, Have they [Israel]] stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy.

God has not rejected his people Israel (Romans 11:1-2), even though they rejected him.� At the present time, God's love for Gentiles is creating jealousy in the hearts and minds of the Jews.� One day, at the perfect time, He will bring them back into fellowship with himself.�

John 1:12 – But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

During the incarnation, the vast majority of Jewish religious leaders and common people rejected Jesus as the Messiah.  They rejected the light, truth and spiritual revelation of the gospel message.  That's the bad news.

The good news is that there were some who did believe, and put their faith in Christ.

 And there is more good news – people who formerly rejected him can still be touched by the gospel, if they allow its truth to penetrate their hearts and minds.  As long as a person is living and breathing on planet earth, they can change their mind and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior.  So don't ever stop bringing the names of your unsaved loved ones before the throne of Christ!  With God, all things are possible! 

Those who respond to Holy Spirit conviction and repent of their sin are given the right or privilege (your translation may say 'power') to become a child of God.�

This is the highest privilege that can be given to us!  Before we met Christ, we were slaves to sin.  We were under the curse of God.  We were children of the darkness/evil one and the only thing our father could bestow upon us was death and destruction.  

But now that we have placed our faith in Christ, God has adopted us as sons and daughters (Galatians 4:4-6, Ephesians 1:5-6)!  We are no longer slaves to sin; we have freedom in Christ.  We are no longer under the curse, we are blessed by God.  We have God as our Father and we are co-heirs with Jesus in the kingdom of God.

John 1:13 – who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

In John chapter 3, Jesus makes it very clear to Nicodemus that there are two kinds of birth – physical and spiritual. 

The Jews had placed their faith in their natural/physical birth along with the bloody rite of circumcision.  According to their thinking, since they were born Jewish, and since they were circumcised, Abraham was their father and they were automatically included in the family of God (John 8:37-41).  To some degree, this was true under the Law. 

But as we noted in our introduction, John is writing his gospel around 95 AD.�� The era of the law has passed.� Men are not admitted to God's family through the law or their lineage or by circumcision.� Spiritual birth can only come by the will of God, and His will is that all men will be redeemed through the blood of Christ.� �

Let me offer you some encouragement:

As a child of God, you have full access to the throne of God.  Don't ever stop mentioning the lost before that throne!  Even though you may not see the results right now, God is at work in the lives of those you pray/intercede for.  So no matter what, don't give up!   

Let me offer you some relief:

As a child of God, your past sins have been washed away.  If God does not hold them against you any more, why would you?  Cast off the shame of those old sins; don't let guilt keep you from actively participating in God's kingdom.

Let me offer you some strength:

As a child of God, you are a light or messenger of the gospel, just like John the Baptist.� So let that light shine brightly!� Be confident and secure as you share what God has done for you.� Remember, it's your job to share, but it is Holy Spirit's job to quicken the hearts of those around you who still need to find Christ. ��

