The Book of John_Day 12

Would you give it all?

Read – John 12

Mary washes Jesus’ feet with perfume. The next day, Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey as crowds praise Him. Jesus explains why He’s going to die and makes a plea for the Jews to believe.

What would you consider your most valuable possession? Maybe it’s a car, a family heirloom, a computer, a phone, a video game console, maybe a pair of shoes, or and outfit. We all have things that we value and take great care to keep. In the beginning of John 12, we see the thing Mary considered precious — a bottle of expensive perfume. This perfume was not just a fragrance to Mary. It was worth nearly a year’s wages. Mary wasn’t just saving this perfume for a special day. This bottle was her financial security.

“Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume” (John 12:3).

In an act of worship, Mary poured her perfume onto Jesus’ feet. She knelt to the ground and washed His feet, ignoring the opinions of others. Mary gave radically. She gave not knowing if she’d be able to live through the day, but trusting Jesus anyway. She gave with such extravagance that the disciples told her she’d given too much.

To put Mary’s situation in today’s terms, it would be like going to church next Sunday, feeling called to give, and writing a check for your entire year’s salary! Yet, this is the same way God gave to us. He gave His best when He gave us Jesus. God not only calls us to radical faith, He calls us to radical giving.

What’s holding you back from pouring your security out at Jesus’ feet? Is there anything in your life you have not given to God?

The Book of John_Day 11

Jesus, where are you?

Read – John 11

Jesus’ friend Lazarus falls ill, but by the time Jesus reaches Lazarus’ house, it’s too late. Jesus weeps for His friend then raises Lazarus from the dead!

Have you ever wondered about God’s timing? You’re not alone. Some of Jesus’ close friends did, too. When Lazarus became deathly ill, his sisters, Mary and Martha, asked Jesus for help. They knew Jesus was traveling and His ministry was growing, but He was a close friend. Surely He could take a few minutes to heal their brother. But Jesus didn’t show up. Two days later when He arrived, it was too late. Lazarus was dead.

Martha and Mary were not only grief stricken, but deeply troubled by Jesus’ apparent lack of concern. “‘Lord,’ Martha said to Jesus, ‘if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again’’ (John 11:21–23). Even hearing Jesus’ words, the sisters were probably wondering, “Lord, what are You thinking now?!”

“Whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (John 11:26).

As they traveled to Lazarus’ four-day-old gravesite, Martha questioned Jesus’ timing again. His response to her was clear, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” After thanking God Jesus called out loudly, “Lazarus, come out!” And he did. Lazarus, still wrapped in strips of linen, but fully alive, walked out of the tomb (John 11:38-44). 

Maybe you’ve questioned Jesus’ timing. You knew exactly when He needed to show up and what He needed to do, but it didn’t work out the way you had planned. Even when we don’t understand, He can be trusted.

Have you ever doubted God’s timing? What did you learn from that situation?  If you’re unsure about God’s plan or timing in a situation now, would you surrender it to Him?

The Book of John_Day 10

Why working harder doesn’t make you happier

Read – John 10

Jesus compares Himself to a good shepherd who feeds and cares for His sheep. Tired of Jesus’ metaphors, religious leaders corner Jesus at the temple and ask Him directly: Are you the Christ?

How can we live abundant lives? We all want that, don’t we? But we can’t answer how until we focus on the more important question: What — or who — is the source of abundant life?

Jesus says in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” Chasing anything other than Jesus will steal what God has blessed you with, kill your dreams, and destroy your purpose in life. Only Jesus can restore the blessings that have been stolen, bring life to dreams that have died, and give our lives purpose. Possessions come and go, as does the enjoyment they bring. The only way to experience joy that never leaves is to have something that cannot fail. An abundant life comes from Jesus, who never fails.

“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture” (John 10:9).

When a reporter asked John D. Rockefeller how much money was enough to make him happy, the millionaire replied, “Just one dollar more.” Nothing on Earth is ever going to satisfy us. But if you ask anyone who has made Jesus the Lord of their life, they will tell you that they are blessed beyond anything they could have ever asked or imagined. A life apart from Jesus will always leave you lacking, but a life centered on Jesus is full of abundance.


What do you strive for in life? How does what you strive for differ from what Jesus strived for?

The Book of John_Day 9

What has Jesus done for you?

Read – John 9

Jesus meets a blind man and heals him with a combination of dirt, spit, and the Holy Spirit. When the man’s neighbors learn about his healing, religious leaders come to Jesus looking for answers.

Can you imagine living with absolutely no vision? Your view of the world would be the images someone has patiently painted in your mind.

John 9 describes a man blind since birth. Some of Jesus’ disciples assumed the blindness had been brought on by sin, maybe his or maybe even the sin of his parents. Jesus assured them that the man’s troubles had not been caused by sin, but “…so the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:3).

If you were blind, wouldn’t you be willing to try just about anything to be radically healed? Can’t you see yourself thinking, “Cover my eyes with a fresh mud pie made out of spit? Good plan!” Because that’s exactly what Jesus did. After covering the man’s eyes with mud Jesus told him to go wash his face. In an instant, his dark world became light.

