October 27–John 4

“If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water”(4:10).

Unforgettable story. Timeless truth. John wants us to remember/understand the conversation Jesus had with the woman at the well.

Life doesn’t have to be barren. God will pour new, infinitely clean life into those who ask Him. Available to all! An offer Jesus gladly verbalized. “Ask and it shall be given,” says the Savior.” “How much more will the Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”

Christ is living water. Jesus (in the Spiritual) is what water is (in the physical). Absolutely essential! Life-giving. Refreshing. Cleansing. Where Christ is received, life flows and flourishes. “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God” says Psalm 46. The name of the river is Jesus. He is the gift of God.

We must ask! God forces His help on no one. Communicated to lost people through personal conversation (as in our text today) or public preaching and teaching, the gospel must move a man to a humble place. “I need help! God offers help! I will ask Him!” Only pride or fear prevents us from doing so. In this familiar story, Jesus began His conversation with his own request for her help. It was an example for her (for us). Asking for help won’t kill you, not asking likely will.

We must repent. The offer of God’s kindness is not unconditional. As Jesus gently moved this woman toward faith, He deliberately touched the subject of her sin. Over many years, she had five husbands and now lived with another outside of marriage. Could the Lord not have left this sensitive subject unmentioned until later? No. Salvation is disruptive. “If you find God with great ease, perhaps it is not God you found” (Thomas Merton). Repentance and faith are two sides of one coin.

Many are ready. The Lord stayed in Samaria for many days. He answered questions. He taught truth. SO many people. SO much interest. He later described the scene with these words. “The fields are white (ready) for harvest. Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal” (4: 35-36). In the providence of God, there are people in your life, or about to be in your life, who are ready to receive God’s help. You will be rewarded for telling them God’s offer.

The offer is for everyone. “His disciples marveled that He talked with a woman” (4:27). All the days of His public ministry, Jesus signaled a new, fresh, creation-order place of honor for women in His kingdom. Mary sat at His feet. Mary Magdalen was sent to tell the news of the resurrection. “There is neither Jew or Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female,” said Paul years later (Galatians 3:28). Scripture does not deny the existence or the value of these categories. It does, however, boldly declare that none of these factors hinder or help a person in his/her relationship with God. We are all equal before the Father. All invited. All welcomed who come. What matters is living water, not the cup that holds it!

Friend, do you know the kindness of a generous God? Will you ask for His help? Will you lift up your eyes to a field ready for harvest? Will you communicate God’s offer of grace?

“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water’ ” (John 7:37-38).

“I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22).

October 26–John 2-3

“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again’ ” (John 3:6-7).

Unforgettable night. Light shining in darkness!

Christ’s cleansing of the temple offended His enemies in the capital city. Opposition began to coalesce. Can you feel the tension?

Despite the anger the other Pharisees felt toward Christ, Nicodemus was honest enough to recognize Spiritual authenticity. He saw the signs Jesus was doing. With an open mind, he went for a visit.

He came at night. Concerned for what others might think? Probably. Cautious by nature and training, Nicodemus was, nevertheless, admirably humble and respectful toward Jesus.

He was not, however, prepared for the challenging truth that came from the Savior. It caught Nicodemus off guard.

“You must be born again!” said Jesus to this widely respected, older man. Sweeping aside all that was admirable in Nicodemus (his religion, his public duties, his knowledge, success and reputation), Jesus insisted that the ONLY door into God’s Kingdom is a new birth.

“A birth from above,” is the literal translation. In order to participate in the kingdom of God, Nicodemus needed to be reborn by (in) God’s Spirit. An act of supernatural power! A moment as real as physical birth.

Struggling with the demand, Nicodemus wanted to know HOW this could actually happen. He couldn’t imagine it. (None of us can). Jesus refocused him on a better question, WHO is capable of giving such a new life? Like the wind, the invisible and powerful Spirit is our HOW. God does this work. God gives this gift. Our part is to believe in (into) His Son. See 3:15.

How can a person be reconciled to God? How can he/she be included in God’s kingdom with a right relationship to the King? Church attendance? Mental assent to Biblical truth? Moral life? No! Membership in God’s family begins with an act of supernatural power. God gives a new life and we are born into His family.

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God. . .who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God”(John 1:12-13).

October 25–John 1

As “the disciple that Jesus loved,” John had a unique relationship with Jesus. In some ways, he was closer than any other. He was our Savior’s friend.

Years later, as an old man, inspired by Spirit, he wrote down his memories. We call it , “The Gospel of John.” Do you hear his testimony, dear one? The faith of a friend?

Scholars call John 1 “the prologue” to his gospel. A SUMMARY of all that will follow, the central convictions of his heart after years of reflection.