“While I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:5).

Religious leaders overlooked the healing miracle because they wanted to ensure it happened according to their regulations. Was this the same man who had been blind, the beggar? If so, who had healed him? Didn’t Jesus know He wasn’t supposed to heal people on the Sabbath? Their interrogation ended abruptly with the former blind man proclaiming, “I was blind, but now I see!” (John 9:25)

Everyone who accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior has a before and after story. If you’ve gone from darkness to light, your story has been written so the works of God might be displayed in you. Your story is just as miraculous as the one in John 9. You were blind, and now you see.

The Book of John_Day 8

Who you know matters more than what you know

Read – John 8

When religious leaders bring an adulterous woman to Jesus for judgment, it becomes a lesson in not judging others. Jesus goes on to explain He is the eternal Son of God and they are illegitimate children.

Using the name God gave Himself in Exodus 3:14, Jesus makes an audacious claim: “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58)! Jewish leaders heard this statement and became so angry they wanted Jesus dead. The Pharisees were considered the ultimate authority on God’s Word by the nation of Israel and had an incredible knowledge of the Scriptures. Jesus brushed off their personal attacks and reminded the Jewish leaders that they may know the Scripture but they do not know God.

“‘Very truly I tell you,’ Jesus answered, ‘before Abraham was born, I am’” (John 8:58)!

What a dangerous place to be — to know the Bible cover to cover yet not know God. In John 8, the Jewish leaders knew enough of the Bible to debate Jesus but failed to apply it to their lives. Reading and applying the Bible should always point us to Jesus. Knowing Jesus is more important than knowing Scripture.

When we know Scripture and apply it, we look like Jesus at the beginning of chapter 8. We shield the helpless, forgive the sinful, offer hope in hopeless situations, and rebuke self-righteousness. When Scripture is applied, it points us to Jesus instead of preparing us for debate.


While reading your Bible today and over the next few weeks, begin your time by asking God to meet with you and allow you to know Him, not just His words.

As You Go Pray 4/05/20

Unleashed – As You Go – Pray

Living Confidently Even When

“I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!” Psalm 27:13-14

Lunch is ready, wash your hands. Now! The trademark mantra of Moms for generations. Now you hear the same words, wash your hands even if you simply touch the door handle. Wash hands! Keep your distance – six feet! Stay home! This is the new life we find ourselves in at this time. No one ever imagined we would be at this place. However, Jesus tells a most timely parable that could easily apply today.

“Then he told them a parable: “The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, what should I do, for I have no place to store my crops? Then he said, I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry. But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:16-21)

The man had life the way he wanted, all the things he would need for years to come. He made some good financial decisions only to wake up with the words, “You fool!,” and his world was gone.  In February we woke up to a world changed totally.  Life for us was good but then an unexpected, unprecedented, and deadly virus attacked the world. What we had was no longer there. The barns we built were gone.

Jesus parable would be filled with hopelessness and it is, if your focus is not on God. The man’s focus was on his treasure, not upon God. The same is said of anyone “who stores up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”

However, to His disciples we are told, “not to worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear.” (Luke 12:22) Jesus points to the sky and tells us to look, “the ravens; they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them.” If God can take care of birds, think about how he must care for you. He tells us, “of how much more value are you than the birds!” (Luke 12:24)

Living confidently in the midst of a crisis is not easy. Unfortunately, fear can overwhelm followers of Jesus. We have to be reminded often that God’s kingdom is greater than our struggle. To hear again the comforting words of Jesus as he tells us, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)

C.S. Lewis tells about living confidently even when life seems hopeless. Replace his “crisis” with our crisis of the virus to keep in perspective Jesus words, “do not be afraid, little flock.”

“If we are all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things—praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts—not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs. They may break our bodies (any microbe can do that) but they need not dominate our minds.”

The days ahead may still be stressful yet our hope is secure in God. Our future may be uncertain but we stand on the unshakable ground of God’s Word. Our path may be rocky but we walk with Jesus in confidence. “Truly the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.” (Psalm 33:18-19)

 

God is great,

Pastor Lynn Burton

 

 

 

 

The Book of John_Day 7

What to do when friendship hurts

Read – John 7

As Jesus becomes more well-known, everyone has an opinion about what He should do next. His brothers ridiculed Him, a crowd calls Him demon-possessed, and religious leaders attempt to arrest Him.

Sometimes following God can lead you to lonely places. Jesus’ own brothers questioned His divinity and seemed to mock Him, pushing Him to go public and show everyone who He really was. Jesus dealt with criticism from His brothers, criticism from neighbors, and death threats from the religious leaders who should have been on His side.

“Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him” (John 7:18).

The very people who should have supported and sustained Jesus’ ministry turned against Him, yet He continued to do the right thing. Jesus did not grow bitter or angry; He did not plot revenge or plan a public relations campaign to promote Himself. Instead, Jesus chose not to take His rightful place as God. He chose to humble Himself, stay out of the confusion and offer spiritual refreshment to anyone who was looking for something new (John 7:37).