Jesus is Infinite, Eternal God. With insight that only the Spirit could provide him, John takes us back into eternity past. He introduces us to a beautiful Person. John calls Him, “the Word.” With God in fellowship, distinct from the Father in being, but equal in essence, the Word was (is) God. In Him was life and light. While the word “Trinity” does not appear in Scripture, passages like this press us toward the concept. Jesus is Infinite, Eternal God.

Jesus is truly, fully Man. “The Word became flesh,” says John in 1:14. He was born. Local. Limited. One man, in one place, at a particular moment in history. Like us in all ways except sin. Headaches and hunger. Joy and weariness. Jesus lived the assignment the Father gives to us all, material man with a Spiritual center.

Jesus is the unique Son of God. In Christ, the disciples saw, “the glory of the ONLY begotten from the Father.” There never was (or will ever be ) anyone else like Him. In the gospel that follows, John selects specific moments (signs, miracles) as evidence of this truth.

John’s friendship with Christ changed him forever! Through a long process of discipleship and sanctification, John’s eyes were opened to the highest, noblest ideas of all time!

As John gives witness to his friend, will you join him? His invitation is as broad as the world. Inclusive. Merciful. He wrote his testimony that we might have faith and be friends of Christ, too.

“Jesus, what a friend for sinners. Jesus lover of my soul” (J. Wilber Chapman).

“These things have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name”(John 20:31).

October 24–Luke 24

“Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? (39) See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself” (24:38-39)

If I am honest (please, God), I am often troubled. Even now, after years of following Christ, doubts and fears regularly rise in my heart.

When it is so, it is always because I have drifted from the first principle of New Testament life. Christ is with me! He, with all of His competence and care and wisdom, is with me! True of every believer. The mind focused on Christ experiences peace. See Romans 8:7.

In Luke 24, in the hours after the resurrection, Jesus taught His disciples (us) this new powerful path.

Jesus was with the disciples even when they were unaware of it. On the road to Emmaus, neither their eyes nor their feelings gave evidence to this reality, but it was true, nevertheless. We walk by faith and not by sight. As with the Emmaus travelers, the Lord is near. Do you believe? Will you?

Jesus was with the disciples in the Scripture. With deliberate intent, Jesus led these men back to the Bible. He challenged them for being “slow to believe it” (24:25). The written word, by the very design of God, has powerful ability to cause the believer to know the Savior’s presence. The disciples gave testimony to this truth. “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?” (24:32). I know this experience! When I seek Him in Scripture, Jesus is present with me. Using the Bible, the Spirit sets my heart on fire with hope and enthusiasm. “Is not my word like a fire?” says the Lord in Jeremiah 23:29.

“They returned to Jerusalem with great joy, (53) and were continually in the temple praising God” (24:52-53). Will you consider? By the end of the chapter, these men were filled with joy and hope and courage and power, when none of it was present before. What gave them this new life? They learned that their competent Lord was (is) with them? To focus on this truth was (is) a door to a different life.

What if you fixed your heart on Him, dear reader? What would life be if you lived out of this new equation? What would the impact be in attitude or courage if you jettisoned every other focus, every other concentration of mind, for this truth?

“Why are you troubled?”, says the Savior to His disciples, ancient and modern. “I am with you!”

“Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, ‘God with us’ “(Matthew 1:23).

October 23–Luke 23

It was a day of darkness. Moral darkness. Physical darkness. The Spiritual rebellion of the human race on grim display. See Psalm 2.

On this awful day, government failed its duty of justice. Religion failed its duty of truth. Every facet of society contributed to this moment of cruel injustice.

When the Gospel writers speak of the cross, they simply tell the story. With great economy and reverence, they narrate the event without commentary or explanation. They tell what happened, who spoke and what was said. The event, for them, was (is) self-explanatory.

Today, will you allow your mind to recreate this scene? Will you put every piece of the picture in its proper place? With a reverent heart, and open eyes, will you come and stand at the cross?

Pilate questions Jesus. Reports that he finds Him innocent. Looking for a way out of his own political dilemma, he sends Him to Herod. Jesus is silent before this corrupt king. The chief priests are inflamed with anger. Jesus is sent back to Pilate. A mob forms. Soldiers mock. As a joke, expensive robes are placed on His shoulders. Pilate offers to be lenient. The irrational mob refuses. Sentence is pronounced.

Simon of Cyrene is seized and forced to assist. Women weep. Jesus warns them. The true time for weeping will come later. Arriving at Golgotha, Jesus is crucified between two criminals.