We can take heart because we’ve given our lives to the same Jesus that dealt with real life problems. When we feel lonely and left out, we know He felt the same way and responded in love. We can rest in the knowledge that Jesus suffered and faced hardship, but it never conquered Him. That means sorrow, loneliness, and hardships do not have to conquer us. No matter your circumstances, Jesus can understand exactly where you are and help you stand strong. Because Jesus faced loneliness, you do not have to face it alone.


Do you have a troubled relationship with someone in your life? How can you respond to this person differently knowing you have the strength Jesus offers?

The Book of John_Day 6

Do you have everything you need?

Read – John 6

Jesus feeds 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish, walks on water across stormy seas in the middle of the night, and follows that up by declaring to a crowd of people that in order to live they must eat His flesh and drink His blood.

To be honest, John 6 can be a little scary. Not because Jesus talks about eating flesh and blood, but because it is hard to accept. Many in the crowd felt the same, “from this time many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him” (John 6:66).

Walking on water and making bread join a long list of miracles along with raising people from the dead and opening blind eyes. Jesus’ miracles and His controversial “eat my flesh” statement all convey the same message: Jesus is the point. In this life and the next, we can never be satisfied apart from Jesus. And on the opposite end of that spectrum, if we have nothing but Jesus, we have everything.

“Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty’” (John 6:35).

It is understandable why some walked away. They didn’t want to surrender everything to Jesus. Some people probably wanted a show, to be a part of something powerful, or to have a need met. Their world was similar to our world today: looking for more money, more things, more options and more religion. More was the focus of their desires, actions and attitudes.

Jesus spoke in direct contrast, saying “I am” the answer. Jesus did not come to leave us wanting; He came to give us everything. He is everything. Like Peter, we can say with joy, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).

What, if anything, are you scared to surrender to Jesus? Is anything in your life holding you back from a 100 percent commitment to Him?  Do you think you are living a full life? Why or why not? Ask God if He wants to change the way you live.

The Book of John_Day 5

Follow Jesus, not a bunch of rules

Read – John 5

Religious leaders get angry when Jesus heals a lame man on the day of rest. They get even angrier when Jesus claims to be God’s Son.

For most of John 5, Jesus speaks to the Jews who criticize Him for healing the man at the pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath. The Jews had rules upon rules about what good Jewish people could and could not do. One of those rules prohibited any kind of work on the Sabbath. Healing was work and, according to their rules, should be saved for the other six days of the week. Allow the absurdity of that to sink in. The religious Jews were essentially saying, “How dare you perform a miraculous healing in defiance of the Jewish law! How dare you change this man’s life on the Sabbath! How dare you end his 38 years of suffering! That can surely wait until tomorrow.”

Jesus continues to call them out in John 5:39–40, where He points out their diligent study of the Scriptures but their blatant disregard for believing them. The whole Bible is about Jesus. Even the Old Testament tells us about God’s plan to send His Son to save us. The Jews knew those Scriptures well, but failed to recognize Jesus as there fulfillment.

“Very truly I tell you whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24). 

If we aren’t careful, we, too, can turn our relationship with Jesus into a bunch of rules we follow, a bunch of words we read, and a bunch of songs we sing. By doing so, we can completely miss Jesus and the miracles He is doing all around us.

Why is it our tendency to make our relationship with Jesus a checklist of good behaviors? What changes can you make today to break that cycle?

The Book of John_Day 4

There’s only one way to heal your pain

Read – John 4

Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at a well and asks her for a drink. Awed by what Jesus had to say, the woman brought everyone from town to meet Him. From there, Jesus traveled to Galilee and healed a government official’s son.

Jesus wasn’t concerned about hanging with the “in” crowd. In John 4, Jesus initiates a conversation with a highly unlikely character — a Samaritan woman who had five husbands. Her gender made her culturally inferior, her race labeled her as one to be avoided and her lifestyle choices marked her as one to be condemned. But Jesus ignored all the social barriers meant to separate them because His concern wasn’t for appearances; His concern was for people. All people. Hurting people. Searching people. People who make bad choices. Empty people. Because that’s all of us, right?

In John 4:15, the woman refers to the hassle of returning to the well so often to quench her thirst. In the same way, she has repeatedly returned to the well of failed relationships to fill her emptiness.   

“Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14).

While we stuff ourselves on what the world offers — money, success, relationships, possessions, entertainment — the satisfaction is momentary at best. Jesus offers us peace, joy, love and a relationship that is fulfilling. Jesus alone satisfies our every need, quenches our every thirst, lasts forever, and never disappoints. He approaches us in our current state and offers to meet our greatest need — the need for a Savior.


How have you tried to fill your own emptiness with the things of the world? Just like the woman found herself returning to the well to try and fill her thirst, what sins do you find yourself returning to in an effort to fill the void in your heart? How have you experienced Jesus’ peace, joy or love in your own life recently?