The sounds are as vivid as the sights. Hammers strike nails. “Father, forgive them,” prays Jesus aloud. The crowd mocks. The first criminal joins in. The second criminal turns to Christ in faith. The Lord speaks words of grace to a new believer. The Centurion whispers his sorrow, “We have crucified an innocent man!” Do you hear the sounds, dear one?

Then, darkness spreads over the scene. Creation revealing the rage of God. It hints the wrath to come. Simultaneously, the temple veil is torn top to bottom. It is both judgement on Israel and an invitation to the world.

For hundreds of years believers have observed “The Stations of the Cross”. Carvings or pictures that help believers devotionally consider all the parts of the crucifixion event. As you read Luke, perhaps you will do something similar. Ask yourself, “What does this day teach me about God, myself, the world?” “What does this moment call me to do?”

“At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light, and the burden of my heart rolled away, it was there, by faith, I received my sight, and now I am happy all the day”(Isaac Watts).

“Stricken, smitten and afflicted, see Him dying on the tree! ‘Tis the Christ by man rejected, yes, my soul, ’tis He, ’tis He! ‘Tis the long-expected Prophet, David’s son, yet David’s Lord; by His Son, God now has spoken. ‘Tis the true and faithful Word”(O Mein Jesu, Ich Muss Sterben, translation by Thomas Kelly).

October 22–Luke 22

“But behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with Mine on the table. For indeed the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed”(22:21-22).

God is sovereign. ALL things ultimately yield to His will and choice. At the same moment, man is responsible. This by God’s sovereign choice. Every human is capable of a moral response to God and culpable when we refuse. We do not control outcomes, but we are held accountable for our inner thoughts and actions.

For three years, Judas walked with Jesus. Having witnessed miracles, having seen the Lord’s character, Judas’ betrayal is difficult to understand. John says, and Luke agrees, that greed played a part. Satan was also a factor. His heart darkened by multiple forces, Judas betrayed Jesus, his friend and Lord. Who knows what justifications he gave himself as he walked this tragic path?

Judas did not CAUSE Jesus’ death. (The cross was God’s plan from the beginning). Nevertheless, Judas bore the terrible judgement for his actions. See the sober words of Christ, above.

It is the same for us. We live in the universe of a God who counts hairs, sees sparrows. He is infinitely aware of the smallest details of every life. In response to His revelations of Himself, God insists that we make choices. Worship! Seek Him! Deny self! Trust! Imperatives all. At the center of every life is a choice. To seek God or self. For our choice, He rightly holds us accountable.

A wise and gracious God does not force me to love Him, nor pretend that it makes no ultimate difference if I do not. He is sovereign. I am responsible. Judas was held accountable for His choices. I will be held accountable for mine.

“We don’t get to choose what is true. We only get to choose what we do about it” (Kami Garcia).

“I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life that you may live, you and your descendants” (Deuteronomy 30:19).

October 21–Luke 20-21

“So, they answered that they did not know where it (the baptism of John) came from. And Jesus said to them, ‘Nor will I tell you by what authority I do these things’ “(20:7-8).

In our relationship, God sets the rules of engagement. One of the conditions He wisely sets for those who would “walk in the light” is when truth is revealed we are to discern, decide and act! No procrastination or delay. No plea for more certainty. When, by His grace, the door of truth swings open, we are to walk through it ! He requires this courage of us.

When John the Baptizer burst on the national scene of ancient Israel, the Pharisees stonewalled him. Uncomfortable with his message and direction, they ignored him. Took no public stand. Made no commitment of faith. Despite the obvious indicators of prophetic authority, they refused a decision on whether God sent him. “No comment,” they said to those who inquired. No wonder they are later unprepared to affirm the Christ. If you will not take the first step, the second (when it comes) will be impossible for you.

Why should God give us more truth until we have responded to the truth already given? Our part of the equation of faith must always be the courage to decide and embrace the truth as it comes. Even when it is politically or personally inconvenient. Even when it is disruptive or uncomfortable. Not to do so proves the problem is in our hearts. In our wills. Did you think He doesn’t notice when you ghost Him?

Friend, what truth has God revealed that you rejected, resisted or procrastinated? Maybe you didn’t outright deny it, just didn’t deal with it, didn’t decide or commit yourself. With God, the predicate for more truth is to receive and act on the truth you already have. If you desire Christ, you must have the courage to decide.

“Tempting God means trying to get more assurance than God has given” (Leslie Newbegin).

“If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know whether (my) teaching is from God”(John 7:17).

“Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin”(James 4:16).

October 20–Luke 18-19

“Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night. . .However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”(18:7-8).

I must remember. God expects me to CONTINUE in prayer. It is a duty I must carry way past the level of my own comfort. A generation ago we called it importunate prayer. Unceasing. Persevering. Prayer that never gives up, even to the point of becoming an annoyance.

None of us wants to be a “bother”. Especially not to God. Scripture, however, urges something different. “Please bother Me!” commands the Most High. Ask! Stay on your knees! Pray without ceasing.

The Jesus story makes this lesson clear. A woman refuses to give up her pursuit for justice (legal). Her persistence pays off. In the same way the judge responded to her request, the Father WILL bring justice for His elect who call out to Him day and night. Note the implied sense of patience and perseverance in the words, “day and night.” The Father hears us when we pray, but REAL prayer is a COSTLY enterprise, proven in persistence. We must ASK, risk the fear of failure and make our requests known to God. With undiscouraged resilience we must also KEEP ASKING.

“Will the Lord find faith (such as this woman had) when He returns?” Jesus wondered aloud. Will He find saints in prayer meetings and private closets, making use of their great privilege, calling out for His great justice and peace to come? Not selfish prayers. Prayers for justice. Prayers for the world to be restored.

Will you take a moment and reflect on what you ASKED God this morning in your quiet time? Did you ask for something great, or did you just worry in His presence? Did you cry out for Christ to return in power? With undiscouraged confidence, will you cry out again tomorrow and the next day, until He comes?

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

October 19–Luke 16-17

“And the master praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted shrewdly”(16:8).

Strange story. Challenging. At first reading, it almost seems that Jesus is approving the actions of an unethical manager. Does our Lord commend dishonesty? No. Does He teach intelligent action? Yes!

In this brilliant story, our Lord urges us to use our heads. He gives us permission to think and to act, to not be paralyzed when life becomes difficult. Intelligent, resilient courage is our Lord’s focus. Jesus calls it “being shrewd”(phronimos, “prudence, wisdom, use of the mind.” The root is phren, “mind”).

Early in my years as a follower, a friend taught me a process for making decisions. 1) Think hard–consider all possibilities, logically, honestly, practically. 2) Pray hard–in full surrender of will, submit all choices to the Lord in prayer. Be still. Wait. 3) Make a decision and act–take steps and trust the Lord to bless. Over the years, I have used this counsel with great benefit.

The enemy works to convince believers that the use of our minds is contrary to faith. Not true! God made us to be flesh and Spirit, natural AND supernatural. We are to be citizens of both worlds, living in the dynamic tension between them. The Spirit is superior to logic, but no substitute for it. When it is time to wait, action is a mistake. When it is time to act, further waiting is unbelief. As we seek Him, the Spirit helps us know which wisdom to use in each situation.

Looking at your life and circumstances, what is the wisest way forward? What actions should you take? Wise as serpents AND gentle as doves (Matthew 10:16). Not timid (2 Timothy 1:7). Our Lord calls us to be SHREWD.

“Make a new plan, Stan. You don’t need to be coy, Roy. Drop off the key, Lee, and get yourself free”(Paul Simon).

“If you are not willing to move your feet, don’t go asking God for help” (Germany Kent).

“And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Luke 2:52).

October 18–Luke 14-15

“You will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous”(14:14).

Salvation is a gift. No question. The necessary power for a restored relationship with God flows from His infinite strength to helpless men. The credit is HIS alone.

Even so, we are not a passive participants. God created us for good works. “Faith that works,” says James 2:18. As believers, we are restored by the Spirit for disciplined participation in His world. In union with Him, we make imprints in the material, emotional, social world. In a display of infinite grace, our Father rewards us for this labor!

In Luke 14, Jesus motivates the Pharisees with this potential. Carrot! Incentive! Not unspiritual to think this way. Ministry from merciful hearts will be REPAID. Just as sin has wages, so does obedience and service. Paul reasons similarly in Philippians 3. “I press forward for the goal of the PRIZE.” Double mercy. God makes righteousness possible and then rewards us for doing it.

Specifically, Jesus urged the Pharisees to offer ministry to the poor. We are never to dismiss the poor, to be biased against them. God notices mercy. He repays His people for acts of generosity.

A focus on the coming resurrection is a great blessing to the believer. “The great gittin’ up morning,” the early American hymn writers called it. The resurrection will be a day of celebration and recognition for the faithful! A day when wise use of talents will be publicly honored! In Philippians 3, Paul expresses his hope, “that I may attain to the resurrection of the dead”. It was his goal. It should be ours, too.

Friend, how much of your life is a conscious and courageous investment in the day that is coming? Does your confidence in a coming day inspire you to action and service?

“In the future, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing”(2 Timothy 4:7-8).

“The twenty-four elders will fall down before Him. . .and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, ‘Worthy are You, our Lord and our God to receive glory and honor and power”(Revelation 4:10-11).